Small Batch of Trojan Infantry in 28mm

Another batch of Trojan Wars figures for a large Mycenaean/ Trojan project. Plus a random barbarian-looking figure.

First up is the random figure. A Reaper, it was painted to the customer's specifications. Equipment done in bronze to match the rest of this project.

There are two units of spearmen of Foundry figures:

28mm Napoleonic French

Well Fall In is over and I now have a moment to try and update the blog. The shows are always a busy time as we try and cram as many deliveries into a 2-3 day period plus try and offer a few new items for sale from the display table. We don't always succeed at the latter. The hectic schedule means we often do not have the time to update the blog or website, and often we do not have the time to take a few pics of things we recently completed. I did set aside a little time and took a few pics of things which will appear here over the next few days. The rushed schedule, however, means there are not as many pics of the items as usual so you may see some posts with an odd collection of items.

This post will focus on some 28mm  Napoleonic French. This batch included some line from about 1812-ish and some artillery from earlier in the Napoleonic Wars.

Here's the French Line. These are figures are from Foundry and the flag is from The Flag Dude:

Some pics of the officer:

Here's some images of the artillery. These figures are from Eureka:

After painting loads of Napoleonics in 15mm it was refreshing to paint these 28's!

Along Came a Spider Part 1 - GW Arachnarok Spider

If you are feeling intimidated by this spider, you should be.  Not because you have a fear of them, but simply because it is daunting to assemble and paint.  Never fear!  I'm here to give a few suggestions that might help squash your spider troubles. 

Bob assembled the spider and found that it took him over two hours because the schematics are rather poorly put together.  He suggests reading the full schematics first, then dry-fit assemble prior to actually trying to glue.
Another suggestion is this, perhaps painting it on the sprue is a better idea than fully assembling prior to painting.  That way all you would have to do is touch-up where you cut off the sprue and where the glue left a residue.  Right now I'm having difficulty in doing the detail work between the many legs and the scaffolding rig.  The pieces that jut out from the main body not only get into the way of the paintbrush but also mess with my depth perception and I have found my brush going astray on many occasions.

*Note: These directions seem out of order, they are grouped by the body part of the spider but follow the STEPS if you really choose to paint in the order that I did.  This order was done for ease of painting.

Main Body Colors for Carapace:

First let's start with the paints that I used...

Base-coat: of Model Color Red.  Let dry thoroughly, may take two coats.  Do not dilute with water unless your paint appears to be too thick.
Washes: Citadel Badab Black and Leviathan Purple.  Used over the base-coat to go into the crevices and darken chosen areas.
Highlights: Cel-Vinyl Red and then Orange Yellow.

Techniques/Process...
Step1 - After the initial base-coat I darkened the very top of the body, the face, and the portions of the collar above the head with the Badab black.  Before the black dried too much, I used the Leviathan Purple around the edges of the black and bled it into what was left of the red at the edges of the carapace.  You'll see that it nicely darkens the crevices as well as all the little bumps, horns, and spines on the carapace.  Let this dry thoroughly.
Step 3 - The tricky part.  See Step 3 image(s).  This takes a very steady hand and don't let the legs get in the way or you'll find you're making squiggly lines.  I suggest taking deep breaths and holding it as you make lines.  I'm considering becoming a pearl diver in the orient when I'm done painting. I typically brace my painting hand at the wrist with my opposite hand as I do the edging lines.
Use the Cel-Vinyl Red to make the first highlight.  Go over all edges, all bumps, and around the horns/spines.  Again, take note on the box art.  You'll notice that there are also triangular accent marks that come down off the edges of the carapace, see note under picture.  I used a 10/0 brush to do all these details.  You may need to thin your CV Red just a little to keep it flowing, the red tends to be/get sticky and you won't have smooth lines. 

Then, after the Red highlights have dried, use the Cel-Vinyl Orange Yellow to add extra dimension.  Lightly go over the red highlights.  Attempt to do so thinly.  If your lines appear intermittent, that's okay, it'll look a little more natural than a perfect accent highlight.

STEP 3.  Also, notice how the black and purple wash help to detail the carapace.  However, the wash isn't the ultimate fix.  Unfortunately, the model's details are too smooth to take a wash very effectively.  So, if you were hoping to base-coat this monster and simply wash it; you're in for a let-down.

STEP 3.  Highlight all the bumps and around the horns/spines in Red and then with Orange Yellow.

Triangular accent highlights.  TIP: Basically, when I could, I held the figure with the ass-end up and drug my paintbrush from the edge toward the center giving the greatest amount of pressure when I started and letting off when I finished the stroke in order to create the triangle effect.  Sometimes I works perfectly, sometimes it doesn't, don't be discouraged.

