Initial terrain work

Well this is a first for the blog.........terrain!

I normally don't make terrain as I don't play much games but for some reason over the last couple of weeks most of my hobby thoughts have been focused on terrain. I have been following Dampf's blog about using foam in terrain making over on his blog. 

http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/

What really caught my eye was this blog post and the way he used expanded foam and kitchen towel to make the rocks. 

http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/2011/07/working-with-foam-part-four.html

So I just had to give it a go. I want to paint my ork bases in a red desert scheme and I had a feeling this method might turn out good rocks, which would complement this basing scheme. So this is the first 'test' rock I have produced. 

The Catachan is there obviously just for the scale. I have to admit I am very pleased with how this initial test worked out, considering all this is kitchen towel painted in PVA glue and then given a coating sand mixed with PVA for texture. I spray painted this with the GW orange foundation paint and give the recesses a wash with GW Red Ink and drybrushed the edges bleached bone. I didn't take any WiP pictures as it was meant to be a work through to iron out any kinks, but I was so pleased with the outcome I decided to post it up. 

I will definitely be making a lot more of these, both larger and smaller rocks to place around an Orky themed board and when I do I will do an indepth step by step guide.

Eye on CoolMiniOrNot No. 1

Welcome to a semi-regular addition to my blog. I plan to post links to anything I find interesting on CoolminiOrNot, not necessarily the best stuff but just stuff I find interesting and worth highlighting and comment.

So to start off here is this beautiful piece.

CoolMiniOrNot - GHOST Attack!!! detail by amon chakai

What I really love about this piece is not just the painting (amazing!), the composition (perfect) or the conversion's (flawless) but the fact it shows you can create an amazing piece of work from simple miniatures. You don't need the newest or biggest kit, just a great idea. This piece just draws you in and makes you start to wonder. Where in the Old World is this building? How did this poor bugger find himself in this horrible situation? Did that ghost just appear on the other side of the peasant's eyehole like a scene from a horror movie? If he did no wonder he turned tail and ran.

The painting is great, the strength of colour on the human emphasising that he's alive, which in turn contrasts beautifully with the cold blues and greys of the ghosts and wall and floor. The blending is perfect as is the fine detail work for the ghosts eye's and the humans warts.

Great work Amon chakai!

A little bit of everything!

Hi all,

I don't have any pictures of what I am working on just at the moment, but it's a Space Wolf Rune Priest, for an activity being run on Librarium-online for charity. 

http://www.librarium-online.com/forums/projects/209882-librarium-online-charity-sale-locs-2011-a.html

I have been cleaning up some hobby photo's on my computer though and I have found one or two pictures that I have not posted on my blog. I painting a Avatar of War Dwarf Slayer for a secret Santa last Christmas. I sent him off in plenty of time for Christmas but I never heard if he was received. So fingers crossed he's in a dwarf army out there somewhere seeking heroic death forever. 

AoW Dwarf Slayer

I left his base untouched to give my secret Santa the change to base him as he see's fit. I did some messing with him in Picasa, mainly fixing the lighting, and creating the montage.

I don't remember too much about what sort of techniques I used painting him, but I do remember being particularly happy with how the metals turned out. Looking at him now I think I could have taken the highlighting of the skin a little bit further by adding bleached bone. 

I will update this blog next week with pictures of the Rune Priest and how I am getting on with him.