Merry Christmas y Feliz Navidad!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!  May your  tree be overrun with wrapped goodness!

Ultramarine Termies still up for sale!

 Last chance to grab these guys.  Auction ends in less than 24hrs:  http://r.ebay.com/ciW8pa.


Assault on Black Reach Terminators

 

A close-up of the Sergeant.

Tip of the Month: December Edition

To paint camo patterns, use a q-tip.  Start with your base colors with shading and highlights.  Grab a q-tip and smash the point so it widens out.  Don't pull it apart or it will lose its sturdiness and will be harder to control.  Dip it in the paint and dab it on.  Repeat.

Just don't put it in your ear afterwards.

Sci-Fi Hangars How-To (Part 2)

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Bug-eyed mosquitos and bow-legged Ants.

Time now for the second part of the series, albeit a short one, detailing.

Up for grabs on E-bay

Just put these guys on E-bay.  If you're interested, take a look here:  http://r.ebay.com/ciW8pa.


Assault on Black Reach Terminators

 

A close-up of the Sergeant.

Finished Tech-Marine

Another completed commission piece.  Enjoy.

Stuff for other people

Here's some items just finished for a customer who was very happy to have them.
All models are the old metal command squad that I believe came out in 3rd edition.  Still fun to paint.  The champion is the Black Templar's Emperor's Champion with a converted combat shield and generic power sword.  Enjoy!

Ah, the joys of color printers.

"Look at him! He's all white!"

Who's the new guy?

Painting white is not that hard.

I just painted an Ultramarine command squad for a friend that consisted of the old school metal figures.  I decided the Apothecary would have the old school, all white paint job instead of the quick and easy Ultramarine blue with white helmet (boring <yawn>).  But since this is one color (including yellow) that everyone hates to paint, how should I do it?  The following steps make it real easy to do in a matter of no time and get great results.

Tip of Month: November Edition

An old t-shirt is a more economical paint rag than a paper towel.  Just cut to size.  When its too full, either wash it or throw it away and get a new one.


Remove before cutting.



Another Mordheim piece

Had this one sitting around for awhile but finally was able to finish it.  I'm trying to build all the buildings you can find in the exploration section of the rulebook.  This would count as the well that you can send someone to search (as long as you don't drink the water).

This instead of that

So instead of working on much needed e-bay scenery and miniatures, I decided to paint this guy up.  He's a hired sword for Mordheim.  I was tired of playing him in primer black.

Would you like one axe or two?

Mordheim three-way

I was able to play a multi-player game of Mordheim thanks to my sister-in-law and her boyfriend.  Even though I got slaughtered (again) it was still great fun.  Next time I'll try to put together a battle report.  For now, enjoy the pics.

Enjoy!

Tip of the Month: Paint Stripping

One question I always seem to get asked is how to strip paint from minis.


Easy.  Just an overnight soak in Castrol Super Clean brake fluid will remove paint from any miniature whether its plastic, resin, or metal.


Now a word to the wise for anyone thats going to do this.  Commit this to your memory, write it down, tatoo it on your forearm:
brake FLUID  FLUID  FLUID FLUID!!!

The last person who I told this to wanted to strip a Land Raider of what he thought was a bad paint job.  So I told him the very same thing above.  So what did he do?  He used brake cleaner. 


After the overnight soak, he was left with a glob of molten plastic that probably could be molded into an Epic size Land Raider.  So much for that.


Once it is soaked, use an old toothbrush to get rid of those hard to reach areas and your model will look good as new, ready for new paint.  (Let it dry first)

Something I painted up.

Just wanted to show this off.  Its a Wight standard bearer for my wife's Vampire Counts.  The banner is hand painted.

I'll have a tutorial on how I did the banner at a later date.  Its actually very easy to do.

TTFN

Tip of the Month

A small tile (2”x2”) makes a perfect and easy-to-clean palette (you can get one as a free sample from a hardware store).  Use a razor blade or soap & water to clean it off.

Lest we forget.

Sci-Fi Hangers How-To (Part 1)

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Bug-eyed mosquitos and bow-legged Ants.

