From the Vaulted Realm of Pluto

The Phix Delta Chiokolossus from Meirce Miniatures is now done. I went about it the same way as I did the first colossus that they produced with a dark base, drybrush Vallejo Brass and then airbrushing pigments over for the patina (with a few spots brushed on with fixative). I managed to finish the rocks without running out of Milliput (go me!). I painted the base with Vallejo Model – Buff (70.976) and then ran an oil wash of Burnt Umber over to catch the details. After sealing all that I used Geek Gaming Scenics Mediterranean Soil on a layer of Modpodge. Gamer Grass tufts Dry Green and Light Green to taste and its all done.

I’m really pleased with this model. I had a hard time not constantly fooling with it while it was in the final stages of completion. It always is a challenge when I get close to the end of something I think is cool. This has been a good boost to my sense of accomplishment as I look on the army and say its almost done. The army is playable, but I’d like to finish off the models I put on the rather camped transport tray.

Ok, it looks more like an artisinal bread roll at the moment than a hill. Due to a fall the statue was pulled from the top and is currently in the process of being repaired. In the meantime I can say that I’ve had fun sculpting the rock as a departure from my conversion work on figures. I have already done the base to my Phix and, having used quite a lot of my Milliput, I switched to use another material so I can save some.

As a mass of DAS airdry clay that rings the foam core this is pretty light. Really it boils down to me bulking out the mass of space around the original disc with more foam chunks. Before I got layed off (made redundant-for you silly English types) back in November I was doing new construction on the HVAC duct and systems for a supermarket. As the build progressed I snagged some dried chunks of the spray foam insulation used on the exterior walls. I got a question about what I was doing from a coworker but it was settled when I explained about wargaming. The “natural” texture of the dried foam lent itself to build on easily and carved without much fuss. I’m most proud of the texture sculpting using regular clay tools. Its a little “softer” than I wanted but hard edges are probably a level up from my efforts right now and better served by 3D printing. I also see that things change with the drying process.

I do enjoy the heft as a single piece of terrain. Further work is planned but all the bones of this are stable. The rest is almost all cosmetic with a few figures planned to top the hill. I might refine some textures but not by much. I never intended to do this for Terrainfest but it is appropriate for the time frame.

I will take the experience from this and its material for another large build I’ve had sitting for too long. Hopefully it comes out as well as I imagine it in my head.

My magnificent fried chicken is now flying high at roughly 125mm above the 100mm base on a 1/4(?)” acrylic rod. Done and dusted

Since I updated with the fun wagon I also wanted to show off the nearly completed Mierce figure of Phix, Chiokolossus Delta. The figure has enough weight to it in resin to require more stability than the simple 100mm plastic base it came with. I decided to use a built up 90x120mm like I did with Dwayne in the Arabian Knights project. This time I’m building up on a 4″x2″ open foam disc for fake plants as these hockey pucks were cheaper and sized better. I then covered it in air dry clay and let harden. I’m using a 50/50 mix of Greenstuff and Milliput Black to create the rock faces. This is taking a while and more material than I want to use but the detail really is what matters to me. I could have just gotten a 3D sculpted base reinforced or used a plaster mold kit of rock faces for model trains. Well, here I am and its too late to stop now. Overall it is fun and enough of a challenge to give me good feedback while not being too taxing.

Since I updated with the fun wagon I also wanted to show off the nearly completed Mierce figure of Phix, Chiokolossus Delta. The figure has enough weight to it in resin to require more stability than the simple 100mm plastic base it came with. I decided to use a built up 90x120mm like I did with Dwayne in the Arabian Knights project.

This time I’m building up on a 4″x2″ open foam disc for fake plants as these hockey pucks were cheaper and sized better. I then covered it in air dry clay and let harden. I’m using a 50/50 mix of Greenstuff and Milliput Black to create the rock faces. This is taking a while and more material than I want to use but the detail really is what matters to me. I could have just gotten a 3D sculpted base reinforced or used a plaster mold kit of rock faces for model trains. Well, here I am and its too late to stop now. Overall it is fun and enough of a challenge to give me good feedback while not being too taxing.

