Progress Report 164.1.M3

Busy but been slack posting.

First off Module three completed...

Added the lights and door terminals. Also added a bit of Vallejo snow/foam effect to the pouring water to represent it bubbling/churning on impact.

Built the next Escher ganger...

The flamer comes from the Escher Weapon Set 2 and the head is from the Escher Head Set(!) both from Forge World. I liked the fact she is meant to be smoking a cigar (lho stick!). I pyromaniac smoking seemed to fit and I'm not sure if my memory is jogged from a film/TV show or from a novel...maybe from one of the Gaunt's Ghosts series?

Been distracted by historical projects of late more on those latter.

The Emperor Protects.

Progress Report 154.19.M3

Added water effects to module four. In all it took two and a half bottles of Vallejo Still Water.

The first layer a poured the whole bottle into a plastic cup and added approx. 12 drops of VMA Bronze Green. Mixed it together and poured into the module. For some reason I had some separation and darker patches of the mix appeared. Once dry (about three days later) I added a second layer. This time poured about a quarter of the water effects into a plastic cup, added the same amount of paint and added the rest of the Still Water. This mixed much better and went on even.

I also poured some clear fluid onto a piece of plasticard and once dry peeled it off and cut to add to the pipe to represent running water. The stripe was held in place of using more Still Water added via a brush. There are tutorials on line on how to use this stuff which helped greatly.

I then added a third and final layer of Still Water. Not mixed with anything and only used half a bottle which took bout 24hrs to dry. Then added Vallejo Water Effects Transparent Gel to create the ripples and make it look like the water was flowing from the pipe.

Made the doors for this module and module one. Used Wills 00 scale plastic sheets.

These are 'Sheet and Batten Roofing'(grey) and 'Box Profile Corrugated Steel'. Sandwiched between the two sheets is 1mm plasticard with a 15mm lip to help pull the doors out the slots on the boards.

Painted with the same pattern on each side. Weathered by airbrushing on low PSI with MIG Ammo Shadow Rust then Old Rust and then VMA Black. Light drybrush of VMC Oily Steel and finally a little bit of thinned VMC Smoke. The base colour is Tamiya Flat Black, masked off then Tamiya Flat Yellow and finally VMA Medium Yellow.

Four Escher ganger finished.

Posing in front of one of the new doors.

Module four nearly finished except for some finishing touches.

The Emperor Protects.
   

Progress Report 132.19.M3

Busy week. First up Blood Angels Primaris Marine finished.

Having fun playing around with the basic colour scheme on each one. Adding little differences to each figure makes it a bit more interesting with painting all that red! 

Applied a base coat of VMA Steel to this one and then found it made it easier to visualize the battle damage. Finally happy with applying the damage to these figures. Figure nine finally happy!!! The switch from 1/72nd and 1/56th scale AFV's was a little tricky in transferring techniques from one medium to the other. But always learning! I've found that GW Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade are used for the initial weathering then VMC Smoke. Finally a little bit of oil paints to round it all off. When I first started a was using Oil and Enamel based products more with pigments. Which worked fine on the AFV's but not so much for me on these figures.

The above is a 1/72nd scale T34/76 one of the last vehicles I painted about 18 months ago. Weathering drab green with oils, enamels and pigments is so much easier that phonebox red! It's a Zvezda model.

So also made a start on the Escher ganger.

Base for her is completed.

Then painted some ladders for Module three...

Was going to glue these in originally but decided they will be kept loose to make the game potentially more interesting. Who knows, character's knocking them down, stealing them?

A rough idea of what they look like in situ. These are from Hexy Store. Must admit a bit disappointed with them. Bought other items from them which are really nice casts. But some of these ladders needed quite a bit of cleaning up. I've only weathered one side, the good side. I bought these to save time but really all they are, are H plastic rod and T plastic rod..cast in resin. So could I made them myself as originally planned in the time it took to clean them up? Probably not! But the two I have left are the worst of the bunch so may just cut them up to use as debris.

The Emperor Protects.

