Mordheim - Witch Hunter Warband thread: Update 15th June

[Vent]

Hey guys,

I figured instead of multiple threads I'd put together one thread for the warband:

Priest Tully:



Flagellants:





Next I start on the other Heroes...

[Lezle]

Mate! That was quick. I thought you normally take ages?   They are looking really cool. I like the bases too.

Lezle

[Vent]

Mate! That was quick. I thought you normally take ages?   They are looking really cool. I like the bases too.

Lezle

Thanks man, and yeah, normally I take ages to put out a mini. Gotta get my warband done before the tourney though

[wouster7]

Nice Flagellants Mikey. I thought you said you got some militia models Showing off that blinging photo skills to the masses. The paintings not half bad either

[Vent]

Nice Flagellants Mikey. I thought you said you got some militia models Showing off that blinging photo skills to the masses. The paintings not half bad either

HA! Taking photos is the easiest part of painting

[Lazarus]

Tips tips is say i find it hard to get a good pic and they are very pro pics. Is there a flash camera there?

[Vent]

Tips tips is say i find it hard to get a good pic and they are very pro pics. Is there a flash camera there?

Absolutely not. Flashes destroy photos, they don't make them better.

There's a few things I use to take my photos. The first is a photo box, the second is a tripod and the third is either the remote my camera came with or the timer button and lastly a background.
Most of the time the macro feature of your camera is all you'll need, but there's a few other things you can do:
1) Always take your photos in the highest resolution your camera can handle. You can either crop or shrink them later, but the larger the photo is taken the better the details will be.
2) Ensure the macro button is set. It may seem silly to state this, but I've had to explain to my friends that just because your camera has a macro feature doesn't mean it'll always be on...
3) Stability. The downside of using a macro is that it picks up on your hands shaking, and even when you press the shutter button. This is why I use the timer or the remote. No hands on the camera means it's rock steady and your photos will respond to this.
3) Using the macro feature and your zoom feature. Most Cameras won't be able to handle a totally zoomed in macro shot, in fact most macro features are designed to be used really close to the subject, not zoomed in. However there is a balance which can be achieved between the two. My camera comes with a x15 zoom, but if I try and use the macro feature with a zoom beyond x2.5 the shots will always be blurred and unusable. I've found that my macro function and a x2 zoom results in the best shots.
4) Backgrounds. I first tried to use white and that didn't work, made everything the wrong color. Then I tried blue and while it does work it is very dependent on the light you use. My latest shots have used the cloud background and it works really nicely. It is still a touch to dark, but I didn't use any lights, just natural light on my photobox. So I am happy with the result.

This might seem like a bit of work, but the minis respond well to good set-up. Above all trial and error is what I used to discover all this. I'm sure when / if I buy a new Camera I'll have to re-learn a whole bunch of things... ^_^

If people want I can bring along all my stuff next weekend (Minus the lights) and show how I do it?

[Aa7]

looking good mike and so fast too that's four down how many left in the warband to finish now? will you get them all done by canopener?

I would like to see your setup if you take it along next week. I will endeavour to drop in and have a gander as the results are awesome. Where did you get the clouds background from? a stock shot or a photoshop filter printed onto paper? as you said it looks nicer than the blue gradient printout i have become so fond of using as it gives it a dramatic effect while keeping the natural tones. loving the look of the heads in the brightest part of the white cloud

hopefully I will have enough time for another round of Mordheim next week too if you or anyone else is keen to smash some rat heads? Have just finished my last two skaven and greenstuffed the final bases so the whole shebang will be finished by next week so a game in before the big day should let them sink into their new skin of paint and stop the dice rot and user errors of last week ahahah

[Vent]

looking good mike and so fast too that's four down how many left in the warband to finish now? will you get them all done by canopener?

