Flamekebab's glacially-paced log

[Flamekebab]

I'm not the fastest painter, modeller, or sculptor for that matter. Sorry about that.

Wait, I was creating a log, wasn't I? Marvellous!

At the moment my non-work projects are these two:

My squad of Shoota boyz:

...and my canoness sculpt for my old lady:

These two were an experiment in painting only with inks. Whilst I don't hate the result I don't think I'll be doing it again any time soon!

I had a lot of fun building some new shoota boyz. It's been over ten years since I played 40K last and the only Orks I've built have been for Gorkamorka.

I can't stand the head with weird teeth so I did a spot of reconstructive work:

I did a bit more work on the shoota later as you may have already noticed.

This guy has a shoota that's new to me. The old 3rd edition boyz didn't have this particular firearm. Yummy!

More headswaps and my first bayonet. Nice!

How about some Chaos-style loose ammo?

The spare magazine is actually one of my favourite parts. A reloading Ork was just required.

His head is from Puppets War, his torso is a warbiker torso, his shoota is converted from this arm by adding some plastic tubing wrapped in dental tape. The other arm is a weird mashup of this arm and this hand. I've no idea why I didn't just use this arm. Presumably I just worked with what was lying around.

With a unit like this I figure it's better to play to its strengths rather than trying to half-heartedly make up for its weaknesses. If I went for three rokkit launchers then realistically on one would hit per turn (best case scenario with BS 2, as far as I understand it). Better to play the numbers and get some big shootas in there!

I honestly don't recall why this guy is nicknamed "Da Kraftsman":

Then there's this guy with his Beta C-Mag and paper hat:

Lastly one based on a picture in the third edition Ork codex making reference to two separate Adam Baldwin characters:

Since moving I've been doing my best to get back to getting them painted:

This chap uses arms from the Battlewagon kit, legs that didn't exist when I last built a whole unit of Ork boyz, another torso from the warbikers set, and a head I sculpted back in 2011.

So, yes. Hopefully that's okay as a first post.

Edit: fixed images

 

[spafe]

Amazing start, looking forward to more updates.

I love how each ork has a fair amount of background character and indivuality to them

 

[Flamekebab]

Cheers, spafe. One of the things I love most about Orks is the degree of customisation that's possible (and encouraged!). New parts, old parts, green stuff, plasticard, tubing, carnage!

 

[Gorkamunda]

We should start a League of Extraordinarily Slow Painters. Are you in, @simon?

At least I've managed to start my Enforcers this week. I've found that giving myself a deadline for finishing a project is helpful.

 

[Flamekebab]

At least I've managed to start my Enforcers this week. I've found that giving myself a deadline for finishing a project is helpful.

I've found it helps too but I've got a load of work projects that rather take priority so the two motivations end up duking it out in my head

 

[The Castle]

We should start a League of Extraordinarily Slow Painters. Are you in, @simon?

At least I've managed to start my Enforcers this week. I've found that giving myself a deadline for finishing a project is helpful.

oh oh...can i join? i can only seem to get painting done when the weather is warm and people should be spending time outside. took me a month and a half to finish my warmachine cygnar starter set...4 minis in 6 weeks...blistering speed.

 

[spafe]

I'm up for joining but am so slow I havent actually got my 3 gangs I bought last year (feb time) out of their packets yet, so I think I need a slow building league, painting will happen when i'm retired...maybe...

 

[Rusty101]

@Flamekebab - Nice one, exploring the virtues of other painting methods! I've tried pretty much only using washes and had good results. It seems to be dependant on how thin the washes are, the number of layers you build up and the level of fine detail on the mini. Example if you're interested - http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j202/Russ_Tully/Warhammer/CursdEttinCMONmini_zps57190d95.jpg

Love the sculp and green stuff work. Hands down El Ork with the sombrero is my fav.

I'd be up for a slow painters league too. Lucky to finish one mini a month.

 

[radulykan]

Some nice orks there, any plans to incorporate more hat designs?
on the subject of slow painting, on the ammobunker they are running a one mini a month support project, I have managed the 1st 3 months so far, it has really helped my motivation, maybe something similar here?

