Now that I have the lightbox and a decent sense for how to shoot in it, I’m going to get these Genestealers up in there for your viewing enjoyment (and my self-critique).
They were the best paint jobs I’ve done until this year, incorporating color-matched drybrushing and the Dip Method (shading), and they build on everything I learned from painting my mechs from ~1997-2007 and my MERCS in ~2010.
Here they are in their case, patiently waiting their turn.
A full set of painted Genestealers from Space Hulk 3e
I think I’m going to lightbox the rest of my mechs first, though. Gotta work my way up to the present by sharing the past!
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
The Unlucky Isles [affiliate link], the first system-neutral guidebook for my Godsbarrow fantasy campaign setting, is now on DriveThruRPG.
After buying the 3rd Edition of Space Hulk back in 2009, it took me about three years to finish painting my Genestealers — about 2/3 of the minis in the box.
That was in 2012.
Today, in the year of our glorious Emperor 2020, I finished Brother Scipio, Blood Angels Terminator, and “throne boy,” a nameless fallen Space Marine found aboard a space hulk in one of the missions.
The eye of the Emperor is upon you
It only took me 11 years to reach this point . . .Let me get some action from the back section
Since I’ve put these two in the lightbox at every stage of production (base coat and wash in one post, dry brush in another, sealant in this one), let’s do a quick 4×4 gallery showing them side-by-side.
1. base coat
2. wash
3. drybrush
4. sealant
As always in my (limited) experience, the starkest difference is between base coat and wash. I wish I’d started doing washes years ago, instead of being too gun-shy to try them.
But it’s drybrushing that brings a mini to life for me. The difference between wash-only and wash plus drybrush isn’t huge at first glance (and some of that is likely down to my inexperience as a painter!), but it’s the step that makes the mini feel most real.
The overhead LEDs in my lightbox make the matt varnish (sealant) pop more than it does in person. A small price to pay for minis I can play with worry-free.
Onwards! I have 11 Terminators left in my Space Hulk set. It will not take me 11 more years to finish painting them. If I keep up this pace — roughly 2 minis a week, without feeling like I’m grinding them out or stepping on my other hobbies — I could have the rest done in about five weeks. Although the temptation to put in a marathon painting session is strong . . .
Musings on joy
More importantly, painting these miniatures brought me joy. Painting them, not just having them fully painted. There was joy in finishing them too, absolutely (and I’m so glad I stopped painting them assembly line-style), but my head was in the game as far as enjoying the painting as the hobby as much as the rest of the hobby around it.
That plus reading a piece in White Dwarf #451 about Phil Kelly, who has been collecting and painting the same Waaagh! of Orks for many years, across multiple editions of 40K, with models he’s inherited, kitbashes, new and old sculpts — just keeping going, loving the hobby for itself, riding out the vagaries of different editions because the Waaaghh! is the fun part — has got me thinking about trying out 40K again.
But not necessarily in my usual mode (buy game, learn rules, paint minis, find opponents). Rather in the mode of: pick a faction that speaks to me, buy a box, enjoy the painting, and maybe try playing down at the local shop sometime in 2021 — or not, and just keep building an army for the fun of it.
This r/Warhammer40k thread overflowing with positivity towards a 40k newbie and painting novice, is full of folks saying basically that: choose a faction you think is cool and form a bond with your minis. That’s where my head is at.
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
The Unlucky Isles [affiliate link], the first system-neutral guidebook for my Godsbarrow fantasy campaign setting, is now on DriveThruRPG.
I know for folks who paint miniatures regularly finishing a couple is no biggies, but for me as an amateur rediscovering my love of painting, who hasn’t finished a miniature since 2012, this is a big day.
Two days ago I washed Brother Scipio and throne boy, my first time doing a full-on wash with multiple shades involved. Yesterday I wrapped up their drybrushing (and re-dotted Scipio’s eyes with Moot Green, since my wash had made the green pop less than I liked), and today I sealed them both and took the last two bits of “stuff” in the Space Hulk box — the chalice and R/C shrine-thingie — all the way from base coat to touch-ups, wash, and drybrush.