I would like to see your setup if you take it along next week. I will endeavour to drop in and have a gander as the results are awesome. Where did you get the clouds background from? a stock shot or a photoshop filter printed onto paper? as you said it looks nicer than the blue gradient printout i have become so fond of using as it gives it a dramatic effect while keeping the natural tones. loving the look of the heads in the brightest part of the white cloud

hopefully I will have enough time for another round of Mordheim next week too if you or anyone else is keen to smash some rat heads? Have just finished my last two skaven and greenstuffed the final bases so the whole shebang will be finished by next week so a game in before the big day should let them sink into their new skin of paint and stop the dice rot and user errors of last week ahahah

Yup, I only have 5 left. I'm ditching the dogs, losing three dogs means straight rout test and they aren't worth it. I'll have nine miniatures on the day. Small, yes, but hopefully with some oomph!

I'll bring the bits and pieces next week, my photobox folds down so its nice and easy and the backdrops are just printed onto paper. I got them from a Blog I'll host them on my flickr account for people to download if they want

Definitely bring your rats next week! Lezle and I will be playing fer sure, and maybe someone else?

[bloated corpse]

The free company two-handed swords look great on the flagellants.

Photos top notch too.

[Vent]

The free company two-handed swords look great on the flagellants.

Photos top notch too.

Yeah, they were a good match-up. Even the muscular arms match up

I think I might have to write a tutorial for how I take my photos, I've always taken it for granted, but apparently lots of people have problems doing it...

[Vent]

Alrighty, yet another finished figure. The pace is starting to show on this one... My exceptionally quick Elf Ranger. Three hours from start to finish and it really shows... Normally I would of taken a lot more care with the brown, but it's such a pain in the ass color to properly highlight. I am happy how the green came out though, I normally don't get a chance to paint large areas of green and the speed highlighting worked quite well... The red was the last addition. When it was just brown and green it seemed to miss something, and then it occurred to me that red will both tie him into Witch-Hunters and give him a little zing... Likewise there are meant to be little leaf clumps in parts I've just painted them an off-green and given them a wash... I normally don't like to complain about a miniature being responsible for painting short-comings but this was a bitch, lots of little fiddly bits to get in the way and overlapping bits of cloak / armor / leather make it quite hard to pick apart whats meant to be what color...

[Lezle]

Golly! The Elf Ranger returns! I thought you chucked him out of you warband for being too poofy?!

He looks good: you are right though - the red gives a bit of detail that would be sorely lacking otherwise.

L P

[Vent]

Golly! The Elf Ranger returns! I thought you chucked him out of you warband for being too poofy?!

He looks good: you are right though - the red gives a bit of detail that would be sorely lacking otherwise.

L P

Yeah, I ditched the dogs. They weren't cutting it for me, and went back to the ranger. My warband is only nine folks, but he's a tougher nine than the dogs, they were being wiped out to easily and forcing rout tests... Hopefully he can stay outta trouble a little better

[Big D]

My Dwarfs look foward to putting an axe between his treacherous elven eyes on Sunday 

[Vent]

My Dwarfs look foward to putting an axe between his treacherous elven eyes on Sunday 

He's naming his arrows in anticipation of putting a few through their thick Dwarven heads... ^_^

[Big D]

The ultimate humiliation: Elven ranger gunned down by Dwarf x-bows 

[Vent]

The ultimate humiliation: Elven ranger gunned down by Dwarf x-bows 

Ok, I'm calling GRUDGE MATCH against your ass... ^_^

[Vent]

The first Witch-Hunter Hero figure done. Not super happy about him, he seems a little muted in color, but for the time taken and the fact he was mostly done at night under lights instead of sunlight he's OK... If I had more time I think I would have tried to Green Stuff some long cloaks onto them, but alas time is not on my side...


Photos are a touch dark too. Lost another bulb at home... Running count: Three miniatures left, six days...

