Topic: The Renaissance Empire [Page 12: Four month quarantine progress]

[GamesPoet]

That Giant looks like he is battling something big!

[Zygmund]

Problems with light again, but here's the giant:



Some 15mm models, my first ones:



Mordheim dog & Demon binder mage:

Was in a bit of haste, as these were used in a game along with the others in this posting. The dog seems to need some attention in places you don't normally see during the game.

Got these finished too:


Not much Empire this time. But there's more coming later.

-Z

[steveb]

good work, where is the blue and yellow wizard from, I do not recall ever seeing this sculpt before, it is certainly nice.....  steveb

[Zygmund]

good work, where is the blue and yellow wizard from, I do not recall ever seeing this sculpt before, it is certainly nice.....  steveb

Black Tree Design: HM1196 Helsinian Demon Binder Mage

You can still buy him there, although they've quit many of their better minis. He's a bit tall, even for GW standards. (Talkin' about GW metal standards of old here... Dunno about the newest plastics.)

-Z

[Zygmund]

Somebody asked for a comparison photo of the LotR guy.



With a changed head and a millimeter taller, a LotR Gondorian actually stands as tall as an Empire infantryman from any edition. However, they're skinny in comparison.

-Z

[Zygmund]

I had bought these Marksmen of Miragliano already painted and based, but I wanted to make them less uniform and add some details.




The idea is that some of these guys got new uniforms while servicing in Averland, and some while servicing in Stirland. What remains of their original unit colours are the blue hats and red crossbows. Still got about fifteen of these unpainted, including two commands. Should I paint the command, the flag should likely have the blue and the red.

-Z

[Rowsdower]

Great job on the marksmen
I love seeing Dogs of war units

[Warlord]

I always wanted a unit of these guys! You are so lucky to have so many!

[GamesPoet]

They look good.

[JAK]

Why not paint both commands, one in Stirland and the other in Averland colours. Do simple flags perhaps in quarters using Stirland and Averland colours but mirror the pattern on one flag so both army’s colours are closest to the pole on one – then stick the same Miragliano emblem in the middle of each flag. If you then paint the remaining men so that you have a similar number dressed in each army’s uniform you’ll have the option to field either as one large unit or two smaller ones.

[Zygmund]

Thanks, guys!

@JAK 

Only problem is, I'm not going to paint any more any time soon. If/when I actually get to paint the standard bearer/s, my mind may have wandered far from where it is today. 

One option I had in mind was that the standard would still be the original, and have nothing to do with either Averland or Stirland, or any place between Miragliano and the eastern Empire forests. It would be a ragged flag, but adorned with the tokens of victories.

-Z

[Xathrodox86]

I love these Marksmen! I have a unit as well, but it's not painted yet. I hope that I'll do them justice, eventually.

[Zygmund]

NEW PHOTOS HERE

Got very little Empire painted this month, but still a couple of figures along with others:

The Necromancers may have been Empire citizens once...



But now serve her with passion...

Somewhat ugly model, but still has miles more character than the recent GW Neferata.


Wraiths. One had this colour scheme, so kept & repainted it, and added two more.



Last Undead in this patch.



Enemy within, or Reaper cultists performing a sinister ritual.



An 80's Citadel Fighter. Gotta say I don't like the 80's sculpt. Nice idea, but not a classic for me. Not allowed into the front ranks.



Reaper enchantress or the like. If you aske me, she serves the Empire or Bretonnia.



Reaper Halflings.


I've got tons of scenery and accessories in the lockers, now finally put paint on some.


The upper picture shows Hirst Arst goodies, the lower has Grendel stacks of crates.


I showed this tinkered house group more than two years ago (!), but only last night painted those additions.
Still consider it not ready, so just a peek.


-Z

[scrubber]

Did you make the building or are they pre made. Like that double ground floor window.

[Rowsdower]

Pimped house?
Surely you mean 'House of negotiable affection'

[Zygmund]

Did you make the building or are they pre made. Like that double ground floor window.

No. The building I bought from a friend, who said it was a kit back in the time: balsa walls and resin roofs. The window is a piece from the GW manor box, either from the chapel or the watchtower. If you check page one of this thread, you will find a photo of the house before painting, with the plastic window visible.


Of 'pimped'... Nevermind, I changed the word. 

-Z

[Zygmund]

-Z

[Naitsabes]

Now that's a shady group of adventurers! Great paint job. The muted colors really work. Are these all out of the box? or some conversion work?

[Artobans Ghost]

Really nice models and awesome paint

[Zygmund]

Thanks, guys.

These are my first figures done with a white undercoat. Yes, like first figures ever. It does make a difference, and lets me use much thinner coats of paint, and hence add nuances with those thin layers.

Also, I bought a cheap chinese lightbox with leds and spent half an hour adjusting my camera settings. I might take some shots of my earlier work, to test the difference of good photography vs. bad.

Are these all out of the box? or some conversion work?

All out of the 'box', even the left-handed guy in yellow coat. Just removed flash and mouldlines, and did the bases. Actually, the Reaper monk on the left even had the flagstone base, which I simply cut to size in order to fit a 20mm square base. So very little tinkering with the minis before painting.

-Z

[Konrad von Richtmark]

I use white undercoat on everything that has more clothing than metal. I've found it creates an automatic initial highlighting effect as more paint ends up in recesses, making the white shine through less and them consequently darker. With black undercoat, the effect is the opposite.

Real good work on the adventurers. All your paintjobs are of decent to very high quality, but these, I think, stand out as more clean, crisp and vivid than the rest. Keep on using the white. 

[Konrad von Richtmark]

Concerning photography, I recently found out that I get the best results using camera flash, with the models placed on a white paper background, with the only light source being a lamp directly above the miniatures. The crossbowmen in my State Troops thread are the first unit photographed that way, unlike previous similarly painted entries, I no longer get the colour distortion I used to get.

But then, I'm making the best out a bad combination of circumstances: Crappy mobile phone camera, photos usually taken after the sun has set.

[Zygmund]

Cheers, Konrad. 

I started using black undercoat, because of semi-armoured ranked infantry figures and knights in my Stirland army. I didn't envision them boys bright or even clean, and am happy with the decision. But these individuals without armour and the dirty Stirland theme were a good point to try and improve my painting.

I've taken photos the way you describe. While decent and practical, and OK for tabletop game minis, the method very much struggles to show real colours, nuances & highlights. I've participated in a couple of painting 'competitions' over the web, and am painfully aware that the ad hoc photos didn't do justice to my painting.

-Z

[Gankom]

Everything looks just awesome!

[Zak]

Everything looks just awesome!

WOrd!!!