Clawz Paints! (Slowly)

[NIGHTHATER]

Clawz,

 

Wow...your probably in the top five painters I've encountered. The amount of detail on your models is unreal. Your models almost look too good...like shrunken down real people. Scary stuff you got going on here, but extremely impressive none the less.

 

Nighthater

[Clawz]

Many thanks Nighthater! Now I have to live up to that honour

 

I have always tried to be 'realistic' painting, and not as much 'painterly'. In some situations, that leads to a less 'skilled' looking model (like not painting eyes on a 1:100 scale fig), but overall I don't think I could long do the more painterly looks without falling back into what I know. Even NMM-type techniques I took and used metallic paints anyway, so it still has that metal shine!

 

Anyway, as I continue to slog away at Infinity models, never quite getting them finished and based, here's an entry I'm putting in for Plastic Soldier Company's monthly contest. I am, as some of you have seen, a Rivet Counter but that doesn't really come out as much in my Malifaux projects. To that end, Sd. Kfz. 222s!

 

 
 From Kfz. 222 patrol

 

I also play a 1:100 scale WWII game, called Flames of War. It's a Company-scale tactics game that quite well simulates WWII. The breadth of theatres and models is incredible. One of my favourite forces is the AfrikaKorps. It's the German North African army, and they have some of the coolest looks, funkiest mix of gear, and an absolutely unique (for the German army) outlook on combat and practicality.

 

The 222 itself is a scout car that you couldn't pay me enough money to drive/fight in. Cramped and noisy, armour thinner than modern hum-vees, tall, and wheeled in the desert. That said, it is such a cool vehicle as far as looks and function.

 

 
 From Kfz. 222 patrol

 

Each vehicle was extensively converted from Zvezda's model, with tons of random stowage added (Germans learned quickly you do not want to have to wait for spares and repair to come from the back when you're a front-line unit. You want everything you may need if you break down already on the vehicle!)

 

Also converted is the center vehicle: a Kfz. 223 command vehicle. That big rod contraption is a bedframe aerial, for long-range radio communication, and converted out of the ever-useful paperclip. (The turret is also converted: Command vehicles only had a self-defense MG, not the 20mm cannon of the other two).

Soon, likely the next time Plastic Soldier Company has a decent sale, I am probably going to buy the 20 needed to give me a full company of these vehicles!

 

 
 From Kfz. 222 patrol

 

Aren't they cute?

 

More Infinity pictures hopefully coming soon (likely still in-progress paints, but hey) and more Malifaux stuff perhaps when my order comes in!

[spectrehorseman]

Those are cool dude. My buddy gets into painting army guys (mostly tamiya). I'll tell him about the Flames of War range.

[Clawz]

Thanks Morray, I'm not certain about the Blighty comment though!

 

@Spectrehorseman: Do tell indeed! It's very varied in company makeup, battlefield, and whatnot, they're even branching into WWI! Armies typically cost mid-way between Malifaux and GW: Maybe $200-250 average. (Obviously if you decide to go all Tiger tanks, much cheaper. Russian Strelkovy Infantry horde... potentially a lot more!) That said some of the more 'common' forces (German panzergrenadiers, Allied mixed infantry/tank forces) are being made in plastic, and their prices are dropping distinctly as a result. The game's a lot of fun, especially if you customize the scenarios.

 

 

Next up is my creations with Infinity! As promised, I've actually sort of basically kind of finished off a bunch!

 

>.>

 

The full crew:

 
 From Nomad Finished

Full writeups can be found on my blog, but for you folks, pretty pictures!

 

 
 From Nomad Finished

The Hellcats were technically done most recent, but they ended up being grouped with my Prowler, who was done first of the entire group. It's awesome how in photographs you discover spots you mis-painted... Good thing I haven't matte-coated these yet!

 

I will say I find their helmets a bit questionable, but I have a sci-fi workaround that I'll geek out on if folks care enough to ask me to (not going to bore folks for no reason!)

 

 
 From Nomad Finished

Also Wildcats: They're line troopers, so they get very mundane painting. Notice my well-hidden (from enemy eyes) symbols, and a very plain looking QR code on the leading shoulder; Lets friendlies identify them quickly, not so much for enemy soldiers.