So I finally have some workspace to start up my scenery building again.  For my first project, its something easy that anyone can do in a couple of evenings.

On to the Sci-Fi Hangers:
The hangers are styrofoam packing inserts that I found somewhere.  Usually a piece of trash will have the right look for terrain if you look at it the right way.

First, measure the base boards for the hangers.  I use 1/8th MDF for all my bases since its light, doesn't warp as much when wet with glue, and you can cut it with a utility knife. (See "Making Terrain" for more.)  Place the building on top of the base and measure 1 1/2 inches from each side.  This gets you the proper dimensions for the base.  Figure 1/2" that will be cut off and an inch for the models to stand on.  Once you have the measurements, you can cut the base out.

All your base belong to us!

The base may look a little ragged at this point.  This is will be straightened out in the next step.  Take your utility knife and start to cut or shave the edges down to a 45 degree angle (it doesn't have to be exact).  You'll know you're doing it right when the edge comes to a crisp point.  SAFETY POINT: Always cut away from you!


Still a little rough but almost there.

 Now that you have the shape you want, sand it down with a medium grit sandpaper (100 grit is fine) to get the rough edges off.  This will also round the corners so it won't be too square.  I usually round all my bases except for the ones used for city terrain.  The square bases automatically become curbs.  The round base blends better into the battleboard.  The slope also makes it easier for models to stand on without falling over.


The finished base.

Now that the base is smoothed down, place the building on top to check for fit.  You can make any adjustments in trimming if needed.


Yep, it fits.

In the next session, I'll show you how to detail the hangers and attach them to the bases.  Believe it or not, they're construction is already half way done.  I'm actually building two of them at the same time.



New AdSense thingy added

So added the monetizing thing to the blog.  Lets see if its worth it or if just makes the blog annoying.

'Ard Boyz, not quite.

So after preparing for the 'Ard Boyz tourney, getting everything built and most painted, I was unable to attend.  My Grandmother of 92 years passed away.  Some things are more important.

There's always next year.

Tip of the Month: Finding the center of a circle

There comes a time when building scenery that you will run into something that is round, whether its a dome, a sphere, etc.  By itself, it does not pose any problems.  But what if you need to find the center of a item you didn't make yourself.  This little tip will help you solve that problem.  And yes, there is some math involved.

First, choose two points on the perimeter of the circle and draw a line between them.  You'll need to find the center of this line so choose two points at a distance that is easyily divided by two.

Second, draw a line at a right angle to the center of the first line using a square.  This new line passes through the center of the circle.

Third, repeat step 1 with another two points on the circle.

Lastly, repeat step 2 to creat a second line that passes through the center of the circle.  The point at which they intersect is the center of the circle.   See the figure below.

You can use this for drilling, painting, attaching it to a base, and many other things.
TTFN

'Ard Boyz is go!

So after calling around, the store closest to me (which I was told was not participating in the tournament) is hosting the 'Ard Boyz. If you are heading down to Game Empire in Pasadena, CA, I hope to see you on the other side of the deployement zone.

Looks like I'll be able to play after all.

I'm still painting my Emperor's Children and I doubt that I will complete all of them in two weeks. 

But this is what I'll be taking:

HQ (395)
Veneficus Voluptarius:  Sorcerer Lord (100)
--Mark of Slaanesh (5), Lash of Submission (20),
--Terminator Armor (15);
140 ptsDagoth, The Dreaming God:  Daemon Prince (110)
--Mark of Slaanesh (5), Sorcerer, Wings (20),
--Lash of Submission (20);
155 pts‘Custos a Latenter’:  Greater Daemon (100)
100 pts

ELITES (560)
Squad Custodis Ferratus:  5 Terminators (150)
--Icon of Slaanesh (15), Reaper Autocannon (25);
190 ptsSquad Ferratus Latenter:  6 Terminators (180)
--Icon of Slaanesh (15), Pair of Lightning Claws (50)
--Terminator Champion (10), Pair of Lightning Claws (10);
265 ptsTrucido Amens:  Dreadnought (90)
--Plasma Cannon (15);
105 pts