Progress Report 121.19.M3

Quick update to keep me on my toes. Next Blood Angel Intercessor and Escher ganger built and ready for prepping etc..

With the next Intercessor gone out on a limb by pretty much building the whole model rather than breaking it done into it's component parts as normal. Will see this speeds up the painting process or frustrates it with the Marines it since detail will be hidden.

As noted when I started this Blog it is more for a diary record so I can keep a check on progress on 40K universe projects only. Like every other wargamer out there I have other projects on the go too. One of which can be seen lurking behind the Space Marine.

In case your wondering it's a Chindit for my intended WW2 Far East project.

The Emperor Protects.  

Progress Report 92.19.M3

More work completed on the next Blood Angel Primaris marine. Decided to try a different approach by airbrushing MIG Ammo Dark Rust over the darker Vallejo Hull Red. Then took it a stage further by airbrushing on the legs only VMA Steel. The idea being I would work scratches into the initial painting and make the red brighter when applied to the new lighter base colours.

 
Happy with the first results I then applied VMA Steel roughly to the rest on the model via a brush. Not to clear in that photo but on the Marines right leg I worked the red up from VMC Flat Red, vermillion and finally Aramantha Red. Then used VMC Dark Rust (which is much darker red brown than the MIG Ammo Dark Rust which is a more orange brown! Confusing!) for damage followed by VMC Oily Steel and some VMA Steel. Starting to like the Vallejo Model Air Steel with it being brighter than the Oily Steel and should show up more on the model. So still adding further weathering with a brush but working off a steel base cuts out some of the leg work.

The black areas have been painted with VMC Dark Grey. I tend used a dark grey or black grey more for a black base than true black.

Also built and primed the next Escher.

 The Emperor Protects.  

Progress Report 87.19.M3

Second Escher ganger finished (at last)..

Going to build the Escher's straight from the box to save time. With the Orlock's I messed around with weapon swaps from the box set, so building some not has GW suggested.  With the Escher's will follow the build guide (unless I get bored or have a moment of inspiration)

The second module is now 99% complete. May add a few minor details but the main parts are now in place....

Built a set of pipes from Knightwing Models universal pipe sets. Designed for use with HO/OO scale but work well with 28mm too.

 

So now to buy more frames from Sally 4th to build further modules.

The Emperor Protects

Progress Report 78.19.M3

More work completed on the Escher ganger.

In fact she is nearing completion. Decided the pink was out and repainted that area with Foundry Leather Brown Triad plus a little VMC Medium Flesh for the final highlight. The 'trousers' were painted with VMC Park Green Flat. First by adding a bit of black then highlighting by adding VMC Ivory. In place in looked a little chalky so used GW Wayfarer Green Glaze for the first time. Only a thin coat but it likes okay.

Started to weather the lights and fan for the second modular board. Usually method of VGC Tinny Tin followed by a wash of GW Seraphim Sepia,

Made  a start on the other wall units. Sponged on VMC Offwhite to try and give the appearance of the old colour coming through then MIG Ammo Chipping colour also by sponge to add a bit of damage.

The Emperor Protects.

Progress Report 74.19.M3

More detail added to the second module for the Underhive.

Completed the power points from Antenociti's Workshop. Then added 0.6mm copper wire to represent cables running across the floor, hidden under suitably painted plastic channel.

The plastic channel has been painted with Tamiya Flat Black and Flat Yellow. Given a rough drybrush and stippling with VMC Oily Steel and them weathered further with thinned VMC Smoke.

Also completed a little bit more on the Escher Ganger.

Keeping with the pink theme the loincloth/garment/rag or whatever it is meant to be on this model has been based with VMC Carmine Red then highlighted by adding VMC Beige Red and finally a touch of Ivory. Painting pink is well out my comfort zone, but the more you do the easier it becomes.

The Emperor Protects.

Progress Report 70.19.M3

After a short break work has resumed.

First up. The Power points have been started to be weathered and details painted.

 
Not much more to do to these.

Also finally got round to starting the next Escher gang member. Not much done but it's a start.

