What did you do today.

[jehan-reznor]

Not much painting lately, mostly putting stuff together

https://38.media.tumblr.com/ae826673660 ... 1_1280.jpg

[Dekana]

I was planning to paint my astropath(s) today, but I quickly realized that I forgot what mix of paints I was using for flesh on my other commissars. I kept very good notes on the colors used for my tanks, but I either lost or never kept any record for the characters. So today, I'm doing some color tests on extra tank commander / valkyrie pilot heads.

I also got around to making a blindfold for the astropath with some green stuff. A very late thank you to mij and konrad for their advice on that subject a few months back.

[me_in_japan]

No probs - always happy to advise

On which note: don't feel compelled to use the same colors for skin on your whole army. Nobody is the same color as anybody else, so variations across your armydudes is only to be expected. Some of em can be pale, some tanned, some Asian, whatever. For an astropath, I reckon pale and drawn is the order of the day. Pale flesh base coat, shade with a slightly darker brown with a touch of blue or green added just for a slightly unhealthy tone, highlight up to white. My Cryx are an extreme example of this, but starting from a pale purple base coat (shade to green and highlight to white was still used, though). Anyway: my point is that skin has a variety of tones - feel free to use em

[Dekana]

I finished the first astropath today. This was the first chance I had to paint a character to my army's color scheme. Sadly, the greens highlights turned out almost identical to the base color, so I'll have to rethink those. I like the blues, but I didn't have a very steady hand today, hehe.

I don't think this character is much to look at up close, but she's fine from a couple of feet away - good enough to game with. This is still only the 3rd model I've ever painted, so I don't have very high expectations.



---

I have one more of these models left, and I'll probably only ever play with one astropath in a game. I suspect I'll do a better job on the second one (lessons learned and all), so today's astropath will just gather dust.

[Lovejoy]

Spent some quality time with wife and son shopping strolling by the river. There's a wide flood plain given over to long grasses and the occasional tree not too far from the apartment - you can walk along the Shonai river for a few km and actually feel like you are in the countryside..if it weren't for the partially concreted riverbank and distant skyscrapers, anyway. Quite pleasant in the tail end of summer, and the nearest thing to we have park nearby.
Later, made a 1000 pt BA Fallschirmjager list I'm pretty happy with, by revising the 750 list I was planning (curtailed in summer due to extremely late delivery from warlord). Thought about painting something, couldn't make up my mind what to tackle and ultimately didn't bother. Finally, watched half of a long DVD documentary about the Wars of the Roses. Keeping the names and family trees (not to mention the exiles, murders, revolts and whatnot) straight enough to understand clearly isn't easy - but the whole thing is undeniably fascinating. I've ordered a couple of Osprey guides about it.

@Dekana - she's not bad at all! Brush work looks neat enough, now get a brown ink wash on her, and perhaps some highlights later. It'll work wonders.

[me_in_japan]

@dekana - aye, not bad at all. Certainly a damn sight better than my 3rd mini (a model which, happily, was never subjected to photography ). The MiJ advice-o-matic, btw, agrees with Lovejoy on the washes. A bit of watered down chestnut wash on her skin, and a dark blue wash (or even purple) on the blue will pep it all up no end. You can pick out stuff like the bridge of her nose and her cheekbones if you're feeling fancy, but at this point I wouldn't sweat it.

Today I started on my budgiejack:



I dunno why, but I really like that mucky brown colour. It's charadon granite, shaded with umbral umber+black, and highlighted with bone. The paints just all interact really well and are easy to blend and stuff. Not that this particular mini has much in the way of blending, but still. Anyway - today was base coats all over, and shading/highlights on his legs. Left more'n right. Tomorrow: rest of the armour, and maybe a start on the metal. (Which grunge, new wave and punk singularly failed to kill. Sorry. Been listening to tenacious D this evening... )

[job]

@ Dekana: Nice astropath. If you want to try something new, go for the washes. They really helped me get more out of my painting. Of course, after that there's highlighting and dry brushing and such, but washes have to be one of the simplest if not the most effective techniques out there.

I worked on my Voltiguers and Guard models.

[The Other Dave]

Got my first PHR models primed - 2 dropships and 4 walkers. Hopefully will get some paint on them tonight.

[komura]

I started basing for Austrian infantry and grenadier.

[Dekana]

Washes done on the astropath. Her cloak looks fantastically better, and her skin tone looks a little more realistic but not as pale.

I'm about to start a play-by-post Rogue Trader game as the GM, so today I'm creating the setting and plot for that. If I have time, I'll work on the second astropath.