15mm Star Wars: Darth Vader (or: learning the OSL)

I'm still getting a grip on glazing - and still asking myself how I could do without the glazing medium (which I started using only around a week ago). I thought that the Darth Vader mini from the second 'Space Pals' pack will be a nice training piece for both black glazing and Object Source Lighting (which I tried to do with the Obi Wan miniature but with much worse results). Here is the result:

(click a picture to see the bigger version)

(click a picture to see the bigger version)

(click a picture to see the bigger version)

I know that some parts could be done better (the cloak could be cleaner and I don't really like how the left kneepad turned out), but I'm overall quite happy with the result.

Capitol Heavy Infantry (or: quick painting the ARC Fleet Infantry)

After a year or so, I finally got to painting the ARC Fleet Infantry from Critical Mass Games (a.k.a. Capitol Heavy Infantry for my 15mm Mutant Chronicles/Warzone project). I've decided that these are great for training my airbrush and glazing skills - you can see the result below (click the picture for a bigger version):

A 6-man squad

 The whole squad was painted in about 3 hours. After priming, all the miniatures received an undercoat of VMC Feldgrau with an airbrush, followed with two more airbrushed layers: VMC Green Grey and VMC Dark Sand. These were applied in an 0-60 angle from the top and front of each miniature, leaving the darker paint in the lower/back parts. After a wash of Devlan Mud, I've managed a quite smooth transition between the lighter parts in the front and darker ones in the back:

After that all the parts between the armor plates, the weapons and the helmet visors received a glaze of VMC Black - the minis were ready for detailing.

The visors were painted using VMC Prussian Blue, Deep Sky Blue, Light Sea Gray and White. With each highlight, two vertical lines were painted at the edges of the middle part to give an impression of light reflecting in the visor.

Using the 'zenithal lighting' on the armor as a guide, the reflections on the weapons were painted using VMC Dark Bluegray and Light Sea Gray.

A Capitol logo (without an eagle) was then painted at each shoulder plate, using VMC White, Cavalry Brown and Flat Blue.

The bases were flocked to match the rest of my collection - a coat of Graveyard Earth followed by a highlight of Commando Khaki/Karak Stone.

15mm Star Wars: Obi-Wan Kenobi

Last week I've received a package from Highlander Studios - some of their steampunk adventurers (lovely minis, I'm planning to use them with the Wolsung SSG rules) and two of the "Kendo Masters" packs. Today I have managed to paint the first one of those minis - Obi-Wan Kenobi:

Modular Urban Board: Bus Stops

Inspired by Tommygun's terrain, I did some bus stops for my modular urban board. See the second photo for the list of pieces used.

Modular Urban Board: Small Platforms

(click the pictures to see a bigger version)

Here are some additional pieces for my modular urban board. These small platforms are intended as a kind of 'urban hills' - they add a vertical dimension to the table and block line of sight... unless you manage to hold one of these and shoot at your opponent from behind the low walls!
Each piece measures 10x20cm (half of a tile) and is 3cm high.

The pieces can be arranged into larger 'L'- or 'T'-shaped platform...

...or added to one of the larger platforms.

15mm Blitzer Kapitan and some WIPs

I've recently picked up an Oddzial Osmy pack of New Vistula Legion Characters. Lovely minis, perhaps a bit cartoonish but the detail is crisp and they all have a lots of character. These miniatures have only one flaw, though: they are cast in a really hard metal, so it's a bit difficult to shave off the mould lines.
One of the characters from the aforementioned pack will be used as a leader in my 15mm WarzZone Bauhaus army - a captain of Blitzers:

On the side note, here are some WIP shots of two minis currently on my workbench - Rick Deckard (the miniature is an investigator from The Department line):

...and a Beholder from an OOP ADnD Battlesystem line:

Airbrush was used to achieve the 'zenithal lightning' effect - the gradual change from brown-red at the bottom to very bright orange-red at the top is actually a part of the paintjob and not an effect of exterior lightning.

