Saturday 23 July 2016

"No One But... The Living Laser"

"Put them all together they spell LASER!"
This 28mm coloured plastic model of the Living Laser is by “Wizkids” and can be bought as number 017 from their “Heroclix” Marvel Avengers range. Originally just a small-time criminal who invented "small, wrist mounted lasers", Arthur Parks later joined the Lethal Legion and eventually mutated into an actual living laser when his body was transformed into photons by an explosion in space. Created by Stan Lee, Art Simek and Don Heck, the scientist first appeared in the November 1966 issue of "The Avengers".

As I planned on using this model as an experiment to see what "Vallejo" paints would make a good base colour for Gold, apart from my trusty Heavy Sienna, I gave the figure an undercoat of Heavy Ochre, and then washed it with some heavily watered-down "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. This gave the miniature a far less shadowy look than when I ordinarily wash them with "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, and made the Living Laser appear far brighter in colour once I'd dry-brushed him with more "Vallejo" Gold.
Gravestones WIPs - "Lost Patrol" requires six of these 'infestation' tokens
In addition to Arthur Parks' alter-ego I have managed to start painting the "Renedra Limited" plastic gravestone bases I plan on using for some more Weird War Two-themed games of "Lost Patrol". These 40mm circular bases aren't quite as elaborate as the first three I assembled. But contain some nice inscriptions which I felt would be overlooked if I cluttered them up too much.

The models themselves should be fairly simply to finish off now the headstones have been undercoated, washed and dry-brushed. Although I do plan to go over them all with a lighter grey in order to bring out each sculpt's impressive carvings.
"Mantic Games" Scenery WIPs - A barricade and discarded door
Sticking with scenery, I've managed to make some more progress with a couple of the barricades and wooden doors found within the Twentieth Century Brick Urban Accessories set produced by "Mantic Games".

These plastic fortifications appear to be constructed with all manner of everyday objects, such as wooden boxes, metal bars, corrugated panels and beer kegs, and should help me separate the different zones of my "Zombicide" board from one another. I also hope to paint at least five different coloured discarded doors for my tabletop, to use as entranceways into the different ruins...

20 comments:

  1. I like the Army painter GOLD, so much better than Games workshop gold.... Personal choice of course, but for me Army painter wins the gold challenge HANDS DOWN

    Good job on this figure

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    1. Thanks Clint. As minis go this was obviously nice and simple to paint. But it did give me a chance to work out how well a "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre and watered-down wash of "Citadel" Reikland Flehshade would work with Gold.

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  2. Nice work all around Simon. :)

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  3. Now he's a wonderfully bright and shiny chap! Loving the scatter terrain too, very versatile.

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    1. Thanks Michael. The Gold over Heavy Ochre base coat has really made the metallic paint stand out, and dare I say he's even brighter in real life!!

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  4. I have no idea who Living Laser is but your paint job looks quite effective.

    Good work on the scenery items, Simon.

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    1. Cheers Bryan. The Living Laser is probably best known as a foe of Iron Man. All my gravestone markers are now finished and being based, so hopefully I'll be able to post up some of this finished scenery next time round.

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  5. Will have to check put the Vallejo gold. My old GW paint is not as good as I'd like. Liking the barricades I have primed mine and am pondering what colours to do them.

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    1. Thanks Simon. "Vallejo" Gold is my fave gold by far, though it definitely depends upon the basecoat as to how bright it becomes. I should have the first of my barricades finished by next weekend. They'll predominantly be wood and sheet metal :-)

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  6. He is good a bright isn't he, works really well, not a character I think I actually own of his stories of (but then I have to admit that I'm not Iron Man's biggest fan). The scenic look good too these should be great additions to your batreps.

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Cheers Roger. Living Laser was just a simple experiment, and obviously didn't distract too much from the scenery I'm currently trying to complete.

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  7. Nice job on the Living Laser, Simon. I probably would have gone a bit lighter, as that's how I remember him from John Romola Jr's run on Iron Man, but I like your version. And your scenery is coming along nicely to.

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    1. Thanks Jez. I did consider a dry-brush with a little silver added to the mix. But I liked the gold so much I left him as was. Lots of scenery coming over the next few posts - I hope!!!

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  8. LL looks like Midas was a little mean-spirited in his presence or something. :) But he does look resplendent in his shiny-ness.

    I am liking these terrain more so every post you show us further pieces. The door especially is cool and is that a beer keg!?

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    1. Cheers Dai. Yes that is a beer keg. The "Mantic Games" scenery has lots of neat touches like that.

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  9. With you on the tombstones, keeping it kind-of-simple on the bases, they have some nice and somewhat unexpected detailing!

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    1. Thanks Llama. Long time no hear :-) Hopefully the finished pieces, with some lighter dry-brushing around the inscriptions will help really show off the excellent detail.

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  10. It all looks first rate, Simon. I need to check out those tombstones... may want to pick some up.

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    1. Cheers Finch. The tombstones are great. I certainly recommend them.

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