Resolution 2023: Race Against Raging Heroes

So as the year begins I’ve currently already filled two of the boxes. I printed almost all of the Egyptian models and terrain as part of a large project I began a couple of years ago (https://www.beastsofwar.com/project/1660768/).

A also printed a character from the Steampunk Adventurers of the Mechanicum range a couple of weeks ago (https://www.beastsofwar.com/project-entry/1792953/).

As for the rest, I have the first three entries printed and assembled. I just need to cure them and then I’ll get started painting the first one.

I wanted to avoid painting Thor and go for a more “unusual” model, but ultimately Thor was the best sculpt.

The skin was bugman’s glow, washed reikland fleshshade, then highlighted cadian fleshtone then kislev flesh.

The leathers and furs were painted mournefang brown, washed agrax earthshade, then highlighted skrag brown then deathclaw brown.

The trousers and gloves were painted zandri dust, washed seraphim sepia, then highlighted ushabti bone then screaming skull.

The hair was painted mephiston red then highlighted evil sunz scarlet follower by wild rider red.

The stone on the base was painted skavenblight dinge and then drybrushed administratum grey.

The blue cape was painted caledor sky and then progressively layered through mixes with teclis blue through to fenrisian grey.

The metal was painted leadbelcher, washed drakenhof nightshade, then highlighted runefang steel.

The cape? (could be the bifrost – I’m not sure) was painted several layers of white scar and then the pattern was painted with abaddon black.

The lightning was painted several layers of white scar, then painted twice with flash gitz yellow. It was then progressively highlighted with about three mixes of flash gitz yellow with progressively more white scar mixed in. Finally it got spot highlights of white scar.

I picked this model to get some practice with blending on the cape and banner.

The flesh was painted bugman’s glow, washed reikland fleshshade then highlighted  cadian fleshtone followed by kislev flesh.

The silver areas were painted leadbelcher, washed nuln oil, then highlighted ironbreaker followed by runefang steel.

The gold was painted retributor armour, washed seraphim sepia, then highlighted auric armour gold followed by liberator gold.

The inner cape was painted celestra grey then highlighted ulthuan grey followed by white scar.

The red cape was painted with two layers of khorne red, then successively highlighted with a mix of khorne red  and evil sunz scarlet, then evil sunz scarlet, then a mix of evil sunz scarlet and wild rider red, then finally with wild rider red. A was of carroburg crimson was used at the end to tie all the colours together.

The base was painted mechanicum standard grey  and washed with nuln oil. The stones on the base were painted russ grey, highlighted fenrisian grey, then washed nuln oil.

For the Wizard’s Guild release I wanted to paint the golem model. I wanted to try an unusual stone. I have a clock made from a slice of blue agate and I realised that would be a good thing to try.

I started by painting the stone area calgar blue. Then I painted stripes and random blobs of russ grey followed by fenrisian grey. The I applied darker tones with ever decreasing in size blobs of teclis blue, caledor sky and mordian blue. Then I washed the entire area with drakenhoff nightshade. In hindsight it would have been better to start with a paler tone, such as russ grey rather than the mid-tone I picked.

The metal areas were painted screaming bell, washed reikland fleshshade, then highlighted with hashut copper, sycorax bronze then finally runefang steel.

Not really part of this year’s project, but the models came in from the Kickstarter and I had to take a break until the weather warmed up enough for me to run the printer in my garage.

The flame minions were painted with gryph-hound orange contrast paint, drybrushed hexos palesun, then washed fuegan orange. Their eyes were painted wraithbone.

The gremliny mineons had skin painted the fang which was highlighted russ grey followed by fenrisian grey. The brown clothes were painted rhinox hide, then highlighted doombull brown followed by tuskgor fur. The wood was painted XV-88, washed seraphim sepia, then highlighted balor brown followed by zamesti desert. The remaining colours were just contrast paints: iyanden yellow and warp lightning.

The overlord was painted corvus black, then highlighted dawnstone followed by administratum grey. His cloak was painted khorne red. then highlighted with a 50:50 mix of khorne red:pink horrow, followed by a very fine highlight of pink horror and then a wash of carroburg crimson. His silver chain was leadbelcher with a highlight of runefang steel.

The bases were rimmed abbaddon black and skeleton horde contrast paint over a brown stuff textured base.

I used talassar blue contrast paint for the one crystal on one of the flame minion bases.

I’ve wanted to paint Morathi or a “not-Morathi” model since the new GW model was released a few years ago, but have had no reason to until now. This model was an easy choice for the Dark Elves release.

