August Hobby Progress

August was the first time this year I've made significant progress on the hobby. It wasn't as much as I had hope but with working extra hours and starting back to college, I take it as a start. Also one of my flaws is that if I make major hobby mistakes, that tends to derail the project I was working on and August was no exception to that. I will go over where I fell short last month and what I did manage to accomplish.

Battletech - For Battletech there was an evening I was going to put together the Septicemia. However I forgot when dealing with metal there is so much work to do before I can start gluing the figure together. I started some of the cleaning but I didn't have time that evening to do all of it, plus I need to wash it before I can add glue, a step that I don't need to do when working with plastic or resin. With the package open, its at the top of my list to finish this month.

Monsterpocalypse - There were three things I was working on before a mistake detail everything. I opened the Carnidon/Spikodon pack and saw they needed a lot of work to remove model lines. I got Zor-Maxim and Sun Industries Buildings primed. I was about to start painting them when I notice a flaw on the Sun Building. It was like the primer didn't stick to a long thin stripe of it. I figure I will just prime it again and it should fit it. I was wrong.

It is hard to see in this picture (I need to buy more lights but I don't have anywhere to mount them yet) but the primer bumbled up in several places. I don't know if this was because I rushed the second round of priming, I spray it too much, I did it when it was too hot or it was too humid at the time. More like a combination of all the above. I stop all work on Monsterpocalypse and been thinking about how to fix it. I've made many mistakes painting in the past with the need to remove it to try again. However I never actually removed paint, much less primer from a model before. Fortunately I'm in an Art Class this semester and have teacher to ask for help. The result of this will be in next months Hobby Progress as I will discuss it with my teacher tomorrow.

Flames of War - I got started working on 6 tanks from the Panther/Jagdpanther Platoon box. The panthers needs a little work before I can play with them in practice games, but all 6 needs a lot more work before they are done.

And no, I did not mod the tanks to swap between Panthers and Jadgpanthers. I build my tanks with the idea that in theory I could use all of them in a game. In retrospect, glancing at the new system, it seems it would be unlikely that I would use both Panthers and Jadgpanthers in the same game. A little late now but I plan on practicing some conversation ideas with the Jagdpanthers. I will model one to look like it is dug in. Another I will try to used bits and whatever I can find to make it look like a normal Jagdpanther. I will probably wait on the 3rd until I see which of the previous two conversations I like the most. Or just have it around in case I come up with a different idea. I've been taking my time with the tanks to make sure I get them right. I will be adding a lot of the optional bits on them, like spare wheels and tank tracks. That's all I have to say about the tanks and really all the progress I made in August. See ya next time!

Getting back on track

I finished the photography part of "this" weeks showcase Tuesday.  However when I sat down to write my mind went completely blank.  Since this showcase is so late I will post the next one this Friday.

One of the things I wanted to talk about was changes to the showcase.  The forsaken and the Valiant still needs a little/lot of work but I am taking them off my painting log schedule.  The Valiant is nearly done but I haven't touch it in weeks because I am unhappy with the color of the axe.  Until I can decide on a new color for it, there is no point to have it on the schedule.  The forsaken are a little different.  Their problem is what work they need is very tedious.  It feels every step I take on them I make a mistake that sets me back.

So what is on the schedule?  For starters the three Chaos Knight horses that I've work on before will be staying.  They are also the only thing I work on this week.  Joining will be a cockatrice as soon as I prime it.  Also joining are two Chaos Warriors I had on my shelf.  Prime and ready to be painted.

The Showcase returns

Its late but here is this week's showcase.  I did very little work on the forsaken, not enough to be worth showing.  I could not get myself motivated to work on the small details that is left on them.  Instead I did work on the trio of Chaos Knight's horse.  In particular I mostly just work on one.  I still consider myself a new painter and I'm mostly learning from trial by error.  One thing I would like to know if it is easier to paint the knight and horse separately instead of after they are glue together.  To find out I need to finish at least one horse as fast as possible.  I am pleased this horse is almost done, but I do not look forward to working on the mouth.  These pictures were taken at my home.  I did the painting at my LCS but the pictures I took were way too shiny.

Trio of horses

Sadly this will be a short update.  I put the finishing touches on the troll but since those were small changes I didn't take another picture of it.  I did more work on the Valiant but it literally fell apart when I was trying to picture it.  I have since glued it back together and will picture it next week.  The only thing left that I worked on are these trio of Chaos Knight horses.  Once the Valiant is done I will probably add these to the painting log.  Next week I will be going back to the forsaken but I'm thinking I will be working on only two or three so I can get a few models done.

My troll

I passed on working on the forsaken this week.  Instead I attempted to finish a single troll.  I figure since it only needed small touches I would finished the troll and do some work on the Valiant.  That was a mistake.  Every time I thought I was done with the troll I notice sometime else, usually really small, that needed to be done on it.  I did get to do some work on the Valiant, but not as much as I had hope.

I'm going to spent another hour sometime this week on the troll max and then call it done.  I just realize that it will be the first piece that I have ever finished.  The forsaken break will continue next week as I need something else to work on.  Update on the campaign will be forthcoming later this week.  Until then....

Valiant at last!

I finally got started on the Valiant.  It only has two colors at the moment but at least its a start.  I will be finishing the black and adding red this week.  I also made progress on the forsaken though its a little hard to tell in these pictures.  Everyone horns is painted bone white while the scythe blades is painted silver.  That and they are based now.  I will probably only dedicate another two weeks to the forsaken as I am getting close to the point where I am just working on small details/mistakes in which I make more mistakes that needs to be fix up.

I am still working on the mega battle report.  I hope to be done with it by tomorrow .

Forsaken 3

I had hope to be finished or near finished with my forsaken by this update but sadly that did not happen.  The only painting I was able to do this week was today at the shop.  Still, progress is progress.

The campaign will kickoff this weekend with a mega battle.  These forsakens will be apart of my forces in that battle so I will be basing them this week at the very least.

Progress on Forsaken

Here is my second paint log.  I still have not touch the Valiant.  My progress on the forsaken feels so slow.  I need to get a move on since I want to use them in the opening battle of the campaign which is less than two weeks away if not sooner.  Still comparing this week pictures to last weeks gives me hope to continue working.  I did not do as much work at the shop as I would have hope and ran out of time for pictures.  These pictures were taken at home which was a mistake.  It took me 60 plus shots to get 3 pictures that was not blurry.

The arm came off from me dropping my clippers on them.  Fortunately it was just the glue giving out.  I haven't re-glued it yet because it is easier to paint.  Everything should be on bases and nearly done by next week.

Forsaken Paint Log

This is my first attempt at my paint log and its very embarrassing.  However the point is to get me to make progress on my painting so here it is.

These pictures show that not only do I need practice painting but also in photography.  Still I am happy to be making progress.  Sadly I've only prime my Valiant so there is no picture of it yet.  Hopefully I can show it off next time.