Hobby Tricks: Prepping symbols, Sticks and BLOOD!

TJ here to share a couple of basic things I have used/ noticed that have helped me save time or just plain kicked ass. Let's take a look.

So the Alpha legion symbols you have seen on my Berzerkers and Oblits are all pretty well shaded and highlighted. I didn't paint each one of those painstakingly over the course of hours. NOOOO! I painted them all at once with a regular brush and some help from plain old Blue Tac.

I stuck these ALpha Legion Symbols onto the blue tac and then primed them right on the blue tac. DOn't worry, you can still use the blue tac afterward and it is $2 if you can't (but you can). Then you come through with a big brush and paint base them all and then come back and dry brush the highlights. No cleaning up the surrounding shoulder pad, no being careful. Just get 100 or more done at a time. It saved me hours on the Alpha Legion and is still saving me time. I just glue the symbols on later.

Another thing I did was use the blue tac ($2) and stuck it to some yard sticks that I had cut in half (less than $1 each). This let me airbrush and highlight the models super fast. I know this trick isn't new and isn't unknown, but I know I thought i was fine without the sticks and man was I wrong. I based and highlighted 115 models with three colors of blue in an hour and five minutes. 115 models! I can't believe I knew this trick existed and never tried it. It costs three dollars to set up. DO IT!

The last little trick I have that I have been using lately is just mixing 50/50 Blood For the Blood God technical paint with Secret Weapon's Realistic Water effect medium. Take a look at it dried on that base. That's completely set. It looks wet and passed right over the skulls to pool looking pretty much like fresh blood to me. You could go heavier on the BFTBG to make it thicker too. I was just stoked by the final result and wanted to share it. BTW, I have used a bunch of different still water and I was really impressed by SW's formula. It just works better and easier and is very affordable compared to the alternatives.

Anyway, those are just some tricks I have tried and found recently. I think I might do something like this once in a while. Have you tried any of these? Let me know how it worked.

The Drawing Board: Concepts for Conversions and How I Approach a Project Initially

TJ here and you are all either going to love or hate this post because it is filled with a bunch of crappy doodle I have been making in my notebooks during the less productive moments of meetings. Now normally, I would never post anything like this, but I did get an e-mail recently that asked me how I come up with my conversions and if I just endlessly peice plastic parts together until I find the right look or if I am some kind of natural ... I don't really do either. In order to come to an idea like the angry robot above, I first hit the drawing board and see what comes out of it. Let's take a look at the process.

Independent Characters Hobby Progress Challenge!

Ho!
Fly finally back again with some updates to, you know, the blog.

Life has been a little nuts but I've actually had some time to play some Warhammer. My last game was still the 3rd round of the TJ Must Die Open, which I did pretty well in.

It came from the Night O Sphere: Deathmark Night Scythe and Despair Crypteks

I blew the dust off my painting desire for the Necrons and finally finished my two night scythes.  These guys got to be the Deathmarks own personal ride.  I figured since I love them so much I have to give them their own rides in my collection.

Guest Post: A Space Marine Hobby Journal

An Army WIP

I was sent this hobby journal request by one of our readers.  I met Jeff at the Michigan GT and really enjoyed  talking with him about painting and playing.  We're always happy to help encourage the hobby so when he asked to journal his new undertaking with space marines I was more than happy to put it up.  He has a long road ahead of him and I hope we can all follow and encourage him through his journey.  

-Chris Vinton

Hello, for those of you that I have not yet met, my name is Jeff. I have been playing 40k in the Grand Rapids area for 10 years now. In that time I have built and owned nearly every army including; Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Blood Angels, Grey Knights, Deamons, Tryanids, Black Templar, Dark Eldar, and recently added a Tau army with some Eldar allies.

The Long View

Ho!

Fly Molo is, I dare say, back. I should be back to my one post every other day or so clip that I was getting accustomed to before all heck broke loose all over my life... but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Today I'm writing about the "Long View" and keeping my eyes on the proverbial prize.

Hell O'Ween: Masters of Terror, The Night Lords

The new Space Marines Codex has given my favorite power armor army new life.  Night Lords time!  Plus as an added bonus FW is going to have a direct line to my back account because of the upcoming Pre-Heresy release of Night Lords stuff.   So here is the first of the new Night Lords vehicles, my storm talon.

Air Compressor Revamp for the Airbrush; Don't fear the shop compressor!

One thing that has really put in me off lately from 40k hobby is not feeling settled.  I've been in the upheval of my life for almost a year now and things are looking like they might finally settle back in.  This year was one of the hardest of my life in which I came out alive and well and a better man for.  I want to get back on that horse and start doing great work agian.  This is my step one back into the light.

