and in 2011...

I hope you all had a great Christmas and are looking forward to the New year celebrations! Despite being off work for the last ten days I've not managed to escape to my modelling/painting space due to festive, domestic committments - so no new pics, sorry!
I'm hoping for a couple of hours this evening (after posting this report) to do some prep work on a few figures. I thought though that I might list a few of the items that will keep me busy, early 2011, and will eventually appear here.
First is 'catch-up' on Rodrigo's and Jeremy's commission work - a New Year resolution guys! Jeremy's adventurers will hopefully be with him before the end of January as will a few of Rodrigo's stormtroopers. I also hope to make a start on the last five of Jeremy's fifteen Elysian conversions and continue Rodrigo's Valkyrie and the converted 'special forces' troops which I've converted.
I'll be painting more of Jed's (Antenociti's Workshop) G.O.T. vehicles and troops including several pre-release items that, hopefully, are already on the way to me (with a prone rider for the 'Preying Mantis'!) as I type. If Jed and Nadine are happy with the results I may get the opportunity to continue painting their excellent product throughout 2011.
I received the 'Sedition War' miniatures from Studio McVey just before Christmas - sculpted (as was the original Lt. Kara Black) by Kev White of Hasslefree and cast, initially, in resin (perfectly!) - These are excellent sculpts and casts and are inspired by (although slightly smaller in scale)  the original Kara and, storywise, are based sometime after the battle she was engaged in with an unseen (you can now see 'it' in the concept sketch on the McVey blog) alien, opponent in which she lost an arm (hence the prosthetic replacement in the new sculpt) and has been promoted to the rank of Captain. I'm going to paint these in a similar camo scheme and perhaps convert one of the troopers to drive the squad vehicle (an open-topped Jeep).
Waiting for attention in 2011 are the full range of Mercs, quite few Infinity, more Hasslefree 'Alien hunters' and Grymn, and many more 25/28/30/35mm miniatures.... and some very nice 15mm figures and vehicles from GZG, rebel Minis and Khurasan.
Last but not least - several shelves full of 1/20 Ma.K models!
Watch this space!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!Q

Hazmat!

G.O.T. Jeep and driver in situ...

...but needs a step-up! Base is the Fenris 120mm Sulaco.

G.O.T. 'Praying Mantis' Monowheel...

...available Monday 13 December!

G.O.T. Jeep: driver conversion...

...started with this miniature, gave it a new right leg; right hand; head with open visor and did a little remodelling of the waist/hip area.

Praying Mantis: Finished!

Been a nightmare this one - dropped twice, each time causing lots of paint chipping but I'm glad I stuck to it. Great looking model! Lots more to come in this range from Jed at Antenocitis Workshop!

Praying Mantis and the weather!

It's been a while...not much happening because of the very cold conditions in my attic working space. We had the space converted last year but didn't put heating in - I thought I'd just layer up; I do but I'm not the problem - it's the Vallejo paint. The paint becomes very viscous and difficult to mix properly in the plastic, dropper bottles and as a result drys with a satin finish or, on occasion, glossy! I've come up with remedy of sorts - heating the paint on a small, electric oil heater I've installed in the space. So...updates.
As if the weather wasn't bad enough I dropped the Monowheel as I was installing the body, complete with finished troopers, onto the wheel. Lots of chipped paint particularly on the figures and at one point I thought I may have to strip the paint and start again. Persuaded to attempt repairs by very supportive comments on the Lead Adventure Forum and Jed I managed a decent recovery. Here's the wheel with crew and damage (although not immediately obvious here) and with a little finishing work to do...

and some close-ups of the 'repaired' crew

G.O.T. Jeep...

...on the website and available to order!

'Praying Mantis' Monowheel...

...small update. Lining, edging, a little drybrushing, filter and some paintwork chipping and scratching.

Jed's Jeep; finished...

..but will have a base and crew.

and with Warthog

WIP: G.O.T. 'Praying Mantis'...

...military monowheel. Basic camo and a little detail painting of the main components.

Jed's Jeep; chipping...

...and staining with oil paint...

I've removed one of the doors to fit its window and the wheels still need gluing but apart from some detail painting and dusting with pigments it's almost done!

Jed's Jeep; lining,...

...edging and a filter.

with crew...

Jed's Jeep; camo...

...started! Same as the Warthog...

The doors need respraying...I'd read on a forum of someone using 'Still Water' as a substitute for clear acetate for small windows so thought I'd try it on the doors. It actually works really well (you have to lie the doors flat and level as the ST find its own level) so I masked the windows off and sprayed the doors when I did the Jeep. I had - senior moment - forgotten to paint the window/door edges before applying the ST so when the mask was removed the bare metal was on show! Back to the drawing board with this too...

... (the main components of the Monowheel) as my freehand airbrushing leaves a lot to be desired!

G.O.T. more...

...troopers on Fenris 'Sulaco' bases (still to be painted of course!)

Fenris are going ahead and producing a 'Sulaco' base large enough (120mm round) for the G.O.T. vehicles...watch this space!

G.O.T trooper; minor repaint...

..to the weapon stock which I was never happy with and, perhaps, is now more in keeping with Jed's conceptual imagery and not so jarring with the very subdued and limited colour palette - cool greys and blue and warm orange/brown. The communication device will also be repainted - same colour as the weapon's stock (some form of hardened, future plastic?). I've also changed the base (still to be painted) to a  'Sulaco' from Fenris Games, my default choice for most of my own minis. I'm hoping he'll produce a larger version (120mm) for vehicles.

Jed's Jeep - interior painting...

...nearly finished. I have still to create a 'lived-in' look and a few details need painting. The items in the rear can hardly be seen with the roof on so just a few bits to suggest stowage and the lower part of the turret...



oh, and two more G.O.T. troopers nearly finished.