Painting big cats

Finished the first model for my Underworlds team, once again my efforts in photography let down the effort put into painting it! But I really enjoyed the scale, detail and challenge of a new model and not following the scheme used by GW.

Fitting in the painting where I can

Another over due update on my enduring endeavour to paint all of Descent 2nd edition! This time we have  the an undead theme!

First up are the Dispossessed, which in the art are super cool as they look like human heads, but the scale on the models puts the heads more like giant or ogre skulls, which in some ways makes more sense.

I started off with very different base colours and explored the hues and tomes as I went, took a while but really pleased with the contrast achieved.

Next, Dezra the Vile, going to be my Necromancer in my next campaign. The details on part of this model were really bad, so I struggled with parts. Enjoyed the OSL on this one.

The skin took quite a bit of experimentation, I sometimes forget that you have to view colours in relation to each other so you just have to have faith when you start painting and adjust as you go.

Finally the Reanimate model I will be using instead of a card board counter. I chose a Reaper bones miniature as I didn't want to use one of the Reanimate models in the game already as it might get confusing, and I wanted it to look more like a fallen hero. 

I used the same colours as on my Lord Hawthorn model so that it fits in with the hues on most of the heroes. Really enjoyed the rust effect as it gives great contrast to the turquoise/blue.

Painting in the gaps

As with every return to work life printing has had to fit in between the other less fun activities but there has been progress, as evidenced below:

Finished off the marrow priests and really liked how they turned out

I am becoming quite quick at painting purple cloth thanks to the Terrinoth 

 code of good and evil costume colours!

Tried out another OSL off the crystal on the chest but didn't really show up how I intended, still all good practice

These Shambling Colossuses were a serious road block on my painting table, I think wood is  really contender for my painting nemesis.

Eventually got over the hump and churned them out pretty quickly over half term

Enjoyed the use of contrast to make them pop a bit and a rare OSL omission on these guys, I just wanted them off the list.

Realising that I haven't updated this in a while!

 Who would have thought that a return to full time work would have distracted me from updating this blog as I finished painting miniatures? I blame Twitter. Anyway, below are images of the miniatures I have finished before the end of the year:

First up is Ardus Ix'Erebus a lieutenant from Mists of bile hall, experimented with textures on the sword sheathes which was fun.

Then we have the reanimates from the same expansion to finish off the monster grips for that. I found painting 6 in one go a bit challenging given I was trying to fit in 1 hour painting sessions, but happy with how it all turned out as they definitely don't feel like fish troops to the battle and their forehead runes sort of glow.

Then a model I really struggled to enjoy painting at the sorta but loved by the end, the Zarihell lieutenant model. The green skin was a challenge as the reference images were all green but I needed to add in the pinker skin tones to make it pop/break it up. You can't see it but the soles of the feet are also pink-ish

Last model of the year is Kindrithul, went for a non metallic take to experiment with the use of contrast instead of just grabbing the gold/silver paint. Wouldn't go so far as to call it non-metallic metal but did make painting pretty quick with a wet palette so worth the experiment.

Currently working on the next expansion, the chanson that rust, this is as far as I have got:

Finishing off and expanding options

The return to work in September is always a time vampire but I have managed to get back on the painting horse and finish up another Descent monster group. Oh and churn out some wizards!

Brood walkers done! Had lots of opportunities to experiment with some painting techniques but actually managed to get these done pretty quick. 

I wasn't very confident in my choice of blue robes at the start but by the end realised I had channeled my research from from youtube and podcasts about using colour/hue contrast as well as tonal to make things pop, and it would be too similar if I used my usual cloth recipe.

the opportunity to play Frostgrave has given me the chance to paint up some of my old  Zombicide Black Plague models I am probably never gingko use in that game. So here is my Wizard...

...and here is my apprentice. Just the varnish and basing left on both. 

Painting before the return to work!

 Just a quick update on what I managed to get painted before I had to head back into school to teacher proper lessons for the first time since November 2019!

First up is the giant for my Kings of War Ogres that has been sat on my painting table/list for years I think, so long clearly I have forgotten! One of those projects you throw yourself into then hit a brick wall, crawl away fro a few days/weeks and then knock out again. In the end I was very happy with the levels of contrast and variation I got from the leathers/skins on the clothing, though the metal work took on a life of it's own and never really hit what I envisioned at the start. 

Things like the knuckles and bottom lip make me happy that I take the time to experiment with the lessons I pick up from videos and books on how to bring life in to creatures.

I think these may be the quickest models I have painted for Descent yet, and they aren't the worst by a fair way (I'm looking at you Goblin Archers!). Embraced some dry brushing techniques I have been seeing the Artis Opus videos, and whilst leagues away from those skill levels it did give me opportunities to experiment with a technique I really suck at.

Enjoyed playing around to get the eldritch inner glow without having to wash the whole model. A few thinned coats applied to the recesses with care produced the subtle look I had hoped for.

After that I spent time adding magnets to all my models so that I can store them on magna wracks instead of foam!

Nice to be able to see them all together along with easy access whilst playing!

This is the unfinished pile of models that I am working my way through. Aim is to do it before the end of July 2021... no I can't see it happening either.