Friday 31 August 2018

"My Name Is Major Mira Killian..."

"...And I Give My Consent."
This approximately 32mm tall "finely detailed" metal model of Mei-Lin Mayfair 2.0 is sold by “Statuesque Miniatures” and can be purchased as Code SM020 from the Lochgilphead-based manufacturer's Sci-Fi range. "Following the disastrous Kowloon Incident, Hong Kong Security Operative Mei-Lin Mayfair's consciousness was downloaded into a high-tech gynoid body."

"Only during a routine check of her coding was it discovered she was a double agent. Mei-Lin managed to evade the shut-down and reset protocols initiated on her discovery and escaped with a small number of slaved gynoid drones. She continues to thwart the plans of her former masters, though she knows she is hunted mercilessly by multiple versions of her own self, each now utterly loyal to the ESU cause."
Hong Kong Killer Robots WIPs - The automatons have been primed with "Vallejo" Heavy Red
After assembling the four-part figure (including its choice from two heads), I initially primed the Renegade Gynoid Operative using two layers of "Vallejo" Dead White, and shaded her using Pale Grey. The miniature was then dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Dead White and had her two firearms 'picked out' using a combination of "Citadel" Ironbreaker and Nuln Oil.

As I planned on using Mayfair as a proxy for the main protagonist in Masamune Shirow's "Ghost in the Shell" anime and manga series, Major Motoko Kusanagi, I applied a layer of "Vallejo" Heavy Violet to her hair and washed it with "Citadel" Druchii Violet. Later I delicately dry-brushed this area with more "Vallejo" Heavy Violet and used both Heavy Skintone and "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade on her face.
Khorgus Khul & Grizzlemaw WIPs - The Chaos Warlord and Flesh Hound are slowly being progressed
In addition to Mei-Lin I have also 'built' three of the range's Hong Kong Killer Fembots as well. I've actually purchased nine of these "multi-part metal figures" as they "feature interchangeable arms and heads" so should make 'good' terminator-type robots for my planned "Ghost In The Shell"/"Terminator" mash-up. However, rather than simply paint them up as somewhat plain metallic automatons, I wanted to try and incorporate some of the palette choices employed by the Geisha androids seen during Rupert Sanders' somewhat controversial 2017 movie adaption, and resultantly have applied some "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade as a base.

Speaking of "Vallejo" Heavy Red, I have managed to find a little time to start pigmenting the blood-coloured armour of my "Games Workshop" Khorgus Khul, as well as primed the Chaos Warlord's Flesh Hound of Khorne, Grizzlemaw. Having previously finished all five members of the "Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire" warband, Garrek's Reavers, I plan to stick to a similar scheme for this highly-detailed plastic miniature, and hope to get the unique leader finished and on the tabletop soon(ish)...

18 comments:

  1. Fab job on the white - I can't stand painting white lol! I'm working on Glenn from TWD right now and have made a complete meal of his white shirt. Really love the tone of your red too :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks ever so much, Ivor. Obviously a simple technique though, but I thought it made the robot look a little bit like she was wearing the Major's thermoptic suit. The red was achieved exactly the same way just obviously using a different paint and shade.

      Delete
  2. Statuesque Miniatures... nice. But oh dear god I do not need to buy more figures :O

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL Allison. Neither did I, but as soon as I started perusing the range I couldn't resist :-)

      Delete
  3. Nicely done mate I can think of uses for most of the Statuesque ranges. Just not these ones at the minute they are lovely figures though. Nice paintwork on the first. Look forward to seeing the scheme you plan for the others finished.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Simon. I really have fallen for "Statuesque Miniatures" in a big way, and hope to get most of their Sci-Fi range painted up over the next month or so. Of course though, that also means I having a close look at "Antenocitis Workshop" for scenery etc too :-)

      Delete
  4. Great work on the major Simon, nice start on the fembots, I actually enjoyed the movie as a stand alone film not comparing it to the anime. Nice start on the red on the Khorne

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Dave. I must confess to only seeing the "Ghost In The Shell" live-action movie, not the anime, and absolutely loving it. I'm really pleased with how the white-grey suit has turned out under the gloss; albeit the varnish does shine out the delicate white dots of her eyes in the photos.

      Delete
  5. I love the major, great work on the white body, I too hate painting white! I'm so tempted by lots of the statuesque range myself, but I'm back on my "not buying anything more" kick at the moment so I'll just have to enjoy yours and Bryans for the time being.

    Cheers Roger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Roger. Not buying is a good place to be, and apart from some "Games Workshop" essentials I'd be sticking to it too if it wasn't for Bryan's fiendish posting ref the Hong Kong Killer Fembots a week or so ago :-)

      Delete
  6. I haven't seen "Ghost in the Shell" or seen any of the comics it's based on but your version of Mei-Lin does look good. It's nice to see a completely different take on this range to my own.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Bryan, and a huge thanks for directing my attention towards the range too with your earlier posting of the Hong Kong Killer Fembots. Indeed, I was tempted to copy your splendid-looking gold palette for my own minis, having decided to step away from my usual plain metallic paint scheme (e.g. Cybermen & Terminators). But then settled upon the notion of simply going with the gold for the faces and capturing the Rocketeer-look I mentioned on your "W.O.I.N." blog.

      Delete
  7. I like the cyberpunk lady a lot. I also hate painting white, so I appreciate what you have achieved here. The Khorne Lord is a great looking model so I can't wait to see him done. Nice read once again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheers Undercoat. I'm hoping to prioritise a lot of "Games Workshop" stuff over the next few weeks :-)

      Delete
  8. I'm guessing she's a pretty good representation of the character she's meant to be; stunning work on the white too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Joe. The sculpt is pretty spot on imho, and the white made her a very straightforward mini to finish tbh.

      Delete