Having fun with glazes on bases: A work in progress

Happy New Year to everyone!  Among other things today, I worked on some bases.  These were all going to have similar colors, so I set them out, and began to put down my lighter colors.  Not only would all of the shading be done with a series of glazes, I was also going to tint various parts of the bases as well.

The initial layers I painted were all very simple... some vomit brown alternating with a little Vallejo green sky.  I tried to keep it all as similar as possible, so that you could see what some glazing can do in this situation.

You can see on the right that I have a few glazing colors out... a black, a sepia, and a green.

My first glazes were more about establishing those color variations.  You can always shade darker with further layers!

Here are a few images showing these first layers.

After those colors were established, I darkened the shadow areas some more.

Just to see what I had, I painted the black around the edges of the bases.  From this point, I will go back with more middle tones  to create even more color variations.

Once I finish off those last bits, I will post the pictures for you :-)

Yar! A new day and a new year dawns...

Here's something very unusual to kick off the New Year!

Here are some Pirate themed bases, which were lots of fun to make.  Baked sculpey was a key ingredient, obviously, with lots of wood textures carved into the clay.

The coins were made by cutting polystyrene tubing with a very sharp exacto knife.

The barrel was just a cylinder of sculpey that was baked and carved into shape, while the anchor was a piece of plasticard extended with green stuff.

The cannon was the biggest challenge, with lots of pieces!  Same for the treasure chests...

This little diorama was hilarious.  And huge, as it fit a 28 mm figure on the upper deck. :-)

It was one big chunk of sculpey, with lots of extra green stuff bits.  Very fun!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!

Happy New Year to all Wappellians!!

While 2012 was a year of persistent, extreme challenges for us, the one sustaining element was this blog.  I never expected it to take on a life of its own, as it has.  As this year comes to a close, and the blog nears its 11th month of existence, I extend my gratitude to everyone who has visited and participated in this endeavor!!

2013 holds a great deal of hope for us.  Many of you know about the Kickstarter program that we have been working on furiously for a few months now.

I have run into snags as I try to get things underway, but the ultimate goal is to come up with a better product right off the bat.  Pushing that through is my goal for this upcoming week.

As far as these minis go, I am pretty sure that I had never painted a "beakie" marine until these guys :-)

Here are some group shots...

Once again, Best Wishes for the New Year, and many thanks for taking the time to look at this blog.

Feeling blue on New Year's eve?

Well, in that case, bring in the Smurfguard.  This was a set of figures I painted 3-4 years ago, part of a batch of Ultramarines.  It was unusual in that I had to match some very specific colors that were used on previously painted figures

It was also a very different style than I was used to.  I had to use some metallic paints, in fact.

I have some more images of the other Sternguard figures that I will post later.  Happy New Year to all the folks who are in that earlier time zone!!!

Another puzzle from the past...

This is a puzzle from many years ago.  I think it was an ancient GW figure.  I probably painted this 7 years ago.  My assumption is that it's an old High Elf chariot from the late 80's?

Another mystery for loyal Wappelians to solve!

Bloodknuckle Grymm Beserker... another Stonehaven Kickstarter mini!

OK!  Another Stonehaven dwarf for you!

The impetuous Grymm seldom lets an axe out of his iron grip, even while resting, and is known to plunge headfirst into a fight without the slightest bit of planning.  That never happens in role playing, does it?

And then there were none! Handgunner unit complete!!

Yea!  Here's the mini that I (and Jon) have been waiting for!  The last of the Handgunner unit.

I did a teeny bit of orange reflected light on the figures right next to the powder monkey.  Not anything crazy, since I have to allow for varied formations.

I tried to take as many shots of the whole unit from as many angles as possible.

I hope you folks have enjoyed the process of making this unit a reality!!!

Plenty more to come!!!

I was able to snap a picture of the hawk that lives on our block.  Yes, that is a hawk up near the top of that tree, about 8 houses down from us.    I wish every neighborhood had one... it could cut down on the tree and sky rats.