Kits kits kits!

Quarter kits!

A week ago I was pretty drunk and in front of the computer with some money to burn... Alcohol, web shopping and money to burn is a bad combination! So I ended up shopping a bunch of stuff from quarter-kit.com

No regrets though! The Hobby Boss kits were €8 each (more on that in a sec) so an all tricked out M4A1 (76) W (barrel, crew, photo-etch etc.) ended up just as "expensive" as the Tamiya kit.

The KV-1 with all it's rivets and boxy appearance will be perfect to practice color modulation and stuff on. I will probably build it straight OOB with no modifications, although it apparently has a lot of inaccurate details like staggered roadwheels and such.

Building the KV-1

While building the superstructure of the KV-1 it was clear why they only cost €8... there is flash everywhere. Nothing really fits as it should and there will be gaps to fill! So if you're an inexperienced modeller (like me) I wouldn't recommend it. Especially since Tamiya has a most likely better detailed and easier to build KV-1. But meh... it was only €8.

Now I gotta go cry because I only have super glue to eat for dinner since I burnt all my money on scale models! Ta-ta! ;)

ICM Sdkfz. 222 Part2

Meep meep! Ich bin ein staubiges Auto!

It's pigmenting time!!! My favorite part of modelling! Inhaling small particle dust and sneezing like a mad man.

I'm trying a different approach this time without using any fixer. For the first layers it's just distilled water, some flow-aid and pigments (African Earth, Rubbel Dust & Light Earth [4:1:1] from MIG) applied like a wash to the entire car.

I then use more of a traditional oil painting approach and move the pigments to where I want them with a moist/damp brush until I've removed all the tidemarks and gotten the streaking like I want it. This first application is more of a "getting the dust where I want it".

Picture was taken when considered myself done for today, but not done with the first application of pigments. There are still a lot of areas to touch up.

After that it's some sealing (which will eat up some of the pigments) to tone it down further. After that even more layers of pigments (mostly the underside that will get a slightly darker tone) and perhaps some rust & oil stains.

I guess the rust stains will be kept to a minimum. Unless the Libyan desert was really rainy in 1941. :)


--
Work has started on the SAFS as well. I painted up the interior while listening to the latest D6 Generation (the vanilla ice-cover was hilarious). Not much to see/photograph now since I've masked it all off in order to lay on the basecoats on the SAFS itself. Hopefully I have something to show next week.

Quick Review: Agama airbrush thinner

Agama Rozcienczalnijk!!!

More a tip for you airbrush-users out there than a proper review I guess... Anyhow! When I airbrush I usually mix my paints in the cup while adding thinner. Earlier I've been using some window cleaner that although it worked good it made me worry about all the solvent I inhaled. So I resorted to the "less toxic" acrylic mediums such as the one from Liquitex and the thinner from Vallejo. Both of those are a bit "milky" which in turn makes the color you mix much lighter than it really is. Once the thinner dries the milkyness disappears.

So when I ordered that Sdkfz 222 I got myself this Agama thinner as well. I think I read something about it on Armorama and thats why I got myself a bottle to replenish my almost empty bottle of Vallejo Thinner.

I have absolutely no idea what it contains. But it does wonders with the airbrush. Firstly it's transparent, so you can mix in the cup and directly see what colour you will be spraying. It also extends the colour and acts as a thinner. So if I want to spray really transparent layers I add a mix of 1:5 ratio paint to thinner. With the Vallejo & Liquitex thinners they usually extended the colour much much more, making transparent layers tricky.

Mixing a 1:1 ratio just makes the Vallejo Air much thinner but keeps the color more or less as opaque as it is straight from the bottle. My Model Air colors might be a bit old since they feel a bit thick, and I usually dont want to dial up the PSI to 30 just to be able to paint without sputtering.

It also seems to contain some sort of slow dri additive since the acrylics dont clog up as much as they did with the other thinners I've used (apart from the window cleaner). But it still evaporates quick enough to not create runs if you paint on too much.

So... highly recommended product. Especially if you live in the EU.

The only downside is the packaging. There is no spout on the bottle, so I have to use a pipette. I guess I'm spoiled by Reaper/Vallejo and their dropper bottles. :) It might be that the smaller bottles come with a spout on them.