 

I will admit I spent some time debating how to decorate their shoulders. Photoshop can be very useful sometimes for dry-running a paintscheme before you potentially ruin a model!

[Clawz]

It's been a while but I am back to some extent! I have had a new work schedule which falls almost exclusively into what used to be my painting time, so progress has been slow. Add to that being a groomsman at my best friend's wedding, and planning my own wedding sometime soon, and here we are, a month later with little work to show.

 

Little, but not none. I have acquired a Morat army for Infinity which is even now getting converted, been painting some Infinity guys again, and have received my Infinity: Icestorm box and my Wyrd Gencon orders! (Still haven't got the third Samurai; long story.)

 

In the meantime, progress pics!

 

 
 From Random photos

 

I've done a full writeup on these on Counting Rivets, but in brief: my other lamp finally crapped out, and these $17-24 lamps are incredible. 18 LEDs, no heat thrown, daylight-sim light... marvelous.

 

 
 From Random photos

 

In the foreground, Nomad Tomcats being painted. In the background, the finished* Intruder, Alguacile, and others. I shall hopefully have more and better pics by next week, and in the meantime will be maybe actually getting around to posting that photography tutorial I have meant to for a while.

[Clawz]

Another Nerd Model Finished!*

 
 From Kerrigan 
 

Kerrigan, of Starcraft fame, is finally, nearly finished. I need to do more work on her base, but I want to leave that as a way to use up epoxy putty that's being put to work elsewhere. With a Morat or two up for conversion, it'll likely go into that.

 

As always, a full detailed writeup on the painting is on my blog, but here's some more pretty pictures!

 

 
 From Kerrigan

 

 
 From Kerrigan

 

All Infinity in the near future for me, at least until the missing bitz from my Wyrd order come in, then it's Miss Ery and Samurai time!

[Clawz]

Jeez, it was October when I last posted...

 

I've done some fun stuff since then, all documented on Counting Rivets, and I'll highlight some of it here.

 

   
 From Reverend Custodier and Zondbots

 

 
 From Reverend Custodier and Zondbots

 

First up is one of the cooler models made by Corvus Belli I think: Sweeping motion, a female model with practical(ish) garb, lots of surface variety to do interesting things with; just awesome all around. She was fun to paint though it took a bit to work out what I wanted to do with her.

 

 
 From Tomcats

 

Next is the Tomcat group-pack. While much brighter than most of my other Infinity stuff, I figure since they're also meant as an emergency response team, it makes a bit of sense for them to be brightly coloured (in the same way that Firefighters wear reflective, high-vis gear).

 

 
 From Tomcats

 

That said, they are still military, so all their military gear is still the same olive drab.

 

Finally, my next creative project is a (re)paint of the models that finally sunk me for Infinity. I was on the fence until they released the Nomad Geckos, and I went "Ohh man, I don't care what their rules are, I'm buying these":

 

 
 From Geckos

 

 
 From Geckos

 

That forest of red bitz and torso are among the first models I purchased, and nearly the final painted in my Nomad force, mostly because for the longest time I didn't like the drab colouring on them. What made me switch was realizing something this big is pointless to hide; it's supposed to be big, scary, and intimidating! I'm also using them to practice my airbrush skills. Using an airbrush for basecoats and basic splashes of colour on kimonos is one thing. Getting it to work for you as a primary highlighting tool is another beast altogether!

 

Now if life would cooperate and give me more painting time...

[SpiralngCadavr]

Your infinity stuff looks very nice- really tempted to finally jump in and get that 2-p starter set...

[Clawz]

I highly recommend it! A friend of mine was thinking of getting into Pan-O, and we ended up each getting one and swapping the models. Infinity's nice as a game too, because there's no real 'required' models to game: it's well and truly whatever you want (within a faction).

 

Also, thanks for the compliments. It's been an experiment, for sure. But then, what's the point of painting if not to experiment and make new awesome things?

[Clawz]

More Gecko love!

