GumbaFish's project log (first Malifaux minis)

[GumbaFish 73]

Hey all, I am a long time miniature painter and gamer but I've recently become interested in Malifaux. Originally the miniatures just weren't my thing but after hearing some local gaming buddies talking about 3E I started to look a little more and decided I liked many of the constructs so I picked up the Hoffman box. I have to say since then the aesthetic and lore are really growing on me. Here are my first two members of my crew, a hunter and watcher. I have to say they were really refreshing and fun to paint!

Comments, critiques, suggestions, etc... are always welcome. These were painted to a fast standard over about a night and a half but feedback never hurts 😃

 

[GumbaFish 73]

Appears I may have resized one of those pictures twice! Anyways here are two conversions I have been working on also. A more dynamic Guarding and a floaty mechanical attendant

 

 

 

[Nikodemus 1,839]

You've got a nice drab & weathered style. Looking good.

[Chou 1,090]

Amazing models, both those painted and those converted!

[lusciousmccabe 1,952]

Like the cream and brown scheme. Very interesting take on the models.

Also, tiny plastic cactii ftw.

[Ultravanillasmurf 87]

Nice conversions. I look forward to seeing them painted.

[GumbaFish 73]

Thanks all! I am experimenting with different backgrounds so the color looks a little different on these two. I still can't decide which is closer to reality...

[Garok 2]

Amazing job! Do you mind sharing your weathering recipe for armor?

[GumbaFish 73]

Painting time has been a little minimal lately so I've been slow to update but I have finished Peacekeeper and a Mobile Toolkit. I'm still kind of playing around with my lighting/background setup hence maybe some disparities in colors between different sets of photos. Mostly because I forgot what I did last time. I'll make notes this time at least!

 

[GumbaFish 73]

On 5/20/2019 at 1:04 PM, Garok said:

Amazing job! Do you mind sharing your weathering recipe for armor?

Thanks, I will try to share the best I can. 

Airbrushing the armor

• Basecoat with Vallejo Panzer Aces Dark Rust. This color isn't actually part of the process as it gets completely covered by later steps but I just generally prefer starting from some sort of brown color and my scheme for branching out beyond the augmented models will use it.
• Basecoat Reaper Masters Series Jungle Moss
• Apply the first highlight using Vallejo Model Color Russian Uniform WWII. Apply this highlight zenithally, maybe around a 45 degree angle. I am not sure if I follow a true zenithal approach though or not. I think maybe I do a more stylized version where I add highlights to individual components rather than just letting it hit blindly from above.
• Apply the second highlight using Vallejo Model Air Duck Egg Green. Depending on where, how much area, and how strong a coat you put on this can change the look quite a bit. Just do it to taste and I've come to terms that I'll have slight variation in the results that largely get toned down during weathering.

Weathering the armor (I will do my best, this is very much by feel and a bit of a chaotic/organic process that you do to taste)

First thing, this uses enamels. I would suggest this being a final step in your painting process. They also take a few days to fully dry so plan accordingly if you want to varnish and I'd test your varnish on something you don't care about to make sure it doesn't reactivate the enamels and move them around.

• Use the Vallejo Dark Rust to add chips by using a bit of torn blister foam.
• Place Ammo by Mig Streaking Grime to define the shadows or place streaks. This is an enamel product and you will need to use something like odorless mineral spirits to work with it. I generally place it in areas where I want to define shadows and wait around 15 minutes before going back with a very slightly damp brush (mineral spirits) to feather and blend in the shadows. This will also add a bit of tint/filter to other parts of the model as you spread it around. I don't really know how to explain this but Mig Jimenez has some great videos that might be useful to watch someone work with it.
• I let this dry a bit while doing other things and then come back. I use a mix of ~ 3:2 thinner : Dark Streaking Grime (maybe even more diluted than this) to add panel lines, screw heads etc...

[GumbaFish 73]

It's been a while since I updated this because I moved over the summer and lost my camera during the process. I finally got a new camera and tried it out last night to take an updated Hoffman family photo!  I played around with the lighting setup and think I've gotten something closer to how they look (you'll notice some larger variance in the photos in the earlier posts) so I'll update pictures for everyone else. I'll have some individual pictures of Hoffman,  Joss, and the second hunter later tonight. 

 

[GumbaFish 73]

Hoffman and Joss are ready for their closeups

[Chou 1,090]

Beautiful models, I really like the metal parts, and the cleanliness is remarkable!