SpectreEliteGaming

This post will be a collection of all the WIP posts I made during the Iron Painter competition that I am preserving since I am guessing that the IP Forum will be bah-leeted shortly, as the competition is now over. Round 1: Round 2: Round 3: Round 4: Round 5:

First thing's first... what got me interested in showing my stuff online. My Iron Painter 2015 Submissions - Collection Complete! Round 1: Fool's Gold - "Work to Live? / Work to Death!" Round 2: The End of the World As We Know It - Rattenfanger von Hameln - Harbinger of the End of Mankind Round 3: Something Wicked This Way Comes - "Killer Klowns Up In Your Face! (aka; The Day Lil' Nate Met Strippy Butternuts the Klown)" (Wyrd Chronicles Volume 18) Round 4: Made In Japan - "Hans the Stampede" Round 5: Space Oddity - " 'Rocket Man' Ramos" I ended the competition 10th overall out of the initial 228 "participants" with 209/300 total points. Can't wait for next year!

Disclaimer: This thread will almost certainly contain images of miniatures that may or may not have all their clothing on or may or may not be deemed appropriate by any of you softy-softs out there. If you are easy to offend, this isn't the place for you and I will be making no attempt what-so-ever to facilitate to the more sensitive people within the community. Welcome to my insanity! ----------- Well I finally did it and took the plunge. I started a WIP thread in the Iron Painter 2015 forums and I was surprised at the number of views I got (over 2700 during the entire competition). I'm not sure if people looked because they were really interested or just wanted a laugh, but they viewed all the stuff I did, regardless. As such, I decided to make a large thread dedicated to all of the new projects or single minis I complete or even what I am currently working on. I will be including only Malifaux projects, for relevance sake. If any other miniatures or projects pop up chances are they are proxies or of a similar style. In other words, I'm not going to bombard you with post after post of Chaos Dwarves because chances are you're not viewing a Malifaux forum to see Chaos Dwarves. The only things I don't share are my major projects. I do one a year and I keep them a secret until they are done. As soon as it is done, though, it will show up here. My approach to miniature painting is achieving what I call "premium tabletop" standard - the kind of stuff you'd expect to see in an issue of Warhammer Visions or on the front of packaging/cards promoting the game. What you should not expect to see is fancy schmancy plinth pieces - I want to be able to use what I paint so most of my stuff will have a little utility in place of being completely artsy-fartsy. Do not expect NMM - unless I am painting a giant Japanese robot or a bunch of pretty elves (fat chance). Do not expect OSL - I feel that it was innovative 10 years ago but now it is gimmicky an usually out of place. If you want to see someone who uses OSL as an actual creative style rather than just a convenient gimmick - check out Spiraling Cadaver's stuff on the forums here - that's how it should be used! What you should expect to see in this thread is gritty realism - I try to make my minis look natural and dark - for the most part. The spectrum for me is somewhere between gritty realism and grim-dark. I know, I know - they don't "pop" like the currently popular style of overly saturated super bright and pretty cartoony looking models - but then, not all of us want Dreamer crews that incorporate lime green, baby blue, hot pink, and yellow-as-fuck into them. I want my models to look tough and realistic - not like the little tiny toys they actually are. You will, however, probably see a lot of layering/blending/wash (glaze) techniques, battle damage, micro-painting, weathering, creative base design, and enough free-hand to keep you entertained. My hope is that this thread helps to keep me regular and interested in submitting pictures of my work as much, if not more, than my IP 2015 WIP Thread did. As a side note - the first post will be a collection of all my WIP posts for IP 2015 so that you can quickly skim them, but mostly because they will need a home once the Iron Painter sub-forum goes bye-bye. After that, I believe I owe zFiend a Zombie Pig - from that point on, though, the sky's the limit. Enjoy! I am fully open to comments and critique or even throwing ideas at me to bring to realization. Assuming that they are appropriately explicit - I just might prioritize it from within my hobby queue, which I can assure you, is long and distinguished. Thanks for looking - expect regular updates - I am a fairly consistent hobbyist and like to keep busy all the time. As such, feel free to follow this thread, if you so desire.

