Tuesday, 20 June 2017

"No Two Snowflakes Are Exactly Alike."

"Frozen to her core, fragile Crystal became frigid Killer Frost, an ice maiden..."
This 28mm coloured plastic “Wizkids” model of Killer Frost can be bought as miniature number 47 from the DC Comics “Heroclix” Unleashed range. "Formerly... an adversary of the superhero Firestorm", Doctor Crystal Frost's alter-ego was created by Gerry Conway and artist Al Milgrom, and made her first comic book appearance in the June 1978 issue of "Firestorm".

Able "to absorb heat from external sources and transmute it into waves of cold", the miniature was undercoated with “Vallejo” White, washed with "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade, and subsequently dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" White. I then carefully 'picked out' some of the details of her face, hands and legs with some watered-down "Citadel" Asurmen Blue.
"We broke one of our spears ...trying to make the thing hiss and let us in the cave."
As well as finishing my affiliate of the Secret Society of Super Villains, I have also completed an anachronistic objective marker/piece of scenery for my “Metamorphosis Alpha" project. This resin (spacecraft) deck hatch can be bought from E-bay Store "Second City Games" and comes as part of their impressive Sci-Fi Scenery Airlocks, Cargo Bay Door, Hatchway auction.

Super-glued upon a thin 40mm circular base, the access door was initially primed with "Citadel "Abaddon Black, layered with two coats of "Vallejo" Gunmetal Grey and washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. It was then dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Gunmetal Grey before being treated to a hearty application of "Mig Productions" Extreme Rust Wash.
Dalek WIPs - The Two Imperial Guards and damaged Dalek just need some washes to be applied
In order to help blend this modeller's product in with the rest of the scenic piece, the hatchway was once again dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Gunmetal Grey and then had some of its brighter surfaces toned down with more Extreme Rust Wash; albeit this time the foul-smelling "Mig Productions" solution was applied from a very-well shaken bottle in order to 'water-down' the rust particles on the brush. As a final touch the model's base was flocked using "Citadel" snow, so it would better fit in with the cold wasteland my "Metamorphosis Alpha" campaign will start in.

Finally, I've made some good 'in-roads' on two more plastic Daleks by "Warlord Games", as well as my destroyed Dalek objective marker. Having already painted up six of the extra-terrestrial mutants' "ultimate" Time War casings, I thought I'd try a slightly different colour scheme instead, so I'm painting my latest additions as Imperial Guards.
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34 comments:

  1. Clint21 June 2017 at 00:11

    Seriously Every thing looks great. (I am impressed)

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    1. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 01:25

      Thanks Clint. Very much appreciated. Some simple stuff this post, but they give me some additional space on the painting table and some additional time to do the Daleks :-)

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    2. Clint21 June 2017 at 02:59

      "Simplicity is the essence of greatness!" Leonardo De Vinci.

      More time to paint Daleks is always good.

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    3. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 03:25

      You're spot on there, Clint. And more time to paint Daleks is always good in my books too!! I certainly find mixing detailed minis with simple ones helps get through the painting pile. :-)

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  2. Dave Stone21 June 2017 at 00:34

    great job on Killer Frost Simon, the hatch looks like they might have trouble opening it with all that decay. Great job on the Dalek guard and objective

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    1. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 01:26

      Cheers Dave. Killer Frost is one of the lesser inspiring "Heroclix" sculpts I own. But as I'm currently working on a few snow-flocked minis, I thought I'd squeeze her in.

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    2. Dave Stone21 June 2017 at 03:22

      Always find the lesser sculpts drive our painting to higher levels as you have to make something out of nothing, so well done on achieving that

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    3. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 03:27

      Thanks Dave. Killer Frost is a little bluer in colour to the naked eye, but I'm happy enough with her. She's certainly tabletop worthy.

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  3. Vampifan21 June 2017 at 02:28

    I like all that you've done here, Simon. Upon first viewing, I thought Killer Frost was a ghost. She's another superhero/villain I know nothing about.

    The objective marker fits in well with your other figures surrounding it.

    I have just finished painting 25 Warlord Games Daleks, and I also have a unit of Imperial Guards amongst them, painted up very similar to your own.

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    1. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 03:31

      Cheers Bryan. That sounds like a truly terrifying Dalek Force you've put together. How many boxes did you buy!?! I think the Imperial Guard are a great colour scheme, and I'm certainly looking out for some bitz to replace a few plungers so I can field flamer Daleks etc. I'm really looking forward to seeing the group shot of yours. Thank goodness you have the Impossible Girl painted and ready to thwart them!! :-)

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    2. Vampifan21 June 2017 at 05:11

      I bought the "Exterminate!" game along with the Davros and the Daleks set, as well as the Missy and the Cybermen set. So 24 Daleks (25 with Davros) and 24 Cyberman (almost finished painting them). They do look very impressive as a group.

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    3. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 05:22

      Well I'm definitely interested to discover your opinion of Missy, Davros and the cards enclosed within those packs, as I've not bought them yet and was waiting until they were released as individuals - no sign that "Warlord Games" are going to be doing that yet though...

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  4. MartinC21 June 2017 at 03:41

    The Dr Frost fig is brilliant

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    1. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 05:19

      Thanks Martin, I'm glad she's turned out so well and to everyone's apparent liking.

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  5. Michael Awdry21 June 2017 at 05:03

    More wonderful realisations Simon, Killer Frost works particularly well and that hatch looks superb!