13th Company Space Wolves.

After almost a year from really painting anything I loved, I found my passion again.  The 13th company is my true love after my childhood love of the ultramarine bikes.  For the past year I've bounced around from one-night-stand codex releases to 3 month flings, never filling that void in my heart that the abandoned 13th company left.  They're the girl that got away that I'm not letting get away.

Get Your Stuff Painted!

Ho,

Fly Molo back again with a painting article. And I do love painting. Actually, more accurately, I like having painted models. I assume you do too!
Yet, think back,... out of the last 20 or so games you've played, how many times have you used a completely painted army? How many times have your opponent?
Why is that?

The Spirit of the Game

The Spirit of the Game

Ho,
This is Mike Loniewski, my handle is Fly Molo and I’m officially a contributor to Dark Future Games. Thanks to Chris for getting me involved, I truly appreciate the chance to help out. I’ll try to keep up with fresh posts from my perspective and I hope you readers enjoy them.
I need you (the reader) to help me out here. We’re going to use our imaginations for a moment. I’m going to give you a scenario. When you’re reading it, I want you to stop at the end of each little section (each will be separated by a few lines) and ponder what it said. I mean, really ponder it. Think about the words. Think about what you would *feel* like if this was really happening to you. Think about how this scenario might really play out. Draw upon actual past experiences and think about how you felt then. Thank you for doing this by the way.

Staying fresh while not playing.

by Chris Vinton

So I've had a lot of time to not play 40k.  Baby on the way, work taking more of my energy, a kid that now wants a buddy more than a person that just gives food and a pacifier, and a miserably pregnant have all really cut into my time.  So what do I do to stay fresh and scratch that 40k itch I have?

Vinton's Tau: Fourth Sphere of Expansion

My Tau expansion has began to take shape.  After a solid call out by TJ I have elected to have another challenge army.  This time....white.

Riptide Review

By Chris Vinton

I bought two riptides when they first dropped and I have to say they are one of he coolest kits I've bought in a very long time. The price tag is a bit of a shock at 85$ but this model is totally worth it both on the game table and the hobby table.

Canoptek Helldrake WIP

Carrying on with the Charons conversions I have today my Canoptek Helldrake. This conversion is based on the vampire dragon kit with some digging into the necron bits box.

The conversion is green stuff free and more flesh than machine. If I do a second one I plan on making the counter part more machine than flesh.

I also when a little dynamic with his basing to elevate him off the ground but not in a typical flier fashion. This monstrosity has found himself a little perch....

More to come on this little fella in the future but I just wanted to put him out to the blogosphere to get some input. Also didn't want TJ having all the fun with Helldrake conversions.

Do's and Dont's of basing with CVinton

In this post I want to go over something often not considered in painting and often dreaded; painting your bases. In my experience as both a traditional artist and hobby painter I've found myself innately doing certain things people have recently been commenting about with my painting.

Often basing is a secondary though and viewed as a task. However, I encourage people to take time to think about their basing. It takes only little bit of addition time and can really help make or break that glance inspection of your army.

Chessex dice; love um or leave um?

Ive been to gencon for the past 6 years and I think I remember when game science first showed up with their premium dice. They make great dice with sharp edges that apparently give equal access to all the numbers. The big question is, is the cost worth it? Do these translate to 40k or is this more of a problem with DD and other d20 based games?

The M5A1 Stuart, A Tribute to a Hero

No, I haven't yet dipped my toes in playing Flames of War yet, though I do love their detail at such a small scale. I do, however, have a love of history, both of ancient and more recent times.

I also have a wife who's grandfather didn't just turn 90 last year, but is a veteran of WWII, 2nd Armored Division, Hell on Wheels, 82nd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, and wounded in the Battle of the Bulge.

This man is a hero of mine, and the M5A1 Stuart was his tank.

Land Speeder Vengeance/ Dark Shroud kit Review

I picked up a Land speeder Vengeance last night and finished putting it together this morning. I have to say its a pretty decent stream lined kit.

I come from the old school land speeders that fit together like a Picasso painting. Like the new remake of the basic speeder this guy really fits together will with just the nose leaving a little to be desired. The alter has great detail and and that detail carries through the whole model in very subtle ways.

Do your other hobbies influence your mini's hobby?

Most people in the world of miniatures have more than one hobby, whether it be two or three mini games themselves, or perhaps a board game obsession or perhaps even into RPGs. No matter what, one hobby will influence your others, sometimes for good, sometimes for bad.