A. Mechanicus... Darkly

[brother_b]

Are you attaching with a little glue or just blue tac? I've often thought about painting like that especially for helmets.

[Subtle Discord]

It's a bit of a combination for me. With the heads and torsos pictured here, I've used a little bit of fresh poster-tack to attach the part to the end of a small length of dowel. If the poster tack is fresh it's very stiff and holds the part firm, and as an added bonus it works really well to mask the area from paint for future assembly. I seal the end of the dowel with a few coats of super glue to fill the porous nature of the wood and get a smooth surface that will let the poster-tack stick properly. When it makes sense I try to use this method when I'm painting in parts/assemblies.

 

In some cases, it makes more sense to lightly glue a part to a piece of sprew or styrene. That's how I do the backpacks for the Skitarii since the spot that makes sense is so small it's easier to lock it with a bit of glue. In that case, the key is being very sparing with the glue. You just want to tack the part in place temporarily, and if you do it right it'll break off very easily when it's time to assemble.

 

Building and painting in sub-assemblies is quickly growing on me. It really does make all the difference to paint things from all sorts of strange angles to get the job done faster while also helping keep it clean. It's not too hard to mask the assembly points with some poster-tack and with a bit of care it's easy enough to do the final assembly. 

[Subtle Discord]

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Comm-Link ∙ Active

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Downloading… Complete

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Displaying Data File ∙ Onscreen

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+++ Command Protocols ∙ Accepted +++ Request ∙ Diagnostic Activation +++_+++ Command Input ∙ Accepted +++

 

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Initializing Subsystems…

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Generator Subsystems ∙ Online

Containment Field ∙ Nominal

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Initialize Plasma Reaction? ∙ Y/N

 

[Magos Takatus]

Oh, those look good. That's some fantastic terrain.

[Subtle Discord]

Affirmative, it eradicates two flying mammals with a single projectile. One part army model and one part terrain, when I'm not using it as a Void Shield Generator there will be no problem using it as regular terrain. I can't wait to get the plasma globe back in it.

Edited February 9, 2018 by Subtle Discord

[MithrilForge]

 I can't wait to get the plasma globe back in it.

 

Neither can we  ...

 

Mithril

[Subtle Discord]

+++ Initialize Plasma Reaction? ∙ Y/N +++ Command Input ∙ Y +++_+++ Status ∙ Ignighting Plasma Reaction +++_+++ Initialize Void Field? Y/N +++

[Magos Takatus]

Those reactors look amazing complete. I like the GW Haemotrope reactors but these put them to shame.

[MagicHat]

What parts did you use? I only see the Vengeance battery, and it blends in seamlessly with your add ons. Very impressive.

[Vel'Cona]

This is incredibly rad!  Can we get a broader pic with this alongside your army?

[Lord_Caerolion]

Oh Omnissiah... Words fail me.

[Subtle Discord]

+++ Initialize Void Field? ∙ Y/N +++ Command Input ∙ Y +++_+++ Void Field ∙ Active +++ Plasma Raction ∙ Stable +++ Containment Field ∙ Nominal +++

 

+++ Command downlink received. +++ Downtime overdue. +++ Priority - Seek maintenance bay interface. +++ Rejuvenation subroutines activated. +++ Further comm-data uplink to follow maintainance rites. +++

[Subtle Discord]

Those reactors look amazing complete. I like the GW Haemotrope reactors but these put them to shame.

Yep, GW can go take a flying leap this time. Ha! But seriously, to play devil's advocate, there's virtually no way GW could produce something like this and that's good because it leaves an opening for someone like meee! *Spins around with his hands in the air* Errr... *Stops and lowers his arms* ... nevermind.

 

What parts did you use? I only see the Vengeance battery, and it blends in seamlessly with your add ons. Very impressive.

You've got it, the model uses the base and some detail components from a GW Vengence Weapon Battery kit as the central component for the lower structure, but the rest of the model is all me. A seamless fusion is exactly my aim with my conversion kits, it should look like something GW would make if I'm doing it right.

 

That said, as much as I like the idea of using the Vengence Weapon Battery parts to help it blend with other GW models, I've decided that at some point in the future I want to create the parts necessary to build the complete model as a stand-alone kit.

 

This is incredibly rad!  Can we get a broader pic with this alongside your army?

Considering that my army currently only consists of this Void Shield Generator, one mostly complete Ranger squad, and one almost mostly complete Vanguard squad (they still need backpacks and some details), there isn't all that much to show... yet. Rest assured that once I get a few more things done that aren't still held together with poster-tack I'll be sure to take some larger W.I.P. group photos.

 

Oh Omnissiah... Words fail me.

Thanks. Yeah, I simply giggled when I finally got it done and sat back to look at it properly. Its come a long way from the original proof-of-concept idea made from cardboard, that's for sure.

[Subtle Discord]

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Comm-Link ‧ Active

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Downlink… Complete

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Displaying Data File ‧ Onscreen

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+++ Preliminary Production Quota ‧ Complete +++ Ongoing Production Quota ‧ Accepted +++ Recruit Selections 3440-3460 Proceeding to Implantation +++

+++ Data Transmission ‧ incomplete +++ Further Data Transmission ‧ Compiling +++ Update Incoming ‧ Standby… +++

 

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Append Information Exchange ‧ Additional Input +++ Large open spaces in the preliminary image offends the glory of the Omnissiah

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Production Quota Priority ‧ Upgraded +++ Current projects to be expedited; large scale construct assembly to commence

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Comm-Link ‧ Active

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Update Incoming ‧ Standby…

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[Vel'Cona]

Listed in another post, but I really like that subtle blue scheme!  What's next on the painting list?

[Subtle Discord]

+++ Recruit Selections 3440-3460; Implantation Process ‧ Ongoing +++ Production Expedited +++ Progress Reports ‧ Ongoing +++

 

Next up is 20 more Vanguard, each with 3 Arc Rifles, which is the minimum I need for my current army list. The plan is/was to do 60 Skitarii first so I could have 20 Rangers with Transuranic Arquebus', 20 Vanguard with Arc Rifles, and 20 Vanguard with Plasma Calivers, but I might hold off on the last 20 so I can scratch an itch to work on something larger. Ultimately I want to have the extra Skitarii so I have flexibility in how I can compose a list, but right now I really want to dig into something different... and stompy, yeah, definitely stompy.

Edited February 24, 2018 by Subtle Discord

[Battybattybats]

I was thinking something stompy might fill those empty spaces in the previous posts preliminary image. Looking forward to seeing the results.

[Subtle Discord]

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Comm-Link ‧ Active

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Data Downlink… Complete

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Displaying Data File ‧ Onscreen

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In an effort to spread the content around and document my progress here and in Legion Rising, I present the first Artum Laboris units with their preliminary paintjob complete and I’ll ramble here a bit about this project from some different perspectives. Decals and final weathering will be done in the future when there are more units completed to this point and when I actually have the decals that will be required in my dirty little hands. While I have the preliminary design work done for the icons and symbols I’ll be using, I want to make sure I’m completely happy with what I’ve created and consider what other additional designs I might want to add to the sheets.

 

I didn’t really plan on doing the Void Shield Generator right now, but I couldn’t resist the call of the half painted model as it sat collecting dust in the corner of my painting bench. I’m happy I ended up getting distracted by it, so for now it’ll make a fitting center piece for the rest of the army to build up around, and then I’ll try to figure out how I can attempt to do something to supplant it.

 

One final set (for now) of images of the Rangers to document them in context alongside the other completed units.

 

A stock unit of 10 Rangers with 2 Transuranic Arqurbus’ and an Omnispex, there’s nothing really elaborate going on here. The plan is to make each Skitarii unit somewhat unique by modifying the Alphas and the Omnispex/Data-tether operators, but in this case I took the path of least resistance and just assembled them with the stock bits.

 

If you look closely you may notice a glimpse of my insanity in the distinct lack of Purity Seals on most of the models. Yep, I’m a masochist, so I decided to remove the Purity Seals on the Skitarii wherever I could manage it. To varying degrees, most are actually reasonably easy to remove with a bit of careful cutting and file work (not much harder than removing an annoyingly placed sprew vent), some are possible to remove with some extra care and effort, but a few are in such confined locations that it’s just too much work to remove them. They really are the kind of detail that I wish GW had made as separate bits so the builder could attach them to the miniature how they see fit or toss them in the bits box if they so choose.

 

I spy with my digitally augmented eye, a designated target that is… *Ka-BLAMMMMmmm!* … neutralized.

 

I wish the bases for the Transuranic Arquebus models weren’t so large. Providing such an excellent vantage point I want to fit as much firepower into the Void Shield battlements as I can manage, but the footprint of the Transuranic Arquebus models are so large that six models is the realistic limit. I might need to tweak my list a bit to accommodate this somewhat unexpected limitation.

 

Delayed by finishing the Void Shield, the first squad of Plasma Caliver toting Vanguard is now caught up with the Rangers.

 

Here’s a large close-up to showcase the paint job and to have a look at the conversions I did on the Alpha and the Omnispex operator.

