Fred's 2012 Painting Diary

[fred.]

After realising just how many projects I had on the go at the minute, and knowing that I have painted a lot of figures in the last year, but would be hard pressed to know which ones exactly, I've decided to keep a bit of a diary of what I've got on the go, and what I think should be next to be painted.

I'll try and put some photos up, but would rather spend time getting figures painted, than setting up everything to take photos - I might try some in situ photos with flash to see if they are any good.

[fred.]

Dec 28/29th End of year catch up.

I decided to get a bunch of units finished, as I had lots of nearly finished troops on the go. These are all Warmaster units, so 3 bases with 20-30 infantry figures or 9-12 cavalry in total. In general these required a bit of a touch up of the paint job, a couple of coats of varnish and the bases flocking.

GW High Elves
4 Units of Reaver Horse Archers
1 Unit of Knights
1 Unit of Bowmen
(these were mostly purchased off ebay, and needed rebasing)

Pendraken Late Era Romans
2 Units of Archers
2 units of Spearmen
2 Units of Horse Archers
1 unit of Light Cavalry
1 unit of Cataphracts
1 unit of slingers
6 command bases
The majority of these just needed their bases flocking

Others
3 bases of Pendraken Bat Swarms - a bit of highlighting and the bases finishing
10 Roman dead markers - I have added these to 1p coins, and made a small 'box' to hold a small dice so they can be used as wound markers in Hail Caesar. These figures are fairly generic humans in mail or clothing so are quite versatile for casualties. These have had a couple more coats of varnish added as they have become chipped quite quickly in use.

28mm Saxons - sprayed undercoat on about 30 figures

Next up
2 units of GW Araby spearmen, these are about half painted already, painted turbans and flags.
1 unit of GW High Elf spearmen (bought painted) need to highlight armour, and paint shields then these are finished

[fred.]

What's undercoated and on painting sticks ready to go

Dogs of War
32 Pendraken Minotaurs - to make 4 WM units of Ogres
1 Mammoth (part painted)
1 unit of birdmen
1 unit of Crossbows (based)
2 units of Bretonnian knights

4 individual PD trolls - which just need the finishing touches, which would give me a 3rd stand to complete a unit.

Araby (TB Line and Magister Militum)
2 units of Horse Archers
2 units of light cavalry
1 unit of spearmen
2 units of archers

The following are hidden away in another set of drawers so don't have to be thought about too often
Orcs
2 units of Warriors that were bought badly painted off ebay, need finishing, and a good black wash to make them presentable
20 units of Warriors that are base coated and based
4 units of warriors, not yet based that need various degrees of rescuing.
lots still in blisters...

WWI French
Around 10 painting sticks of troops. These have all been sprayed white, and around 2 sticks have been block painted

WWII British and German Armour
More tanks than I can count need highlighting, decaling and their bases flocking. These are definitely on the back burner.

[fred.]

Got some painting done today

28mm Saxons
Dry brushed armour, painted bases brown, and painted shields white. Added designs to the last 3 with yellow and black shields.
Arranged image file of shield designs to show similar patterns and colours together (a bit OCD, but looking at them all jumbled up was driving me crazy)


I'm quite pleased with this photo - used flash and large aperture, and was able to get good depth of field hand-held.

10mm Araby
2 units of spearmen. Made good progress with these, painted second tone on skin, tidied up overpainting on the robes, and added some light grey detailing to the robes. These are nearly ready for basing.

Hail Caesar Casualty Markers
Gave these a couple more coats of Future, they will get a coat of matt varnish in the morning.


Overhead shot

[nikharwood]

Nicely done 

[Hertsblue]

Great painting, Fred. One query, though - what are the indentations on the casualty markers for?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Small dice - allows you to see how many casulties the unit has suffered would be my bet!

[nikharwood]

Yep - check the second post:

10 Roman dead markers - I have added these to 1p coins, and made a small 'box' to hold a small dice so they can be used as wound markers in Hail Caesar. These figures are fairly generic humans in mail or clothing so are quite versatile for casualties. These have had a couple more coats of varnish added as they have become chipped quite quickly in use.

[fred.]

Yes, the little boxes are to hold 6mm dice, to show the number of casualties caused on a unit. The idea was to make it easier to manage the dice, as they have a tendency to roll over when a unit is moved. The markers help, but aren't perfect.

Once I've given these a coat of matt varnish (probably tomorrow evening)  I'll take some photos with dice in place.

[wargamesbob]

That's a great idea Fred.

[fred.]

After taking the tree down, and generally putting away Christmas, managed to get some painting done later this afternoon and this evening.

Araby and High Elves
The last of the quick wins, 3 units of spearmen, glued to bases, the bases painted, figures given a coat of Future, then bases sanded or flocked. Hopefully have chance to give them another coat of future before work tomorrow.



Minotaurs
And on to some Pendraken figures! 4 units worth of Minotaurs (to function as Ogres in my Dogs of War Army), these had previously been sprayed brown with Army Painter.
Gave a heavy dry brush of a dark flesh tone, and touched up any over painting on the black undercoat for metal items.


To the right left is a stand I painted in the summer, to remind me what these are going to look like.

Back to work tomorrow, so probably less time for painting. But I feel I've made good progress in finishing off part painted units.

[Arsenus]

Looking good!

[fred.]

Warmaster Elves and Araby

Managed a quick coat of future on the Spearmen between breakfast and leaving for work - so this had all day to dry. Then gave a coat of matt varnish this evening, and added magnetic strip to the bases. 3 units finished.
Elves off to join a couple of other units - http://www.kerynne.com/games/WMElf.html (and in that photo the 5 recently finished units aren't there)

Araby into their storage box, which is now starting to look like an army - need to get some decent photos taken of all these (and there are some Pendraken figures in there - a prize* to anyone who can find them)


Araby forces are now at
7 units of Spearmen
2 of Guards
2 Knights
2 Camels
2 Flying Carpets
1 unit of Elephants
2 illusionary units (for magic spell effects)

Casualty Markers
Matt varnished, over some 6 coats of future, hopefully this will stop chipping.



Minotaurs
Dry brushed a flesh tone as a final skin highlight, dry brushed weapons with oily steel, and painted hair / manes dark brown. Hopefully get wooden weapons and horns done next.

* Prize may be of no monetary value at all - may not even exist

[fred.]

Minotaurs

More progress with these - painted wood, with my favourite Vallejo Woodgrain - more of a wash than an paint. Then horns in pale sand. Most cloaks done in a variety of shades of brown. Some shields block painted, I've done black and blue ones so far. Probably add red and green or yellow.



Photos show up more sloppy painting than is immediately apparent 

There are a couple of trolls loitering in the background - their rather large bones have had a refresh - need to finish off their green skins, and then they will make the final stand of a unit.

[Leon]

Nice casualty markers, and I like the look of those Minotaurs.  Any chance we might see some of these in the 2012 Painting Comp?