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| "Don't stand there, you idiots! Launch the interceptors." |
This Stefan Travers model is by "Crooked Dice Game
Design Studio" and is a ‘dead-ringer’ for the brutal and ruthless Space
Commander Travis, as played by Stephen Greif in the BBC science fiction
television series “Blake’s Seven”.
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| "Run, Blake. Run. As far and as fast as you like. I'll find you." |
The figure was initially given a double
undercoat of “Citadel” Abaddon Black before being rather roughly dry-brushed with
“Vallejo” Heavy Charcoal. In addition I used this ‘off-black’ for both his
cybernetic hand and bionic eye. I then gave the miniature a couple of washes of
“Citadel” Shade Nuln Oil just to tone down the contrast a little. As I wanted
to try and give the figure at least some colour, apart from his flesh, I
painted his hair with “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna but then washed this area with
more “Citadel” Nuln Oil just to darken it a bit more than normal, and appear
similar to the actor’s hair colour.
In addition to the commander I have also
painted up four more Security Guards. A previous posting of mine explains
how I painted the Security Guards, which can be found here: http://fantorical.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/unit-three-move-in.html
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| Old "Crooked Dice" WIPs: Ready for some tender loving care to finally get on the tabletop |
I have also been sorting through another of my long untouched miniature boxes, and discovered a load of partially converted, half-painted old "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" figures I was planning to use for some "Doctor Who" games. Indeed I believe most of these sculpts are actually now sold by "Ainsty Castings". But as I still own several castings of each I thought I'd dust off these 'test pieces' and see whether I can finally finish what I started... bearing in mind all of the "Citadel" paints I used on this models are now out of production.
Simon, you're building up quite a sizable force of Federation Security Troopers. On some of your figures I'm not too keen on your gloss varnishing (sorry, but it's just a personal preference of mine that matt is better than gloss) but for these guys the glossy finish to their uniforms works very well. Travis, in particular, has come out very well.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons why I no longer use Citadel paints is that they got rid of a lot of great colours and they keep changing their paints far too often. There are other reasons why I don't like them but I'd better stop now before I go into full rant mode.
Bryan. Gloss varnish is definitely an acquired taste, so no offence I assure you. I do toy with the idea of trying out a matt varnish but always return to the gloss. Really happy with Travis, and think I now have enough Terran Federation to take on Blake, Jenna and Vila :-)
DeleteTravis and co look great!
ReplyDeleteAnd an Ood! Fan-tastic!
Cheers Dai. Ood Sigma should be finished rather quickly. My worry though is that I don't know how I painted his flesh, and really want to paint a few more with guns and red eyes ;-)
DeleteLovely stuff Blax :)
ReplyDeleteMany thanks (again) Tamsin :-) Very well done on your finish in the Analogue Painting Hobbies Challenge. I'd hate to have to paint 'blow by blow' with you :-)
DeleteGreat job Bk! Travers and the guards look superb, although really shiny. The Ood looks great too.
ReplyDeleteCheers Bob. Much appreciated. That shininess will be the gloss varnish ;-)
DeleteHI Simon good stuff as usual, I like the ood (is it?) figure at the bottom, do all of those three figures have the same legs?
ReplyDeleteAs you know I'm a matt varnish man myself though the gloss on some of your stuff works really well. What do you do with you scenic bits and bobs do you gloss varnish them as well? Have you ever thought of trying satin varnish as a sort of half way house?
Cheers Roger
Many thanks Roger. In fact all three of those bottom figures are actually entirely the same model. I've just given them different heads and then chopped hands off, and made, in Ood Sigma's case, a talking sphere from a bead and a piece of wire. It really is a great model for such conversions. I do consider a change from Gloss from time to time. But invariably stick with it as otherwise I fear I'd have a bit of a backlog of models to Matt or Satin :-) My objective markers are also gloss varnished. My scenery is all given a coat of PVA glue, as are all my bases before I flock them with grass or snow. That way everything shines, tbh, on the gaming table I don't think its terribly noticeable.
DeleteThose are really good conversions then Simon as I thought it was just the original sculptor being lazy! the Ood one is a cracker, love the painting on his face that is a great colour for an alien (I might have to pinch that at some point) would make a change from the pale turquoise that is my tend to "go to" colour for aliens.
ReplyDeleteAs for varnishing this was not a criticism, just a question. As I always say you paint for yourself and if someone else likes it, great. if not so what.
Cheers Roger.
No worries Roger. I didn't take it as a criticism I assure you. Gloss has its Pros and Cons in my books, and I like the shiny look. As you say I paint for me, but I'm always delighted when people enjoy them as well. Certainly I take a lot of enjoyment from seeing how other painters do their models, even when its totally different in taste and style to my own. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to tell you the colour I used for Ood Sigma's flesh Roger... I'm trying to still work it out :-)
DeleteThe Stefan Travers mini looks ace, BK. Very menacing.
ReplyDeleteCheers Finch. Much appreciated. Simple miniature which actually took a surprisingly long time to paint.
DeleteAll good addditions and "Travis" really stands out superbly (as he should).
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the catch-up on the newly discovered old figures (if that makes sense)
Makes perfect sense, Zabadak, and thanks for your kind words :-)
Deleteso how many guards do you have now? quite a few I think......Will they all fit into the same game report?!?
ReplyDeletelooking forward to seeing the ood completed as I love them on the programme.
Hi CW. I'm up to 13 Terran Federation guards now, with a few more yet to be painted :-) We'll see how well they fit on one of my tables with the next Batrep ;-)
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