Another Space Wolf Conversion

 Space Wolves for me are always fun, much like chaos and Black Templars.  You can do so much with them and there is so much good visual reference material out there for them.

I used this back banner mainly because I like back banners and also because of the runic symbols.  When I think of Space Wolves I think of Norse.

I don't use cork very open, but when I do, it gives a neat effect on the base.  And it paints up well.  I normally seal the broken edges of the cork with a thin and fast superglue.

I love doing drapings and sculpting fur.  The claws are not hard to do either.

Fun project that I shipped out and no longer have cluttering up my desk.

Converting the Old Space Marine Captain

I've always kind of liked this miniature.  It has a rather cool looking pose.  Having done this miniature several times I decided to convert this one and make it look a bit different.  So I added a new hair cut, a plasma pistol, an auspex and some draping to the back pack.

 I think it turned out the way I envisioned it.

And as much is the norm for my 40k modeling, someone is going to be painting it as I sold it to someone already.

Until next time.....

Space Marine Hero Conversion

 I built this model a while back for a friend.  He supplied the pieces, and he wanted a big tabard and some other conversion work done.

So I made the tabard and repositioned the pistol arm.  The head is a berserker head trimmed down and modified.  I added the berserker head on the backpack, and thought it was appropriate.

 I left everything in pieces to make it easier for him to paint. 

Fun little conversion after doing so many Vikings.

Work In Progress: The Forgotten Vikings and Tray

Funny how you focus on a project and forget something as large as a movement tray, but I did.  So I put another togther quickly and started painting.  As I got this ready, I decided to add a few more Vikings to the table.  One is a replacement for one of the uglier berserkers.

Above is the pre-clearcoat casualty on the tray, and his helmet.  Below is a dying Saxon.

Below are the WIPs of the additions.  Don't know if I will finish most of these for Adepticon, will see.  I'm struggling with what to do on a display base, the way that I want to do it and I still have a go-kart to get ready for the track now a month away.  So I may not get the display done.

The above berserker is a converted Warlord Games barbarian.  You'll also note the Old Glory Viking killing a Saxon. 

This Saturday I hope to get some games in with the army, won't be totally done, but close enough to game with.  Will see if it works.  Then the following Saturday will be probably spent building the new kart, I feel the need for speed, just wish the snow would melt sooner.

Progress: The Movement tray casaulties Dead...er...Done

On to the clear coat table and flocking.

All of the trays on this desk are basically done.  As you can see some are for the Vikings some are for the Romans.

Apologize for the photos, these are taken by my work camera and I've touched them up and edited them a bit, I'll figure out what it likes for settings, as I look for a new camera.  I used a bunch of transfers on the barbarian shields, the Saxon and Viking shields I all hand painted. 

I think these have turned out really well, using some Perry, Warlord Games, Old Glory, and other casaulties that I created with a variety of parts and pieces and things that I casted.

They definitely help create that feel that I want for the Legions and Shieldwalls.  I look forward to doing more like this in the future as I have even more ideas on how to tell a story with rank and file.  When I get to the Fireforge stuff more of this will happen, as I have some thoughts about doing similar things within the ranks.

So up later today these and the others and all of the Vikings will get shot with clear coat and then the really tedious work of flocking will begin.  I also have some transfers to put on the shields for the last Roman unit I made and to finish up building one more Viking movement tray.  Somehow I miscounted.

Calling for Recommendations on Cameras! Anyone??

Well, I knew this time would come eventually, but I think my Nikon is dying and the On/Off switch is definitely on the fritz.  This is the camera that I have used for years, a Coolpix 4300, 4.0 Megapixel, from about the year 2000 or so.  Yea that's right, all my pics have been basically shot with an ancient digital camera with low megapixels.  What was nice about this camera was its macro function and its ability to take really close pictures of miniatures.

And my 8 megapixel Cannon PowerShot that I use mainly for work and regular stills, was a cheap buy, and completely sucks at shooting miniatures and anything small and anything red.

I know about go-karts, but I really don't know much about cameras. 

So, the question, anyone have recommendations for a new camera that is suited for shooting good close-up pics of miniatures????  What do you use???  What should I be looking for?

Work In Progress on the Desk: Movement Trays Part 2

Well some more progress. 

The Roman Trays are coming along alright.

Above, the two on the left are Viking trays.

The above Chaos Warrior trays are essentially done.

I still have to add the blood, shield details, highlight and shade all of the figures, but I'm getting there.