The Final Push – Lawnor approaches 100% painted

Models remaining:
Batch: 0, Normal: 62, Luxury: 7, Modular: 44, Bits Box: 3, Terrain sets: 13, To Ship: ATO Wave 2, KDM COD
Models Finished in Collection: 2906 Models since start of project: 592 out of 63 completed and still not done!

Here we have the last non-modular minis from Expansions of Death: The character pieces from the Sunstalker and Dragon King boxes.  I’ve no idea if they have an in game purpose, if they accurately represent possible survivor builds, or if they’re just art pieces.

I’ve begun prep work on the next big project: All the KDM models I have that will start with me doing White Lion fur.  They’re mostly from the Gamblers Chest, but there’s a pinup in there, and a couple of the Echoes of Death minis.  I’ve picked up a few pinups that either are at the plausible end of the chainmail bikini spectrum, or I hope to de-pornify a bit with my painting choices, i.e. she’s not naked, that’s skin-tight clothing.

I’ve a couple of small side projects I’ve already started to resolve first.  They’re mostly done and should be finished by the time the primer on these guys is dry.

Models remaining:
Batch: 0, Normal: 66, Luxury: 7, Modular: 44, Bits Box: 3, Terrain sets: 13, To Ship: ATO Wave 2, KDM COD
Models Finished in Collection: 2902 Models since start of project: 588 out of 63 completed and still not done!

Four more models finished from Expansions of Death.  This leaves four more and I’ve done everything non-modular from that box and I’m up to date with Kingdom Death and can start work on the new releases.

Models remaining:
Batch: 0, Normal: 68, Luxury: 7, Modular: 46, Bits Box: 3, Terrain sets: 13, To Ship: ATO Wave 2, KDM COD
Models Finished in Collection: 2898 Models since start of project: 584 out of 63 completed and still not done!

I’ve been distracted by Diablo 4 for a while, but I’ve had the last week off work and got some painting done.  The Gamblers Chest for Kingdom Death also arrived, boosting my collection by another 63 models.

The Dragon King below had his flesh painted with the exact same paints as the flesh on the Dragon Tyrant, just in different ratios.  The one exception was the deepest of deep shades/pin washes was performed with GW Coelia Greenshade.  The glowing chest cavity was painted before assembly using the paints below and a mix of airbrushing and hairy brushing.

The Sunstalker was painted following the Privateer Press Forces of Minions guide for Gatormen flesh tones, with some of the base colours swapped out as I’m running low on p3 paints and they’re becoming harder to get in the UK.  I don’t have the full instructions to hand, but I’m documenting my colour choices here now so I can replicate them later with related models.

Belly base: VMC 70.884 Stone Grey mixed with VMC  70.928 Light Flesh and just a touch of P3 Mouldy ochre

Green Flesh base: VMC 70.894 Cam. Olive Green

Tentacles base: GSW 1827 Blushing Flesh mixed with some P3 Sanguine base
Tentacles wash: Sanguine base mixed with p3 Battlefield Brown
Highlight: Blushing Flesh, then blushing Flesh mixed with GSW 1845 Elven Flesh, then perhaps pure Elven Flesh
The Ovipositor was given 2-3 coats of VGC Red Ink over the above

The Flower Knight was mostly painted with Vallejo Shifter Dark Geeen Tin, which on the label and in previous test runs is just a metallic green.  However, when this model goes in to shade he goes a bit mauve, which was not expected or planned for.  The metallic green is much more vibrant than these pics show, too.

Why does he come with a model for a violin that’s almost as big as a survivor?

