Friday, October 31, 2014

Happy Halloween!

 Halloween is here., It's one of my favorites and actually this year I'm glad it's here .. haha.. I've been working on making my Son a plane for his costume .. His favorite color is orange so I went with a look that kind of matched the main plane from Planes..
 It's made mainly of cardboard and cardstock, I had to keep it lite so it was easy for him to move around with and didn't get him too tired.. But it also had to be sturdy,


I rib framed it and then skinned it.. I think the look came out how I wanted it to..  I was working on it and trying to get the skin completely smooth but then I though I don't need to go that far.. He'll probably have it destroyed in short order haha..
 I used some straps that I got at Joann Fabric and had to stand in line for an hour to have it cut .. that was crazy.. I wish I could make it bigger .. mainly the wings and tail section but I had to keep him in mind with weight and making it through doorways and on porches and what not .. 8)The main wings actually fold up (Hellcat style) in case he has any tight areas to navigate ..
A quick picture of him testing the size out and when I was measuring the straps for him.. The kids have a Halloween party today at pre school and then we will be taking them out tonight for their Trick or Treating ..
My daughter wanted to be Elsa from Frozen.. no surprise there I think haha.. here she is testing it out. We'll have to really work on getting that wig to not look crazy like it is right now haha.. Well.. hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween!!

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Lambs to Slaughter ..

 I worked on the remaining Venoms I figured I'll just get them all finished up together..I knocked out most of the armor blends..  I mentioned before that they were going to be similar but have some differences. I just played around with the look a bit and there are still a few areas I want to blend with some random stuffs..
 I haven't painted anything other then the red black blendsso there is still some bleed over on the metal bits..
 I added on the canopies and painted them with the same look, I'll go back with the brush and add some more black and details to the lines on them to make them stand out more.
 I also wanted to change up the guns on the Venom as I don't really dig the over under design when the guns are so small. On a Vyper they have more heft and I think the design it a bit more solid..
So now I'll have the dual Splinter Cannons ready to drop a ton of shots. I will need a few more bits to finish all three but it shouldn't require too much. They are moving along..

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Prime the Cannons

 I've been working on the Eldar Heavy Support platform hear and there as I paint other things. If I had extra blue in the airbrush I'd pick this up and give it a hit. It's still a far way off but the main work I've put into it is the tip of the barrel. I've been playing around with brush techniques and adding a little flourish here and there instead of working on just smooth blends. I think the barrel tip is looking pretty cool so far..
I added some engine glow to the hover ports and what not.. still needs more blend on the main body of the platform and then I'll line it like my Falcons and Serpents. I don't really plan on using it but I don't have one painted up and I want to have at least one of everything painted up. This will also lead me into getting a good squad of Guardians done up. I don't used them really but the squad I have painted up now look pretty rough as they are older and I just wanted to get them done haha..

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Realspace Rapture..

Last night I wanted to get some painting in, even if it was only about 45 mins. I sat there looking at models.. do I want to paint that? Nope. Don't have the time to get into that. After about 10 mins of rummaging around I settled on messing with a Venom. I picked up some DE from Sean a few months ago with the intention of making up a starter force. Since I've been reading the new book I figured what the hell.. I'll paint this up. They will mainly be an Ally for my Eldar so it will probably be a very small force and I will be going more for a group of pirates look I think.. but I can't say 100%..
 As when I started this I was just thinking I'll paint it up like the standard looking DE vehicles ... some fades and the hard line details but as I started playing around with it became more of a nebula look.  Then I started thinking it would look cool if I played around with it being more of a reflection of what's in space. Maybe what the Flicker field or a version of the Night Shields would looking like.. or maybe just whatever haha..
 I honestly had no vision when painting.. I just kind of went which ever way looked cooler to me.. I wanted to get a run in last night so I only worked a little on it..
 It was a fun short painting session and I think it looks pretty good so far. I was playing with the glow of the engines a bit and I like the bleed over to the deck and if I keep that I'll have it bleed over to the rear wing sections as well. I didn't want to go all in if I didn't like the outcome.
I had stripped down all the guns and vanes that were on it. It was pre build when I got it but I wanted to change it up some. I'm going to paint up the canopy on it and keep the reflection thing going on for that as well. I have a total of three Venoms so they'll be all painted up in the same style ,,  I suppose 8)

Friday, October 24, 2014

It is timeless .. in death..

 Last night I worked on the Wraithguard a bit more, I was tired of drawing buildings and needed a break. I didn't get too far but did get most of the highlights on the purples done. It was a rougher blend then I'd like and since it's mostly together now I was going to finish the blend by hand.
 I've blended most of the highlights so while it might look like the reflections most of it is now color.
 I haven't wet blended in awhile and didn't want to get too rusty .. I have a weird inner worry everyime I don't do something regularly that I'll lose that ability haha.. I'm mostly crazy I suppose. I also blended the vents on the back to make it look like there is energy/light spilling out. Not too much.. just a smidge.
 I also got the gems started. They need a final tough up and they will be done.. I'm thinking about doing the same thing energy wise as the back vents on the gun. Thinking the barrel tip and there is a section on the clip like piece that I might hit up as well. Something to add a little small detail into.
 I tried to line him up with another one to compare what I did and hah..it's pretty hard to tell in the pictures. The light is reflecting and causing roughly the same look.. so on the good part I hit the right areas.. on the downside did I really even need to? 8) .. But that is mainly in the pictures with a direct light above them..  standing in normal like he stands out a good bit ..  he brings his highlights with him 8)..

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

The Deadites Approach!