 

[Flamekebab]

@Flamekebab - Nice one, exploring the virtues of other painting methods! I've tried pretty much only using washes and had good results. It seems to be dependant on how thin the washes are, the number of layers you build up and the level of fine detail on the mini. Example if you're interested - http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j202/Russ_Tully/Warhammer/CursdEttinCMONmini_zps57190d95.jpg

Wow! Impressive stuff! I might give it another go eventually but for the moment I'm sticking to fairly basic methods. Painting has never been my favourite aspect of this hobby.

Love the sculp and green stuff work. Hands down El Ork with the sombrero is my fav.

Quite possibly my favourite too, I really love how he turned out, belt buckle aside.

Some nice orks there, any plans to incorporate more hat designs?

Absolutely I had so much fun with them. Anything in particular you'd like to see?

On the subject of slow painting, on the ammobunker they are running a one mini a month support project, I have managed the 1st 3 months so far, it has really helped my motivation, maybe something similar here?

It's an interesting idea. I'm not sure whether I'd be up for it or not but I'm glad it exists.

Let's have some more photos!

Firstly I've been working on the magnetised cloak for the canoness. It still needs some work (much like various other features) but it's getting there:

Secondly we've got this cheeky chappy. I've switched the arms on a few of these guys since I first built them. I felt these worked better than the old one. Again the helmet is a fairly unambitious custom sculpt:

Oh and here's some close ups of the boy with the chamber pot on his bonce. I can't say I ever expected to have to look into how to paint tiny flowers as an Ork player...

 

[Flamekebab]

I reckon I'm going to have a go at entering the first YakTribe competition. I like a bit of a challenge and I've not done anything like this one before.

So, first off, armature:

I figured a scout should be posed something like this, holding up a hand to quietly stop those behind him. It'll make more sense when more of the body is filled in, I hope!

Sculpting moccasins is hard. I gave it a go though! The trouser edging was the important bit - I'm planning on filling in the legs a bit more further down the line:

He's going to need a head! I'm still very much in the learning stages when it comes to heads but I don't feel I did too badly:

This photo is not particularly good. It's really hard to hold the head at the right distance, attempt to focus, and keep the camera steady. Sorry about that. The head is actually the right scale - I was super paranoid about it in fact as scale creep is so often a problem. I've also done some stuff on the torso although it currently lacks nipples (not an ork-based oversight! I figured I'd add details like that later).

He's going to be carrying a lasgun that's loosely based on a Mare's Leg. It'll be on a shoulder strap and his other hand will rest on top of it:

Lots more work to do of course but it's taking shape :

 

[BeardLegend]

I like this. A much better insight into sculpting from the off. I be here, picking up tips for my dudes.

I have (with all like ... 10 of my first sculpts) always built the head onto the model ... otherwise I risk it looking mis-shapen or too large/small. Do you have any tip for avoiding this, should I decide to make disembodied heads, like you?

PS: I made a hunting rifle yesterday which I had to bin ... boooo! It was far too long and too bulky. I'm rethinking my strategy when it comes to how I approach that.

 

[Bjecki]

oh oh...can i join? i can only seem to get painting done when the weather is warm and people should be spending time outside. took me a month and a half to finish my warmachine cygnar starter set...4 minis in 6 weeks...blistering speed.

LOL, I bought a bunch of Warmachine but Necromunda always takes first priority, even then since I've come back to the fold I've managed about 10 minis in like 3 months! Warmachine minis still in the box! Having said that i have been working on a lot of terrain but I paint at a snails pace, and they don't even look that great even after I'm done. You would think they would turn out awesome

@Flamekebab - everything is looking sweet!

 

[Flamekebab]

I like this. A much better insight into sculpting from the off. I be here, picking up tips for my dudes.

I'm so glad I could help! I was worried that my progress pics would be a bit dull as yours progress so much faster and with many more interesting details. Mine show some mishapen legs and a wobbly torso!

I have (with all like ... 10 of my first sculpts) always built the head onto the model ... otherwise I risk it looking mis-shapen or too large/small. Do you have any tip for avoiding this, should I decide to make disembodied heads, like you?