Kadeton - I'm probably projecting a little more than you are, but not much. I just don't see how reasonable people who don't take it seriously get into this jobby in the first place, I guess. Just a couple points to clarify - When I tell someone about any hobby or interest or anything really - I want to give them the full picture - the good with the bad. If I tell them all the bad stuff and they still want to start the hobby then its probably worth it for them. If I can easily dissuade someone though - I probably saved them a lot of time and effort. I personally don't think this hobby is worth it unless you really go hard - there are so many other similar options that don't require so much time and effort ... once again though, I tell them that and if they're still interested then good on them. The "lifestyle" bit is in reference to everything - the hobby itself, attending your FLGS, going to conventions, socializing at pubs, spendig tons of time on your models, facebook groups, message boards - its extensive and you can't tell me that doesn't influence your lifestyle. If you look on your facebook and its full of your gamer buddies and people you met at conventions - then it has invaded your lifestyle. I do a lot more then "just minis" but I would be silly to say that miniwargaming doesn't take up a lot of my time (and I enjoy it so much - I'm fine with it... or at the very least it keeps me busy ). Basically, my last post boils down to: "I don't push things on people and I give them the whole picture." If they have a real drive to get into the hobby then nothing I say will dissuade them anyway. Keep in mind - I'm a hobby first, gaming second type person. Gaming is just something bonus to do once you have a bunch of little guys and nothing to do with them. If I was a game first type person - I would definently limit myself to boerdgames and vidyas... you'd have to explain to me why you would get into miniwargaming instead of just playing starcraft, axis and allies, or similar if you were a casual gamer. It doesn't make sense to me to even bother unless you are a hobbyist - you'll have to enlighten me. Whenever people show interest, to me - its the minis and the hobby that grabs them - rarely their interest in the actual game. If I wanted to just game - I'd take the easier, more casual options available in this day and age.

Book 1 was a bit fucked but besides that everything is cool. No? I don't feel like I am at a lack of projects to do I can tell you that. Honestly, when you think about it - the only reason Wyrd appears to have a slow schedule is because we know sooooooo far in advance about stuff. Compare that to like GeeDubs who doesn't tell you a damn thing so everything is heresay and a surprise when it really comes out. Unless you are specifically waiting for one particular release you have more than enough to keep yourself busy til whatever you want finally arrives. I don't know though - maybe I'm just dumb. Also - could you please include some kind of drama or conflict... maybe a little shitstorm or something? When you make a thread with a title, such as this one, I expect a little drama. You have disappointed me. ------- Also, Austringers are book one, gentlemen. When they are officially released on August 28th... only then can we close the book on the subject.

I thought the trick to playing Von Schill was to build a Von Schill crew and then just have Tara lead it instead, no? >8) Leveticus can do that shit too very nicely. I really need to get Strongarm on the table more. I'm so gung-ho about DE right now that i don't want to cut him. This game has too many good options... for everything.

Kadeton - I agree with about 1% of your post. The part where you said its unrealistic to assume unlimited creative potential due to all the constraints people put on themselves. The rest is convenient misinformation. Saying "Oh hey, don't worry - this game only costs 150$ to get into" is bullshit. How many hobbyists do you know who just buy one or two things and stay put? Ohhhhhh... but its their decision - they can stop at any time, right? Please. This industry is built on exploiting human nature and manipulating the psychology of compulsive people. That's why vidyas have DLC, boredgames have expansions, and we all live in an "upgrade culture." I am a 0% or 100% kind of person - I don't believe in moderation - its the yoda "do or do not" thing. If you're like me then this hobby is a great time sink to keep you out of trouble. I am not constrained by money and I can push myself as far as I want to. However, not too many people can do that - makes sense. However, however... especially if I know the type of person... I am more than likely going to say "don't bother - its too expensive" or maybe "it probably won't be worth it for you - its a very dedicated and time consuming hobby." Saying "don't discourage" is the same as saying "manipulate the f*ck out of your friends so they buy lots of stuff." That's a strategy for pushing drugs - I'm not selling a hobby (read: lifestyle) to someone that way (unless I made money off of them, myself, I suppose ). I know too many people who bought way more than they needed or didn't possess the finances to truly realize the hobby to a standard they are happy with. They get pissed off, feel that they wasted money, and then call the whole thing quits and wish they never did it in the first place. I remember once upon a time, a good friend of mine showed interest but instead of selling him on it I told him all the bad stuff to dissuade him. Cut fingers, time consumption, small parts, lack of people to play with, etc etc - pretty much a list of about 20+ things. In the end I told him "it sounds funny, but I'm pretty sure you need a psychological disorder or two just to do this hobby." I'm not sure if I really believe that (probably) but its an interesting way to think about it, no less. I will only try selling the hobby to people I know will stick with it and "go hard" otherwise my opinion is a rock solid "don't bother." I'd feel like a bigger jerk for getting someone into the hobby who isn't going to enjoy it than I would missing out on adding another head to the community. After all, if they really wanted to be apart of it "for reals" they would have pushed themselves into the hobby and made their own connections and did their own research... the way I did it... Flame on.

Glory to the Brave - Hammerfall Inspirational painting music... or something.

crush_jansen - Pf course you do! I always wanted a Drunken Kung Fu master to look like Shun Di from Virtua Fighter: Unfortunately, brewy is another one who suffers from the "boring master" epidemic.