I got mine from Jadar Hobby. A polish retailer. They send the stuff pretty quick. Or at least quicker than what we're used to when ordering stuff from our Friendly Online Gaming Stores.

Thats it. Back to chipping and stuff on the SdKfz 222!

ICM Sdkfz. 222 Part1½ – It pays to do your research

While looking at contemporary photos (warning, nazi symbol in the link) of the Sdkfz 222 (Sonderkraftfahrzeug, German for "special purpose vehicle") I noticed that what I thought was some detail on the hubcaps actually was sinkmarks – or whatever its called when they are inverted – and not some round thing that was supposed to be there.

Now I really could and should have left these there. The wheels will eventually be covered in dust and grime. But once you know there's something wrong you will always know it, even if no one else does. So I had to sand it down and repaint. Woe be me!

Unfortunately my sanding stuff still hasn't arrived from MicroMark. So all I had was some diamond files. Which left a rather rough surface. That of course later showed up when I applied the wash and looks just awful when taking photos with a macro lense...

At least it got the same tonal value as the rest of the wheel, and of course... it will be covered in dust later on anyways.

-.-

FML! :)

ICM Sdkfz. 222 Part1

While waiting for some stuff to arrive from Micromark so I can finish up the SAFS suit I built I decided to build and paint a kit from ICM (some Ukranian maker) depicting a Sdkfz. 222. Or as we like to call it "a Frog".

The kit itself is pretty basic. Two sprues, a two part hull, photoetched copper (not brass) and some decals for vehicles from 1941 to 1944. Building it was also pretty much straightforward. The instructions are sparse, though since this isn't a 1/35 kit there isnt much detail to glue on the wrong way. Which led me to add some stowage from Black Dog as well. Without it the car would look rather bare...

One surprise is that the hubcaps are separate from the rubber tires, which made painting them -much- easier. The hassle of painting roadwheels is almost as coma inducing as putting together link-by-link tracks. That made me happy :)

I'm just gathering up strength to glue on the last pieces of stowage and then it's time for a coat of future and time for weathering.

At least it wasn't a year ago...

... more like six months ago.

So you might wonder, what happened? As written earlier, both me and Boomo got new jobs, 40K got in some sort of a standstill for us. Hordes turned more and more into the Games Workshop syndrome with more than 35pts being the norm (at least in our metagame). Boomo became a father, I somehow ended up in a relationship even though I do my best to dress and live like some redneck white trash dude.

No time for either 40K, hordes, hobbying or stuff. Which meant no more time for blogging as well.

But... the 6th edition of 40K is around the corner. Hopefully that will mean some more action on the tabletop for both us writers on PX40K. I've also gotten bit by the modelling-bug and just recently finished building and painting a 1/35 Tamiya Stug IIIb. Sitting on the workbench is a 1/35 T72 waiting for the second layer of wash. And when that's done, this little fellow just begs for me to be painted.

Maschinen Krieger S.A.F.S. in 1/20 scale.

So, hopefully some more content during the next months. Perhaps not as frequent as earlier, but I will promise at least one post every other week.

I leave you with some pictures of my StuG. Not the best modellingwise (straight out of the box) or paintingwise (I hadn't touched my pigments or airbrush for about six months). But hey... it's a tank!

The Sturmgeschütz III (StuG III) assault gun was Germany's most produced armoured fighting vehicle during World War II. It was built on the chassis of the proven Panzer III tank. Initially intended as a mobile, armoured light gun for infantry support, the StuG was continually modified and was widely employed as a tank destroyer.

The kreuz-decal broke while I was applying it. So I had to improvise a little.

Boomo once showed me pictures of his platoons IFVs after one outing. They were far more dirty than this StuG is. But Lifter said to me when talking pigments/weathering that I usually just have a pile of pigment and a tank under it. So I tried to restrain myself this time. 

Tools for tools.

"Hey, is this the way to Warzaw?"

MIG Oil Stain mixture for the engine hatches. Works out really nice when layering it on.

I was thinking of leaving the hatches closed. No matter how realistic the 1/35 scale figures are I cannot shake the feeling of them making the whole model feel "goofy". They do add some scale reference to the model though.