 TIP: I suggest doing doodles using the 10/0 brush with paint on sheets of paper.  Hold the brush up further on the handle and wave it like a wand using only the dexterity of your fingers to do the moving.  Or, think of it as a pen or pencil instead of a brush, write with it, do cursive and feel the flow of the brush.  Play around with creating wider/heavier strokes by putting weight on the brush and then letting off to create a thin tail.  Create a simple images of animals or shapes.  I liken this to Japanese Calligraphy using the subtle movements of the fingers and even wrist to glide the brush.  You may gain dexterity and brush control by doing this, even practice with a calligraphy kit seems to help.

Abdominal Colors:
Here are the only two colors...

Base-coat: Citadel Hormagaunt Purple
Highlight: Citadel Hormagaunt Purple + Reaper Creamy Ivory = a pale, creamy purple.
2nd Highlight: Reaper Creamy Ivory


Techniques/Process...
Step 2 - Paint the abdomen underneath.  I suggest looking at the box art to see where the abdomen ends and the carapace begins (If you care).  Use the Hormagaunt Purple from Citadel straight out of the jar and base-coat.  The foundation paints are rather thick, so if you find yours not speading well, dilute lightly with water or add a retarder like Liquitex Slow-Dri.
Step 4 - Highlight the abdomen.  Mix the Hormagaunt Purple with the Creamy Ivory until you get a pale, creamy purple color.  Apply this pseudo-Dallimore style over all the high bumpy parts and high ridges of the fleshy part of the spider's abdomen.  See image Step 4 below.
Step 5 - I have yet to do step 5 on this model; however, it will involve a final highlight with the Creamy Ivory over the raised bumps and high ridges of flesh. 

STEP 4

STEP 4

Eyes:

Colors used...

Base-coat: Black (any kind)
Highlight: Citadel Necron Abyss
2nd Highlight: GW Ultramarines Blue
3rd Highlight: Model Color Deep Sky Blue
4th Highlight: White (any kind)
*Note: after a spray varnish coat when the model is complete, a gloss varnish will be applied to the eyes.

Techniques/Process...
The eyes can be done at any point in the process, however I was feeling bogged down by the highlighting of the carapace and wanted to see progress so I painted the eyes. See Eye Image.

• First, paint the eyes black.
• On lower half of eye apply Necron Abyss.  It will be rounded on the top; follow the contour of the eye.
• Next, apply a comma-like swish to the bottom of the eye using Ultramarines Blue.
• Then, apply a tinier comma-like swish using the Deep Sky Blue on top of the Ultramarines Blue.
• Finally, apply a dot and curved dash of White at the top of the eye in the Black portion.

Eye: Notice the shapes that create the eye.

"Along Came a Spider Part 2" will be coming shortly.  If I don't explode my lungs first.

Be 100% careful about accidentally bending the back legs attached to the fallen log and with the scaffolding on the body.  Again, this is why I'm thinking it would have been advantageous to paint then assemble or perhaps do some assembly, paint, and fully assemble.  Hey, live and learn.
Love - Allison Chicka

Ruined Temple

This is a temple vignette that Bob and I created for an order that accompanies the set of Foundry's Greek mythological characters.

If you'd like to see the characters that go with this temple, refer back to a previous December blog post: Ancient Greek Heroes.

It was first painted with Grayed Orange Yellow 12, then dry-brushed with Stained Ivory, and again with Creamy Ivory.  We wanted a warmer effect to the stone, something almost rosy like the photographs of Greece.

The little urn is black with Burnt Sienna designs.  I looked over images of Grecian urns on the web and then did a kind of abstract people in movement and wheat pattern band at the top.  I think it does the trick and gives the impression.

The foliage is from Scenic Express; Silflor miniNature prairie tufts and beech tree are the taller pieces.



I went on to have some fun with the photographs; I insisted that there should be some people in this landscape. ;-)

"Oh, hey, look at this great urn; I bet it's worth a lot!" says the barbarian.  Rolling her eyes, "Let me see if it has any magical properties before you touch anything," counters the sorceress.  The monk just stares, shakes his head at the ignorance of looting and thinks to himself, "Why did I even come on this adventure?"

Because they were caught-up in their thoughts, they failed to make a spot check for the giant that was hiding behind one of the columns.

And then it all becomes hazy as a magical effect takes hold of the party.

 Okay, so these figures are our regular D&D gaming figs, so if you see some chips that's because people have ham-hands.  And no, I don't have too much time on my hands.  I simply procrastinate well.

Foundry Ancient Greek Heroes and Characters

Allison just completed a commission for some Foundry ancient Greek heroes and characters. The customer wanted these done primarily for display so she did these up to our character standard. I think they came out great!

These are wonderful figures. The detail on them is superb and they are very characterful. They are among my favorites to do.

First up the Argonauts:

 Next Heroes of Greek Mythology:

 Next some Heroes of Troy:

 Here are some Kings and heroes of the Trojan War:

 A close-up of Ajax:

 A close-up of Hercules:

 The Minotaur:

 Medea:

 Perseus: