Reboot 2013

[kathrynloch]

Well, the title says it all. Ya know - I remember I started new threads for every different project. We'll see if I can keep 'em in this one. If not, well hey, it's a quirk. lol!

After not even touching my minis for almost 8 months, I definitely am facing some challenges.

My paint is seriously UGH - at least most of it. It's nasty thick and I'm trying to save what I can. Too much money wrapped up into that to let it go to waste.

I had all of my minis and supplies put away/organized in boxes under and on my table. Well, some of you may remember my kitties didn't like me paying more attention to painting than to them. Well, the Maine Coon decided that revenge is best served FLUFFY. She turned over and used those damn thumbs of hers to open boxes I had SEALED or fastened shut. I've got shit all over the place and half the stuff I'll probably never find.

Three months ago, my old laptop died for good. I got a new one that I really like but I'm still trying to get the screen calibrated. But my camera is definitely showing its age in comparision. I can't even figure out what sort of adapter I need to get the media card to fit. I had to go back to the USB cable. Now, camera can't communicate in the same language on colors. Camera says blue, laptop says white.

With the updates to Photoshop, I'm trying the RAW function for JPEGs (my camera came out right before the ones able to do RAW became reasonably priced - that's how old it is). Anyway, I'm trying stuff to see what translates the best. These photos - holy cow - I had to run Photoshop's despeckle about three times. ARGH!

Anyway, here's some of the crap I've got going.



First off, this is one of the Reaper Barbarians. I picked him up for a very specific reason. One of my novels, hopefully to be released in June, has this cover:





Basically what I want to do is recreate the cover with a miniature and an all out display base.

So here's what the Reaper Barbarian looks like now.




lol! It's the headless barbarian! Run away!!!!

Y'all may remember how much I just LURV green stuff....NOT! lol! Yes, I am an idiot - haha!



This little lady is the one giving me the most problems but while terribly tiny - she is pretty.



She's not doing so well though.



As I said earlier, I have two Sophies going. The other one got stripped and here's where the first one stands now.





Plus I'm still playing around with the dragon and the UV paint.





Like I said it's all awful! I've got my paint way too thick and I overwork the pieces. Oh and cat hair...I conveniently forgot about the cat hair. *help me*

But this just arrived today - my Mother's Day present to myself. lol!



Last but not least - these two are preordered and should ship some time this month.



Andrea 13th Century Scottish Nobleman



And how can I NOT get this guy? lol!

 

[TrystanGST]

Ooh - a Knight Model. Those are always fun. Welcome back. More paint!

 

[Zab]

Wow you have ton of stuff going on there. ADHD much?! Looks exciting though Nice choice on the barbarian. As for the cat hair, never ignore the advice/contributions of our furry overlords -_-

 

[kathrynloch]

Hi Zab! Thanks lol! Yeah, if I'm not running around like my hair is on fire, I don't know what to do with myself. hehe!

Yeah, I also have to remember they know where I sleep.

 

[marjedi]

Welcome back Kath.

And a very interesting model selection. Let me know how that knight model is, i have been oogling boromir for a long time. A very lovely looking model, and i know my gf would aprove, she swoons every time Sean Bean is on screen.

 

[William T.]

Glad to see your going to be painting again!
You should head down to Wargamescon in Austin and we can hangout and get some painting done!

 

[kathrynloch]

Welcome back Kath.

And a very interesting model selection. Let me know how that knight model is, i have been oogling boromir for a long time. A very lovely looking model, and i know my gf would aprove, she swoons every time Sean Bean is on screen.

Heya sweetie! hehe! Interesting indeed. Well, the one thing I can say about Knight models and this is as a painter and a vendor. When you get one, open it immediately and check for all the parts. I've got the Ghost Rider too - but that one is freakin' nuts with parts and no instructions so I have NO clue. lol!

Glad to see your going to be painting again!
You should head down to Wargamescon in Austin and we can hangout and get some painting done!

Thank you, William! I missed painting and right now I'm teed at myself for taking such a long break. Talk about starting from less than square one.

Wargamescon? Where? When? Link? I'll hit google and see if I can find something about it. lol!

 

[kathrynloch]

Okay so I had to strip the Sophies yet again last night. Thank God for Dawn Power Dissolver - put 'em in a Ziplock baggie, soak 'em thoroughly, let set an hour and they scrub off easy peasy with a toothbrush.

Here's where I'm at this morning after three layers on one. At least this time the paint isn't so damn thick! lol!










Like I said earlier, I've been experimenting with RAW in photoshop even though my camera technically doesn't support it. I get better lighting and color. But the noise factor is insane - they look like I painted over sandpaper. I ran them through the noise filters - despeckle does the best but still. I guess I'll go back to regular and see what I can do.

But, I'm going to leave her alone for a couple of hours now and go work on something else. lol!

 

[Chrispy]

Ack! Moldlines!
Do you have the same problem with Sophie's wings not wanting to set in right? I think some fault on mine is bits of flash, but wondering if this is a problem with everyones..
As for stripping, I myself have alot of it to do soon, and I was thinking of using some Pink Soap, since my favorite mix of Pinesol, Ammonia, and various asundry cleaners seems to have evaporated.

 

[kathrynloch]

Hiya Chrispy - yeah, I've given up on the mold lines for right now. Every time I strip, they really come back like worse than they were originally. That's the strangest thing about the Dawn Power Dissolver because it doesn't hurt plastic or resin - I've left it to soak overnight - doesn't faze the stuff, although it will remove super glue and any type of epoxy putty I've run into. But like I said, every time I strip the suckers, the mold lines look worse than ever. So I just decided to concentrate on one thing at a time right now - since everything will probably get stripped at least thrice more. lol!

The wings I've only kinda sorta test-fitted. They are so in the way, I didn't really worry about them. But yeah, I can see the potential for what you mean - the whole setup on her back is just sorta...weird.

 

[kathrynloch]

And a very interesting model selection. Let me know how that knight model is, i have been oogling boromir for a long time. A very lovely looking model, and i know my gf would aprove, she swoons every time Sean Bean is on screen.

I just cannot leave well enough alone. lol! (Warning - long. Boromir is still under the influence of the One Ring and is being a butthead.)

Despite that, I do have one hope - that someday - a brave company will be able to cast a mini in white metal and the notches and grooves actually WORK!!!! *snarl* *growl* *hiss* *spit* I have yet to assemble a mini, especially metal, where the notches actually fit. Most of the time they're not even close.

That means I have to hack, slash, beat, smash and...well, let's just say if there was a hidden mechanical censor in my house, I would have burned it up in 5 seconds.

Now, like I said, never had a metal mini that actually got the notches right. But this one is pretty bad.



The first thing I did was put together the waist and I really wasn't liking the way it fitted - almost a little small to me. But I slapped some Apoxy Sculpt on there.



But the way they did it, they made the gap his belt. I don't like that crap because I know they're trying to hide the gap, but to me that just makes it more obvious. But his waist lined up fine, it was the back that worried me.

Unfortunately, I didn't think to take photos before I put the back of his cloak on. He's wearing a horseman's surcoat and his cloak falls under the shield then flares out the back. But I had a heck of time figuring out how those pieces were going to fit. Didn't make sense.

So I'm testing, testing, testing and then it's sorta there. It definitely doesn't pop into place but I see what it's...uh...the intentions were.



Now here's were we go to war with Sauron. If I'd realized, I would have waited but I was having a hard time test fitting because I couldn't get the pieces to stay for nothin'. Ok let's go head and glue them together.

Yeah...those famous last words are going rate right up there with, "Here, dude, hold my beer and watch this."

In the photo above with the arrows - those blue things are pointing at the gap between the cloak and the actual body. The gaps were so large (even though everything "lined up" that I immediately busted out my baking soda because the superglue couldn't hold it and I'm too damn lazy to pin.



So let's just sit back and enjoy this lovely view of the mini version of a canyon.

Okay, I know you're getting sick of me, so I'll wind it up...hehe. The weight of the metal and the gaps were too large to hold. I'm trying to keep my fingers from being glued on the darn thing so grab the baking soda and I just start going to town with it. It's freakin' snowing in here. lol!

Then I hear this voice say, "They have a cave troll."

Never before in my 10 years of using baking soda and super glue have I seen the like. I poured the baking soda on there and basically what I do is quickly but lightly smooth it over any gaps where the glue is at. If I do it lightly and quickly, I won't get glue on my fingers and it fills the gap just as level and as pretty as you please. I did that and it worked but it didn't harden immediately like it always does.

For a few seconds it looked kinda like this mushy toothpasty YUK!

I stared in absolute horror as the metal lifted from the spot I had worked so hard to place it in.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I was determined. Perhaps someday my baking soda and super glue will fail...but that is not this day!

I started emergency gluing procedures which involves more glue, more baking soda and moving the fingers as quickly as possible so I don't glue them to the mini. Bad enough with just SG by itself - if the BS works with it. Yeah, I'll have that thing stuck for a week.

And thank goodness it worked (although I think I used half a box of BS). lol! I also think the problem was the baking soda is old. The glue that did get on my fingers...HOT HOT so that stuff was working. lol!




This is the gap between the two pieces of the back cloak filled with the GS/BS combo (lol!) It's cured, all I have to do is sand it and it will be fine.

Technically the only thing holding the top of the cloak pieces where they glue into his waist is the shield. That's a lot to ask of a little thing that doesn't have a lot of support. Those two metal pieces are heavy!



Okay, the above is the last photo and I'm done. The thing I'm worried about now and of course did not see until too late - if the cloak thing is now going to get in the way of me placing his arm in the shoulder socket. Those didn't fit worth a crap either, so I've been hacking, filing, scraping...yeah, you get it.

So, while this thing is a real PITA to assemble (at least for me - Mar, you've had more experience with the more difficult stuff, like all the huge ships and stuff, so it probably won't be so bad for you), I do have to tell ya - he''s a gorgeous model! I think if I can do him justice it's going to be great!

Would I buy another one? Maybe Aragorn...maybe...if on sale...but...I kinda doubt it.

Okay, sorry for rambling again. I bet y'all are wondering why in the hell you wanted me to come back (OMG she's doing it again! Make her stop! Please, make her stop!) But look at it this way - at least ya got an Open Box Review out of it.

*smiles sweetly, then runs like hell before they start throwing the rotten tomatoes*

 

[DunErwit]

Hi,

that's a quite interesting variety of minis you've choosen. Especially looking forward what you'll doing with the barbarian, that Scottish Nobleman and Boromir (I love Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit ; just recently got my 3D-player work with the new Hobbit-Bluray after having had some nasty problems first ).
Concerning the latter - Boromir -, I totally agree that assembling some minis can easily become an imposition. So I'll keep my fingers crossed

Wishing you good look with your projects after such a long period of "painting abstinence"

 

[marjedi]

Uff, that is one badly cast model. Think i will pass on that one lol.

 

[kathrynloch]

Hi,

that's a quite interesting variety of minis you've choosen. Especially looking forward what you'll doing with the barbarian, that Scottish Nobleman and Boromir (I love Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit ; just recently got my 3D-player work with the new Hobbit-Bluray after having had some nasty problems first ).
Concerning the latter - Boromir -, I totally agree that assembling some minis can easily become an imposition. So I'll keep my fingers crossed

Wishing you good look with your projects after such a long period of "painting abstinence"

lol! Thanks DunErwit. Actually, I dove into the hobby seriously for the first time with GW's LOTR range - Riders of Rohan. I've been a LOTR fan for years - but soured on GW products after a while.

The barbarian now has his head glued on. lol! I gotta work on the epoxy. I can't wait to see the Scottish Nobleman, Andrea and Pegaso have been my two favorite historical figure companies.

Boromir, I'm ready to throw across the room. I accidentally broke the top of my superglue bottle (it was almost gone anyway) But since I had to snap it almost clean off, I again had to kick it into high gear so I could glue everything together before my bottle dried completely. Hey, no reason to waste the stuff.

So he's now together and I'm going start sanding and cleaning him up. That arm did fit correctly BTW. So that's good.

We shall see how it goes. At least I haven't glued my fingers together yet. Thanks hun!

Uff, that is one badly cast model. Think i will pass on that one lol.

Well, it is worse than brands like Pegaso and even Andrea (although not the older Andrea stuff). But as some of the lesser known brands of similar models - it's not as bad as some I have tried to put together (there's a reason I never started WIP threads on those - lol!) So if she's set on it, you can deal with it, no problem. Remember, you're better at this stuff than I am. lol!

AND MOE I'm gonna wring your neck! lol! Why did I go back to E2046.COM? Why? *sob*

View attachment 20484

Elric of Melnibone Wall Plaque - painting required - WANT! But at over $100, yeah, I'll have to pass. Still....boo hoo!

And they have some really cool new figures now too.

Okay Kath, close the tab and get back to painting.

 

[moetle]

*Cackles maniacally*

Moe

 

[Chrispy]

One gap-filling procedure I've seen but have yet to try is this: Using Glad Press'NSeal©, mask off one part, then loosely join it to the other part, and use whatever sculpting putty to smooth it out. Once it's dry, you can glue the pieces together OR paint them separately, then glue them. This technique gives a bit better flexibility in that regards. I used the basic premise on an art project, and I can tell you this- don't use the printed stuff unless you want Xmas snowflakes on your milliput.

 

[TrystanGST]

That is all moe's fault, alright. As for PITA metal minis, I can relate with my recent Raging Heroes debacle. Not as bad as Boromir it seems, but quite frustrating all the same.

 

[Elric2k]

Welcome back Kath, also.. I have that wall plaque..obviously! *points to name*

 

[kathrynloch]

*Cackles maniacally*

Moe

lol! Brat!!!

One gap-filling procedure I've seen but have yet to try is this: Using Glad Press'NSeal©, mask off one part, then loosely join it to the other part, and use whatever sculpting putty to smooth it out. Once it's dry, you can glue the pieces together OR paint them separately, then glue them. This technique gives a bit better flexibility in that regards. I used the basic premise on an art project, and I can tell you this- don't use the printed stuff unless you want Xmas snowflakes on your milliput.

Hrmmmm...interesting Chrispy. I may see if I can pick some up when I grocery store this weekend. Thanks for the info!

That is all moe's fault, alright. As for PITA metal minis, I can relate with my recent Raging Heroes debacle. Not as bad as Boromir it seems, but quite frustrating all the same.

haha! Black Tinkerbell is still first on my list but too damn pricey. I am really fighting not to order this one:

View attachment 20490

Those have been on my wish list forever.

But I also found this one (along with a bunch of other stuff) and it's really cool...

View attachment 20491

But I have the original dark elf sitting here. I seriously need to finish that one before I order anything more.

Welcome back Kath, also.. I have that wall plaque..obviously! *points to name*

Elric!!!! Hi hun!!!! Of course you do...hehe...how could I imagine anything less?

Okay, ya want to see the mess thus far? Here's Boromir again.









Looks like hell huh? lol! Just put some Liquid green stuff on - still got clean up and more gap filling and more clean up.

But wait - that's not all! Heeerrrrreee's Sophie!!!!





And the second one....







Good news? This time I was able to get my flesh tone layers applied and keep them much, much thinner. YEAH! HUZZAH! AND THERE WAS MUCH REJOICING. Bad news? I'm going to have t strip them again. The first reason is because I still managed to wipe out my shading. This is the point where I'd normally try to fix it but that's how I end up with phonebook thick paint layers. The second reason, I'm starting o get an orange peel texture which is getting worse. I think its because I used some old primer (everything is old lol!)

Anyway, I'll try again with the Sophies.

Okay back to work.

 

[kathrynloch]

So - here's one Sophie, repainted AGAIN.



And here's the start on Boromir.