I opted out on the commander for the T72 I'm currently working on, mostly because it's such a hassle painting the insides of the tank and then have it covered up by the turret/cupola. In the case of the T72 (Tamiya version) there was no insides so it would be kinda silly to be able to look inside.

It feel like it was a year ago...

Trollblood Champion, WIP.

...and it almost was a year since I last posted. Starting a new job (I'm nowadays graphic designer/art director over at Net Entertainment), learning the new job, travelling to China and just trying to cope with everyday life left no time over for hobby stuff.

Boomo's new fascination with Warmahordes did transfer over to me though. After what felt like a lifetime Wayland actually managed to deliver my order of Trollbloods (Seriously, what's up with the delivery times nowadays?). A healthy bunch of metal.

So today, for the first time in three months, I actually found time to sit down and do some painting. I sure feel rusty, but it was nice to see that I hadn't forgotten everything about how to handle a brush.

For you list-geeks this is what I doodle together. I guess its going to be a Penny Arcade-moment once I bring it to play someone. But... meh... I like the models.

Madrak Ironhide, World Ender                          5
     Dire Troll Mauler                                9
Horthol, Long Rider Champion                          5
Krielstone Bearer and Stone Scribes (Leader and 3)    3
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 4)                    10
Trollkin Champion Hero                                3
                                                  25/25

Perhaps a little short on beasts, I guess I could get myself an impaler or something instead of the Long Rider-dude. We'll see about that when I'm done with the painting and can field them. Hopefully that wont be too far away.

Blindwater: Primed and Ready to Rumble (In the Jungle?)

First! ...let's get these fucking dust bunnies and spiderwebs out of here, shoo! shoo! *coughcough*
There...

Giving grief to all shooting armies since 2010

Been down with the sickness (oh-wah-ah-ah), another cold and sinusitis as a nice followup to my summer flu, and I prioritized lying on the couch, rubbing my belly, eating candy, and coughing my lungs out.
In other words: Sorry for another break in the flow of posts.

I have played my first few games of Warmahordes with my Gatormen, and so far I really like it, while I'm still learning, I feel that the game has sunk its big claws into me.

The good thing about playing is that it makes me really want to paint them too!

"I swear, this wide!"

Got my 15pts list built and primed, using black with white dusting to create a good contrast (alligators having pale bellies, making a zenithal basecoat kinda tricky to pull off.)

Oh, and my list is:
Bloody Barnabas
Bull Snapper
Gatormen Posse (full)
Blackhide Wrastler
15pts

Now that the party is jumping
With the bass kicked in and the vegas are pumpin'
Quick to the point to the point no faking
I'm cooking MC's like a pound of bacon ~ Warrior Poet V. Ice

Mercenaries Mariner Finished

Got it kinda done till tomorrow, it's past one and I go to work in 5 hours... I didn't have time for final touches but hopefully it will please the crowd at the contest...

"I'm broke; I know a walking corpse that spit icicle dagger to slit throat
quicker than you can prove there's four letters in hope (h...o...p...e)
I paint a portrait of myself, bored life inside the tortoise shell
tortured, orbiting Hell's orchid, intrigued but not compelled"

Merc Mariner WIP Part 2 / The future of PX40k

The deadline for the contest draws near, and I only have a few hours available to finish it. She won't be pretty but I think it will be alright. It's surprisingly hard to paint with fever shakes though, can't shake this summer cold when I can't afford to stay home from work. [Nooo whining! -ed.]

"With a bisquit on the side like fucking tomb stone"

I think I will have to go heavier on the verdigris, otherwise it's turning out quite as planned, not entirely at home with the chipping technique yet, will try another on the arms.
To do : Raw iron/steel surfaces, details, weathering and basing.
I bought some 1mm balsa wood for plank decking on the base, will do a step by step on that at a later date, 'promise!

The other thing I wanted to bring up was the sad lack of updates lately. We are not going away, nor are we on hiatus. Both me and Pixel have just started new jobs, with all that entails. PX40k will be increasing both quality and output when things have stabilized and all spare time isn't taken up by coma like sleep or teething babies. I can say that there is good stuff going on behind the scenes though, but I don't want to jinx anything yet!