I've not sculpted many heads, human or otherwise. The sculpt of Jenny further up in this thread is one of my first human heads. I've sculpted myself before and one other female head with mixed (at best) results. Those were sculpted on a body.

My recent sculpts have used royalty free heads from Hasslefree:

I was concerned that I'd mess up the scale too and having the head disembodied helped - I was able to compare it with other Necromunda models with relative ease like this:

But on the other hand it was a lot harder in some ways. The putty actually started out on the side of the pin head and slowly moved up to its current position as I worked on it! I had to be very gentle. I'd suggest you give both a shot and see what works for you. I'm very much still learning so if you have any advice for me with what you've found I'd be grateful to hear it

PS: I made a hunting rifle yesterday which I had to bin ... boooo! It was far too long and too bulky. I'm rethinking my strategy when it comes to how I approach that.

I wish I was better at doing that. I'll work on something for ages to salvage when I should really just throw it out and start over. It took me a long time to do that with the backpacks for my Adepta Arcanum models and I'm still not happy with the result.

 

[BeardLegend]

What i'm really admiring about your greening is the distinct and well shaped symbols that you've managed to get really good definition from. Also detail work like the seam on those trousers, the cross on the book and the bottom of the scarf really stand out. You have a distinct style that I haven't seen replicated in conversions and sculpts before.

Your sculpts are a little static for my taste, except for the canoness and the book-waver but i'm drawn to them despite this. I want to see you take a risk and try a running or a crouching model one day.

Advice for sculpting the head while attached to the body. - It's the last thing I work on. I make a skull ... and have started putting a little ridge in it, so that the face doesn't slip around the surface of it. Works quite well for me, though I've only just (last 3/4 models) started getting faces to a standard that I like. Yours are absolutely fine.

I can't wait to see the finished results of your comp entry. I'll be rooting for you as your style is non Games Workshoppy and I like it. The Old dude with the mace and the sheild is my particular favourite.

 

[Flamekebab]

What i'm really admiring about your greening is the distinct and well shaped symbols that you've managed to get really good definition from. Also detail work like the seam on those trousers, the cross on the book and the bottom of the scarf really stand out. You have a distinct style that I haven't seen replicated in conversions and sculpts before.

Thanks! I'm always concerned that they don't blend in well enough. Regular shapes are the bane of my sculpting but I'm doing my best to improve. Some things are relatively easy (chains for example) others are a bleeding nightmare (grenades!).

Your sculpts are a little static for my taste, except for the canoness and the book-waver but i'm drawn to them despite this. I want to see you take a risk and try a running or a crouching model one day.

Sadly you're not the first person to say that. I shall have to try harder (which is fine - a challenge is better I feel!). I figured getting the basics down was probably for the best though as my previous full body sculpts (some Escher heavies) didn't work out as well as their weapons.

Running or crouching? Sure thing! I'm considering creating a range of suitable models for Necromunda. I probably wouldn't make a crouching priest as I imagine Line of Sight issues might cause more problems in 40K. In the past I've had a kneeling model that I put on top of a barrel to avoid gaining an unfair advantage:

In Necromunda I think there's a bit more scope for such poses though given the nature of the setting. Perhaps I should do a Ratskin tracker?

I'd love to hear any suggestions for things you'd like me to take a crack at

Advice for sculpting the head while attached to the body. - It's the last thing I work on. I make a skull ... and have started putting a little ridge in it, so that the face doesn't slip around the surface of it.

Ooh, yeah, that sounds like a good plan. I shall have to give it a go!

Works quite well for me, though I've only just (last 3/4 models) started getting faces to a standard that I like.

I'm ashamed to show off some of my old faces - yours look excellent

Yours are absolutely fine.

You flatterer
With any luck I won't balls it up when it comes to attaching him and adding hair!

I can't wait to see the finished results of your comp entry. I'll be rooting for you as your style is non Games Workshoppy and I like it.

Thanks, man. I'm a little on the fence about whether to paint mine or not so I'm not going to win. Painting him would be cool but I'm not that good at it and I'd have to strip him anyway to send him for casting. We'll see how it works out. I'm out of the UK for a family thing at the time the competition ends so I've only got until the first few days of June to get him done. Given how slowly I get anything paint related done we'll see how it goes.

