Games day figure

Not mine, but a friends. which of course means I’ve had it sat here for nearly a year and hadn’t painted it for him.
I’ve rectified that now.
 

I’m still having a devilish difficult time photographing these more complex pieces so as to do justice to them. tomorrow I’m off to Ikea for a dustbin, like Roman suggests to see if that helps any.
I painted him with no metallics at all and have him mounted on a simple rock outcrop. i deliberately left his slottatab intact so that if the owner decides to sell him, the new owner will have a totally intact games day mini to do what he wants with.
This is another figure that taught me a lot, especially about light sources and reflections,, now I know it wont win a demon, not even close, but if each one of these guys helps me to improve I will feel better :) There's a lot on him I’m proud of, and some thing I know could be better. Like I said the photos really dont do justice. I’ll work on that.
In other news, my order of paints from SnM stuff arrived today, I must say Sean there was very helpful and the stuff arrived really promptly. I think I just found a new supplier :) Anyway with those here, I feel about ready to take on that wolf I’ve built, so expect to see him in a few days.
Thanks for reading, and for being patient with me while I paint some, frankly, odd stuff. for this blog at least.

A Lupine Diversion

In the continuing interest of revitalising my painting and modelling with new and random models, I had the yen to tackle another chapter, and the space wolves caught my interest.
Now having no space wolves bit (except 1 single bolt pistol arm i got as part of a bitz purchase) I was a bit stuck. pun intended.
SO I decided to have a go at improvising something wolfish. here’s the result.


I present him as a “green” so you can easily see what bits have been added and from where. I’m going to paint this guy and leave him based for play rather than socket him, as I’ve been looking for a low model count army for some time that I can go to town on with paint. Wolves might be it.
I’d run this guy as a frost weapon wielding lone wolf point filler if that were the case I think, but as I keep reminding myself I said I’d try to offload my blood axes and ultras before I allowed myself to start on a new army.
Anyway, paint soon :)
Thanks for reading!

I finished another squad..

And I’ll be honest I wasn’t happy.
Well, that’s not right, the paint job is my usual solid tabletop, the squad is done.
but that was the problem. I think the sentinel made me realise that some of the joy of painting had been substituted for the joy of completion.
I’ll be honest I don't get to play often, so I’m primarily a modeller and painter. and recently I think I've been painting more like a player, if that makes any sense to anyone, I’ve been painting sometimes 10 guys at once, so I can get a unit done.
Don’t get me wrong, I do take pleasure in that but I’m not really learning anything from it. so I decided it was time to mix it up.
To get back on track, challenge myself, learn, improve.
I dove into the bitz box, found a full model I could build, and set about making a model on a more display oriented stand, from an army I don't have, simply for the challenge and joy of painting him.
This is the result so far.

 
(I had to photograph him differently than usual, yellow didn't like being on the blue)
I know I wont win a demon with him, that’s not what this was about – it was about taking my time with 1 model, doing some things I never do and challenging myself.
This model taught me a lot. NMM – i never do this, and learned a lot by trying it. wasn't that successful but the next one will be better. the yellow, some parts of the model are beautifully smooth blends, other parts look more like a dogs arse. the red, highlighting red, ugh. but still some of it was really good, some not so much. and his face. I wish I’d used a different one as the sculpt has issues, but that's what you get when you try to make a display model from spare parts.
I’m really glad I did this, and will be doing a lot more like it. It will allow me to explore different armies without building a whole list and buying a ton of models for a start. I have enough armies. in fact I should probably sell a few, but I really enjoyed this, and felt like I learned something so will be doing more.
now I know you are probably thinking “where's the chapter badge”, well I am going to do one, but I wanted to practice first. I’ve done one practice pad, and it’s got some issues, so I want to do a few more before I commit it to the model, but rest assured I will finish him.

That’s the practice pad.
Well that’s it. A bit of a change for me. don’t get me wrong I'll still post tutorials and work on armies, but I’m just giving you due notice I’m going to be trying this kind of thing too :)
Because I want to be a better painter. and modeller. I’d like, ultimately, to be able to enter a painting competition and have a chance of winning. to that end, any comments, criticism or help is gratefully received, and as always..
Thanks for reading!

Homebrew Primaris Psyker part 2

More a quick update than a full blown “part 2” really, as I didn't manage as much today as I’d planned.

This is his current condition. quite rough but structural GS on the coat. I decided to blend the sleeves into the existing sculpted plastic to stop the arms being too bulky. I’ve added some boot aquilla and sorted the eye on his staff
the coat and collar still need work, a shoulder pad, some straps a bit more form around the collar. I still have to decide whether to add any gubbins to his head or not too.
I’m not 100% happy with him, but I’m not disappointed either. I get this, this stage of WiP when I’m ambivalent. I usually don't share work when I feel that way, but I thought I would this time. :)
Thanks for reading !

Homebrew Primaris Psyker part 1

Why?
Because I need a cheap, powerful HQ and I really don't like GW’s model. don’t get me wrong, I like the elements that make up the model, just something about the proportions and pose that don't sit well with me, So I’m having a go.
Step 1: Gather some bitz:
 

I didn't plan this at all really, this was just the result of digging through what I already had, – in hindsight I might have wanted 1 or 2 more pieces for this build, like a thunder hammer shaft maybe
 
I decided early on that the pockets on the guardsman’s legs had to go.

Followed shortly after by the decision that  the coat-tails needed to amscre also

I spent a while experimenting with Brown stuff trying to make some of the iconography i would need. more of that later.

The first gluing was the legs to the base, then the Greatsword torso to the legs. I’d been holding on to this in the thought that I might do a commissar – but both commissars and primaris psykers are depicted in breastplate’s so here we go.
 
The next step was the little Masonic apron :)
 
And the eye thereon, with a little implied piping too, not sure how well that will paint however. it’s a bit rough. at this stage i also added a holstered pistol and belt.
 
I selected an arm from the empire militia sprue in classic “emperor says “…then DIE”” pose. choose a head form the flagellant sprue and added an =][= symbol and a pouch. the cabling is trusty guitar string.
 
His other arm comes courtesy of the militia sprue too, with a cadian respirator and a space marine terminator topper. I've carved off the crux and will make up the eye symbol around the gem.
that’s how he sits now, I’m going to GS a storm coat on and do some tidying up, but then I think he’s done. a quick and easy way to get a slightly more dynamic Primaris Psyker.
Thanks for reading!