Borka Kegslayer.

Well Privateer Press did it again. Another fantastic bust came out at Gen Con. This time a Troll Blood. Well I've never actually painted a troll so I figured why not? It's a bust, it's a troll, it seems like a really fun sculpt..... and Bob's yer uncle!


For those unfamiliar with the Bust here is the box art.

The resin is the normal PP stuff, its hell to remove mold lines from with anything other than file rods (those awesome things from Tamiya).  There was a good bit of flash and vent resin left over on this one. 

Sadly There was also a bit of mold slip, which I apparently did not manage to get a picture of... and a few small bubbles on the back of the head behind the quills (which will fill in just fine with primer).

I did set a pin in the shoulder for the armor, more out of habit than anything else. Ok to be honest I started drilling before thinking....

Well now it's all primed up and ready to get going. Just gotta wait for the primer to cure.

Moar Conquest WIP.

Well I was a good boy and got a bunch of my reading done for class, so I decided to treat myself with a few hours of painting. As I am still waiting on my next commission project to get here I chose to keep working on the Conquest.

I started by working on the fire in the boilers. Of course this thing is so big that it has three! Then it was on to working on the blacks, and let me tell you...... there is a lot of black on this guy, not to mention the black needed for undercoating the metalics that are yet to come.

So have some WIP shots and keep painting!

Learning to speed paint.

Recently I was challenged to spend no more than three hours on a unit or model. The painter who challenged me is an award winning painter and fantastic teacher so I listened intently as he dropped the knowledge. I also realized that I was spending way too much time on models that were destined for the table top as game pieces rather than the display case or entries into competitions. With this in mind I set out to "get er done". I chose the Privateer Press Khador Battle Mechanics as my first trial models. They are one piece models with a decent amount of detail, and something I felt I could do well in the limited time.

A few lessons learned.
1. I kept wanting to get detail into ever nook and cranny. I kept having to remind myself that table top was the goal.
2. Blending. I wanted to so very badly to add depth to the colors. Where as for table top a wash and highlight would do just fine.
3 Keeping to a more simple color pallet. There was no reason to use 30+ colors on the models.

So with all that I think the came out really well. I did them up in about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

The new Privateer Press Battle Box - Khador Edition.

For those of you who don't know or don't play Warmachine a new edition of the rules where released in July. With the new rules came new models and new starter sets. I picked up the Khador box as it is the faction I play and frankly I am a gluten for painting red....

The first thing I noticed about the models were the quality and crispness of the detail. or rather the lack there of. The warcaster (the small based model) was very soft on detail. From the art work you can tell that he has a beard and yet it was barely visible on the model. The injection sights on the war jack molds were placed in silly spots, like on the curve above the head......

So with that in mind and knowing that these would only be used for demo games I painted them up quickly to an acceptable table top standard.

Finally a new project!

For those that didn't know, my amazing wife and I had baby number 5 a few weeks ago. It is truly an astonishing thing, and quite frankly she is probably the best mini (see what I did there?) we have ever made.

That being said I was finally able to get back into the painting studio to work on models.

I picked the Privateer Press, Khador Beast 09 Warjack as my return project. It's a really old sculpt and time has not been terribly kind to it, and yet it has a quirky character filled feel about it.

As to painting technique. I started with my typical red ink over highlights mix, and got the black added for the undercoat on the soon to be added silvers. Then went ahead and did the browns to under coat the golds. For this one I am actually using Vallejo - Model Color - Brass. My thinking is that its an older model so why not go a bit toned down on all the shiny bits.

So stay tunes. Lots more to come, and I will be back to the posting at least twice a week in the very near future!

Batch Painting - a few thoughts.


I was waiting for the next gloss coat to dry on the GW tanks yesterday but wanted to get some painting done. I had a few models laying around (who doesn't really?) that were primed and and patiently waiting their turn in line on the shelf. I decided to get them at least base coated. I knew that all of them were going to have strong reds and figured "why waste the paint?"

Batch painting, especially with an airbrush is pretty easy and can save a you a bunch of time. Make sure all of your models are prepped and ready to go. Keep them off to the side so that they are not picking up any over spray, and have at it. Simple really but what a time and effort saver. From base coat to under ehighlights to inks all four models took less than an hour.

So here are some pics....