The skin is rakarth flesh layered with flayed one flesh followed by pallid wych flesh.

The hair is corvus black highlighted dawnstone.

The red cloth is khorne red, washed with carroburg crimson then highlighted evil sunz scarlet.

The gold is retributor armour, washed seraphim sepia and then highlighted with auric armour gold.

All the wings were painted gold, as above, and then most of the inner areas were given a layer of blood for the blood god.

The base was painted black templar and the rim painted with abaddon black.

The next model was a tooth fairy. Out of the whole month’s releases I liked its cheeky character. I’d planned to do more with it, but it’s a 28mm scaled small model, so it’s very small. Add to that it is yet another 3D print model that is standing on its tip toes! As soon as I touched it with a brush it started to wobble so I chose to just do a simple colour scheme with contrast paints.

The skin is warp lightning, the wings are eathermatic blue. The clothes are snakebite leather and the base is plaguebearer flesh with volupus pink for the mushrooms.

The Eldar model’s green armour is warboss green highlighted with mix of warboss green and moot green, with a final highlight of moot green. It has a wash of beil-tan green.

The hair was corvus black with an administratum grey highlight.

The wraithbone was washed seraphim sepia then layered with pallid wych flesh.

The spirit stones were painted abaddon black, runefang steel and then finally spiritstone red.

I really enjoyed painting this model. Model’s this size seem to be the sweet spot. Big enough to avoid small fiddly areas, but small enough to not take an age to paint.

The skin was painted mournefang brown then washed carroburg crimson, then highlighted a 50:50 mix of mournefang brown and skrag brown, followed by a 50:50 mix of skrag brown and deathclaw brown.

The bandages were painted zandri dust, washed agrax earthshade, then highlighted ushabti brown followed by screaming skull.

The hair was painted rakarth flesh, washed agrax earthshade, then highlighted flayed one flesh followed by pallid wych flesh.

The hors and bones were painted abaddon black, highlighted dawnstone then washed nuln oil.

The metal was painted leadbelcher then washed with nuln oil.

The tongues and eyes were painted khorne red then highlighted evil sunz scarlet.

The base was painted talassar blue then drybrushed with praxeti white. The rim was painted white scar.

Another “ogre” sized model that I enjoyed painting. I also found the model interesting because I haven’t really done oriental style models before. I went for a strong blue red yellow triadic colour scheme.

The skin was painted caledor skye, then washed drakenhof nightshade, then highlighted teclis blue followed by lothern blue.

The red was khorne red, washed carroburg crimson, and then highlighted with a 50-50 mix of evil sunz scarlet and khorne red.

The wood of the drums was painted xv-88, washed seraphim sepia, then streaks of balor brown were added to give a wood grain appearance. These were highlighted zamesi desert.

The drum skins were painted steel legion drab, then washed seraphim sepia, then painted tallarn sand, karak stone and then finally screaming skull.

The hair was painted corvus black then highlighted russ grey.

The gold was painted retributor armour, washed seraphim sepia, then highlighted auric armour gold followed by runefang steel.

The base was painted with a variety of contrast paints.

Just a quick hero figure this time. The print didn’t quite work – she should have more free flowing hair, but I wasn’t too fussed as the model just looks like she’s supposed to have shorter hair.

The flesh was painted rakarth flesh, washed reikland fleshshade, then layered with flayed one flesh followed by pallid wych flesh. As well as painting the exposed flesh I also painted the areas that covered by cloth.

The clothes were painted apothecary white contrast paint. Because the areas with flesh underneath then had already been painted flesh colours, I think this gave a good translucent effect to the clothes.

The gold was painted iyanden yellow, the smoke aethermatic gold, and her hair gore-grunta fur.

The gems were painted spiritstone red.

The base was painted corvus black then drybrushed administratum grey. The rim was then painted abbaddon black.

The second half of the Arc Worlde kickstarter. Some very characterful wizards with their summoned minions.

The minions were painted aethermatic blue and then drybrushed etherium blue.

The wizard clothes were pianted either: volpus pink then drybrushed changeling pink, or terradon turqoise then drybrushed hellion green, or talassar blue then drybrushed skink blue, or blood angels red then drybrushed astorath red.

Their skin was either painted rhinox hide, then layered doombull brown then tuskgor fur, or bugman’s glow, washed reikland fleshshade, then layered cadian fleshtone then kislev flesh.

The scrolls were painted zandri dust, washed agrax earthshade, then layered ushabti bone, then screaming skull.