[Aa7]

Doh, had so much fun slicing and dicing with the skaven I forgot to take a look at your photo box setup any chance of a PM when you got the photobox from etc??? what type of bulbs does it use? Cheers

BTW.. looking good but hating that quick shot skill they have been given  see you next week

[Vent]

Doh, had so much fun slicing and dicing with the skaven I forgot to take a look at your photo box setup any chance of a PM when you got the photobox from etc??? what type of bulbs does it use? Cheers

BTW.. looking good but hating that quick shot skill they have been given   see you next week

Actually my Photo Box doesn't come with lights, I just use two lamps to give the light if needed. None of the photos taken of the witch Hunters used a light, just the sun.

Here is what the photo box looks like:

and it was purchased from... Ummm hang on a sec... Photoshack! Upper Queen street.

[NeckFace]

what photobox did you use to take a photo of your photobox?

infinity 

[Vent]

what photobox did you use to take a photo of your photobox?

infinity 

And bang goes my head... ^_^

This pace is slowly killing me... What's worse is the fact that my painting chair is NOT comfortable for looooong periods of time. Two hours? Fine. Four hours? Heeeeell no. Longer? You'll be in pain for the night... *sigh*

Anyway, ,y finished Witch Hunter Captain. Took me a full afternoon from say 1pm till 5pm, and then some little bits of extra time as I was doing the base... Four days left. Two Figures to go... Gonna be tight, especially if I want to get some scenery done as well...

Notes:

- Some people said my metals were to bright so I've given the metal a wash of Sepia after the black to take most of the shine off. Must say I kind of like the look for Fantasy-type armor...

- I've had a few people ask for various color recipes; when I'm finished I'll sit down and try and remember how I did them, most are simply foundation colors with a little bit of bleached bone added to lighten them and a crap load of washes.

- The face may look little black, had a splotch of Black wash land there, not quite sure how but had to do some rescue work...

Enough talk, photos:



As always I appreciate comments and constructive criticism on what I should work on with my stuff, so please don't be shy...

[NeckFace]

ballin

as for crits, the only thing i'd muse upon is perhaps getting some white trim on there?  as it is, the colour choice is all good, but the photos show them to be in very similar shades, and in that way a lot of the model is lost in cursory looks.  i was going to suggest maybe trying a brighter technique for your reds, but thought a simple and small white patterned trim on the cape would look nice too. basically adding the extreme highlight to the overall appearance of the model.

also the sword is looking a little bland, maybe re-washing it and then light, directional dry brush strokes to give the impression of metal reflections?

i know you're pressed for time, so i should say these models are all looking great irrespective of what i've said above, and make awesome gaming pieces

[Ry.S]

Every shade had the same tone because they all have layers of dark/drown wash over them? It would look better if the upper part of the blade was a lighter metal color. And if the sleeves of his shirt where lighter more towards white maybe. And some contrast is always a good thing, draws the eye better than a good paint job.

[Vent]

WARBAND COMPLETE BABY!

Stick a fork in me, I am done... Got a little bit of scenery to finish painting and I'll be all done and ready to go for Saturday. *phew*

These last two I did at the same time, made for a quicker but more frustrating process as my paint kept drying on my palette. I like the way these two came out. They have a lot more zing than the first Crossbowman I did. I think it's the yellow... I'd initially thought to do all three with a different color (Grey, yellow and possibly blue), but seeing that yellow sold me...

Photos:


And here is the final Warband. If the scenery is dry before tomorrow night I may try and get some photos of my guys on it. Otherwise it'll have to wait till Saturday during the tourney...


Thanks for taking a look... ^_^

[Aa7]

nice work mike, and finished with a few days to spare i am impressed

[Lezle]

Very pleasing to the eye. They'll look even better in the plastic I'm sure.

I still have no qualms in killing them all, you realize.

Lezle

[Vent]

Thanks guys... ^_^

Very pleasing to the eye. They'll look even better in the plastic I'm sure.

I still have no qualms in killing them all, you realize.

Lezle

The righteous fury of Sigmar will prevail... ^_^