Cryx?

I say, sure why not! Like I promised at the beginning of the month, changes are coming to the blog. We are working on a few reviews that will start rolling out in the next few weeks, and I am ridiculously excited to post them (just have to wait a little longer)!

So while I wait (not so patiently) I figured it was time to enter a few painting competitions. I wanted something completely out side of my comfort zone. I have never been attracted to painting ghoulish models so I am forcing myself to stretch and am working on a Privateer Press - Cryx model. 

This is a Cryx Warcaster called Gorshade. It's kinda creepy, but in a good way. 

The model is being painted up for a particular painting contest so there are a few things that have to be done. It will be part of a diorama and there will be another model or two in the mix. 

So here are the first work in progress pictures to wet your appetite. 

The end of the year blog post!

Warning, this post will not contain much in the way of hobby content. It's a reflection of what has been.

First I want to thank you for continuing to read my blog. I get a thrill out of logging onto my computer in the morning and seeing the number jump up on how many views I've had the day before. The blog has had an incredible year, I hit 10,800 views over the last 12 months. That is an amazing number in my book! So thank you from the bottom of my heart. It encouraging to see that people actually read what I type and look at my models. It drives me to do and be better each time.

Looking back over the models I've completed this year it's funny to think that I started in January working on my 9 year old son's Protectorate of Menoth models and finished with a display piece from Khador. It was a long and strange year but fulfilling.

What's next?

In the next year I plan to expand on the blog. I am going to reach out and work on different types of miniatures from different game companies. You will see more GW stuff, Some Infinity models. I am really itching to get a hold of a few Knight Models (the batman stuff) and hopefully some Super Dungeon Explorer.

I will also start doing more product reviews as things come in (but that's a surprise for later).

I am also spinning up an honest to goodness YouTube channel. I am going to focus on beginners. There are so many painters on YouTube and they are fantastic but so few of them actually teach the basics. I expect that to start around February, as it takes time to create, edit and upload.

And finally I ask for your feedback. Please leave comments, let me know what you like and what you don't. Tell me what you want to see in the future. This blog belongs to you, so please let me know how you want me to make it better.

I'd like to give a few shout outs as well.

To Secret Weapons Miniatures, Thank you for the fantastic products you produce. Your weathering powders and Crushed Glass really make the miniature stand out!

To Badger Airbrush Company - I use your Patriot 105 and Renegade Khrome religiously. They are both excellent and continue to impress.

To Vallejo - Your paints rock, and your airbrush thinner is top notch!

To Privateer Press - I love your models they are inspiring to paint (even when I curse the crazy details sometimes). Also the more I use the P3 paint line the more I love it.

To Hanger 18 Miniatures - Thank you again for providing backgrounds for photography. The quality and look are just fantastic.

To Painting with Menoth John - Keep putting out your show. There are many a night (or day) that I have you on in the background while painting. Ya'll are inspiring, in your own sick and twisted (in a good) way.

And last but not least to my Wife and Kids, who put up with the long hours of painting,

So here is to what was an amazing 2015, and to an even better 2016!

And again I thank you, I couldn't do it without you!

See ya next year folks.

Bombardier Bombshell 4.0

Well work continues on this intriguing model. I was able to get all the base coats on. The metallics are set and the oil washes have been applied.

The model is really coming together. I have maybe about 4 or 5 more hours to go and she will be finished and in the books.

I used a black oil wash on the suit and a burnt umber on the the girl.

Now to let it all dry and start on the rest of the highlights.

A new competition project. 1.0

At Warmachine Weekend I was given quite a bit of great feedback and some great advice on my painting. With all of that fresh on my mind it's time to start on a new project.

I wanted to find a model that was both fun and challenging. I spent a about a week looking around the web trying to find something that would inspire me and challenge me, and then I remembered I had a Privateer Press Bombardier Bombshell still sitting in the blister.

For those who don't know what I am talking about, the Bombshell is a convention special model, It's big, fun and has a beer in her hand! Well here look.

Now I knew what to do, it was time to build. I started by spending about 2 hours removing mold lines and filing the pieces down to fit. 

I wanted to do a display base for her as there is so much to this model I don't feel like a 40mm round base can do it justice. 