Scipio and throne boy drybrushed and awaiting their sealantRear view
I still have a lot to learn, but I’ve been trying to be more subtle in my drybrushing. Maybe I swung too far in the other direction? I’m not sure.
Onward to sealant
Throne boy is 90% sealed, time for Scipio
I’m using the top of the empty Chessex dice box as a palette, since the Vallejo stuff comes in a dropper bottle.
So undignified, but that bottom ain’t gonna seal itself
I’ve never brushed on sealant before, only sprayed it on. This is slower, but (as with washing) I have more control — and I don’t have to wait for the weather outside to cooperate, or risk destroying a mini when I assess the humidity/etc. incorrectly.
I used Vallejo matt varnish (paid link) because its Amazon reviews showed photos of sealed minis that didn’t look sealed — which is my goal with all my minis. I applied it with a medium brush in large sections, then backtracked with a second brush before it dried and poked out all the bubbles, redistributed it where it was too thick, and generally made sure no mess was left over.
This is a great varnish. My Termies aren’t completely dry yet, but the sealant is just baaaaarely visible. (When they’re dry, these two are going in the lightbox for a celebratory post.)
Tiny follow-ups
I think the little mobile shrine is for the Librarian; the chalice is part of the same mission as throne boy, I believe as an objective.
Having these rattling around in my to-do box has been bugging meCalling them done (well, except for sealant — they’ve got to dry first!)
My Blood Angels Terminator colors
My drybrushing colors for the Termies
It surprised me how many separate pots of paint/shade went into my basic paint jobs on these Terminators — 14 plus primer and sealant:
Primer: Armory white spray painter (which I won’t be using again in the future; I’m switching to brush-on primer)
Base coat: P3 Morrow White and Khador Red; Citadel Lothern Blue, Leadbelcher, Moot Green, and Auric Armor Gold
Wash: Agrax Earthshade, Seraphim Sepia or Reikland Fleshshade, Nuln Oil
Drybrush: P3 Arcane Blue and Marrow White; Citadel Wild Rider Red, Mithril Silver, and Liberator Gold
Sealant: Vallejo acrylic matt varnish
And compared to someone more experienced, who uses layer colors, possibly multiple drybrush passes, blending, etc.? This is peanuts, color-wise.
The last time I finished a miniature, according to my BGG notes, was in 2012. Eight years! My dry spell officially ends today, with two 100% finished, play-ready Terminators.
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
The Unlucky Isles [affiliate link], the first system-neutral guidebook for my Godsbarrow fantasy campaign setting, is now on DriveThruRPG.
I’m not going to go as deep into a self-critique on these as in my previous BattleTech minis post, mainly because most of what I said there stands for these minis as well: they needed shading and I over-drybrushed (and generally not in the right color), but they also show effort and look dandy on the table.
I’ve got multiples of many of these vehicles (like any good tabletop army), so I’m just going to throw up one of each type here.
Enter the box of light
First in the box are these two Games Workshop tanks (from Epic 40K, I guess?), which I used in combined-arms games as 100-ton tanks. It’s been so long that I don’t remember if those were the product of house rules, but whatever the case I do remember having a devil of a time finding BattleTech tanks that felt like they were 100-tonners. These fit the bill.
Definitely not BattleTech miniatures
They’re two of my favorite vehicle minis that I’ve ever painted, and I put a lot of time into them back in the day.
Mixed BT vehicles
I like these, especially the cheerful green one with his little headlights.
My quick and dirty color scheme got me through a lot of models back in the day
Base coat black, pick out details in red as unit markings, drybrush (waaaay too heavily) in white, and then onto the table! It got the job done. These look pretty rough as a result, though. If I painted them now, I’d figure out what wash to use on black and then drybrush in medium gray rather than white.