Tutorial: 15mm Urban Planters

I've started making some small cover pieces for my modular urban board, starting with some planters.
These are really simple to make:
1. Cut the basic shape of the planter from 5mm foamboard. I've used 20x50mm rectangles.
2. Cut four strips of 1mm plasticard - two pieces measuring 10x20mm and two measuring 10x50mm.
3. Glue the strips of plasticard to the sides of the foamboard. I've used PVA glue with a dab of superglue (to make it bond faster).
4. Using an old brush, spread some PVA glue inside the planter and add sand.
5. Paint the outside of the planter. I used an airbrush with VMC colors matching the ones I used for the board itself: basecoat of Dark Bluegrey was followed with Light Sea Grey, Ivory and White. Light coat of German Camo Beige was then applied at the bottom of the planter to imitate dust.
6. Paint the sand with some light brown and wash it with watered down Devlan Mud/Agrax Earthshade.
7. Add some static grass inside the planters.
8. Glue the clumped foliage inside the planters.
9. Cover the whole piece with a coat of matt varnish.

Here  are some shots of the planters on the finished board (click the pictures to see bigger versions):

Progress on modular urban board

I've finished first nine tiles of my modular urban board - it's enough to make a 60x60 board for playing Flying Lead, but there's not much space for variation here. I'm quite happy with the colour scheme, though - and the example of the excellent Redemption City board by BaldLea shows that I'm not the only one who finds the white-and-green scheme eye-pleasing.

Overhead view

Overhead view from another angle

Ambush!

Metal pieces from The Scene were used for detailing the raised platform (I aim to make four such raised tiles).

Stairs were made using the method I've outlined here: http://multiverse15.blogspot.com/2011/01/sci-fi-corridor-tutorial-1-stairways.html

Duel between two gangers. Notice the manhole next to the sidewalk and the concrete texture on the wall.

Another overhead view of the board.

Bretonnian archers with new movement trays

I've painted these archers some time ago but haven't yet posted any pictures of them on the blog. As I recently made new movement trays for them, I thought it a good opportunity to make some photos. Click on the picture to see a bigger version.

Modular Urban Board - first tile painted

The modular urban board that I have shown you yesterday may not look like much when unpainted - but today I painted the first street piece and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. See below:

The tile itself.

Marines patrolling the deserted city. Miniatures from Rebel Minis.

Modular Urban Board Preview

Inspired by the really impressive ShadowRun 15mm board on Clear Horizon, I've decided to start my own modular urban board. The pieces are 20x20cm squares, and the first 'set' roughly corresponds to what one can find in Miniature Scenery City Grounds set.
Below you can see an example of 4x4 layout - I've done the basic work on the streets (acrylic filler was used to hide the wood texture) and started gluing homemade plasticard sidewalks down.
(Click the pictures to see the bigger versions)

Some detail shots:

I plan to airbrush the board using going from light gray through ivory to white. The streets will be sprayed black and the raised platforms will get some stencil markings with dark green.

Another 15mm WarZone unit

With some really nice not-Mutant Chronicles 15mm miniatures coming soon from Trench 2114, I got back to painting my own 15mm WarZone armies, finishing a second Ducal Militia unit. At the moment I have finished two 6-men squads of Ducal Militia (I keep to 6-men count as I want to use these minis with GruntZ rules too) - a squad of Etoiles Mortant, a GT Offroad buggy and a Blitzer Kapitan (a commander for my GruntZ force) still wait for their turn.

(Click on the pictures to see the bigger versions)

A new Ducal Militia squad.

Two squads side by side.

Some of the details.

More 15mm characters: Warhammer, Star Wars, LotR

Here's another batch of miniatures that I have started to work on a loooong time ago but finished only lately as I'm trying to clean up my painting workshop a bit. As always you can click the picture to see the bigger version.

Warrior Priest of Sigmar for my 15mm Warmaster Empire army (own sculpt)

Another view of the Warrior Priest

Twi'lek dancer for Star Wars. Lekku (head tails) made from ProCreate were added to a Rebel Mini miniature from their 5150 Aliens Pack.

Legolas. Another simple conversion based on a Splintered Light Miniatures Elf.

Three members of the Fellowship rush into battle.