TROOPS (1071)
Squad Strages:  6 Noise Marines (120)
--4 Sonic Blasters (20), Blast Master (40), Personal Icon (5),
--Aspiring Champion (15), Sonic Blaster (5), Doom Siren (15),
--Rhino (35);
255 ptsSquad Nasicae:  6 Noise Marines (120)
--4 Sonic Blasters (20), Blast Master (40), Personal Icon (5),
--Aspiring Champion (15), Sonic Blaster (5), Doom Siren (15),
--Rhino (35);
255 ptsSquad Improbitas:  6 Noise Marines (120)
--5 Sonic Blasters (25), Personal Icon (5),
--Aspiring Champion (15), Sonic Blaster (5), Doom Siren (15),
--Rhino (35);
220 ptsSquad Luxuria:  6 Noise Marines (120)
--5 Sonic Blasters (25), Personal Icon (5),
--Aspiring Champion (15), Sonic Blaster (5), Doom Siren (15);
185 pts6 Daemonettes (78)6 Daemonettes (78)

HEAVY SUPPORT (470)
Scelestus:  Defiler
--Battle Cannon, Heavy Flamer, Reaper Autocannon;
150 ptsSquad Decoquo:  5 Chaos Havocs (75)
--4 Meltaguns (40), 1 Bolter,
--Rhino (35) with Combi-Melta (10)
160 ptsIra:  Vindicator (125)
--Daemonic Possession (20), Havoc Launcher (15);
160 pts

If I don't win, at least I'll have some fun.

'Ard Boyz, what?

So I finally have time and an army (or two) to actually participate in the 'Ard Boyz tournament.  But I'm not sure if I will be able to.  And not because of me.

Living in Los Angeles, you would think there would be at least five independant stores that I could go to.  Out of the five stores I know, three are on the list.  Of those on the list, one is a store I didn't know existed, another (a very large and popular store) is not hosting it (they're not sure why they were listed), and the other has the wrong day listed. 

So do I attempt to go or do I sit out another one?

Happy 4th of July

Happy Birthday to America!!

If you live outside the United States,  its still the the 4th of July, just not as special.

Making terrain

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen, Hobos and Tramps, Bug-eyed mosquitos and bow-legged Ants.

Today we will talk about how to build scenery from the ground up.  This works for all types of scenery: be it a forest or buildings.  I'll go over the different types of materials and what is best.  So lets get to it.

MDF

Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is an engineered wood product formed by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibers, combining it with wax and a resin binder, and forming panels by applying high temperature and pressure.  MDF is denser than plywood.

MDF does not have wood grain, making it more uniform than natural woods which makes it relatively easy to cut.  This is probably the best material to use since it is very durable, easy to cut, does not warp when wet (except when saturated), and is relatively inexpensive.  I use a 1/8” thick board for all my terrain bases.  A 3’ X 6’ sheet usually runs about $5.

Pros:  Hardly warps, easy to shape with a razor blade.  Accepts wood/white glue.
Cons:  Power tools to cut (bandsaw, jigsaw; you could cut it with a sharp carpet knife but it takes a long time to cut through.)



Chipwood





Pros:  Hardly warps (if at all).
Cons:  Crumbles and splinters when cut.  Need saw or power tools to cut.  If the edges become wet, they will swell like a sponge.



Plywood



 Plywood is a common building material used in houses to furniture.  It is made from intersecting layers of tin wooden sheets. 

Pros:  Good for baseboards.  More solid than MDF.
Cons:  Expensive.  Need power tools to cut.  Warps if not braced. 



Hardboard



Hardboard is similar to chipboard, only much tougher.  

Pros:  Thinner sheets can be cut with a sharp knife.  Similar to MDF.
Cons:  Warps if not braced.  Edges act like chipboard.  Not as durable.



Softwood



Soft Wood is used more for bracing baseboards to stop them from warping.  Alone, it is not very durable and usually costs more than plywood.



Pros:  Easy to work with.
Cons:  Only useful for bracing baseboards.