So I got around to working on the tricycle after quite a bit of Shieldmaiden silliness. I got the male slaves in from my regular printer and modified the sculpts to turn the faces away from the center line of the chariot. I will say that WillyKao models on Myminifactory are chunky. Yes,  they’re sculpted to be 32mm compatible and are better suited for the GW style sculpts.

Blocking in some colors and pinning the feet of all the figures I’m pleased with where everything stands. The driver needed to have both her arms cut off to stand properly with a hand on the cart and one upraised. The happy accident of the whole thing is that I saved that whip wielding arm from an old metal conversion kit. Reaper sold it in their Chronoscope line with pulp era weapons. All I did was file off the details of folds that would distinguish it as a sleeved arm. I’ll glue things in place and smooth out sculpts in future.

The rest of the kitbash will feature a connection to the backs of the manpower, finishing paint and the basing. I’m pleased to have jumped back onto this. Oh, as to why Bernice, it means “Bringer of Victory”.

Dammit! Leave well enough alone, thinking I had all the parts for my Harryhausen Hellenics, just needing to assemble a few more units and repair parts to the chariots that got dropped. I was proven so very wrong!

I looked on Myminifactory to see what models I had from Artisan Guild. I unfortunately found, after the longest time of waiting, just what I had been looking for to use as flying units. I had purchased a harpy to get printed but it really didn’t have as much visual impact as these do. Eh… I’ll have to figure out what to do with Phoenix Marie Claude.

Thinking about it, I really should finish those hippocampi. Crap… these “really cool projects” just gets more complicated.

I managed to snag one hell of a deal from an online vendor during a sale and I am damn well pleased with it. I’ll be adding a second colossus to the army. This time it’ll be the Phix Delta Chiokolossos from Meirce. I had purchased it under the understanding that it was going to be the standard sculpt but after I looked in the bag I was happily surprised that the spear wielding hand had also been included. Hooray for someone else’s trade in with extra bits!

Yes, yes, I haven’t done myself any favor with adding yet another figure to the army but it falls in line with The Rule of Cool. I saw it and the kick ass monster needed to be thrown in for fun. I really wanted it a while ago but I haven’t been able to lay my hands on it. At the moment I’m grinning madly as I continue work on this army.

Additionally I’ve done more building on the tricycle and I feel it’s done. Until I add the driver and the horsepower there’s no more modding this thing so I’ll hold onto the surprise. I should also do some more painting as my phoenix Marie Claude needs some love. With the pieces I have so close to completing I need to just do it, especially as I’m about to move again.

The ladies mounted on their sea horses will finally be realized after kitbashing. I really do have a love hate thing going on with doing this stuff. At the moment I have only done some painting.

I tossed a layer of Vallejo Xpress Caribbean Turquoise on as a base and worked it into a light blue drybrush. The scales needed a draw of contrast and I tipped them with pink. The manes and fins got touched with Army Painter’s Speedpaint Stormlord Blue and a hint of drybrush using Proacyrl’s White Blue to highlight.

My plan for the future will mean that, I hope, the bases are going to be a treat to work through. I had already played around with the experience of Vallejo water gel for diorama on a display base and knew it starts opaque and dries translucent. After that, the steeds will be made to look like they are emerging from crashing waves. This will be accomplished by using transparent plastic scrap that I will tip with seafoam paste.

After getting the hippocampi plans settled things went sideways as I started on the riders. I sawed off the legs and the attached sheld arm from the torsos. The movie referenced was more intriguing compared to the reality of remodeling bodies four times over. I was glad for the practice with Bubo’s rider but not happy to recreate legs in a sitting position again.

Right now in the middle of this I am not keen especially after gouging a middle finger with a self tapping screw at work. No bone damage but the flesh wound isn’t pretty. Meh, I’ll live and grumble as I continue the resculpting.