The leather was painted xv-88, washed agrax earthshade, then layered balor brown then zamesi desert.

The black hair was painted corvus black.

The grey hair was painted celestra grey then highlighted ulthuan grey.

The blond hair was painted iyanden darksun then highlighted flash gitz yellow.

The staffs and wands were painted apothecary white.

The gold was painted retributor armour then washed seraphim sepia.

The bases were painted skeleton horde then the rims were painted abaddon black.

Another “larger than human” character model that I enjoyed painting. I don’t think I’ve ever done a lizardman or skink type model before.

The skin was painted castellan green, washed athonian camoshade then highlighted with ogryn cammo.

The red (selected to contrast with the green skin) was painted khorne red, washed carroburg crimson, then highlighted evil sunz scarlet followed by wild rider red.

For the shield and sword I wanted to go for a stone effect to emphasize the character’s strength and more primitive weaponry. The areas were painted steel legion drab, then stippled tallarn sand followed by karak stone and then finally screaming skull. All the stone areas were then washed with seraphim sepia.

To attract the viewers attention to the character’s head, the focal point of the model, I painted it screaming bell, washed reikland fleshshade, then highlighted hashut copper then sycorax bronze.

The shrunken heads hanging from the belt were painted bugman’s glow, washed reikland fleshshade, then highlighted cadian fleshtone then again with kislev flesh.

The toe talons were painted zandri dust, washed seraphim sepia then highlighted ushabti bonefollowed by screaming skull.

The stones on the base were painted mechanicus standard grey, then highlighted administratum grey. The pieces of wood on the base were painted mournefang brown then highlighted skrag brown.

The rest of the base was painted waaagh! flesh, then highlighted moot green.

The entire base was then washed beil-tan green to give everything a green overgrown appearance.

None of the models in this month’s release appealed to me particularly, so I decided to print off and paint some scatter terrain instead.

I wanted to try and copy this prismatic crystal tutorial. I’m happy with the final result, but I still need a lot of practice. I haven’t made my own glazes before so I struggled with them – the paint was heavily watered down but that meant my brush was also very watery so I couldn’t control how I put paint on the model. I also think I should have maybe tried this on a simpler shape, such as a sword, rather than this relatively complicated swirling crystal design.

I started with several thin coats of pallid wych flesh to give a good base. Then I used glazes of emperor’s children, lothern blue, moot green and flash gitz yellow.

The edges were picked out with thin lines of white scar.

The central orb was painted khorne red, then highlighted evil sunz scarlet followed by wild rider red.

The base was painted castellan green, washed athonian camoshade, then highlighted warboss green.

The vines were painted caliban green.

I wanted to use a realistic colour scheme so I was sure to get a good reference image to copy (see below).

The purple robes were painted naggaroth night, then washed  druchii violet and then highlighted xereus purple followed by genestealer purple.

The tabards (?) were painted rakarth flesh, washed reikland fleshshade, then highlighted flayed one flesh  followed by pallid wych flesh.

The boils were painted jokaero orange, washed feugan orange, then highlighted trollslayer orange.

The skin was painted castellan green, washed biel-tan green, then highlighted strakken green followed by skarsnik green.

The skulls were painted zandri dust, washed agrax earthshade, then highlighted ushabti bone followed by screaming skull.

The hair was painted mechanicus standard grey and highlighted administratum grey.

The candles were painted white scar then washed seraphim sepia. The flames were washed feugan orange.

The blood was painted khorne red then blood for the blood god.

The gold was painted retributor armour, washed seraphim sepia, then highlighted auric armour gold.

The incense smoke was painted with khorne red. It was then washed druchii violet. The highlights were a 50:50 mix of khorne red and xereus purple followed by a 50:50 mix of khorne red and genestealer purple.

“Don’t worry, the doc’s here…”

I picked this model because he’s so full of character.

The skin was painted waaagh! flesh, washed biel-tan green, then layered loren forest followed by strakken green.

The hat was painted abaddon black then highlighted corvus black followed by dawnstone.

The brown clothes were painted various brown recipes (base, wash agrax earthshade, highlight 1, highlight 2):

Rhinox hide, doombull brown, tuskgor fur.

Dryad bark, gorthor brown, baneblade brown.

Steel legion drab, balor brown, zamesi desert.

XV-88, tallarn sand, karak stone.

The metal tools were painted leadbelcher, washed nuln oil, then highlighted runefang steel.

The brass was painted screaming bell, washed reikland fleshshade, then highlighted hashut copper followed by sycorax bronze.