Woh woh woh... wait a sec... I think I just struck gold. So I was starting to paint my long overdo Zombie Gracie... because zFiend told me to...when I thought up a new model idea. What we need is a gremlin who thinks that she is Myranda so that it can be a gremlin when need be (Kin, maybe? ) or a swampfiend for McTavish/Z. When she shapeshifts she turns into... .... wait for it... ... a Were-Pig!

zFiend - Well, there's that and the fact that the sow does exist.

I'd also make a blanket suggest that if you are worried about cost - you should avoid miniature games altogether. Vidyas would be a much cheaper and "less time consuming" hobby (most of the time ). The problem is - if you start limiting your choices or creativity due to monetary constraints you limit your potential and with miniatures the sky should be the limit - don't build any ceilings and if cost is truly a concern I'd find a different hobby. This shit can become an addicting obsession even when you come into it with the most moderate of intentions. The last thing you want to do is spend money on something that you don't end up realizing to its full potential.

Jeremy - Once again, though. All that effort of full body tattoos would look even more incredible on a model that is actually good. Shenlong requires the extra effort just to make par. dgraz - Anyone really. Maybe not full body but you got more than enough muscular bare arms to exploit. Or even faces! The models that immediately come to mind are like Avatar Seamus (awwwww yeaaaa), executioners!, steamborg, wastrels, and... why...metal Johan... A boring model requiring you to freehand just to make it not boring is pretty lame. Besides - 10T has more than enough fancy shmancy clothing to freehand as much cherry blossom trees and kanji characters, and other stereotypical designs as you desire. >8) Besides, dgraz - you should be painting more beautiful furry creatures for me to look at! Your Cojo inspired me to stroke by stroke the fur on that Johan's cape... (and my teddy... and soon to be flying monkeys). <3 ----- I always have to point my master out - the reaction is usually "really? that guy and not the big giant scary cyborg with spider legs?" It shouldn't be like that. Makes extensive conversion almost neccesary just to stand out.

Nonsense! They are of a much higher quality! Even so - they reach that special place in my heart that rejects "normal" subtle models in favor of the extreme. Why would I want that moderate simplicity in my fantasy games when I get more than enough tediousness and boredom IRL? Being "reasonable" is how we end up with models like Shenlong. :/ If it has guns - give 'em a nuke. If it has boobs - make it 4. Besides... they sure catch your eye like no man's bsns and only Forgeworld is above Outlaw in terms of both quality and sculpt. Admit it - its only because they have legz 4 daiz.

Lady Justice would be much cooler if she was dead, anyway. An undead hotty killing zombies has that righteousness associated with her avenging her own undeath. Besides, Judge is practically a zombie anyway - at least Justice being dead would give him an opening to finally bone her instead of remaining in the friend zone for the rest of his (un)death. Common Judge, break a piece off already. I've been burned twice in a week by Justin's tricksy political correctness and careful phrasing. At this point the fact that he didn't specifically state that it is a master that gets killed leads me to believe that it will be an NPC - probably the governator.

Well yeah, cepts spending time tattooing the Shenlong model would be better spent tattooing a better model.... Shenlong's crew easily takes the cake (from either tara or certainly mei feng) as being the most boring crew in the game... ... and yet still some how better than Jack Daw's box. And now I'm sad.

Excellent post badluckjinx - as for the rest of you... listen to this and tell me this isn't Perdita and Co. fighting Killjoy off after he Kool-Aid Man "Oh yaaaaaz" right through the wall - all Robert Rodriguez Desperado bar room shoot out style: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q5ODUgCCUcI

Not specificaly but I'm sure I could integrate a couple into that heap somewhere. I am moving in a direction to make any master model I have to be converted and show-y in some way - mostly to counter the tendency towards boring master renders in M2E plastics, but also mostly because why wouldn't you? Its yo mastah! Do it some justice! One of the problems with Malifaux, imo, is that, unlike pretty much any wargame I can think of, your master doesn't really stand out. Whenever someone comes by and says "oh cool, what game is this?" I always have to point out who my master is and I would like it to be more obvious. When I point out my master I want to say "this bad mofo right here" and have them say "oh, of course." But then, I don't need to ask, anyway... - I'll just convert! So, whatever, its cool.

Awww but I already almost made all of mine!

Think outside the box a little. Took me about 10 seconds to think up a wicked conversion.

That Hamelin looks like Wyrd wanted to do something extreme. I'm all about the extreme. I look at that and I say "conversion potential!" Tim Burton fans are gonna love my Hamelin.

What I will say is that if you think Baritone Lola is going to get away without a lil' peeking peter you are most certainly mistaken.

I'll nevah tell.

I'm kinda wondering what Hamelin box is going to look like now... Hamelin, Nix, Wretch, Stolen... maybe some other thing - I guess, right?

Additionally, if you require a checklist to monitor which models you do or don't have - you probably have a problem. The good kind of problem.