Adepticon is Coming...errrr....Here.....errrr...There....

Adepticon is coming, well actually its here, or technically in Lombard.  I’ve been going to Adepticon since 2003, I believe was my first time there.  This year I’m not attending the event.  My hobby budget for this year is being applied to my racing karts instead as I plan out the racing season.  I’m not getting any younger and so there are some racing things that I want to do while I’m still somewhat competitive.  I’ll come back to tournament / convention scene when I’m old. 


So plans are not to play any tournaments, not to go to any conventions, but instead to race on the oval locally, race at least at one of the asphalt ovals in a new Midwestern Oval track series, race in the Grand Prix in Illinios, race 4-5 vintage events, race some sprint track events here in Wisconsin and Iowa, and partake in two Midwestern sprint series races.  That does not mean that I don’t have hobby things planned, just a taking a break from the events.   As part of that, I’m physically trying to get in better shape, and get prepared for all of the racing, which in karting means core strength and cardio.

A GW Rant at Spikey Bits

Things have been a bit busy around here and I have not really gotten anything done on miniatures.  I don't think I have lost the steam or desire, just have a limited amount of time and been working quite a bit.  I also have built with my dad two karts and have done some work on my truck.  Those things should be ready to go this spring.  And not just that, I finally cleaned off my drawing table and have gotten back to drawing, doing some pen and ink, and some point will paint 2d.   Also for some reason I'm having problems posting pictures on the blog, things just seem to lock whether I upload them through blogger or link them off one of my many picture hosting sites that I use.


Anyways the real reason for the posting is that I saw a blog post by Spikey Bits.  I think its a good read, and well said about what he thinks is happening with GW. The following is a link to that posting:
http://www.spikeybitsblog.com/2014/01/utter-chaos-gw-past-present-future.html?utm_source=Copy+of+1%2F16&utm_campaign=9%2F26&utm_medium=email


I can't say that I've been a customer of GW's as long as Spikey, but I have bought a lot of stuff from them over the years.  I have also found that I have been increasingly alienated or maybe it should be annoyed by them.  It is not about the money for me.  The miniature hobby is nowhere near as expensive as my kart racing hobby.  Racing is in the stratosphere in comparison to the miniatures hobby.  I think he hit on what has happened with me, and that is the Fun aspect.   I started in with the GW hobby playing 3rd Edition 40k.  I found the game, fun, but then came 4th edition that sort of sucked the wind out of me.  Some friends then turned me on to 6th Edition Fantasy and I found that fun again, then came 7th and early on the fun was there, but started to fade towards the end with all of the new books coming out for armies, especially with the likes of VC and Skaven.  Then 8th Edition came out and that basically ended Fantasy for me.  I seriously dislike the 8th edition rules.  I had also in that period of Fantasy found Warhammer Ancients and loved the game, 2.0 WAB came out and I loved it even more, then GW killed WAB.  Go figure.  Gone is the fun. Where is the hobby going for me, I really do not know.  I need to find that FUN again, until then I guess I will just keep going with what I find fun, and that is the modeling and the painting, and the kart racing.

For Sale: An assembled Logan Grimnar, Bretonian Knights, and Gripping Beast Berserkers

As the title says:


Space Wolf Lord: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331121420601?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


Relisted the Knights:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331118382800?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


Another batch of Gripping Beast Berserkers
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331118382489?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


And a whole lot of other crap.

BoLS Article RE: Victor Hardy

I saw the following interview posted on Bell of Lost Souls where they had interviewed Victor Hardy.  Victor built and painted some simply beautifully evil pieces a number of years back.  His dark style has definitely been one of the influences on my style of painting miniatures over the years.  I highly recommend you read the interview.


http://www.belloflostsouls.net/2014/01/miniature-painting-masters-victor-hardy.html

FOR SALE: 40k Chaos Spacemarine BITS

Having built my latest Chaos Spacemarines which I recently sold on Ebay, I've essentially ran out of legs and such.  As a result of this, I've decided to thin out a bits box that I could use for something else.


So that said I have put up the following on Ebay, a sort of winter cleaning:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/331111141531?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

Approximately a 4 ounce bag worth.  Great for someone that does a bit of converting.  Some of the Items Included, this is not all of the items, there is more than what is listed in the following:

• 3-OOP Terminator Combo Weapon Arms - Metal
• 1-OOP Missile Launcher
• 1-OOP Terminator Power Fist - Metal, Black Primer
• 1-OOP Metal Plasma Pistol
• 2-Heavy Bolters
• 13-Khorne Berserker Chest Plates
• 39+ Heads
• 24+ Shoulder Pads
• 12-Back Plates
• 2-Backpacks
• 5-Bolt Pistol Arms
• 4-Chest Plates
• 2-Chainsword Arms
• 10+ Plasma Pistols (Don't roll a one)
• 8-Backpack Trophy Poles
• 15+ Battleroad Games Chaos Heads (great for conversions)
• Miscellaneous Icons
• And Much MORE   

And don't worry I have more Chaos Spacemarines.

For Sale: Warhammer Bretonian Knights, GB Berserkers, Warhammer Monthly Issues, Logan Grimnar

I've listed a number of items on Ebay for sale:


Some converted up Bretonnian Knights:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331108136680?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


3-unpainted Gripping Beast Berserker models
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331108136626?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


Warhammer Monthly Comic Issues #1-7, 9, 11-14.  They are used, not pristine.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331108940167?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


40k Space Wolf Logan Grimnar model, unpainted in pieces:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331108136691?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

WIP On the Desk: How I Paint Red for my armies.....

Over the years, I have painted a lot of miniatures in a red paint scheme for my armies.  I have often been asked what colors I use and when I tell people they think: 

A.  Games Workshop is the only one that makes paints.  or

B.  They think its too many colors and too hard to do.

Above are the paints that I often use.  Now when I painted my 2008 GT Khorne Demon army, I used a lot of 50/50 in between blends.  When you paint just one off show piece models, you can get away with using just a couple of colors and wet palette.  Super time consuming for me if you are painting an army.  I prefer a formula that can be written down or remembered from sitting to sitting and works with an assembly line style of painting.

So the following is what I did today on a couple of Romans and couple of Normans in the next batch of minis that I am working on.  For my initial stage I block in the reds with a large No. 4 round brush, using Vallejo Model Color - Hull Red.  If you do not have that you can substitute Reaper Master Series Red Brick.  If you have just GW colors, I can't help you.

So next up I did a 50/50 blend of Hull Red with Reaper Master Series Deep Red.  If you don't have that you can substitute GW Scab Red or Vallejo Game Color Scarlet Red, pretty close to the same colors.

For these colors I want to put them on pretty fast, as we are army painting after all, so I'm using a worn out Round No. 1 that gives me a bit more control than the No. 4.

Below you can see the worn out brush, all splaying and beginning to curl, a Simply Simmons brush.

 Next up I paint on Vallejo Model Color Red.  A bit more controlled, painting like I'm building a contour map of highlights from dark to light.

 Following that step, I use a 50/50 VMC Red and VMC Carmine Red blend.  Now I know these are historical minis and often times the reds in real life fade to a sort of pinkish color, but I'm just not into pink.  I prefer a bold bright red.

For the final step I pull out a Red Sable for better, finer, brush control and pick out the sharper edges and high spots for highlights.  So there you have it, how I paint army reds.  I probably later go on and apply some dark red washes in the recessed areas to make the shadows and a bit more depth, but I will wait to do that when I address the armor and skin tones.