Back-to-back Razorbacks

Another week brings us closer to the successful completion of Project: Howling Griffon.

This time through I chose to focus on the mainstay of a flexible marine army: the transports. The Razorback offers a cheap and reliable vehicle with some decent ranged combat options. Though it doesn't have the ten-man capacity of a Rhino, it more than makes up for it with the 36" range of the heavy bolter. Throw in the fact that tactical squads can combat squad and deploy the flexible arm in a transport and you've got a lot of options for a very reasonable investment.

Assembly

This is the second and third time recently that I've assembled a Rhino chassis and it's easily one of the best kits I've worked with in a long time. Everything just fits. There's no fiddling or guessing here, this tank was built to be built. It's a good thing too; it serves as the foundation for the Rhino, Razorback, Whirldwind, Predator, and Vindicator tanks all at once.

It's just a shame the Razorback turret doesn't follow suit.

The heavy bolter turret is in five pieces. The two half bolters end at the top with a tab that's meant to "plug in" to the underside of the cover. While this sounds simple, this requires spot-on gluing and positioning on an already awkward assembly. If this doesn't line up properly, the turret cover will not fit.

My Solution
When this problem reared it's ugly head on my second Razorback, I cut the tab off of one of the bolters, but only as far as the slot it as meant to occupy. I essentially split the difference between the top of the bolter and the top of the tab, which gave me an even surface. I was then able to put the turret cover into one of the tabs, while leaving the other as a support. This solution works well, as the top piece covers any corrections you may have to do.

Harmony and Variety

A big problem a lot of hobbyists run into is how to introduce variety into their models without breaking too far out of the mold and causing a distraction. It's a tough line to tread, because you don't want to be boring, but you do want coherency.

My Solution
Here are a few items that I was able to mix up while still keeping the tanks as a unified whole.

• Reposition the Logo
  But still keep it in plain sight. I made sure the large Howling Griffon icon appeared on the left, right, and back sides of the tanks respectively.
• Mix up the extras
  I have been adding bits to my tanks to give a more urban feel, and I kept going here without repeating myself. Antennae, radio bands, weapons, and more were glued on for interest.
• Numbering
  Numbering is a great way to visually separate two identical models. Not only does this serve your aesthetic goals, it also makes gaming easier when you can name a vehicle by number.
• Positioning
  Perhaps the easiest way to add variety, just switch the left and the right. In this case, the radar dish and the hatch switched places. Just make sure it doesn't affect the usability of the model (ie: true LoS from guns.)
• Color
  Sometimes just a little bit of color mixup can really make a difference. In this case, I let the black from the side panels bleed over on the front panel of the second razorback.
• Freehand
  In a universe as rich in iconography as Warhammer, it's easy to add any number of appropriate and varied images via freehand.

Beautiful Scars

For me, the thing that really sets a vehicle above and beyond the norm is the damage and dirt. It adds much needed variety to the large flat surfaces, and helps to immerse the model in the narrative you are creating when you paint an army.

The formula I use for armor pocks:
I start with a line of light color, in this case I used Dheneb Stone, as I find foundation colors easy to work with. I don't worry about keeping the line ultra thin at this stage, and just let the paint flow as it wants to.

I go back over the first line with a dark color (Scorched Earth here.) I push the bottom of the dark color just to the edge of the light , so the dark sits just above it. The light color always needs to be on the underside of the chipped paint in order for this illusion to work, so it looks like the edge of the damage is catching the light. I then push the upper section as high as I want the damage to spread, although I've found jagged edges covering a smaller patch of the model works best.

And there we have the last of the Rhino-Chassis models for the Griffons. Only a few key sections remain before the project is complete!

Tackling Large Projects: Land Raider Redeemer

We all have our comfort zones. Some people are right at home when they have a month and half to spend on a single HQ, while others are more content to hammer out 30 guardsmen in a weekend. Inevitably, when working on a full army, we run into a model or series of models that push us outside that comfort zone. All too often this can lead to a staring contest with grey plastic, still on the sprue, while your mind tries to wrap itself around what to do first. Here's a few tips that I picked up to help with the biggest kit a marine hobbyist can stare down: The Land Raider.

One Room at a Time

This is the fourth Land Raider I've painted, and it's still intimidating to look at the mountain of bits still on the sprue. I start thinking about all the detail that needs to go into just one piece, then my eye shifts to the next one and my thoughts follow suit. I can spend hours just staring at the project, lost in thought. It's the same problem my dad deals with when he's renovating a house.

When my dad is working on a huge project like a house, he concentrates on one room at a time. If he is working on the master bedroom one day, the kitchen does not exist. If he's working on the bathroom, the living room belongs to someone else. This way he keeps himself sane and on-task, two things that are constantly in danger of slipping away when faced with such a huge project. As wargaming hobbyists we don't have as many things to keep track of, but the strategy works just as well.

In my case I base coated all the individual pieces I would be working on, then set them in a box, which I placed above my eyeline so I couldn't see all the pieces I had yet to work on. I could only see the pieces I was currently involved in, and I stored the finished pieces on a lower shelf so I could see I my progress. This saved my brain.

Go Big or Go Home

I like to leave the "showcase" elements of an army for last.