 

I hope everyone's holidays have been going well. I will blame that for my lack of activity >.>

 

 
 From Geckos

 

More pics are of course over at Counting Rivets, but here's a teaser image in case you don't want to click over.

[Clawz]

Alright, as I slowly paint the next phase of my Geckos, I'd like to solicit the aid of the always-helpful Wyrd forum-goers.

 

Being Nomads, and therefore being a bit less military parade order looking than most, I want to do something akin to bomber art on the Gecko's shoulderpads. Nothing too offensive or over-the-top, but think WWII bomber, or Vietnam war helicopter stuff, or I guess Starcraft Marine come to think of it...

 

I would love ideas. I don't just want to do "scantily clad woman holding X", though I'm not necessarily against that for one of them. All ideas welcome, the best (four?) may even be applied!

[Clawz]

Short update of things I was working on recently:

 

 
 From Geckos

 

TAG Pilot names! African themed since I know a lot of the original components of the Nomads come from Africa, and I had to make my TAGs have names like the pilot's names on the side of a jetplane.

[SpiralngCadavr]

Wow, that's insane detail for the names- is that just freehand?

 

And regarding designs, I think if you're going for an african sensibility that doing some sort of abstracted animal design could fit the bill as a nod without getting too crazy. Also, if doing searches for inspiration, what you're talking about is "nose art."

[Clawz]

That is indeed just freehand! The paint was basically the consistency of milk to go on without drying up on the brush, and even then it was a few strokes and then frantically clean the tip to continue.

 

I had help (you can read details on m'blog) in the sense that I had a version of the wording up on my computer screen, so I could see how the letters went together.

 

And yeah, as I was searching the terms changed more to nose art; bomber art works, technically, but it gets you a few weird hits as well. I've always said I'm more of a tread-head than prop-head! Interesting with the African sensibility... That may be an interesting challenge: ring true to African tribal but still sci-fi... *dives to sketchbook*

[Clawz]

I finally have an update!

 

I've got a full writeup on Counting Rivets, but here, a sampler selection of images!

 

 
 From Morat Progress

 

A Morat huntress from Infinity, with her skin mostly highlighted. I'm not certain if I'm going to do warpaint like the studio job...

 

 
 From Geckos

 

And preliminary sketches of what may end up being Gecko shoulder pads! I don't yet know which I will pick, though I'm leaning towards one or two. I mostly just need to pick "named" shoulders for them, and go from there.

[Clawz]

So, I've been a bit busy, but I've moved into the new apartment and managed to get a few things painted! (Looking on my blog you'll see other work done recently, but that's not really foto-worthy stuff)

 

 
 From Geckos

I decided to go Escher on one of the Gecko shoulders, and this is where it started. (Well, not quite; it started with dots and a hex pattern, but that's a boring picture for here!)

 

...aand this is where it ended!
 
 From Geckos

 

It was a lot of fun painting it up, but man was it a mind-bender. I'm so happy it's done and doesn't entirely suck. Next up is "Huntress" on the Gecko with Mk12!

 

Hopefully that'll go much faster and I'll have pics up soon!

[dgraz]

crazy daddy-o, crazy.

[Clawz]

Mwahaha, I'm picking up what you're putting down, hep cat!

 

And now, More Pics! (Finished ones here, progress on the blog)

 

The same TAG that had the Escher shoulder I decided would be called "Space Gecko" (The Gecko Tags are considered perfect boarding-action and space-combat mechs, so I figure it's an appropriate name). The name of course gave me an awesome visual of a gecko in a 1950s spacesuit, so:

 
 From Geckos

 

I had to give him that! Nice cheesy sci-fi font as well.

 

The other TAG was "Huntress", which I had to do with at least one scantily clad woman, because it's nose art.

 
 From Geckos

 

A huntress slaying a tiger, holding a shield that looks like the crest of the Nomad Nation, with wonderfully blazing bright blue hair! I debated giving her some loosely fitting wisp of clothing, but decided if I was going to go for old school nose art, I should go all the way...

 

Finally, the off-side shoulder for her was something inspired by the other primary population of the Nomads: While the names are African, the influence for Nomad is both African and Central American, so I decided to switch it up and go more Central American on my final shoulder, hence..