 

In the times before the information enlightenment that is The Internet (oh crap, I suddenly feel old), I always wished I could look closer at miniatures and models that were photographed for White Dwarf. Even up close, at a certain distance and/or scale, photographing a miniature improves its presentation in a subtle but noticeable way. The pixilation that occurs, whether it be from a digital conversion or by the printing process, helps to smooth the paintjob ever-so-slightly. I would see images, often accompanied with a limited explanation of the painting process used, and it baffled me how the painter was achieving such precision. It wasn’t until I finally got to see paintjobs and tutorials with higher resolution images did I discover that the paintjobs are not always as precise as they appear from even a modest distance. It’s not sloppy by any stretch, but when you get in really close and look you can see that it’s not as exact as it may first appear. Once I figured this out it changed my attitude towards painting entirely. I consider myself a good painter, a bit above average, but not anywhere near serious competition level. I recognize that I have a clean technique and I’m reasonably precise, but I also do everything I can to avoid doing any more work than is necessary. I much prefer modestly well executed layering over tedious blending and will employ any other process that will achieve solid results that will look good at an arm’s length distance.

 

Thanks for reading, following along, the kind words, and feedback. As always, comments, questions, and general musing are always welcome.

[Burias-Drak'shal]

Very impressive. Like the blue you have used

[Magos Takatus]

 

In the times before the information enlightenment that is The Internet (oh crap, I suddenly feel old), I always wished I could look closer at miniatures and models that were photographed for White Dwarf. Even up close, at a certain distance and/or scale, photographing a miniature improves its presentation in a subtle but noticeable way. The pixilation that occurs, whether it be from a digital conversion or by the printing process, helps to smooth the paintjob ever-so-slightly. I would see images, often accompanied with a limited explanation of the painting process used, and it baffled me how the painter was achieving such precision. It wasn’t until I finally got to see paintjobs and tutorials with higher resolution images did I discover that the paintjobs are not always as precise as they appear from even a modest distance. It’s not sloppy by any stretch, but when you get in really close and look you can see that it’s not as exact as it may first appear. Once I figured this out it changed my attitude towards painting entirely. I consider myself a good painter, a bit above average, but not anywhere near serious competition level. I recognize that I have a clean technique and I’m reasonably precise, but I also do everything I can to avoid doing any more work than is necessary. I much prefer modestly well executed layering over tedious blending and will employ any other process that will achieve solid results that will look good at an arm’s length distance.

 

I agree totally. It can be reassuring to see the brushstrokes on a model so you an at least tell it was painted by mortal hands. I think the most technically impressive part of your painting work is the highlighting of the ribbed cable. It's not a flashy, eye-catching part of the miniature, but it is well executed and shows great patience. 

[WarriorFish]

The blue looks even better with more models wearing it - so when do we see some vehicles? ;)

[Subtle Discord]

The blue looks even better with more models wearing it - so when do we see some vehicles?

*Subtle pokes WarriorFish in the eyes with his fingers and then sticks them in his ears while singing out of key... loudly*

 

La la la la laaaaa... la la la... I'm not listening to you... Laaa la la la laaa... la la laaa la la... Not listening... La la laaa la la... la la laaaaaa...

 

*Subtle's voice becomes deep and harsh*

 

No vehicles until I have completed... the... Troops!

 

*Subtle breaths deeply and then grins stupidly*

 

To that end...

 

+++ Submitting Progress Report ++ Recruit Selections 3440-3460; Implantation Process ‧ Ongoing +++ Production Expedited +++

 

I know, it's not as glamorous, especially from someone like me who has a soft spot for building vehicles, but I'm forcing myself to accept this rule with the armies I choose to build from now on; if I can't focus and get the first major block of Troops done, the project won't happen. Otherwise, they'll just be perpetually procrastinated on. I know my nature, me likey da' robots and tanks, and they'll forever distract me from getting the slog that is doing the Troops done. Simply, I want to get this daunting step out of the way, but I also want to see the army build-up around a proper central mass of Troops just for the visual factor.

 

Soon, very soon, these Vanguard will be complete (for now). Once they're finished I think I'll start small and do a unit of Dragoons.

[helterskelter]

I have something to aspire to!! (But in brown)

[Subtle Discord]

All hail to the unconventional Adeptus Mechanicus colour scheme! Praise the inspiration of the Omnissah! To be honest helterskelter, if I didn't see it I would likely doubt that the brown and organic grain you're doing would be successful, but with the gold elements and the execution, it does work really well on several leves. Most of my brain sees inspiration taken from a wealthy mahogany and brass decorated den or boardroom, but there's a humorous corner of my brain that can't help but think of a wood-paneled Studebaker or station wagon and the aforementioned Futurama episode. :) To me, that just adds to the appeal.

 

Well, I should be casting, but it's Friday and my mind keeps wandering to painting, so I think I may need to start my weekend and get the brushes out. Must... finish... more... Vanguard...

[Canadian_F_H]

Wow... that plasma globe terrain is brilliant! Nice work on everything else too!