Vaaish's Epic Stuff

[Vaaish]

Thanks! Sure, talk away!

[Vaaish]

I finished up the four BR thunderhawks today. You might wonder why the photo only shows three, well it's because the fourth is still waiting for the varnish to dry. Don't ask just I hate matte varnish spray. Anyway I must say that this is one of the models I quite dislike when it comes to painting. I find there are too many rivets, especially on the canopy, that just splay the tip of a brush when you hit them spewing paint all over.

Anyway, enjoy. I'll be moving to a quick painting competition piece for a cancer charity fundraiser at my LGS for the next week or so and then back to the reaver so I can get that done in time for EpiComp.

[mangozac]

Well despite your hatred of rivets you've done a stunning job as always!

You know, this is the first time I've noticed a Thunderhawk with the little mini wings sitting horizontal like that (instead of angled down touching the main wings). I assume they're separate pieces on the model?

[Vaaish]

Thanks, I think I'll chalk that up to pics this time around since they are pretty shiny due to a total failure of my flat varnish and the subsequent lack of patience to hand brush matte on models this large.

The client had already assembled these guys with the wings like that. They are indeed separate parts. It's been a while since I assembled one but I remember the parts being this:

Hull
canards (2x)
main wing (2x)
secondary wing (2x)
tail vertical
tail horizontal top
engine exhaust nozzles (3x)
landing skids (3x)
underwing HB (2x)
nose HB mounts (2x)
Main cannon
nose antenna

It's an obscene number of bits for the model.

[mangozac]

[Fleafa]

It looks like the tail wing is assembled the wrong way round as the flaps appear to be at the front :/
Lovely paint job though.

[Xeones]

[Fleafa]

So it is. Weird.

[Vaaish]

it's a flying brick. Weird is par for the course.

[Vaaish]

So, after what seems like ages to get this done, I've finally finished up Praetorian. It's been a fun trip and I think I've improved massively with freehand capabilities and other painting skills in the process. Not much to say other than he's up at CMON and I'm hoping that I'll break a 9 with him.

Here's the link if you are interested: http://www.coolminiornot.com/343647

Perhaps this would also be apt:
Ave Praetorian. Ave Mechanicum. Deus Mechanicus.

[mangozac]

Stunning work - what more is there to say?

I particularly love the painted eagles on the shoulder armour and the way the wings are shaded. The burning tank is a really nice addition too. How did you do the flames and smoke plume? How tall is the Reaver?

[Vaaish]

Thanks, hmm... that flaming bit. Welll... I started with straight pin and then started gluing clump folliage I use on my bases to it. After that I soaked it in superglue to make it rigid. There was much back and forth between reference material and the model to make sure it looks fairly accurate. After I was happy with it I doused the bottom in white with a touch of yellow and the top in black adding patches here and there to mix it in with the white. Then it was adding orange and yellow to the flame with a light drybrush of brown and black over it. Again going back and forth between reference photos to get it right.

The last step was the smoke. Really easy. just hit it with a light drybrush of gray on the top edges and then again with a bit of white. Near the flames I did a drybrush of brown and one of red to kind of help blend a bit.

[Vaaish]

So I actually get something done the first month of the new year! Up this time are two detachments of Epic Marine Bikes. I'm slowly converting my force from air assault to ground since it's a bit more fun to play that way. This is the first step to give an alternative to Speeders.

[Vaaish]

Just showing that I can actually get work done in January. I've had these guys sitting around for probably a year now and I've finally gotten them finished. I've been wanting to run ground Marines in Epic for a while since air assault got boring and this is a big part of that along with the bikes. I may go back later and fix up some of the blends on the arrows. got a bit brighter than I wanted.

Enjoy!

[mangozac]

All great work as always! We must be due for an entire army shot soon?