More mixed BT vehicles
The two hovercraft are tiny, and I remember being frustrated by them and putting in the bare minimum to get them table-ready. The little grey missile tank is kind of neat, though.
And to close, these two unprimed beauties — which, I have to say, I’m looking at in a new light now: as possible future painting projects.
Atlas and Ti T’sang
I think I was working my way up to the Atlas back when I played BT; it’s such an iconic mech that I didn’t want to mess it up. I should just have painted it!
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
The Unlucky Isles [affiliate link], the first system-neutral guidebook for my Godsbarrow fantasy campaign setting, is now on DriveThruRPG.
Painted roughly three years after the BattleTech mechs I posted yesterday (2010, maybe drifting into 2011), the main difference between these MERCS minis and those mechs is that in between I learned about the Dip Method — which means that these have a wash applied, which the mechs did not.
Getting these guys out again, I have to say that I really like MegaCon’s figure designs here. There are a lot of little details, like the pouches and the variations in the guns, that give them character without making them feel cartoonish.
Unleash the all-seeing eye of the lightbox
Trying out a group shot in my lightbox (USCR squad, minus the tank)
I can definitely see the difference washing (shading) makes. I suspect the Dip Method’s floor varnish (Minwax PolyShades) is thicker than an actual made-for-minis wash, too — which may be why some of the shallower lines and transitions lack depth. There’s some nice warmth to the leather and some decent shading in the “vents” on the armor, though.
I learned from the mechs and their pesky rocks, too: These bases have just a few rocks apiece, and I glued those fuckers down tight. I’m also digging the contrast between the green central portion of the base and the rocks (which is hard to see here because of the angle).
And shit, these do look markedly better than my mechs. Progress!
On to the main event, the Behemoth — and his massive hammer, painted yellow for maximum USSR hammer/sickle vibes.
OSCR Behemoth
I like this guy. All the red adds up to being a bit bland, but some parts of his armor showcase the wash pretty well. He’s the “hero piece” in the squad, and I spent the most time on him. I also did a decent job keeping my base coated sections discrete, too . . . at least from this angle.
Here’s a shot composed so as to be as unflattering as possible, partly as an experiment — I’m still figuring out my lightbox, angles, etc. — and partly to highlight the difference between “good enough for tabletop” and “stands up to scrutiny from six inches away.”
Dat ass, though…
There’s a full-on unpainted spot on the small pouch where his left leg meets his waist (at the bend), and you can also see where I blobbed black on the pipes/cables on his lower black — relying on the Dip to cover my sins — and the Dip did not in fact cover my sins. I’m not sure if it’s glare or if I was overzealous in my application of spray sealant, but that’s something for me to keep in mind in the future.
On the other hand, the row of pouches facing the camera look really good! I also like the warmth in the yellow, and the shading, on his hammer. And the Dip worked its magic on his circular armor vents.
On balance, I’m surprised to say that my takeaway from these MERCS figures is that I’ve been selling myself short as a minis painter. I have a tendency to be overly critical of myself, so that tracks pretty well. Nothing I’ve shared so far makes me — or, I suspect, would make you — recoil in horror. Especially not at arm’s length during a game.
I’m not going to get anywhere by being uncharitable with my own lack of experience as a minis painter: My lifetime total is around 85 painted miniatures. To put that in perspective, Rushputin of Warpstone Pile — who is seriously fucking talented, a real brush-wizard — paints more miniatures than that in a single year. Looking at his 2018 year in review post, he paints an average of roughly 242 minis per year (~450 in 2016!). I can’t expect to be nearly as good as him after what’s basically 33% of one of his average years.
The lightbox is proving quite useful for self-evaluation, and for putting things in perspective; I’m really digging it. (I reviewed this model in my previous lightbox post.) It highlights both positives and negatives much more clearly than just holding up a mini at squinting at it — and it makes the minis look cool!