Trouser Grey-Green Cloth: 
Base: VMC 70.990 Light Grey
Highlight: Add progressively more and more VMC 70.330 Highl. Russian Tank and paint smaller highlights
Shade: VMC 70.867 Dark Grey

Green Cloak: 
Base: VGC 72.147 Heavy BlackGreen mixed with P3 Iosan Green
Shade: Heavy Black Green
Deep Shade: Vallejo Wash 76.519 Olive Green
Highlight: Iosan Green
Highlight: P3 Wyrn Green

Plants:
Base: P3 Gnarls Green
Selectively drybrush with P3 Rucksack tan and P3 Mouldy Ochre
Wash with Army painter Green Tone
Highlight P3 Bog Moss
Highlight P3 WyrM Green

Dung Beetle Knight and Ball

Ball: 
Base: VMC 70.873 US Field Drab
Highlight: Mix in progressively more VMC Panzer Aces 340 Highl Afrika Corps and airbrish from steeper angles
Drybrush: P3 Menoth White Base
Undercoat eyes with white
Paint eyes and glow with Yellow Ink

Beetle Armour: 
Undercoat: Gloss Black
Base: Vallejo Eccentric Colours 77.010 Emerald Green Mauve Shifter, but only one or two thin coats sprayed gently from 1m+ away.  you do not want to build this up.  Let the black show through, and ideally dominate.  You want a black sparkly carapace, not a metallic carapace.

The wings were base coated with a beige and then I tried wet blending some thinned sepia inks in to that to get the tones of a real dung beetles wings.  I didn’t do it well, but it has potential.

Spicicules and the Spiderlings.  Lovely, interesting model to look at.  Pain in the ass to work with.  You try painting him and see if you can do anything without 2 fragile limbs being in the way of whatever you’re doing.  Subassemblies weren’t really an option either as bits of his torso are on the ends of some limbs and I wanted to be sure they matched the shading and highlights of the rest of the body.  As such, this guy was almost all airbrush work and I accepted a basic job on him.

He was zenithally pre-shades as standard, but then I restored the black undersides with black paint.  I want this guy dark and I know Inks are coming up.  I next drybrushed with some pale blue and beige drybrush paints I had to hand.  No idea if the colours made a difference, but it restored a few highlights to some peaks.  Next I put thinned Liquitex Violet Ink through the airbrush and applied it over most of the model.  I needed to thin it further, but I’m still learning.  I then added a little Vallejo Purple Ink to it and added darker, richer purple areas.  Finally, P3 Turquoise Ink was applied to all the joints, the palms,  and any repeating areas that still looked like they may have primer showing through.  I tried to brush highlight the face a little but it looked horrible and the limbs were in the way so I applied more of the Violet over it again, which looked good.

The eyes were painted GW Khorne Red, washed with GW Nuln Oil, and then highlighted with P3 Khador Red and finally given a small dot of white.

The Teeth were based with P3 Thrall Flesh, washed with GW Athonian Camoshade, drybrushed with Thrall Flesh, and then with p3 Menoth White Base

Models remaining:
Batch: 0, Normal: 30, Luxury: 7, Modular: 34, Bits Box: 3, Terrain sets: 13, To Ship: ATO Wave 2, KDM GCE+COD
Models Finished in Collection: 2885 Models since start of project: 571 out of 63 completed and still not done!

Two more models done.  I’ve slowed down massively because Diablo 4 has just come out.  Once I’m far enough through Season 1 I imagine I’ll spend more time painting.  I still want to get all the game essential models for KDM painted this year, ideally before the Gamblers Chest arrives, which is supposedly in August.  I think I might miss that goal, although there’s really not much left to go if I stick to just the monsters and ignore Survivors that aren’t needed to play.  I’ve started work on the Dragon King.  He’s a big boy, but I’m hoping my airbrush has done most of the time consuming work for me.

Adam Poots; “He guys, I’ve been working on this model covered in lots of fine filigree they’ll have no choice but to paint, but it’ll be super fine and shallow so it’ll be hard to paint.  I don’t think I’ve mad it hard or annoying enough though.  Any ideas?”

Guy in Design Team: “How about you put lots on thin, weak,  gangly twangable limbs in the way so they block access but don’t hide the filigree.  That way they can never get the brush to the filigree, but they can’t hide unpainted parts behind the limbs.  Make them thin and long enough and they won’t be able to brace their hands on these limbs while painting either, for fear of breaking them.  It’ll become almost impossible to paint!”

Adam Poots: “Give that man a raise!”

