Miniature painting

[Andol]

Well static grass is the easiest in my book. Basically a bunch of little grass looking shavings that you sprinkle on a dab of PVC (I think that is name) glue, leave for 12 to 24 hours... shake excess back into container and bam... :D. Best to put this stuff on top of your basing paint, which from the GW paint line is basically textured paint.

Tuffs I think are like static grass, but in the form of a pre-made bush. So it is more of a glue on and go thing.

Please note I might be wrong on some of the jargon for some of these items, but I have used them before. So the advice on how to use them should work. Not exactly an expert myself to be honest. 

[Pockets]

Static grass and flock are the same thing, just labelled differently based off of who is making it. And you can use good old fashioned Elmer's glue to put it down. I've done it that way for years. Tufts are small plastic pieces that look like little mounds of grass that usually have some kind of adhesive tape underneath it. But in my experience you still need to glue it down or it'll come off. Then there are texture stamps where you put some apoxie sculpt (or whatever form of epoxy you might choose to use). You can then preplace your miniature in the apoxie after stamping it. Wait for everything to harden. Then you can paint to your heart's content then glue your mini to the base and seal with the varnish of your choice.

If you're not comfortable with the stamps you can buy prefabricated bases from place's like Elrik's Hobbies and Secret Weapon Miniatures.

Otherwise you can search YouTube on videos on how to make your own bases. I've seen folks make bases with garden rocks, cashew shells, cork, beach sand, etc. Realistically the sky and your skill level are the only limits you have.

[Dhi]

Eiryss, Mage Hunter Commander is finished.


Kingdom Death's Percival is next under the brush.
I don't normally post WIP steps, but I wanted to share just how lovely the sculpt is, before I completely ruin it.

[Andol]

Getting those things done way faster than me XD. :D Got to get the Clan rat and rat orge bases decorated... XD

[Dhi]

Oh, I though the base was already done and just happened to be black stone!

Yes, I do work quickly. Finishing about a hundred in a year means completing one every few days to this standard. It helps me to relax in the evenings.

[Beorning]

Yes, I do work quickly. Finishing about a hundred in a year means completing one every few days to this standard. It helps me to relax in the evenings.

:o :o :o :o :o

You're so awesome... Last year, I painted about... ten minis? Currently, I'm not painting - just assembling. I assemble three minis a week (on average) and I already feel like a crazy mini-glueing machine... :)

BTW. I managed to assemble the Grenzer! On my third attempt! Finally!

And your painting is great as usual, Dhi.

[Andol]

Oh, I though the base was already done and just happened to be black stone!

Yes, I do work quickly. Finishing about a hundred in a year means completing one every few days to this standard. It helps me to relax in the evenings.

Hmmm... Then again I do like to do large numbers at once to that standard... or really large ones by themselves. XD... So maybe that makes a difference. I only do them one at a time when it is a large miniature or a hero/lord unit. :D

[Dhi]

Kingdom Death's Percival is done.


The camera did not really pick up her freckles. I think I made them too faint.

[eBadger]

I love Percivals hair!

[Dhi]

I just bought an ultrasonic cleaner for airbrushes since the price has come way down. After a few routine cleanings, some gunk came out of otherwise inaccessible parts of the airbrush that always clogs. Now it doesn't clog anymore.

[Pockets]

Worth every penny if for that alone. But I also use mine to strip minis as well.

[Beorning]

I... didn't even know such a thing existed. Out of curiosity, how much does it cost?

On my side, I've been experimenting with basing lately and I also decided to start varnishing my minis. So, here's my first fully-done mini: a Ghulam Infantryman with a decorated base and also varnished.






(I still need to figure out how to make good photos, apparently...  ::))

Currently, I'm working on the Nomad flying drone, Meteor. I'm still painting it - and I also keep trying to work out how to make the model stick securely on its base. But the base is now done and varnished:

[Pockets]

About $40 USD for the one I bought.

Magnasonic Professional Utrasonic Jewelry Cleaner

You can buy larger ones but I've found that this will allow me to easily strip a half dozen models or more depending on the size of the model. plus it easily accepts the traditional airbrush easily. My Iwata Neo TRN1... not so much.

[Beorning]

Interesting... Something I can do without, but interesting nevertheless :)

On another note...