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
The Unlucky Isles [affiliate link], the first system-neutral guidebook for my Godsbarrow fantasy campaign setting, is now on DriveThruRPG.
A big part of why I love my lightbox is for how clearly it showcases my paint work — for good and ill. It’s a great learning tool.
To that end, here are a couple of comparison photos of the same two models: first with only a base coat, and then with a wash (Citadel Shades) that I applied in this evening’s painting session. So far I’ve only been putting finished minis in the lightbox, but this seems like a potentially good use of it as well.
For context, I may have attempted a couple washes many years ago (~2007), but I can’t remember for sure. I know that all of my “recent” minis — from around a decade ago — were washed with the Dip Method because applying washes with a brush has always made me nervous. (It seemed so easy to screw up!)
This is my first time doing a proper wash in something like 13 years — it might as well be my first time, really. I was nervous!
Reikland Fleshshade on throne boy, starting on the Seraphim Sepia on Scipio
Before and after: front
Brother Scipio and throne boy, base coat onlyPost-wash
Before and after: rear
Rear view, base coat only (those teardrop gems on the throne were so much fun!)Rear view with a wash
Side-by-side photos
WordPress makes galleries a breeze now — let’s see how they look in A/B mode.
Base coat only
Base coat + wash
A little side-by-side A/B comparison: front view
Base coat only
Base coat + wash
Rear view
Colors and shades
Colors are P3 Khador Red and Marrow White; and Citadel Leadbelcher, Lothern Blue, Auric Armor Gold, and Moot Green. Primer is Armory white spray and my brushes are a mix of Citadel and Armory.
I used different shades for each Terminator. Since throne boy is long-dead and basically part of the space hulk, not the Terminator squad, he got Reikland Fleshshade on his gold bits (to make them look a bit more aged) and Agrax Earthshade everywhere else. It’s not like he’s doing regular armor maintenance anymore, right?
Brother Scipio got Nuln Oil on his Leadbelcher elements (for that cool/dark metal look), Seraphim Sepia for his gold (for a more burnished look), and Agrax Earthshade everywhere else — including the base, since it’s rusty decking.
Annnnnd exhale
Compared to using the Dip Method, which is both forgiving — it goes everywhere, you can’t miss any spots — and unforgiving, since you only get one color and it’s pretty thick, applying a wash with a brush (Citadel Shade M) was . . . a lot of fun.
With the Dip, I was outside on my stoop, gripping the base of the mini with needlenose pliers, shaking the everliving fuck out of it while hoping I didn’t a) fling it across the driveway or b) shake off too much varnish.
With a brush, I felt much more in charge. I did a quick pass everywhere, probably too heavy, making sure to brush across details rather than along them. Then I poked all the crevices; and finally I followed up with a shade-free wet brush to get some of the “globs” of wash thinned out a bit.
Not gonna lie: It was a bit nerve-wracking — at first. But after a few strokes I saw that this was going to be almost as forgiving as the Dip, and increased control and the ability to use multiple shades felt like solid trade-offs.
I’ve always been nervous about doing washes. No longer!
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
The Unlucky Isles [affiliate link], the first system-neutral guidebook for my Godsbarrow fantasy campaign setting, is now on DriveThruRPG.
After seeing Warpstone Pile‘s cool setup I bought an inexpensive lightbox to use for photographing my miniatures.
For $20, this DUCLUS lightbox (paid link) — one of dozens of cheap lightboxes on Amazon — offered some features I really liked.
Folds up for storage in the included bag
Built-in LEDs with a dimmer switch, 95+ CRI, and a button to switch between cool, neutral, and warm light
If you turn it off while it’s plugged in, it has setting memory for both brightness and color temperature (it resets when you unplug it)
Five fabric backdrops, including black — the one wanted to start with
Here it is with the black backdrop in place, on the lowest light setting, with the LEDs set to neutral white. As a flashlight enthusiast who’s obsessed with high CRI and neutral white in my lights, I’m pretty happy with the light this puppy puts out.