As to the painting part it's a bit bigger and more fiddly than normal so I had to figure out a way to hold it while painting. I took 4 corks and taped the snot out of them for a good hold and the right size. 

Everything that could be painted together was pinned and assembled and then it was time to prime. 

So here we are, me waiting for the primer to cure and dreaming about getting some nice cherry red and chrome onto her. I'm thinking the model is going to be an homage to the 50s. 

Stay tuned, this one might turn out epic. (or go down in flames, either way it should be interesting). 

The long awaited, and frankly quite long Photography post.

As some of may know, I taught the miniature photography class at Warmachine Weekend. I also shot and edited the pictures of all the entries for the painting competition, which can be viewed here Warmachine Weekend Painting Comp Entries.

Since the pictures have been posted I have received quite a few inquiries about how I was able to produce the results I did.

There are a few basics that must be understood for taking decent (to great) pictures of miniatures.

1. Equipment matters. A good DSLR will always take better pictures compared to a phone or regular digital camera. I shoot with a Cannon T2i and 300mm lens.

2. Lighting, lighting, lighting. It's crucial to taking good pictures. I use at a minimum 3 lights around my light box, and sometimes a 4th in the front if a model has too much overhang, leaving too many shadows. I personally use daylight bulbs in my set up but even good desktop lamps with LED bulbs will work just fine. If you find that you have too much glare on your models, a good cheap trick is to take a bit of parchment paper and LOOSELY wrap the head of the lamp, it will act to diffuse the light.

 2.B. Light should never be focused directly at the miniature. My setup has one light on each side and one light over head. I aim the lights behind and at a down angle causing the light to bounce off the walls before hitting the miniature. This has given me a way to remove shadows with out washing out the miniature.

3. Background. Ideally you want a darker, contrasting background. (you would not want to shoot a blue model against a blue background....) Choose something that is on the darker side that really brings out the colors of miniatures.

 3.B. I was generously given backgrounds made by Hangar 18 Miniatures for the photography class and for the WMW shoot. They are the best I have come across for miniatures as of yet. The colors they use are subtle enough to not take away from the miniatures but contrasting enough to make your mini's stand out. They are longer than a standard piece of paper and bend well without creases so that you can have them as the floor and background of the model. A few words of caution when using these backgrounds. The images are a bit fragile, so gentle handling of the miniatures when moving them around on it is required. Also I would recommend adding a strip of  Velcro to the back so that it will hang in your light box. Most light boxes I have played with have a strip for Velcro on the back wall. All in all the Hanger 18 stuff is great and I would recommend picking a few up if your going to take pictures for CMON or other websites, competitions etc.

4. A light box. This is something that you do not absolutely need. People achieve amazing results without them. I find it easier and more convenient to have one. They range from $30 to several hundred dollars. A good $50 light box will fit all your needs and can be found on amazon, eBay etc.

5. A tripod and remote. As you will read about later in the post, having a completely still camera is one of the keys to taking a great picture. You will need a steady tripod for this. Now your tripod does not have to be a $150+ studio quality job. I have a $25 tripod that meets all the criteria and is fantastic. Things you want to look for are, rubber feat. A good wide stance, lot's of levels and easy head adjustment. As for the remote. Just go get one, They run $5 on amazon for just about any camera.

OK so we now have our shiny camera, that is sitting on our new and awesome tripod. We have our light box set up with the lights shining down upon it. Why are we still getting poor to mediocre pictures?  Settings, the answer is settings. So your shiny camera has an auto setting that you are probably aware of. What we need is manual mode. We want to be able to control the white balance, shutter speed and ISO. We also want to control the F-stop (aperture) but that's gonna be on the lens.

Let's take an aside and talk about the things we can control. Our ultimate goal is getting a proper exposure.

 Here is a brief summary of the notes I give out when doing a photography class.

Proper exposure - Too bright or too dark washes out information (pixals).

The three things that effect proper exposure.
1. F- Stop aka Aperture.
2. Shutter Speed
3. ISO (light sensitivity)

Aperture – Controlled by the lens. Basically the hole the light comes though. This allows you to control how much light comes in. (can help stop whiting out your pictures). Larger the opening the smaller the number (think gauges). (DSLR cameras move f-stop at 1/3 stops). I shoot at between 16 and 22 depending on light.