Cardboard

Cardboard comes in either corrugated or a single piece.  Some use this as a baseboard, don’t use it this way!  Your scenery will look like crap!  It is not durable as a base, warps easily, and is easily damaged if not protected.  Only use cardboard for building up the base or to represent materials such as corrugated iron.



CD's

CD Bases can be inexpensive or even free.  AOL sends them out for free.  They are very durable and will last a lifetime when used as a base.  The only drawback is their size.  Since they cannot be modified, you are stuck with one size.

Pros:  Easy to procure.  Bonds with most materials.
Cons:  Limited by size.



So there you have.  I personally use 1/8” MDF for all of my terrain.  I’ve only had one piece warp on me and that’s because I left it out in the rain.  Having built terrain for GW stores, I can tell you from experience that MDF and CD bases have the longest play life of all the materials.  Only use plywood if your scenery is bigger than 4’X4’ (yes I have built terrain that big) as you need its strength, just be aware of the weight factor.

Chipboard is similar to plywood but is made out of tiny chips of wood, compressed together in sheets.  The wood is sold in various thicknesses and usually come in full 4’x8’ sheets; almost the same price of plywood.

A pause in a long delay

So I haven't been able to post any articles lately.  I haven't worked on any terrain.  I'm still in the process of moving and finishing my new house.  Who know it would take so long and so much time to complete.  But its almost done.  And with summer approaching, more time to start on my "smaller" projects.

I'll keep you posted.

On the workbench

Some of my Emperor's Children Noise Marines.  And, yes, the purple is metallic also.

Chainsword for sale

Just saw this in my Museum Replicas catalog.  Its supposed to be for steam punk and listed as a "Airship Pirate Cutlass".  Me thinks it resembles something else.

Overall length 37". Blade length 25".  $75

On Vacation!

Sorry, no posts since I'm galavanting around interesting places.

More time to paint!

I finally have time to paint!  I'm glad I work in a place that if you do bad, they stick you in place to forget about you; if you do good, they send you to the same place but for a rest.  This means no supervision (especially when you are the supervisor) so I can paint as much as like.  Now I can finally finish another one of my armies (hopefully).  The best part, I get paid for it too.

Two New Buildings for Mordheim

Just finished two new buildings for my games of Mordheim.

First is the bridge house.  A small wooden bridge connects one large house with a smaller, destroyed house.

The ladders were made from wood skewers, then dipped in a wood stain.
The next building is the Inn.

Didn't notice it when I built it, but the building is leaning.  This was a mistake that actually made it look more like a ruin.

I found using just ladders to connect the upper floors boring.  To make it different, I made a couple of bed sheets out of tissue dipped in white glue.  I imagined the unlucky occupant on the third floor had no way to get down after the building partially collapsed.  The only way to get down was to tie two bed sheets together and lash it to the bed to escape.  The bed is from a Lego castle set, primed, painted, and with another bed spread made the same as the other sheets.  The gold accents are hand painted.
I'll be adding some tutorials on how I make my buildings at a later time.

My New Toy

 

I just got this off E-bay the other day.  Its the One Shot Photo Studio by Merax. Now I can take those really professional pix of all my mini's and post them.  The nice thing about this is I got if for half price and it comes with software similiar to photoshop to spruce up those pix.  The lights are very bright (and hot) and the whole thing folds up into a very slim briefcase. 

Now I need to take more pix and play around with the software to get those really cool shots of my minis.

New Tomb Kings!

With the new armies coming out with bigger and badder nasties, how will my favoured Bretonnians fare?  (Or, when will their new army book come out?)

Tip of the Month

An easy one of April. 

Got mold lines that need getting rid of quickly?  Instead of using files or the your hobby knife,  use the back of the hobby knife instead.

Hold the back of the blade at a 90 degree angle and scrape off that mold line.  Works like a charm and gets the entire mold line off.  But be careful, too much pressure and you'll shave off more than you needed.

TTFN

Some Scenery

Thought I would post some of my works since this is what the blog is all about.

Empire Watchtower

Stables with horse

Town Center Fountain with running water



The Inn

Hovel

I'll post the how-to's at a later date.