Models remaining:
Batch: 0, Normal: 32, Luxury: 7, Modular: 34, Bits Box: 3, Terrain sets: 13, To Ship: ATO Wave 2, KDM GCE+COD
Models Finished in Collection: 2883 Models since start of project: 569 out of 63 completed and still not done!

It’s been a while since I was working solely out of this project.  I’ve been busy over in my MCP project since I last posted and finished up there.  I’ve also been busy on Ebay, picking up some bargains I probably shouldn’t have.  So lets make some changes to the above totals based on the following

Terrain done since last entry: 28
Minis done since last entry: 5
Minis gained since last entry: 17 (With more in the post)
Lonely Tree (Below) done: 1
34 models are actually modular and can wait until I know what I want to build.

I think my numbers are now correct, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find errors have crept in.  When I get back to having everything fit on one tray again I’ll recount.  Kickstarter and Ebay are not helping with that goal though.

I’ve painted trees before, but they’ve usually been healthy trees.  I have done a creepy, spooky tree once but I’ve forgotten how.  I wanted something dark and menacing so I went to the internet for guides and advice and I found this video.  Annoyingly, it’s recorded at high speed so most of the time I cannot tell what she’s doing.  Reducing the speed doesn’t help because the frames just aren’t there for this to be smooth or helpful.  She usually states the paints she’s using and I was able to get enough information to Best Guess my way to doing something I’m happy with and learning something along the way.  I made a few different choices to her along the way, but this video was a big help in doing things I would not have otherwise.

Models remaining:
Batch: 0, Normal: 55, Luxury: 7, Modular: 0, Bits Box: 3, Terrain sets: 13, To Ship: ATO Wave 2, KDM GCE+COD
Models Finished in Collection: 2849Models since start of project: 524 out of 63 completed and still not done!

I had last week of work and got a lot of things done, including playing Aeon Trespass and doing some painting.  I painted a load of marvel terrain (see my project.  I’ll add it there soon), my stairs, and The Tyrant for Kingdom Death.

I’ve never airbrushed with inks before and I thought I’d give it a go with him to see how it feels and see what results I can get.  It works quite well!  I gave him a zenithal preshade, putting far more care and thought in to that than usual.  He then got a few coats of VGC 72.086 Red Ink, until I was happy with the results, being careful not to remove the shadows accidentally.  I then added some P3 Yellow Ink to the mix to create a highlight colour and airbrushed this on carefully.  The results were very smooth natural transitions from light to dark.  10/10 would do again.

Gold
Base Darkstar Regency Gold
Glaze non filigree with VGC 72.091 Sepia Ink darker and browner than GW Seraphim Sepia)
Layer highlight with base
Layer highlight with Darkstar Royal Gold mixed with base
Layer highlight with Darkstar Royal Gold
Layer highlight with Darkstar Royal Gold mixed with Darkstar Braid Gold
Layer highlight with Darkstar Braid Gold
Layer highlight with Darkstar Braid Gold mixed with Darkstar Pale Gold
Layer highlight with Darkstar Pale Gold

White Cloth

Base: Andrea Color White 1 Base
Shade: Andrea Color White 6, 2nd Shadow
Highlight that Shade: Andrea Color White 6, 2nd Shadow mixed with White Base
Reclaim base colours where needed
Highlight: Andrea Color White 3, 2nd Light mixed with base
Highlight: Andrea Color White 3, 2nd Light
Highlight: Andrea Color White 3, 2nd Light mixed with P3 Morrow White

Skin
Base: Vallejo 74.013 Forest Skin
No colour from this point was ever pure.  I was using my wet palette and blurring colours in to each other for shades and highlights.  I almost never use it, but I plan on using it more.
Shade: Vallejo 74.009 Deep Forest Skin
Reclaim base
Highlight: Vallejo 74.015 Pale Flesh
Highlight 2: Vallejo 74.016 White Flesh
This is from the Vallejo Nocturna Malefic Flesh paint set