As for my style - thanks! I'm still finding my feet but it's nice to hear that I'm developing my own look. I spend too much time staring at the sculpts to have any sort of objective view point on them.

The Old dude with the mace and the sheild is my particular favourite.

I rather like him too. I put him together over about three days so there's probably a few things I should have refined. I like him anyway though
He's based on a photo from the recent revolution in Ukraine:

 

[BeardLegend]

That photo is crazy. We live in a sci-fi future ... you've captured him really well. Good eye for inspiration.

Yeah, you definitely have your own style ... and when I say that I'm not being polite. Your models look stoic, which I like. Usually I hate standy-still models ... like the old Space Marines that everyone uses for statues these days. I find that hilarious.

lol ... when I say that your faces are fine, I meant it reassuringly, not sarcastic like ... as you seem a little down on them. I like them. Very impressed to see nostrils. I'm still having a hard time with nostrils (because of the angle ... which is why I was thinking of disembodying the heads), so I don't tend to bother. Thanks for the encouragment for my faces. I really enjoy trying to get the image I want into them and it's nice to feel appreciated.

... You should totally paint him. I mean, even if you end up stripping him for casting. Who do you produce work for? (If you don't mind me asking?) I have my Ratskin in (pretty much finished) and I'm dying to see what everyone else puts up. It's really pushed me to produce my best paint job (I won't be winning either) and I'll be proud even if I don't pick up a vote (not that i've got any idea how it's being judged). The comp motivated me to try my best and I think you should have a real crack at it ... I even tried a tiny spot of wet blending.

I also spend a lot of time post sculpt, thinking, "Wow ... did I make you?!" ... I could never look at stuff objectively when I was young but these days, it's all just stuff to me and I'm not afraid to get stuck in/be critical of my work. Though I'm still amazed that I can do anything like this. I can't get enough of it! lol...

Anywho ... massive message. Don't want to derail your thread. Paint your model and let me know when you've got some other stuff in the works.

 

[Flamekebab]

That photo is crazy. We live in a sci-fi future ... you've captured him really well. Good eye for inspiration.

Thanks! When I saw it I just knew it had to become a model.

Yeah, you definitely have your own style ... and when I say that I'm not being polite. Your models look stoic, which I like. Usually I hate standy-still models ... like the old Space Marines that everyone uses for statues these days. I find that hilarious.

Ah, those take me back. Yeah, I'm doing my best to learn to sculpt more dynamic poses. Practice is the key, I suppose. That and pushing myself.

lol ... when I say that your faces are fine, I meant it reassuringly, not sarcastic like ... as you seem a little down on them. I like them. Very impressed to see nostrils. I'm still having a hard time with nostrils (because of the angle ... which is why I was thinking of disembodying the heads), so I don't tend to bother. Thanks for the encouragment for my faces. I really enjoy trying to get the image I want into them and it's nice to feel appreciated.

Faces are a pain but we're both making progress. I think I'm going to make another ratskin scout after this one to keep up momentum, especially as I'm not going to be able to sculpt for a fortnight in June.

... You should totally paint him. I mean, even if you end up stripping him for casting.

I may do, if I get my painting mojo back. I might have a crack at a Red Gobbo I've got sitting around to start with.

Who do you produce work for? (If you don't mind me asking?)

For myself

I have my Ratskin in (pretty much finished) and I'm dying to see what everyone else puts up. It's really pushed me to produce my best paint job (I won't be winning either) and I'll be proud even if I don't pick up a vote (not that i've got any idea how it's being judged). The comp motivated me to try my best and I think you should have a real crack at it ... I even tried a tiny spot of wet blending.

If I do end up painting him it'll be because of you, mate

I also spend a lot of time post sculpt, thinking, "Wow ... did I make you?!" ... I could never look at stuff objectively when I was young but these days, it's all just stuff to me and I'm not afraid to get stuck in/be critical of my work. Though
I'm still amazed that I can do anything like this. I can't get enough of it! lol...

I get that feeling when I've got the resin casts in my hands. I'm really looking forward to getting my new range in stock. Exciting!

