Back From the Dead

When did I last post something? Last year, at least it hasn't been a whole year. Anyway, time to get back to work, many unfinished projects. Here's something to flex the mind and hand-muscles: I bought some Pro-Create, the gray-colored epoxy material, to see how it fares against the classic Green Stuff.

It's quite good, I made up a wire core, stuck it in a cork like the big boys do (a practice which I'll be changing at some point soon) and just started laying the stuff on to get a feel for it. I think it will be quite nice, not as sticky as Green Stuff (thought I'm used to that stickiness), but the gray color REALLY helps the eye on seeing what the hell I'm doing. This will definitely be a creature of some kind, no idea what it will look like, it's a freestyle experiment.

I would have had more done, but sculpting while watching Top Gear isn't very productive, in some ways. Hope to post more soon. Sorry for the blackout to those who have maintained an interest.

Embarrassing Old Project II: Tank from Old White Dwarf Plans

Back in the olden times GW's White Dwarf magazine would have articles encouraging scratch-building terrain and vehicles. I loved how simple it all seemed, with some stiff paper and glue, I could just do all of that couldn't I? One of the more ambitious projects was a Baneblade, issue 132, I've got the magazine somewhere. After debating on whether my skills could handle it I decided to have a go. I recently discovered the results, pictured here. A model over twenty years old now, but fairly successful by the standards I had back then.

It's been kicked around a bit, pieces have fallen off, some old Imperial Space Marine components are stuck on. It's mostly plastic, the treads are actually paper, wrapped onto little round wood plugs. Hatch covers are doll-house plates, and it looks like there is an awful lot of Squadron Green Putty used to fill huge gaps.

I recall the plans were not quite right, and didn't really come together properly if followed exactly.

Owing to the fact that it's falling apart, it will now be retired (like the Eldar diorama from previous post) and pieces recycled into something new.

Deco Rogue Trader

Rotational Thinking...

Thought I knew the techniques. Thought I knew how stuff was done. I am (again) wrong, as I have recently discovered opportunities in mechanically rotating molds to aid casting. It may work in some miniature applications, depending on the mold, and depending of course on casting material. Here's a video of some students having a bloody good time at building a quite handsome casting machine.



Thing is: I've done a bastard of a sculpt recently that is proven almost un-castable so far... this technique may help, maybe not, but it looks like it would be fun to try it out. Get the LEGO out...

The Sweet Taste of Total Failure

I've got two days to paint a very large classic Grenadier miniature, and it will not happen. A little tiny bit less than one year ago I pledged to complete the Grenadier Death Giant of the Undead Legion

But things get in the way when one is older than one used to be. In the olden times entire evenings could be spent on painting, as long as the hands were willing and the eyes could hold out, and the books-on-tape kept rolling, the sky was the limit.

But now there's barely an inch in between all the 'grown-up' stuff, the mortgage, the gutter cleaning, operating a business, raising children, etc.

When I thought about writing this entry to resolve the unresolved pledge from a year ago I was bitter about it and angry that I was never able to find time in a hectic timeline of responsibilities. But as I write this I realize all of these things are blessings, and there will be time enough eventually to tackle the big old skeleton.

I used the excuse of being tired frequently, and instead of breaking the paints out would fall asleep watching some classic Doctor Whos (mostly Jon Pertwee era) as it took less energy. Not a bad way to kill an evening or two.

I did manage to finish a sculpt (future post) and I fell back into the addiction of LEGO, and I found a few more oldie minis that will now be slated for restoration (Dark Horse Miniatures mutants).

Honestly, with all the garbage going on in the world, I cannot complain, and I'll get the big skeleton done, someday. It's been over 25 years so a little more time won't hurt.

Big up to all the great blogs that I've enjoyed during the year, all the great finds and the classic minis being painted, the magic world of miniature-make-believe really is in full gear. Have a healthy, safe, productive 2013.

A Good Shirt

Ha - this is a bloody good shirt, I may actually get one:

Fantasy Miniatures Dark T-Shirt Miniatures CRYPTO PICTURA DESIGNS

Ancient Paint

I thought I had thrown this stuff out years ago, but I found it: Old Ral Partha and AD&D paints. Neat little bottles, really garbage paint even when fresh (I remember).

The Citadel paints are still functional! This is the original Space Marine set. Some of the little opener tabs have been broken off from over-use. I still have the manual that came with the set. And the smell! I forced the top off one and the smell is a time machine - brings me right back to the olden times. Golden Oldies:

Metal Head: Home Brew Molding and Casting Video

I love this kind of stuff, just found this today but the vids been around for a while.

The Vault at Guedelon Castle

I love castles, and I'm ever so pleased that the construction of one is really occurring in France, old tools and styles. I have been familiar with the activity for a few years but they are really making cracking good progress. Found this neat little preview of a piece that covers the construction of a vault within the castle.

Old Project: Rogue Trader Plastic Marine Conversions

Here are some old Rogue Trader plastic marines (from the original Imperial Marines box) done over with alterations. I did these years ago, these are relics from the early nineties, but I'm still quite proud of how inventive these alterations are (mostly with weaponry). The execution is so immediate: not concerned too much with quality so much as being legible.

Here's a scratchbuilt AK-47, with strap, I can see the banana-clip is made from bolter magazines, aside from that I can't tell what the rest is made of.


Bolter with strap (paper cut into strip and painted) with wire tail-stock. I can see that this arm took a little persuasion to get into more forcible pose.


Uzi, all scratchbuilt. Textured handgrip is a piece of Sculpey that I rolled a gnurled X-Acto handle grip on to get the patterned texture.


Battle-Damage. Cut and melted away plastic pack, a soldering iron or glue-gun tip was probably involved, and the 'exposed' metal part came from a little box of cool watch parts I got from a craft store.


Two magazine duct-taped together. Note the painted on 'eyes' on the nose cone. I think I did some WWII style teeth as well on some of the cones-faces.


Then there's this guy: Skeletal robot tripod, from some Citadel skeleton parts, an Eldar arm and a chopped up chaos autocannon.