And.... We are back for another exciting episode of.......No I haven't finished the Galleon yet. Yes I am aware its starting to sound like a joke/mythical creature.
In my defense I started a new job this week and for some reason they expect me to be there all the time.

So what have I gotten done you ask? Well I managed to finish another commission piece for a friend (payed for models get done faster).

This is the Cygnar Thunderhead. It reminds me of a DJ for some reason.

The Thunderhead was a lot of fun. I got to try a new technique with a brown oil wash. I had meant to try this out sooner on other models but this is the first one that I had finished that would look good with brown.

The base is my favorite part. Its from Secret Weapons Miniatures and its just a fun base. It almost looks like  the model is ready to jump in (well to me anyway). The base is awesome because I got to play with rust pigments and realistic water all in the same place.

So let me know what you think!

I had to diverge from what I wanted to do last night. I was planning on getting Galleon finished, but a friend "needed" a model done quick and was willing to pay.

So I worked on pStryker and it came out well for the 4 hours I had available to put into him.

On a cool note, this was the first time I got to try making an oil wash and I love it. It is everything everyone said it would be, smooth, flows into the recesses like a boss, and easy to cleanup and control on the model.

So here is pStryker.

Another few days have gone by and I still haven't finished up the Galleon. I know, I know, I'm a bad man, and should feel bad.... But hey life gets in the way sometimes.

Today I want to talk about why I started airbrushing, and things that come up on the big boards all the time.

I started because I wanted to bring my painting to the next level. I wanted to be able to paint more stuff, better and faster.

The airbrush allows me to lay down base coats in a fraction of the time, gives me smooth even coats and transitions and highlights are just unreal.

The more I learn to use the gun the more I fall in love with it.

So for anyone thinking about jumping in. Here is what you need (if I forget anything feel free to chime in).

1. An airbrush (duh) they range from $20 - $400+. Do some research and find one or two that fit your needs. Right now I am using a Master G22 that I got for $39.00 and it works well. I am saving up for a Badger Krome so we will see how much more I love that when I finally have one.

2. Air Compressor. Again these range from $50-$400+. I have a Harbor Freight desktop version and it works well, its quiet and steady and cost $80.

3. Paint. This is a whole blog post or ten all by its self.

4. Airbrush Cleaner. Some type of solvent lots of companies make them and there are tons of tutorials out there on how to make your own. I use Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner and dilute it 1:1 with water.

5. Airbrush Thinner. Again lots of companies make it, you can make your own.

6. Pipe Cleaners and Q-Tips. For cleaning your shiny new airbrush.

7. Spray Booth. Just bite the bullet and get one, they come in at $70 from TCP Global and its worth every penny.

Here are things that I use that are not needs but definitely help.

1. Small plastic cups for mixing. I use medicine cups and get them on amazon they are $4 for 100.

2. Gloves. The plastic ones, for holding your models when you spray.

3. Respirator. For protection when shooting anything more than acrylics.

4. Gater clips and Cork, this gives you something to hold on to so you are not touching the model its self while spraying.


Well I hope that helps.

Till next time.

Where does your inspiration come from?

As I am finishing up the Galleon (pictures will be posted tonight, I promise).
I was thinking about inspiration. As in what makes me want to paint a model the colors I choose. Why did I pose it a certain way? What technique do I want to try next?

I draw my ideas from so very many different places:

From the official studio paint schemes.

Amazing folks like Les at Awesome Paint Job- http://awesomepaintjob.blogspot.com/

Hugo at Ichiban Painting - http://www.youtube.com/user/ichibanpainting/about

Meg Maples who just left Privateer Press - http://arcanepaintworks.blogspot.com/

Shnauzer Face Mini's (amazing airbrush work)
http://www.youtube.com/user/SchnauzerFaceMinis

The list goes on and on.

My question is where do you draw your ideas from? What makes you excited to paint and try new things?

Who else had a crazy weekend?

I was down in Columbus, OH taking care of my real life job so not much got done. I did manage to do a bit of airbrushing yesterday though.

I swapped out my bent 0.2mm needle for the 0.3mm that came with the Masters G22. I can't wait to get back to 0.2. Its strange but that 0.1mm really makes a difference in how much control I feel I have and how big the spray pattern gets.

I grabbed two models that have been sitting on my desk that I had primed black about a month ago and figured I could get some bulk colors down.


I started with the Reaper Base Flesh Tone for the faces, and an amazing P3 Brown who's name escapes me right now.

A happy accident happened here you can see that the top of his coat is a lighter brown and that was from over spraying the flesh tone first.  On a side note, how cool is the Bart model, I love the pirate caption look to him and the detail is just outstanding.

Here we have Harlen Versh, amazing model and I love that he is going to be variations of brown for the most part. It will be fun blending and using different tones to make his details pop.

As far as the Galleon is concerned I have not forgotten or forsaken him. I am at the point of starting to chip his paint and weather him. That is going to be a rather lengthy blog post with lots and lots of pictures so I am taking my time and I want to get it right and all pretty for ya'll.

Well that's all for now folks, see you in a day or two!

Sad, sad news today. I went to the "studio" (and by studio I mean my basement) to get some painting done last night.

I thinned my paint, had the models ready to go, music was just right, the appropriate amount of beer was available...... It was all shaping up to be an awesome few hours of sending tiny little specs of paint through the air towards pewter and plastic. Alas as I pushed down and then pulled back on the trigger......Nothing came out.... 

Perplexed as I had cleaned my airbrush diligently after the last use. I began to trouble shoot. As I disassembled the thing I noticed that the needle tip was quite bent. I still have no idea when I did this, it must have been on re-insertion somehow, yet here I sit all dressed up with nowhere to go. 

So now I have a choice to make. I can buy a new needle for my Master G22. The needle would cost $18 with shipping (the brush only cost $30), I can get a needle, and start saving up for that Badger Krome I really want, or.......I can beg and plead for someone to step up and sponsor my little escapade into airbrushing.... (looking at you fine folks over at Badger). 

I will have more pictures of what I have been able to at least paint with a regular brush by tonight. 

Until next time. 

Oh and please leave a comment. Bueler, Bueler....

No new pictures to post today. I didn't have time last night to work on anything.

I do want to run down a few lessons I learned and thoughts that occurred to me when working on the Devastator.

1. Rusty brown does not contrast well with red..... Not sure how to remedy this other than to go with a very dark brown and maybe much lighter red?

2. Little jacks are a lot faster to paint up then a colossal (well duh right?)

3. What you use to scratch off the top layers of paint needs to be somewhat hard but not metal. I noticed a few spots where without trying very hard I removed the paint down to the grey plastic below.

4. I need to build a light box or better place to take pictures. Looking at what I posted you can see that the red paint on the floor of the spray booth was kind of blending with the model...

For tomorrow's post I will be back to finishing up the Galleon. I hope to finish the head and metallic piping on the main body.

So stay tuned....