DUCLUS lightbox
I’m just shooting with my phone because it’s easy: shoot, email the pics to myself, and then crop, auto-adjust and -contrast in PhotoScape, and they’re ready to upload. Getting out my Serious Camera would only reduce the likelihood that I do this at all. Pitter patter!
I chose my favorite paint job that I did back in ~2007 for my first victim: this 100-ton Behemoth. I’ve always loved assault mechs and this is a great design; I spent a lot of time painting it back in the day. It’s one of the first minis where I felt like I had my drybrushing down.
Painted Behemoth in the lightbox
But in the lightbox? Oof, that close-up under even lighting is really unforgiving. This mini is absolutely good enough for tabletop, and it looks sharp at arm’s length — my usual painting standard. But here I can see that I over-drybrushed, perhaps to compensate for not doing a wash. I’m pretty sure I didn’t drybrush in a complementary color, instead just using my default white.
Still: not terrible! This post, and my evaluation of my past work, isn’t about tearing myself down. I’m not winning any Golden Demons, but I’m not as bad a painter as I’ve long felt that I was — even under the all-seeing light of the DUCLUS. I’d play proudly with this little Behemoth in my force.
Next up is this Bushwhacker, which I painted with a metallic base coat. Definitely from around the same time as the Behemoth, in terms of when I painted it.
Painted Bushwhacker
Over-drybrushed, not washed, and I can see I wasn’t great at removing mold lines either. The rocks on the base are glued down, but I suspect they needed to be varnished or something to help them stay in place. I like the look, but I don’t plan to base minis this way again — the little rocks fall off quite easily.
But overall, I’m not sad about this little dude either. There’s ample room for improvement, but even in the lightbox I’m pretty happy with how he turned out.
It will be fascinating to compare these to some of my later dipped (washed) minis and see how they stack up.
Anyhoo, I’m quite pleased with this lightbox and I look forward to sticking more minis in it. Being able to shoot photos without worrying about having good exterior lighting (sometimes a challenge in Seattle!), or finding just the right spot in the house, should make it a breeze to keep doing these posts.
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
The Unlucky Isles [affiliate link], the first system-neutral guidebook for my Godsbarrow fantasy campaign setting, is now on DriveThruRPG.
After a bit of airing-out time I got my paint racks from WarpedMindGames assembled. They’re everything I hoped they would be — absolutely fantastic, and for a solid price.
Imperial Paint Rack Linear
I ordered the one that’s set up with 34 mm holes for GW paint pots, of which it holds 45. Assembly took about 5 minutes and was entirely problem-free.
You can see the two brush slots towards the back. Note too the nicely staggered rows, like movie theater seats, which make the labels of partially obscured rows of paint easier to see.
Front view
This rack is full of decorative flourishes that give it character, like the gothic arches in the sides and the eagles on the cross-braces.
Side view, note the little cathedral windows
There are also purely decorative eagles in the back, and the cutouts from whence they emerged are in the largely invisible bottom of the rack.
Back view, with the decorative eagles (and the invisible cutout on the bottom you’ll rarely see — a cute touch)
Here she is fully assembled and stocked with paint and brushes. I’ve got base coats in the front, followed by layers, shades, and dry brush paints marching up towards the top.
Fully stocked and ready to rock
The shop said that these don’t need glue, and I agree. The only fitment that’s even vaguely loose is the very top rack (the skinny one), which has the fewest attachment points. But this entire rack, fully loaded, also isn’t designed to be moved around regularly. I don’t plan to glue any of it.
The paint holes are perfectly sized for my new-style GW pots. They also hold my smattering of Privateer P3 paints just as well. I’m basically out of brush space here, but that’s what the second rack, the Mini, is for; it will also hold some of my overflow paints (duplicates, dodgy ones that don’t have much life left in them) and my hobby knife, basing media, etc.