Guys, what games do you know of that have good-looking minis? There's Infinity, of course, and there's Kingdom Death. There are / were some board games on Kickstarter with some good-looking miniatures (HATE, Nemesis, Human Interface: Be A Better Human).  GW's minis are... an acquired taste, IMHO. Other games I've been looking up are kind of mediocre in that matter...

Crazy idea: let's create our own miniature game! A horror game, preferably. With lots of detailed monsters, cool human characters etc. Something that would be awesome to paint!

[Thorne]

Reaper Miniatures. People gripe about their Bones line, and some of the smaller Bones are a little shallow, but the big ones are good - and cheap - and their metals are nice.
Darksword Miniatures. TEENY GORRAMN EYES ... but beautiful detail.
Oathsworn Miniatures. I... have only painted one of these so far, but it came out nice. They make some very nice - and useful! - minis.

Can't speak for most of the others I've heard of; I haven't really got my hands on many.

[eBadger]

Bones line is crap.  Paint doesn't stick to it. 

Check out Wyrd's malifaux, privateers war machine/horses, and guildball. 

[Thorne]

Bones line is crap.  Paint doesn't stick to it. 

Not true. Somebody did some experimenting; /some/ paints don't stick to it (I have found that p3 is especially prone to beading off). Put a coat of Reaper's Brown Liner on it first though, and that goes away. I have also heard that Badger's Stylnrez primers stick, although I haven't had a chance to test that myself.
My gripe with Bones isn't that paint doesn't stick, it's getting the rassenfrassen mold lines off. A blade or file doesn't always work so well if you get something super-floppy. :/


http://forum.reapermini.com/index.php?/topic/48669-bones-the-first-coat-is-the-difference/ - here, the discussion thread on how to get stuff to stick.

[eBadger]

Fair enough, and I do mostly use P3.  But I spent months on a build and thought I was very clever to use some Bones stuff that would be easily cut and shaped, and I came to regret it deeply. 



Those wings are from a bones griffon; they were washed, primed, painted, drybrushed, and sealed repeatedly.  Nothing works.  I've repainted a couple times now, and no matter what it just wipes off when handled. 



Suffice to say that IMHO, a material that's so touchy about keeping paint on is not an acceptable choice for me to use my time painting.  I'd rather spend a couple bucks more for a better quality cast and be confident I won't have a problem. 

[Pockets]

Wash the wings in something harsh, like rubbing alcohol. You don't need to soak it, but you need to make sure you get any residual oils off. Then immediately varnish it completely with a matte varnish. Let it cure for a day or two then prime it. You'll find that it'll help immensely. A lot of folks don't like the plastic bones stuff that Reaper has put out, but washing it with rubbing alcohol and then varnishing it with a matt varnish makes it at least usable.

But even so, nice work.

[Arkaniel]

I’m going to be working on a partially new, partially second hand dark Eldar  army for the wife. I’ve tested a nice colour scheme of dark grey to green with light green highlights. Once I’ve got some stuff done, I’ll post pics.

The second had stuff has hard yellow, bright purple and light green as painting style. Psychedelic dark Eldar!

[Pockets]

Check out the color shifting paints from Green Stuff World, Arkaniel. They give some good results.

[Arkaniel]

Check out the color shifting paints from Green Stuff World, Arkaniel. They give some good results.

Looks good but I bought so much Vallejo paint recently I’ve got to use those first, haha!

[Pockets]

Well the color shift paints are designed to be used in conjunction with other paints. I'd consider buying one or two of the colors you want for the armor if nothing else.

[Ershin]

I'm currently considering picking up a few Daughter of Khaine models to paint and have been considering how to base them. I'm currently thinking of setting them in Ulgu the Realm of Darkness) using Vallejo's Black lava texture paint with crystals cropping up out of the ground. I've been attempting to source some clear purple resin crystals for this purpose, but the only ones I can find are horribly expensive. So it's down to a choice of red or blue from Green Stuff Industries. Would anyone have any other suggestions for basing a mostly female murder cult obsessed with blood?

[Andol]

Hmmm... Well my question would be what models from the Daugthers of Khaine sub-faction are you painting? Depending on that, then I would suggest that you pair the red crystals since the Daugthers of Khaine are heavy on the blood theme. Save any blue crystals for the Dark Elf Corsairs and there fleet XD. As for anything else I am curious what kind of idea do you have for them in action.

By that I mean I always paint and base my Skaven as though they are invading Lustria and a Lizardman environment. XD... So there is that to think about...