Thursday 13 August 2009

146 First Painting Challenge: Met!

Hooray!

After a uncharacteristically promising start, much encouragement and an equally uncharacteristic feeling of competitiveness, I've managed to complete my first two squads for the TOEMP challenge!

It's just gone midnight, I finished at 0018 BST, Thurs 13th Aug, and here are the ten models that are now finished, completing my two squads. Proof:
Sadly, because it's late and my brother's camping in my garden, I can't get out to the shed to get the rest, so I'll post proper pics tomorrow. In the meantime, these guys'll go to make HQ and 1 Section of 3Pl, B Coy, 2/24th Cadian Light Infantry.

And here's a real departure for me: I painted the aquilas on their right shoulder pads. This is for three reasons: 1) I'm running out of transfers; 2) I can't afford more transfers, and 3) 73rd suggested we ought to be challenging ourselves more, and as I hardlyAdd Image ever do freehand detail I thought I would!

More pics tomorrow, hopefully.

Cheers,

- Drax.

17 comments:

  1. Those aquilas are excellent, I really need to give freehand a try.

    Nice one on meeting your goals mate, keep up the good work.

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  2. How do you do your bases for you guys? looks like a shadow grey with either black ink or just a black drybrush? been looking all over for some decent looking bases and i think yours would be perfect for my scheme.

    So how do you do them? hehe.

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  3. Thanks, chaps.

    Finch, it's unusual for someone to take an interest in my bases, but here's the way I do it, if it's any help:

    1) GW basing gravel attached with generous helping of neat PVA (I hate the bits falling off). My gravel is actually dyed black in the tub with Indian ink, by the way.

    2) Paint it Chaos Black. Obviously, the sensible thing to do is to base them before spray undercoating black, but all my models are based and undercoated already. Pooh.

    3) Drybrush Codex Grey, being sure to get the sides of the rocks on the edge.

    4) Paint the rim Chaos Black to tidy it up, and touch-up the (black) boots if needed, after the grey.

    I'm starting to experiment with very lightly drybrushing second colours (dark reds/blues etc.) to give a little more range and depth,but not on these. You can see this effect on my mortars (link: top-right).

    Also, if you look at my recent 'stormtroopers' post, you'll see what it looks like with a greyish model (rather than my customary green).

    Hope that's of some help; thanks for swinging by.

    - Drax.

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  4. Great work Admiral! The free hand looks really good, in fact if you hadn't said anything I would have mistook them for transfers! What do you use for the dark skin color?

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  5. The aquilas look great! Even up close they hold up really well.

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  6. Good work Drax! Does that make you the first amongst us to achieve the first challenge?

    Great work on the aqullias, they look awesome. Whats next on your painting schedule?

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  7. Thanks!

    @ Sovietspace: maybe...

    @ D'nyarak: thanks - it's entirely unsophisticated I'm afraid: Tallarn Flesh (foundation paint) for the light skin tones; Scorched Brown for the dark tones; and (though you can't make them out in this pic) Graveyard Earth for the two with the mid tone.

    Simple.

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  8. Great job on the aquilas, Drax! If you hadn't said anything I never would have guess that they're not transfers.

    The variety in the skin colors is cool too--gives some of the models individuality.

    I'm looking forward to seeing more!

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  9. Very nice work sir!
    Gotta hand it to you - the aquilas are looking grand.

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  10. Fantastic! I love the Aquilas! I honestly thought they were transfers as D'nyarak said as they are so convincing! Good job, you are the first to finish matey!

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  11. I couldn't tell the aquilas weren't transfers, so full marks for that.

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  12. Lookin' good, Admiral! And you managed to do something I mostly don't. All your freehands look the same, which is a very good thing!

    So, freehands. What's next shading and washing? Or straight to wet blending? ;)

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  13. great work drax, its always good to try something new... following Hal'jin's comment, next up NMM's???

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  14. Thanks again, everyone - especially newer names!

    Kings and Hal'jin: No bloody way. One step at a time, eh?

    My trouble is I genuinely don't have a very good eye for colour. Seriously. If ever I need to mix a colour or even complement an existing scheme I always ask my lovely (patient) wife.

    I may try soem more advanced (for me) highlighting next time I do a vehicle...

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  15. Oh, drat, you beat me to the line. My excuse is that I had to pick up a flesh tone at the FLGS and couldn't finish until that's done- but I got that Wednesday and could have done it then.

    Anyways, congrats mate, they do look fantastic.

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  16. They look good, the hand painted aquilas especially! I'm awful with freehand painting and intend to practice as much as I can as I want to do some freehand on a conversion I have planned.
    Anyway, congratulations on finishing these early. I'm currently glancing up at the clock every 5 minutes with a nervous expression, lol! :)

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  17. Congratulations ! wow, I may be the last one : I won t start painting until tomorow, just finished to glue my guards !

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Thanks for taking the time to comment!