Shutter Speed – How long the sensor is exposed to the light. Measured in percentages of a second.
Longer exposure times gives more data to the image.  For miniatures we generally want a longer shutter speed.  (Again on a DLSR they move by 1/3^rd) and why we want to be on a tripod with a remote to keep the camera still while the sensor is exposed. 

With longer shutter speeds we want a smaller aperture.

ISO – Light Sensitivity, higher the number the brighter the image. Need to be careful, the brighter the image the grainier it becomes. Lower numbers will be a bit darker but will give you better raw data. (Very important in low light situations) For a light box with lights. 200 – 400 are going to be your sweet spot.

Picture formats.

8mb medium

16mb large

RAW. RAW is what you want to shoot it. This gives you the true data so that editing is “easy”. 

Another thing we want to look at is our White Balance. White Balance is basically a setting on your camera that gives the little brain inside of it a way to gauge how much light is there for it to use. We want to create a customer White Balance when we are setting up our shoot. It will vary with natural light if your in a room with windows (even with a light box) ect. It's very easy to do and I'll let you look how in your manual or on the YouTube. 

Everything above is are the basics of getting great pictures out of your camera. But there is more to the story. We need to look at editing. There are things that we will have to do on the computer. It's time to color edit to bring out what you want to see. We might want to lower our exposure levels, decrease the white, raise shadows etc. I recommend Adobe Lightbox. For what we do Photo Shop just ins't needed. Light Box can do all the editing without creating layers and I feel like its a more user friends program. 

So there you have it. Let me know if this helps or you have any questions and I'll try to answer them. 

Also if you would like to book a shoot for your models send me a line and we can work something out!

Tournament Tray Reduex.....

In my ever widening approach to not getting my Iron Fang Pikeman finished, a friend had seen my tray and asked if I could make him one as well. Naturally I jumped on the chance to help a buddy out and to play in the wood shop. Let's be honest, how doesn't love to play with power tools?

I started by figuring out how many of what type of bases were needed, then headed to the local hardware store to pick up a piece of scrap wood (for free!). After that I asked my wife to do her amazing sign/graphics/vinyl cutting juju and she created a fantastic template that would work. We secured the template to the wood and basically drew quite a few circles. This gave me a guide on where to cut and most importantly where not to!

With the board in hand it was time to go to the drill press. I used Forschner bits and set the depth to about 5mm below the level of the board. This gave me a good cut and prevented me from drilling too deep. It took about 30 minuted to drill all the holes and we had this.

The next step was to sand the whole thing. The goal is to get it nice and smooth to both prevent splintering and to make it easy and smooth when I apply the paint.

After sanding I used a bit of Wood filler to cover up the drill holes in the middle of each cut out. I did not do this on my previous board and now I wish I had. The wood putty dried in about an hour and then it was time to sand that down to level.

Now for the fun part...... painting. I used an all purpose oil based enamel paint for this. I wanted something that would both seal and protect the wood from drops, scratches, getting tossed in the trunk etc.  A quick note about this paint, it's sticky and takes hours to dry between coats. So I recommend getting outside if the weather permits, grabbing something cold to drink and a good book or your fully charged electronic device of choice and go at it. Also wear gloves when working with this type of paint. It's a bear to get off your skin.

I started by painting the underside. It's quicker and a flat surface so its easier to put up on blocks for when its time to flip over the board.

After this dried for a few hours it was time to turn it over and do the front....

In this step you want to make sure to get paint into all the nooks and crannies. as any light color will show up starkly against the black. Additionally make sure as you go that extra paint is not pooling into your cuts. It would suck to get this done and then your bases don't fit because the paint made the holes a bit small.


Now its just a matter of waiting a few days for the paint to cure then I'll varnish it and add a few vinyl decals and blam another board is done, and the Iron Fang Pikeman will still be sitting on my desk.....

My long absence has come to an end.

Sorry about not posting up anything in about a month. Life has gotten in the way of art and fun. The good news is that I am back and have been working on models.

Currently I have a few on the table but this is the closest I have to finished right now.

This the PP Khador Old Witch. She comes with a warjack and I'll post up pics of that when I get finished with him.

This is a work in progress, You can see that I have started on the shading and highlights. I really need to figure out what color her dress is going to be. I usually "know" but am kinda lost on this one.


So have a few pics and we will talk again soon.