Also printed off several inspirational pictures. All 40K related and stuck them to the wall. Just as a reminder of what I am trying to create.

The Emperor Protects.

Progress Report 51.19.M3

Blood Angels Terminator....finished.

I did decide to add weathering around the feet and lower legs. Used AK Enamel Earth Effects first then MIG Ammo Rubble and Concrete powders. The figure was then varnished with Vallejo Gloss then Matt. Once dry further weathering powders added MIG Ammo Dark Earth to the mix. 

Though it may be  awhile before he gets any compatriots in Tactical Dreadnought armour. 

Also weathered the base for the next Escher ganger and Primaris Marine.

The Escher base gets an intial wash of Nuln Oil, the Marine base a wash of Seraphim Sepia. Then use Agrax Earthshade and thinned Vallejo Smoke. Basically go back and forth with these colours, mixing them together, dragging then down to make streaks etc.. The Vallejo Smoke gives a nice oily feel without having to use more specific products. A dry cotton bud can be used to remove any unwanted stains, before the wash dries or to thin streaks. If it does dry then a cotton bud dipped in Tamiya Thinner will remove acrylic paint. Just make sure the tip of the bud is damp not soaking in the fluid.

The Emperor Protects.   

  

Progress Report 37.19.M3

The last figure completed; at the end of last week. First gang member for House Escher from Necromunda.

 I have already completed a House Orlock gang now starting the House Escher. These are from the Necromunda box set and I intend to build them as per the instruction sheet. With the Orlock Gang I messed about with different combinations from the basic box to give a few 'unique' combinations. With House Escher I intend to speed the process up building the given part combinations.

Next Escher girl with next Blood Angel Primaris Marine prepped and ready to paint. The base coat on the Marine is  Vallejo Air Hull Red. The backpack I have airbrushed with Scale 75 Flat Black. The Marine base is cork with sand and fine ballast. That has been sprayed black then light grey, green grey on one half, concrete and finally old white all from Vallejo Air.

The main terrain project is a multi purpose board(s), for use with 40K, Necromunda, Space Hulk and Kill Team.

The main from is from Sally 4th Terra Formers. Added in a  300x300x50mm polystyrene block from 4D Model shop and then covered it with card tiles filling in the gaps with fine play sand. I used the tutorial on Rob Hawkins blog for inspiration (see blog list). The walls are a mix of blue foam (now grey foam apparently) and foam card covered with 1mm plasticard, These had been acquired from various sources. 

For the arches you can see I picked up templates from Shifting Lands. Have proved to be very useful already considering they only arrived last week! Took less than a week to arrive from Netherlands. The resin grill is from Zinge Industries. Lots of good stuff available from them, highly recommended.

I have put Milliput on the top of the foam etc protection. Probably needs a bit of further sanding down.

To go in it I have the following;

Various wall lights from Zinge Industries again. I have added the copper wire to the larger two. 1mm diameter jewellers wire, which I picked up from Amazon.

These will be door control pads. The one on the left is a handle and small dial from Zinge Industries again and can be found one of the forest sprues. On the right the blue resin panel is from Antenocitis Workshop is part of the designed for Infinity range; System pads. The metal one is actually meant to be a table top computer screen from Ainsty Castings which I have stuck into a piece of plastic rectangular rod. I need a fourth and probably will use one from the Necromunda box set. 

Finally some homemade pipes following the Rob Hawkins method. Go to his blog for the tutorial. All these pieces will added for decoration and I intend to keep the open area clear of clutter so I can add in scatter terrain.

Last but not least;

Blood Angels Terminator. This has sat on the painting desk with a base coat for a few months and only started to paint it this week. The base is Vallejo Air Hull Red. I then brush paint on (all Vallejo Model Colour), Dark Red, Flat Red, Vermillion, Amarantha Red and Orange Red. The last two are added in smaller amounts to represent colour fading. The chipping is Dark Rust followed by Oily Steel. Again applied with a brush. I tend to paint, with the Marines at least, a section at a time. Makes the colour changes and chipping less tedious.