Imperial Paint Rack Mini
Like the larger one, the Imperial Paint Rack Mini went together beautifully in about 5 minutes. This one is compact and has more structure to it thanks to the large plates above and below the drawer; it’ll do great if I need to tote it around the house (and again, no glue).
My assembled mini
The drawer is quite deep, swallowing up my miscellaneous miniature-related stuff easily. The flat surface in front of the first paint row makes a handy spot for odd-sized bottles (primer, etc.) — and, I suspect, a good work shelf for paints that are on-deck for whatever I’m painting at the moment.
The double-eagle doubles as the drawer pull
Everything else I said about the big one applies here. It’s a thoughtful design, cleverly implemented as a flat-pack DIY solution, and it has character to boot.
It’s eagle time
I also had a great experience with WarpedMindGames as a shop. I messaged the owner, Brian, about a small problem (the fitment of my drawer), he messaged me back in five minutes, and after investigating found that his cutter’s driver was off; I had a new drawer on the way that same day, with some extra goodies in the package as an unexpected surprise.
Laser-cut objective tokens and, I think, an acrylic bottle opener
Here they are side by side on my desk. I have a few paints elsewhere at the moment (the colors I’m using), but taken together these two accommodate my entire collection with ease.
The mini and the linear side by side
Thumbs up all around on the WarpedMindGames, their service, and these two racks!
Update: I’ve been chatting about minis games with Brian of WMG, and he shared this tip: Don’t store brushes vertically, as it can cause them to splay out and/or get junk in the ferrules. Instead, store them horizontally — for me, that’ll be in the drawer of the Mini — and use the vertical slots for other tools (hobby knife, files, etc.).
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
The Unlucky Isles [affiliate link], the first system-neutral guidebook for my Godsbarrow fantasy campaign setting, is now on DriveThruRPG.
When I attended Gen Con 2010 (my last one, I think?) the MERCS skirmish wargame had just come out. A friend and I both played a demo, got excited about it, bought core books and a squad apiece, and made plans to paint our squads and then start battling each other.
I painted mine, he never painted his, we never played the game, and now I have a bunch of unused MERCS stuff sitting around in my closet. Ah well.
But that does mean I have one more set of minis from years ago that I can toss in the lightbox and share here on Yore. My friend suggested the USSR color scheme for my squad, which was a fun idea (and apropos, given that USCR is the former Soviet bloc faction). Just looking at this photo I can already see that I wish I’d carried the red/yellow thing further than, uh, one guy’s hammer.
MERCS USCR squad
These should be an interesting contrast to my BattleTech mechs because, unlike those, I used a wash on these (the Dip Method) before drybrushing.
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
The Unlucky Isles [affiliate link], the first system-neutral guidebook for my Godsbarrow fantasy campaign setting, is now on DriveThruRPG.
I likely won’t keep this frenzied posting pace up, but when my excitement is high and I’m loving it I tend to post, post, post. So: another quick WIP post before I head out to see Birds of Prey.
I’ve never owned a brush this fine. It’s an Army Painter Wargamer: Detail brush, with an oversized triangular handle for a comfy grip, and I love it.
5-minute painting session, so this month’s White Dwarf is my painting mat
This is the sort of brush I need for eyes!
I love this shade of green
I picked Moot Green, which pops just as much as I’d hoped it would. Why did I struggle to paint things this small without this fine a brush for so long?
Done!
With Scipio off the painting handle, I knocked out a quick Leadbelcher coat on his base (to match my Genestealers; with a brown wash it should come up a treat, just like rusty/weathered metal) — and with that his base coat is done.
Now I’ve got two Terminators ready for shade/wash experimentation.
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
The Unlucky Isles [affiliate link], the first system-neutral guidebook for my Godsbarrow fantasy campaign setting, is now on DriveThruRPG.
Out now: The Unlucky Isles
