Templecon Paint Push (Borka Begins!)

What would it be if I didn't have a paint project I was trying to finish the days before Templecon? I really didn't have anything going so I decided I would try and finish a mini I had started months ago and paint one that was still unprimed. Those that are new my not have seen this unboxing but back in July (sad it took this long) I got a great box from Rob Hawkins. The crown jewel of that package was the sexy sexy Borka conversion. I have been putting of painting him cause I wanted him to be "perfect" but the more I thought about it I am doing this beautiful model a major disservice leaving it unpainted and that a quality paint job, even if not perfect, is far better than leaving him "naked". I have wanted to play Borka a bunch at Templecon this year so no better time than the present.....right?

 Borka with some of the "family"......anyone need a refill?

All primed and ready for paint

 

While not nearly as sexy as the Borka I all had a subtle Grissel1 conversion in that box from Rob as well. I have heard over and over that she is amazing to play and a local play Lord Sorrow aka Tim has been playing her a lot lately and singing (no pun intended) her praise. I had started her a few months back but finally put some more paint to mini. I did the yellow metal trims last evening before work. I need to clean up a few spots but then a wash of the skin and metal will pull the mini together pretty fast. Here she is as currently stands:

 



 

Well I have two more nights of work then Monday and Tuesday off before we hit the road for Rhode Island. Will I be able to get Borka done in time? Will Grissel be signing the blues? If you're heading to Templecon hit me up in the iron arena for a game and see for yourself and feel free to talk some



$%@# if they aren't ;) Most of y'all don't know me so I'll be the big guy with the goatee wearing a Team Spite shirt or just ask a Team Spite player to point out Nog. Hope to see some of y'all at Templecon and maybe I can make a Templecon deadline for a change.

Borka is Smiling

If you saw my last post you know I have a really exciting new mini coming in my near future and with that my new Borka got a pleasant (yet expected) surprise on the PP main page today. They showed the plastic Trollkin Champion re-box based off the Trollkin Warder sculpts.

I currently own two mini units of champs and was in desperate need for a max unit to fill out my Family Reunion list. I know where this unit is coming from and will not have to worry about major conversion work to have some variety from my other champs. As you can see PP has three different sculpts in the five man unit which is a little disapointing but has been the trend with these kits. I think it will be pretty easy to integrate a little variety by getting a box of warders and mix n matching a couple heads and by clipping off a couple weapon heads and swapping them between champs. I am excited to gfet my hands on a box of these and suspect they will be a Sept/Oct release which should give me plently of time to get the other parts of list painted. Here is hoping the mold lines on these gentleman is no where near as bad as the fennblades or Nog's head may explode.

Almost Done

The Sons of Bragg are nearly finished requiring maybe an hour to pollish off the finishing work. Here they are the brothers as they currrently stand:

All three brothers Bragg nearly ready to fight the foes of the Kriels. I need to highlight the green tartan sections on all three brothers. All three brothers also need to have thier eyes blackend in.

Wrathar needs the most work to be considered done. I need to paint the flame sections on his torch still. I forgot to paint the wood on his torches when I was doing the keg so I have to do that section as well. Wrathar also has a rope necklace needing attention.

 

The individual thing Tor needs to have done is the wrapping on his sword. I am thinking red.

Rhudd needs to have his rope necklace painted and some clean up work as well.

While I was working on highlighting the skin for the Sons of Bragg I also worked on the skin for the champion grunt I started for week 20 of the 'scrum challenge before I realized the challenge was over. Oh by the way I didn't win the battle engine :( Thats ok I have the one Dave bought me and Rob assembled. If I won I was going to use it for the FADD army so it is ok I didn't win. Here is grunt number three. When I do the green on the sons I will also do the green on this grunt. After that he needs his hair and chin nubs painted and he will be done too.

I have to head into work tonight for a little four hours shift but hope to get back to the cave this evening to finish these guys up before I head out for that concert tomorrow. Hopefully I will have final pics to show off in the am.

Late Night Action in the Cave

Last night after the Yankee game ended and the boys fell asleep I grabbed my iPod and headed down to the cave to try and make up for some lost time. I put on a little Goldfinger and started to work. I put in a good chunk of time working between the Sons of Bragg, Rok, the last champion grunt, and a few other odds and ends. Here is were everything stands as of this am:

 Group shot

Tor 

 Rhudd

Wrathar 

All the brothers had some work done on their skins, leathers, and tartan sections. Tor and Wrathar had their kegs painted and washed. As you can see I finally attached them to their actual bases in preparation for finishing touches. They all need more highlights on their skin as well as highlights on the green tartan sections. After those two things are done it will be down to finishing touches and doing the bases.

I brought the hands back up to match the rest of the body. I also basecoated and washed the darker leather sections (I missed one and will have to go back later). I also did a little work on the axe handle. I'd like to do another layer or two of highlights but looking at the beasts I have finished already his skin matches them better now so I might just call it here. Next up will be teeth, nails, and skulls.

 With the left over blue on the palette I started to basecoat some of the long rider's skin

Lastly I broke out the airbrush and primed my second unit of runshapers and two minis for the FADD army.

My night ended with me climbing into bed around 4am. I know I am going to regret this (already am a little) but I am happy with the progression. I didn't paint the entire time as I watched a couple episodes of Dexter season  off on demand while washes were drying and such. I'd like to get both Rok and the SoB finished tomorrow. This months target for PtT is a warbeast/warjack and submissions are due to Gday my midnight tomorrow. I'd also like to get the SoB finished up grab a couple glamour shots and send those photos off as well. We will see how much I can get done during the day today but I think I should be able to get it done......time will tell.

I'm blue da ba dee da ba die

This am after getting the garbage out I descended into the cave with iPod in hand to bang out some painting. I put on a play list and finished the gold trim on Wrathar and Rhudd and then started it on Tor before the amount I put on my palette was gone. I then put a couple drops of my trollblood skin blue mix on the wet palette and started some skins. I did the first highlight on champion grunt number two who was suppose to be 'scrum mini week 20 before I realized there was no week 20.

He is pretty close to being finished. I need to do a few more highlights on the skin, put a shade wash down on the two leathers, highlight those leathers, highlight the tartan, and then detail work such as teeth/nails and hair.

I also took some time to block in all the skin on the brothers Bragg so that once I finish the trim work on Tor they will all be ready for their shade wash.

At this time I was about to call it a morning and head up to see if either of the boys were awake and tormenting my wife but I still had a little blue left on the palette. I didn't want to let it go to waste (seeing as this ix is almost gone) so I started highlighting the flesh on Mr Rok.

I was able to do the face, upper arms, and lats before the palette went dry. All in all a pretty good start on highlighting the skin. I also worked on his beard last evening and consider that part of him done. It is a little washed out in the photos but I am happy with how it came out. I based it P3 trollblood highlight, washed it with bastion grey, then highlighted individual strands with troolblood highlight, menoth white base, and menoth white highlight. I will go back and paint the skulls when I get to doing the detail step on Rok. It was a pretty successful morning in the cave. Looks doubtful I will get more painting done seeing as I am heading to the FLGS tonight for the WNF 25pt tourney...still need to pick lists...hmmmmmm.