How I paint red.

What a day yesterday - at least blogwise. I was mentioned/had a mini feature on Faeit212's "What's on you table series" and had the crazy amount of more than 2300 visits to the blog - quite surreal, considering the normal number is around a 100 on regular days. Quite thrilling though and thanks to Nafka.

I have had a few requests on the red, so here's an overview on how it's done. Nothing is 100% as I keep experimenting a bit, but this is how it was done on the Hunter Robots.

Base: black
Baselayer: GW Mecrite red
Shade one: VMC Burnt cad. red
Shade two: VMC Black red
Highlight one: watered down VMC red
Highlight two: watered down mix og VMC red and GW Mephiston red
Highlight three: watered down GW Mephiston red
Highlight four: watered down mix GW Mephiston red and GW Evil sunz scarlet
Highlight five: watered down GW Evil sunz scarlet
Highlight six: watered down mix GW Evil sunz scarlet and GW Wil drider red
Edge highlight: GW Wild rider red.

and rounding off a fine line of black wash in the deepest recesses around the armour.

The red death

Worked in all the different layers of red, and though it's still difficult to photograph I think you can a good idea of the finished red. Well on to the next bits - lets get some color in there.

More red

Been working on the red over the weekend, doesn't really show up much on pics though. Left one has just the two base layers, the right one has a bit of shading done as well. Bought some really dark Vallejo red, so I'll try to alter my recipe a bit this time.

Mechanicus hunter red

The armour got a bit of paint and the the whole idea behind the minis starts showing it self. I think it's going to look pretty fine once done, I actually like these more and more as the painting progress. Initially I was a little in doubt if they would look too much necron - but now I think they look just right.

Memory lane part 3

The final instalment, at least for now, with some funny old minis, again with quite some diversity.

First off is a few more D&D miniatures.

A batch of good guys....

..and a batch of really bad guys.

Then it seem the painting skills picked up some - I began to pay more attention to the painting, read a few books, and learned from friends. I also remember I did a undead army for WFB at this time, so I guess that helped too. The gobling in the center was the first really "well" painted mini I did. The Felix model was for many years the best model I painted - by my own account, that is.

Last group, and time has again moved forward - now playing Mordheim, which was populated by this gobling warband.

My first ever painted mini - memory lane 2

Among the goodies in the boxes was also the first mini I painted - maaaany years back, early 90ties, pretty funny seeing that again - glad I can see a bit of progress to my present style......

 

More old dungeon crawlers - always had a weakness for dwarves and bad guys.

Memory lane part 1

Quite unexpected, during the kid's football game in the weekend, I ran into one of my old gaming buddies from way back in university when we played (mostly) Mordheim - our boys playing against each other now. He had our old stuff stored, most of which was mine from even further back, and I had a couple of times thought about storing it at my place now - back then he was the only one living in an actual house. Anyway, he and the missus was about to move house and he had just come across our old boxes. We decided that I should come by and pick up the stuff - quite a lot actually, several boxes of terrain and four boxes of models. A good mix of metal and plastic minis, some dating way back to the good old D&D days, HeroQuest and a lot of Mordheim - and absolutely no mechanicus. Hope you'll enjoy

The lot

All those minis

 
A batch of hardcore D&D mages - I played the grey one for years!

When a fighter was a fighter

A busy weekend...

...left only a little time to paint. Instead the whole family went fishing, beautiful weather, tent, campfire and even a fish - the works. A great day with some much needed family-time.
The hunter robots got a small paintsplatter though.

Hunter Robots sneaking in

As I told the other day the mojo has returned and the painting bug is still there, so I got these Hunter Robots out and began the painting.

Mechanicus Army Pic

Full force - so far. Got all the little critters out of the cabinet yesterday, for a photo session - everybody loves a good family photo. Looking pretty good all together I think. Looking forward to adding even more finished units.

Mechanicus Praetorian Herakli Finished

Last details added to the Praetorian over the weekend. Really glad I decided to give it an overhaul and not just put up with the first set of colors I had chosen. I like how he turned out in the end, and I had instant approval from the missus "he looks really gross", thanks Honey, couldn't be happier!
I was even so pleased with this that I wanted to paint on, so I dug out some old build-but-never-painted minis from the cabinet and got started on those - pics to follow.

Mechanicus Praetorien Herakli

Never was really satisfied with the paint job on the praetorian servitor, hence I never really got around to finishing him. For once I actually have repainted something, which I normally hate and avoid at all costs, but I did realise if I ever should get it finished I had to. And I'm happy I decided to do it too - already like the result much better, still some way to go, but it's getting there. I only have one problem, which is red, I can't really find any good spots to paint red, and do some cog pattern, so I have tried working it into the metal instead, not really sure if it works or not. If I decide against it, I think I might repaint the connection bit, between the torso and tracks in red. I also worked a bit more on the OSL than usual and I'm quie happy with the result. It's a bit subtle compared to a lot of other OSL out there, but I'm not really a fan of too much shine, honestly I think a lot of people overdo OSL - so this is the way I like it.

New recruits?

Finally Draftday - Go Bucs

Finished Mechanicus Hypaspist prototype

Finished off the last few bits last night. Quite happy with the end result, need to work a bit more carefully on the OSL around the eye lenses. As someone pointed out I need a bigger gradient from the centre of the eyes to the rim - pretty sure that will make the illusion more convincing. 

So now the really hard part starts - making nine more......................

Pastime of the Mechanicus?

I have to admit it, I'm a big fan of  Mr. John Blanche - so I try to incorporate some of the feel of his art in my own miniatures. That said, I'm also well aware that I'm nowhere near achieving the gritty, inhuman visions of his. One of the things I really like to add to my mechanicus are checkers, really adds character I think. Yesterday, when painting, I couldn't help thinking if it was just a clever way of the troops to carry a gaming board around the galaxy, for all those long nights? I guess not - but does anyone know the symbolism in checkers - if any at all?

Detailing the Mechanicus Hypaspist

Finally found some painting time after a few weeks with too much else to do. Detailing really taking of now, there is even some more, not quite finished yet, and not visible from this angle. I was a little in doubt about the green lens on the shoulder thing, regarding the mix of OSL on the eyes and the classic lens on the shoulder. Luckily I like it, does look quite good with the lens I think.

Oh - and May the fourth be with you.