 

 
 From Geckos

 

...funky Mexican-styled gecko! With that, I managed to glue arms on, and am no longer panicking every time something moves around them. The shoulders have been varnished to make sure the paint doesn't rub, or get damaged, and soon I'll have even more fun progress pics for them! The difficulty now is in determining where I want to put safety warning decals on the Geckos to simulate real military vehicle styling... I may just end up doing a guess-and-check process of adding until it looks like enough.

[spectrehorseman]

dude, that free hand is unreal

[Clawz]

Thanks! It was rewarding if very, VERY challenging to my brain.

 

I'm painting a Morat force too, while I decide where decals are going to go, but in trying to come up with a colour for their armour, and as a result of a sale that was going on at the local gaming store... well...

 

 
 From Trollbloods

 

...I kinda went and got an entire Trollbloods force. Starter, Dire Troll, Troll Warder, and Fennblades, likely to be soon followed by the starter army box to give me just all the dire trolls I could ever want. It's fun though: it'll give me a chance to experiment with painting leather, since there's so much of it side by side, and to paint tartans (so many tartans)... and I'm trying out a new way to paint metal armour and weaponry. I'll have more when I get it photographed and edited!

[Clawz]

And now for something completely different!

 

I did something cool this weekend I've wanted to do for a long time (say, since these existed) and finally got to play with!

 

 
 From Cell pics

 

I laser cutted things!

 

 
 From Cell pics

 

As you can see it going together, I will, just before the last picture, say that for a long time I've been frustrated trying to find exactly the right paint I needed, shoving paints on whatever shelf I could fit them on. I finally have a custom-sized, carefully measured, (heh... except for something I mis-measured. >.<) and snazzy paint display rack!

 

 
 From Cell pics

 

It's got enough room for all the paints I currently own, including duplicates, and enough room for 5 more besides!

 

There's more fun stuff I worked on with the laser cutter on my blog at Counting Rivets, and more painting on the way.

[lusciousmccabe]

That painting rack is pretty awesome, beats the hell out of my cardboard box! Might missed a trick not cutting handd-holds in the sides for maximum convenience, but it's not like you're going ot put your back out lifting a rack of paints anyway.     

[Clawz]

Hmm, hand-holds... I wonder if I can subtly insert that in the next run!

This one was a prototype that I really, really wanted to get settled. For my desk it's unlikely to move (I hope... I pray..) and the baseplate of it, when properly measured, will act as a means to pick up the entire tray from the bottom.

 

That said, I need to revise the file, reprint it, and have a go at seeing how Tamiya Plastic Cement and clear acrylic get along.

 

I'm also hoping to actually get time to paint in the near future, and get to work on Trollblood tartans, Operation: Icestorm, Morats, Desert Raiders, Late-war German Panzergrens, Late-war American Paras, Malifaux Samurai, Kirai; metal and/or plastic, Freikorps... *sigh*

[Clawz]

More Painting at long last!

Wow it's been a busy last few months. Even my blog isn't getting updated faster than once a month or so!

 

(as an update to before: Tamiya ultra-thin cement and acrylic sulk at opposite sides of the room and don't interact whatsoever, as near as I can tell...)

 

I've been working on my Trollbloods, and was recently pinned at my Parent's place, cat-sitting for a weekend. What better way to spend that weekend than airbrushing!

 

I've put preliminary cellphone pics up on my blog, and I'll put a few highlight shots here:

 

 
 From Cell pics

 

First up: the entire setup. An Earthborn Dire Troll, three Dire Trolls, and all 18 of their possible hands!

 

 
 From Cell pics

 

After skintone, the first layer was of a purplish darker colour to tint around the weird rocks on their backs, and shade their palms and the like.

 

 
 From Cell pics

 

Then a highlight layer of skintone plus pale sand, layered up nice and thin, and varied troll to troll to make them all not look entirely uniform.

 

 
 From Cell pics 

 

This guy for example ended up on the darker end of the spectrum.

 

I do have the orignal trolls finished, and am just finishing up decals on the Nomad Geckos, and then both will be photographed and put online.

[zFiend]

That painting rack is amazing!