Anywho ... massive message. Don't want to derail your thread. Paint your model and let me know when you've got some other stuff in the works.

You're not derailing it at all, I love talking about this stuff!

Now it's time for an update

(Sorry about the blurry pictures, they were taken with my phone to avoid the hassle of breaking out my proper camera)
The lasgun is coming along nicely. It's not done yet but it's shaping up:

The head is also attached and the legs have been adjusted a little:

Based on my previous experiences I've not bulked out some areas yet. I figure I'll be adding equipment, belts, and other bits and bobs that will anchor better with some more space:

Also I reckon he should have a tomahawk or similar:

 

[BeardLegend]

Har! Loving the lever mechanism on the las, under the trigger. I was going to try that but settled on a trigger and hammer-lever. Gutted I didn't have a crack at it now.

The Tomahawk looks nice. I went for a kind of (south american) Bone/Stone Axe type thing. Was just fun to dapple the surface. I wanted to add more adornment to make him look more SA than NA Native, but I can only do so much with a cocktail stick and a stanley knife. I'll be buying some real tools within the week.

- So you're an online seller of miniatures and stuff ... that's very interesting. Very interesting, indeed. I feel a pm coming on.

- I'm thinking of going into casting but have very little actual experience ... though I'm a networker by habit and happen to know one or two quite select people with bags of experience. Pinning them down at the moment is hard. I'm working on it.

- I had no idea you were self-built. The site is awesome. I'll add it to my Atchett Arry blog and friends list on FB. Also my own. You can consider me a customer.

 

[Flamekebab]

Har! Loving the lever mechanism on the las, under the trigger. I was going to try that but settled on a trigger and hammer-lever. Gutted I didn't have a crack at it now.

It was a pain to get it right! Sharp scalpel blades and superglue was how I achieved it, well, that's how I got that far. Ideally I'd want it to look better than it does but it'll have to do unless I can get my grubby mitts on a high end 3D printer.

The Tomahawk looks nice. I went for a kind of (south american) Bone/Stone Axe type thing. Was just fun to dapple the surface. I wanted to add more adornment to make him look more SA than NA Native, but I can only do so much with a cocktail stick and a stanley knife. I'll be buying some real tools within the week.

For ages I worked with just a scalpel and a cocktail stick or something similar. I've now got some nicer tools (but nothing crazy) and it makes all the difference. I like clay shapers (I have this set - an awesome gift from my old lady) but I only use two of them. Similarly I only use one of my metal tools. Try things and see what works for you

- So you're an online seller of miniatures and stuff ... that's very interesting. Very interesting, indeed. I feel a pm coming on.

Yep! Hit me up whenever you like

- I'm thinking of going into casting but have very little actual experience ... though I'm a networker by habit and happen to know one or two quite select people with bags of experience. Pinning them down at the moment is hard. I'm working on it.

I want to do my own casting but I've not quite got that far yet. The equipment isn't all that costly but the materials one needs to go through to gain the experience seem like the real killer!

- I had no idea you were self-built. The site is awesome. I'll add it to my Atchett Arry blog and friends list on FB. Also my own. You can consider me a customer.

Cheers! I'm hoping to do a restock soonish but I'm holding a lot of capital because getting my new resin range is a bigger priority. I'm not looking forward to that invoice but it'll be worth it

Update time!

I could conceivably do more work on the weapon but this seems about right. I changed the shape of the handle a bit as you might have noticed:

The next step was getting it attached. First I blue-tak'd the weapon in place and then sorted out the hand:

Then the rough arm was trimmed back and a proper one built. Once that was cured I added a strap:

I aimed for a triangle buckle thingy as the attachment point. I think I'm going to sculpt a little lump on it later to make it a swivel. That seems to me like it'd make most sense for that kind of mounting.

The hair is still a bit rough I'm afraid but you can see where it's going:

I've got to sort out his shoes at some point as they're a bit of a mess but I want to get the other stuff sorted out first. The next major thing is to figure out where to mount the tomahawk on him. In Assassin's Creed Connor wears his on the hip but that doesn't seem quite right for this. Some sort of back arrangement seems to make the most sense but I'm not sure what would work best. Any ideas?