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    1. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 05:20

      Cheers Michael. I've a bit of a backlog of painted objective markers, so I thought I'd squeeze the two finished snow-flocked minis together.

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  6. Anonymous21 June 2017 at 07:02

    I got all excited when I read the title ... I was going to do a quote of "Come with me, Snowflake." Then I remembered it was "Cupcake". Doh! Well, Snowflake, Cupcake, they do sound alike.

    Very nicely done, anyway. Love the Imp. Guard dustbins

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    1. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 08:54

      Thanks Roy. I must confess that I was a little apprehensive about painting yet more bronze Daleks. But the slight change in colour scheme was enough to make them still fun.

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  7. Stephen Gilbert21 June 2017 at 08:00

    I love how you have done your Daleks. Great attention to detail. But most of all, I was thrilled to see the Barrier Peaks/Frostgrave minis all hanging round the hatch like road workers standing round a hole. hehe, I enjoyed the line "We broke one of our spears ...trying to make the thing hiss and let us in the cave." LOL. I was amazed how well Killer Frost came out. I really wasn't too into this piece before... until now. Wow it came out well. Well DONE.

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    1. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 08:59

      Cheers Steve, much appreciated. The "Metamorphosis Alpha" opening scenario is almost ready now the hatchway is done, so should take place soon, and the quote you like so much is from the special edition book I own :-)

      Killer Frost certainly seems to have won some admirers with this posting, which is good to know, and I'm now tempted to pair her up with Mister Freeze for a "M&DRG" BatRep once I've finished painting his chilly minions for "Forgotten Heroes".

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  8. pulpcitizen21 June 2017 at 10:33

    Excellent work on classic Killer Frost and very nicely done with the hatch marker. Well done Simon. :)

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    1. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 11:37

      Thanks Leon. Killer Frost isn't a patch on the "Knight Models" you painted but she'll do :-)

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  9. Dick Garrison21 June 2017 at 13:26

    Great work all round Simon, I like that killer frost figure, she'd make a good ghost (as stated above) but I could also see her as a mage of even a vampire (painted in the right colours of course), The Dalek marker is also brilliant (why do I find destroyed Daleks so appealing? maybe because they are like burnt out tanks?) I take the Imperial Guard Daleks have black head casings (is this from the new series or a design of your own making?

    You have roused my interest with that pic of the frostgrave group preparing to enter a Sci/Fi hatch though, Is Meta-Alpha a Sci/Fantasy adventure then?

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Blaxkleric21 June 2017 at 13:43

      Cheers Roger. The "Heroclix" Killer Frost mini would indeed make a good ghost or vampire, and as you are the master of customising "Wizkids" minis into creations of your own devising, do I detect a plan in motion?

      The Imperial Guard Daleks are from "The Parting Of The Ways" and a genuine colour scheme. "Doctor Who: Exterminate" doesn't yet have any specific cards for them but they break up the all-brass monotony (in my mind at least).

      "Metamorphosis Alpha" is indeed a sci-fi/fantasy setting, and anything else you want tbh, as its set upon a gigantic starship. So my snow-frosted fantasy world is actually cold because the floor it inhabits is closest to the hull and thus the chill of deep space. As my adventurers travel deeper inside the ship however, things will start to warm up - literally :-)

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  10. Hils22 June 2017 at 01:02

    OOoo I just adore the way you have done the Daleks, especially in making the thin bronze bands around the head section stand out in relief so well, with the black (shade) behind/underneath.

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    1. Blaxkleric22 June 2017 at 07:01

      Thanks very much Hils. Hopefully you'll like the finished Imperial Guard Daleks once I've flocked their bases with grass ;-)

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    2. Hils22 June 2017 at 13:50

      on grass yeah? soooo how about a Dalek football team. Hey we could make the rules for a cool game. Daleks versus Cybermen. How about the Doctor as umpire?

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    3. Blaxkleric22 June 2017 at 14:05

      Heh... I don't actually like football all that much Hils, which is one of the main reasons why I'm always struggling to paint "Guild Ball" models. But you have reminded me of "Panzerfäuste Futbowel" which I've been tempted by, as that's World War One Orcs verses Dwarfs and looks a lot of fun!! :-)

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  11. Zabadak22 June 2017 at 03:52

    I initially thought Crystal was acontemorary of the Ghost, but I stand corrected!
    Superbly done paintjob and although maybe not as sinister as Ghost, to me she shouts out "evil".
    Love the daleks too btw.

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    1. Blaxkleric22 June 2017 at 07:14

      Cheers Joe, I'm afraid the Ghost is "Marvel" and Killer Frost "DC Comics", but I can see why you'd think they were partners-in-crime :-)

      Glad you like the Daleks, the finished minis should be posted soon, with a BatRep to follow.

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  12. Colgar622 June 2017 at 03:58

    An all-white model seems on the face of it to be very easy to paint, but that's deceptive! I do like the way you've finished your version :-) .

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    1. Blaxkleric22 June 2017 at 07:15

      Thanks very much Hugh. The "Heroclix" sculpt of Killer Frost is sadly a bit of a let down imho, especially compared to the excellent "Knight Models" version.

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  13. MarkG22 June 2017 at 12:18

    Cracking stuff. I do like your damaged figures always a nice touch

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    1. Blaxkleric22 June 2017 at 12:37

      Cheers Mark. I do like to try and use all the minis I own, even the damaged ones :-)

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