 Last night I finally got a little painting in, it wasn't a ton but I figured I'd at least get the heads done on the Wraithguard I've been working on. I went with the blue coloring and started to play around with the look. I really wanted them all to have a different look (head design) as it's more of an internal billowing energy.
Now that the heads are all wrapped up I'll finish them all up with the brush. I have a bunch more to get built and I'll probably try to mod some of their poses so they don't all look the same!

Not too much today..  just a little post 8)

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Six Gun

 Need some Ammo? Need those Six Guns fixed? Stop by your local Gunsmith 8) .. Last night I got the first building painted up and put together. I'd have to say I'm pretty happy with the outcome, there are a few things that will need fixing but so far I think it looks pretty good. And the sizing is perfect..
 There is a lot more that goes into making these buildings then I originally thought about. You are basically designing a puzzle and there are a ton of things to consider. What you can fit on a sheet, time to cut a sheet and does it actually fit. Then the complexity of the build and what it will be used for. The more complex the nicer the building will look but the more it will cost and longer it will be to build. It's a very large balancing act.
 The only snafu I really had was when moving the design over from the master file to the cut file I somehow must have stretched(shrank actually) it a bit. When it didn't fit right I was completely confused and went back to the files and noticed that yup..  it was different on the cut sheet. No biggy.. I redid it and now our first building prototype is ready. I painted it pretty quickly but still did a little weathering on it.
 It's pretty easy to do for the old west look.. just paint it a bit then go over some of the areas with sandpaper.. it will give you that worn look. Some of the color will soak into the wood but you will remove enough to give it a distressed look.
 We are looking to offer different level of buildings when we are done. Some people will probably just want table ready buildings to get out there and play. They will want them to be built quick and use them. Some people will be looking for a very nice more detailed building with fine details. This would probably be more of a middle building. I've added some bits but the interior is plain.
 If you've ever built lasercut terrain you've probably noticed that some go quick while others will take a very long time to assemble. This building only took me about 15 mins to glue together which I think is pretty good. If you include painting time I think it took me an hour to get it from pieces to table ready. But I know some people will probably want more detail so we will be making a higher level building that has interior walls and furniture. It will also add other bits to flesh out the builds.
 Stuff like these, well if you are holed up in a building you'd want to board up the windows! I made a few board sections and painted one blue like the walls the other I just painted wood color and gave it a distressed looking. Do you want there to be line of sign through or in a building? Yes / No? it's your choice 8)

 For more details I added on the window frame and sash.. I've also just cut these into the wall so you can use them as a guide for gluing or for the less detailed building your could just go with that.I made shutters should you want that look..
 There are two doors as well.
 I included some models to show scaling and the look of them in the building..
 Teddy's ready for a sneak attack.. beware flying bears..

 Pandora checking it out..
For a more detailed version of the building it will have a back on the top sign to give it a little more snazz. There is still a bunch of work to figure out but I'm pretty happy with what we have so far! There will be multiple signs to choose from so you can stock up on smaller buildings but easily make them into different buildings with just the change of a sign and probably some colors.. 8) I have a couple of new designs in mind already.. now I just need to sit down and draw them up ..

Monday, October 20, 2014

With your tray or on top of it...

 This weekend I worked on some more Lasercutting and I was working on one of the gaming trays. Sean will be using it for Infinity but for me it will be Malifaux. I made a few army trays to test one. One for my Sonnia crew which I have in there now. I have the firewall markers I made in the back to add to the look but I also placed some of the tokens I made in the tray.
 I have the guild scheme markers and the flat firewall tokens in there plus a few decks.
 The divided section is nice to hold some of the items that can easily go missing. Tokens going wild, cards sliding off.. well now they can all stay in one spot with your crew. The sections on the right are an add on that we are making but it's not finished yet.
 Here is a pic of the Neverborn army insert, I had planned to add some more to it but went more for just an anything can go in it. I added all four Malifaix Suits in the corners.
We are still motoring along and hopefully tomorrow I'll have the first building painted up. I was completely surprised at the time it takes to make pretty much anything haha.. you have to have the design correct and then the time to actually cut it. I'm sure as I go further along it will go quicker but so far I always find at least one thing wrong when test fitting 8)

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

A thing? A thing of theirs? A token?

 A few more prototype pics of some of the stuff I cut. Right now I'm working on a lot of Malifaux stuff because there really isn't a lot out there at the moment. Like the first one here, Sonnia's firewall uses two 50mm tokens to represent it but there isn't anything to really use right now other then a base or a conversion. So I made this up, it's the height of the firewall so you know and figured I'd put on some kind of design to add some flare 8) .. I whipped up a ram skull on fire as I figured that went with his motif.
 For this version it's two bases and the inserts .
 A little detail of the ram and what not...
 I test cut one without the fire design at the top and it's just way too plain.. why would you not want the cool fire haha..
 But I was also thinking some people might not really want the stand up pieces and it might be easier to have two flat tokens that weren't just bases so I made up these. I flipped the cut so we can either offer both or whichever we think looks the coolest. I'll be making up some of the same for Lilith for her Forest Power.
 I also made a few tokens.. the first being Burning Tokens. If you light someone on fire and want to remember he is indeed on fire or to remove the damage at the end of turn here you go. I also added numbers on them so you can keep track of what level of burning is on them.
 I did the same with Poison Tokens but I made a few designs as I wasn't really sure which ones I liked. I think I'll be removing the two X's though and bumping up the size of the number so it's easier to read. I think the XX looks cool but it does eat up some space.
We aren't ready to release all the stuff yet as we aren't at that stage but we'll have Corpse Tokens, Scheme Markers, Scrap Tokens and a ton more. If there isn't something out there I'm trying to design it up.. I'm waiting for Plexi Samples to come in for colors and we'll probably make some up in wood as well in case someone wanted to paint them up.