Diesel DM

Archduke Alain Runewood, Lord of Fharin

Having just wrapped up the max unit of Sword Knights I needed to switch back and do a solo. So naturally I chose the master of Sword Knights: Runewood.  I really like this model but the studio paint scheme is surprisingly boring. I spent some time altering the default scheme to match both the Sword Knights I just finished as well as blending in with the rest of the army. I spent as much or more time on him than I do on a typical warcaster. This time really shows as I believe this is my best model to date. The face came out perfect. Fantastic definition and contrast, the eyes came out sharp and shapely. The hair and mustache also pop nicely.

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Sword Knights – Max Unit

Still working on getting my eStryker list fully painted, here are the Sword Knights. After the pain of painting the full Long Gunners with UA, I tried to decide how best to tackle these.  I decided to do the full unit without the UA, but it was still long and trying.  Perhaps it would be best to just do the min unit, then the extra troopers separate. That probably ends up being less efficient, but perhaps less trying on my sanity.

Nevertheless, these guys turned out okay, but the loin cloths could have been cleaner. I think all in all for a full unit they are okay.  I really like these models, especially the variety you get out of the similar sculpts by combining different arms and shields.  I tried a couple different schemes, before returning to something very similar to the studio scheme.  The studio painted models are not great, your eyes just kind of slide off them. I think because they lack any real contrast on the metallics.  I think I got a better range on mine. I also went with the yellow Cygnus instead of gold for the shields, which also helped.  And to incorporate the Jack Bone/MWH color, I applied it to their cloth, front and back.  To break it up a bit and add some more blue I free-handed the blue stripes on the front and back of the cloths.

To help distinguish the leader I used a technique I learned at Lock & Load last year for making rocks. Whenever I’ve had leftover modelling putty I’ve been rolling it into little spheres, about 3/8-1/2″ in diameter. The you take your modelling knife and cut various side off the sphere until you get something that looks like a rock.  Super glue the putty rock to the base and then paint, wash and drybrush.  Then I did some long field grass behind the rock.  It came out great and I look forward to trying this technique again.  To further distinguish the leader I painted a yellow stripe down the blue pony tail from his helmet.  This was pretty sharp-looking and I kind of wanted to do it to every model and then I could make the leader’s solid yellow, but I think the extra blue is good too.

My main list now only requires getting Runewood painted.  I should probably tackle the Sword Knight UA as well…but maybe that can wait for now.

Ol’ Rowdy

Epic Stryker’s favorite ‘jack is ready for action.  I wanted to keep making progress on getting my Cygnar fully painted, especially the pieces I’ve started using with my eStryker list, which leads quickly to Ol’ Rowdy.  He has been assembled for quite some time, but before I went to paint him I decided to rebase him, switching from plastic to a metal base for better balance as Rowdy is top heavy.  I also moved his feet back as far as I could to get his hammer closer to his own base so getting melee with other models would be easier. (more…)

The blog has been quiet for the past few weeks.  After getting being sick with a fever for three days a few weeks back I’ve had a hard time regaining my painting momentum.  Add in the Holidays and how busy that was around here and I haven’t had much free time anyhow.  I have started in on Ol’Rowdy, but progress was intermittent at first and now none at all. I’ve been spending my free time woodworking. I am finally finishing the bookcase I started building for my son many months ago, to match the table I built for him shortly before he was born.  Followers of Hand Cannon Online will recall I also built a folding Warmachine table. Woodworking is definitely a hobby I enjoy and it was great to combine it with Warmachine.  I hope this wooden diversion will let be re-gather my painting drive and continue getting my Cygnaran forces painted.

I’ve read on numerous blogs and heard on many podcasts that many wargamers go through funks like this. In order to help get through I decided to pick a “fun” model to paint, which is why I chose to paint Rhupert last, but I can’t say as it helped much, though it’s nice to have him painted.  I then chose Ol’Rowdy as I had just done his BFF eStryker, but that hasn’t helped much either.