Huzzah!

I finished it!  I finally finished my X-Wing.  It was a long and sometimes frustrating journey, but ultimately fulfilling.  I look at this model and I see lesson after lesson.  They say learning new things keeps the mind supple and young.  Well, my mind must have regressed to that of a teenager with the amount I learned on this project.

I just took some cell phone pictures until I get some time to take a few better ones.  I hope this thing will fit into my Foldio.  It’s going to be nip and tuck.  I may not want to take better pictures though.  This model is best enjoyed from a distance.  When you look closer, all of those “lessons” become far more apparent.

I am happy with the results of my first scale model since I was around 15.  I look forward to doing my next one, which will be the Tie Advanced.  However, I have to finish the Judicator first.

Pin Wash

I have continued work on the X-Wing this week.  I’m actually very impressed with myself.  I spent many hours on Luke’s chariot in my evenings.  As part of the whole trying new things theme I have going on with this build I decided to try a method of weathering called a pin wash.  This technique involves using an oil wash to fill the recessed panel lines by pressing a small brush to them and allowing capillary action to draw the wash into the grooves.  The brush leaves a small dot of the wash on the panel line.  After the wash has dried, a cotton swab dipped in mineral spirits is rubbed over the surface reactivating the oil paint.  The paint in the dot can now be manipulated to make greasy or dirty looking streaks across the surface. 

I tried pin washing out with limited success.  Part of my problem, I believe, is that my gloss coat was not smooth enough and thus gave the wash too much “bite” so it was hard to move around or even get out.  However, the results look passable and not too bad for a first try.  I’m going to try and add a bit more weathering with some powders and see if that gets it closer to where I want it.

I’m not far from being done.  A little more weathering, a clear coat, R2-D2’s head, the display stand and then final assembly.  I’m really looking forward to putting this thing on my shelf.

Hobby Nemesis Pt. 2

Spring is in the air and that can only mean one thing in Canada; playoff hockey.  Unfortunately , the amount of time I watch hockey is inversely proportionate to the my hobby time.  Many people  say that I should just watch the game while I hobby.  With some games I can do that, as the CBC streams all of their games.  However, when my beloved Blackhawks are playing, I cannot multitask.  I am either watching or not. 

This year, the playoffs come at a terrible time.  The Journeyman League is happening and I need to get as much time in at the hobby table as possible.  I managed to get the bases done for my Mage Hunter Strike Force done this weekend, but I don’t see how I’m going to get all ten members plus the UA painted by Friday.  Add to this, the fact that Chicago plays on Friday.  A gut wrenching decision awaits.

*Did I mention that I’m watching hockey as I write this?

Busy Me

I needed to take this picture and make this post to make myself feel better. I was thinking that I didn't have much to show for my summer holidays. Now that school has started again and life is extremely busy, I wanted to feel that I hadn't frittered my summer away. So, I gathered all of the minis that I had built and the few that I had painted together for a photo op. Now that I see them all together, I can see that I built a lot of models this summer. I only painted eight spearmen, but now I have lots to paint over the coming winter months.

I've made a commitment to myself that I will spend an average of an hour a day on hobby this winter. Since I work one night a week and on Saturdays I'll have to make up for those times on other nights. It will be tough when hockey starts (both playing and watching), but I think I can do it. I have been puttering away on my High Elf army for two years now and I'm committed to finally finishing them.

Hopefully, there will be lots of posts to fill you in on my hobby successes in the coming weeks.

On a Roll

I tweeted last night to @FBRoundup that I would put some of my hobby doings on the blog tonight.  So here it is.

I've been on a bit of a roll lately.  I bought a load of Warmachine stuff and decided to roll through it and build it all, then prime it so that I can paint it whenever the mood strikes. With school starting soon and working a second job, time will be scarce and I want to be able to jump into painting whenever I feel like it.

With the help of a YouTube tutorial, I magnetized my PoM heavy warjack kit.  Now I can use the beast as either a Templar or Vanquisher depending on my list.  I didn't bother magnetizing the Crusader parts, because I already own a Crusader and can't foresee needing two of the things in one list.

Templar

 

Vanquisher

I put some big magnets in the shoulder sockets.  I had to use a full sized 1/4" drill bit for this.  I didn't trust my full sized drill, so I did it by hand and have the chewed up fingers to prove it.

I didn't have enough magnets, so I cut out some pieces of sheet metal and green stuffed/glued them onto the ends of the arms.  It's way cheaper and it seems to work as well on a model of this size.

Finally, I put some smaller magnets in the end of the arm and the weapons.

It didn't actually take that long and I'm pretty happy with the results.  I just need to figure out how to paint the smaller bits that won't be on the model when I prime it.  I'm thinking about white gluing a magnet on the end of a piece of dowel and sticking the pieces on there to spray and paint.  I'll let you know how that works out.

I also built a Reckoner last night.  This model is super heavy.  It's like one solid piece of metal.  It's also one of the least inspiring models I've had the dubious pleasure to build.  The model is not very posable.  Aesthetically the model is just a stumpy little spud that really doesn't get my juices flowing to paint it.  However, if you can use that beat stick effectively, he will earn a place on the painting docket.

I also built some Bastions and was experimenting with some homemade desert bases.  More on that in a future post. 

My Discovery of the Day

I believe I found this site through Twitter, but I can't remember exactly.  I followed a link and ended up on the Painted Legions website.  This is a site for commissioned miniature painting, but also includes a fair set of painting, modelling and basing tutorials.  There is not a huge number of them yet, but hopefully, they will continue to build their library.

The tutorials that are there are pretty good and detailed enough to be able to follow yourself.  I recommend giving it a look.

Oh, and their logo looks like the Ottawa Senators logo.  If you're a hockey fan you'll see it right away.

New Toys

Yay!  I got some new toys for my PoM army.  I'm looking to get past the piddly little battle box games I've been having.  They are great for familiarizing yourself with the basic rules, but they become very boring very quick.  Now, I have to put this stuff together.  Painting will be some time in the future.  I'm a little ticked that I had already started painting my three remaining Errant Exemplars when these other four guys showed up.  I could have had them all done together.

Now I  have 8 Errant Exemplars and a Leader, a Vassal and another Heavy Jack.  I think I'll magnetize the jack so I can get maximum usage out of it.  I'm just waiting for my package from Miniature Market with my Choir and the unit attachment for the Exemplars.  I should have a tidy little force going on then.  However, I have no idea where to go from there.  Maybe a different caster to play with...