Staff
Base: P3Rucksack Tan
Drybrush: P3 Hammerfal Khaki
Paint all over with VMC 70.828 Woodgrain (Transparent)
Paint the rings and handle with VGC 720053 Chainmail silver
Shade around the metal with Jan’s Magimix (6-8 Parts GW Nuln Oil, 6-8 Parts GW Agrax Earthshade, 5-6 Parts Lahmium Medium, 2 parts Athonian Camoshade)

Sandals
P3 Umbral Umber

Claws
Base: P3 Cryx Bane Base
Drybrush: P3 Trollblood Highlight
Wash: Jan’s Magimix

I’ve a few more bits of MCP terrain on my desk, and 4 more characters to build and paint, but then it’s back to KDM full time.  Unless new shinies catch my eye.  I’m trying to be good.  Honest!

I’ve been quiet here for a while because I’ve been working in my Aeon Trespass: Odyssey specific project getting all of that done.  I’ve finished all 31 game pieces (24 more since last check in here) and 12 plug and play parts, but I’ve ignored Helios as he has no in game purpose and it just for painting.  he can wait until I’m not busy getting stuff table ready.

So that’s 83-24 MTG, or 59 Models to go.

Yay!  Only 59 models to go.  Except that’s not the whole story.  My friends have been buying in to Marvel Crisis Protocol which is something I’ve wanted to try for a long time so I finally caved and picked up a starter set on eBay.  I also had a £50 voucher for OTT so I grabbed what they had in stock (Hulk, and Killmonger and Black Panther).  They seem to be moving towards 4 model affiliation packs so I went off and bought Shiri and Okoye just in case they stopped making the 2 man sets like Steamforged did with with Guildball without much warning a long time ago.  I found somewhere selling it cheap, and they had the NYC terrains et for less than half price, and buying it pushed me over the free delivery limit so it would have been stupid not to buy it.  I also picked up a cheap toy Loader for terrain last night.

So that’s an extra 35 models, taking me up to 94 MTG.

I’ve set up a separate project for MCP to keep it all grouped together, and to enter it in to the Spring Cleaning challenge.  I’ve had a productive fortnight with it though, and I’ve already finished the 10 characters for it.  Terrain work starts soon.

So that’s now 84 Models To Go.  21 of those are terrain pieces, which I’ve been keeping in a separate total, so that’s 63 MTG by my ongoing standards

Models remaining:
Batch: 0, Normal: 56, Luxury: 7, Modular: 0, Bits Box: 3, Terrain sets: 30, To Ship: ATO Wave 2, KDM GCE+COD
Models Finished in Collection: 2825Models since start of project: 500 out of 63 completed and still not done!

Models remaining:
Batch: 0, Normal: 76, Luxury: 7, Modular: 0, Bits Box: 3, Terrain sets: 9, To Ship: ATO Wave 2, KDM GCE+COD
Models Finished in Collection: 2791
Models since start of project: 466 out of 63 completed and still not done!

I finished the last Gigalion survivor this week.  I also completed the 7 models needed for the Prelude missions of Aeon Trespass.  They can be found at my dedicated project over HERE.  That’s 8 models finished.

A quick little PSA that’ll be old news for a lot of you. This is the single greatest hobby tool I’ve gained in a long time. It’s an Asda £11.00 hair dryer. Paint has always dried quick enough I’ve avoided getting one. I line up 6 models and by the time I’m done on the last, the first is usually ready for a second coat, or not far off. I’ve also got an airbrush and you can use that to aid in drying too.

Anyway, it’s been cold in the UK recently, and the heating is too expensive to run just to dry paint right now. 20 minute drying times have shifted to 2+ hour drying times. I had some paint still visibly wet the next morning recently. So I picked up the cheapest hairdryer I could find and it’s drying things in 30 seconds. I’m back to being able to paint all day. I can probably get more done in less time, especially when working on low model counts.

I even used it to thicken some paint I’d made too watery by very carefully aiming it at my palette from a safe distance.

I know this isn’t news to most people, but I thought I’d speak up because I was more impressed than I expected to be and maybe someone’s been on the fence, or is having drying time issues too. Maybe this post can help someone.