The rat was painted rakarth flesh, washed with a dilute carroburg crimson, then painted rakarth flesh again.

He then of course needed some blood for the blood god on the saw.

For those of you who followed my hobby bingo project last year, you may recall I printed and painted this Kratos bust.

For those of you living in the UK, you may also know the weather is unusually hot at the moment.

Well those haven’t combined very well. I printed Kratos hollow, but didn’t put a drain hole in it. This meant the model was full of liquid resin. It turns out when it gets hot that expands a lot and it actually burst through the model and spilled out into my display cabinet.

Luckily I spotted it fairly early and was able to clean it up. The only model that ended up in the bin is Kratos himself. The resin did dissolve any paint it came into, but that was only base rims. Another model also got glued to the shelf as the resin flowed under it and then cured. I managed to get it free with a wallpaper scraper and then was able to clean the shelf with isopropanol.

Just a warning for my fellow resin 3D printers out there. Either print solid or use a drain hole!

A fairly simple mini but quite elegant and I enjoyed painting it.

The hair was painted averland sunset, washed casandora yellow, then highlighted flash gitz yellow.

The skin was painted rakarth flesh, washed reikland fleshshade, then highlighted flayed one flesh, then pallid wych flesh.

The purple was painted naggaroth night, washed druchii violet, then highlighted xereus purple, then genestealer purple.

The pink was painted screamer pink, washed carroburg crimson, then highlighted pink horror then emperor’s children.

The harp was painted steel legion drab, washed agrax earthshade, then highlighted tallarn sand followed by karak stone.

The jewellery was painted abaddon black followed by leadbelcher with a runefang steel highlight.

The base was painted mechanicus standard grey, washed nuln oil, then highlighted administratum grey.

I’ve always liked the concept of the Green Knight. This particular model has some really nice details too: the birds, the patterns on the horse curtains, the leaves and the ivy on the sword. I rarely choose to paint a model green so that was interesting for me too.

The horse curtains were painted castellan green, washed athonian camoshade, then highlighted strakken green and nurgling green on the pattern.

The trimming of the horse curtains were painted waaagh! flesh, washed biel-tan green, then highlighted warboss green followed by skarsnik green.

The cloak was painted death world green, washed athonian camoshade, then highlighted elysian green followed by ogryn camo.

The Knight’s armour was painted caliban green, washed biel-tan green, then highlighted loren forest followed by moot green.

The leathers were painted dryad bark, washed agrax earthshade then highlighted gorthor brown then baneblade brown.

The hooves and helmet horns were painted zandri dusk, washed seraphim sepia, then highlighted ushabti bone then screaming skull.

The horse hair was painted mechanicum standard grey then highlighted administratum grey.

The birds were painted celestra grey, then highlighted ulthuan grey followed by white scar.

The leaves were painted mournefang brown then highlighted skkrag brown followed by deathclaw brown.

The sword was painted leadbelcher then highlighted runefang steel.

The cross guard and pommel were painted screaming bell and then highlighted sycorax bronze.

The base was painted mechanicum standard grey, mournefang brown, or castellan green and then washed athonian camoshade. The rim was painted abaddon black.

I started by painting the fleshy bits screaming pink, washed carroburg crimson, then highlighted pink horror, then emperor’s children.

The robes were painted incubi darkness, washed nuln oil, then highlighted with a mix of incubi darkness and mechanicus standard grey.

The bone was painted zandri dust, washed seraphim sepia, then highlighted ushabti bone then screaming skull.

The gold was painted retributor armour, washed seraphim sepia, then highlighted auric armour gold followed by runefang steelb

The candles were painted screaming skull and then the flames were painted flash gitz yellow.

Another character model I liked painting. I’m not usually a fan of Dwarfs but this model piqued my interest.

The skin was painted bugman’s glow, washed reikland fleshshade, then highlighted cadian fleshtone followed by kislev flesh.

The orange hair was painted jokaero orange, washed fuegan orange, then highlighted wild rider red followed by trollslayer orange.

The fir and trousers were painted celestra grey, washed nuln oil, then highlighted ulthuan grey and then white scar.

The cape and pennants were painted mephiston red, washed carroburg crimson, then highlighted evil sunz scarlet.

The bronze areas of the metal were painted warplock bronze, washed nuln oil, then highlighted brass scorpion followed by runelord brass.

The gold was painted retributor armour, washed seraphim sepia, then highlighted auric armour gold.

The base was painted macragge blue, washed drakenhof nightshade, then highlighted teclis blue.