There are several reasons for this. First and foremost, it's too easy to get the exciting models out of the way first and then get stuck with the 50 troopers that you I never end up finishing. I get the grind done with first, and earn myland raider.

On a more practical level, I know that when I bring an army out, there are certain models that people are going to look at first. The basic troops almost always get glazed over in favor of the big shiny elements. I want to be as well practiced as possible before I bring a brush to the flash I'm going to be packing. I had painted the Howling Griffon logo well over 50 times before I put it on the side of the raider, and the experience paid off.

Which brings me to one of the main reasons to wait until the last few models to paint.

Whether or not I realize it, the whole time I've been painting the army, I've been defining the visual scope of the armies appearance. In essence, I've written the rules on how to paint the Griffons. Now is the time to break those rules.

I realized that I had never done an oversized griffon on any of my tanks. The Land Raider was the perfect opportunity to break away from the mold as paint a large-scale detail of the icon. Where I had stayed fairly utilitarian in my design of the freehand , I now had the room for scripture. In this way, I was easily able to keep the main battle tank within the bounds of what made the Griffons vehicles their own, but also with a distinct identity.

Fight the Fatigue

But no matter how hard I try, it will eventually become a slog sometimes. It's summer and I have no AC, I'm hungry, I'm tired, I really want a coffee (okay, I do break for coffee). There are a million excuses the mind makes up for not getting things done. My rule is that it's fine to contemplate quitting and doing something else, so long as I'm painting while I contemplate. The only way to finish a project is to get it done.

And so the last tank of the Howling Griffons project is done.

The wind beneath my wings

Bases

I chose to build up an urban rubble base using some left-over bits from a cities of death box. If you're planning on making an urban combat themed army and need broken stuff for your bases, you can't get a better deal than a single small building from this set. Even with liberal use, one box will give you enough panels, architectural details, and wall sections to last an army or two.

I also chose to leave the peg unglued for ease of transport and replacement. It also leaves things open for the future if I wanted to created a tilted pin for the speeder to be displayed at an angle.

What Not to Paint

As I paint everything before assembly, I made a couple mis-steps with the first speeder that I was able to correct for with the second.

You can see in the image above that there is a dividing piece of plastic that the speeder uses for structure that you will never be able to see once the speeder is assembled. Also notice that the back side of the panel that has the seats on it will also be closed in and needs no paint.

The other thing to pay attention to is the area directly to the right of the diving panel. I had already painted the area for the second time when I remember that it too would be covered completely. See the image below to get a better idea of the complete assembly.

Assembly Tips

I noticed with both of the speeders that there was a problem getting the top/front panel to sink all the way into position. You can see what happened here:

I realized that there was a small nub on the controls that was not allowing the top to sit correctly. You can see the worn down point where the two pieces didn't fit correctly:

I chose to solve the problem by simply cutting the nub off:

Once the cut-off surface got a coat of boltgun metal, the top fit perfectly. The missing piece leaves no noticeable gap. It's something to bear in mind if you're having similar difficulties.

Detailing

Though there were some flat panels that got some freehanding love, I chose to focus mainly on weathering and damage to push the sense of speed like I did with the bikes. Though some marine chapters cover themselves in script and ornamentation whenever they get the chance, I wanted to keep things tuned down for that minimal urban design. Not only does it keep things simple, but it really helps focus the eye in on the details that matter.

Conclusion

These models are a very cool addition to any space marine army, paint up fast, and look great on the battlefield. With these pieces of knowledge, you can get yours finished even faster, and always just a little better.

On a Steel Horse I Ride

Often overlooked because of their points cost, space marine bikers can be a potent asset in any army if deployed properly. In an urban combat themed army like the Howling Griffons, even a small unit of space marine bikers is a natural fit.

What not to paint

Due to the complex nature of the final assembly, it's almost required that you paint bikers in pieces. This suits me just fine, but it's been quite a few years since the last time I pained a loyalist bike. I forgot about the strange angles that really don't need to be painted at all. It's because of the way things assemble that many of the details end up being covered up. It's good they're there, but if you're going for a standard build, you can flat out ignore several areas.

The first and foremost offenders are the inner rims of the wheels. There is a mounting bracket on the front and the back of the bike that will cover the rims up completely. Second up is the engine block located near the center of the main body. Though you'll still be able to see it all, the large power armored legs of the rider will cover up most of the detail here. A simple wash and highlight will look just as good as an extensive detail job once the rider get in the way.

The pads where the feet will rest are all but covered up completely by the giant boots of the space marine; simply wash the outer edges. The forward shield the bolters are mounted to have these tricky looking interior panels that you can safely ignore, as they will be covered up by the aforementioned bolters once they are in place.

Note:When assemblng the final build, make sure you glue your marine's backpack on before you glue the upper torso to the lower torso. The proximity of the seat back makes it likely that something will be caught if you wait.

Easy custom poses

I knew I wanted to do something unique with the bikers, and I found two alternate poses for them that turned out to be easy and effective.

Banking
For this first pose, you're tilting the assembled bike to the side until it comes to rest about halfway between upright and on it's side. The footrest will naturally stop the bike from falling, and will serve as a good new base for your guy. For this shot, I took an extended pistol arm and cut it so he was holding a meltagun. This sort of drive-by shooting gives him a cool, characterful look without having to spend an excessive amount of time converting.

Rearing up
This pose has two main components: the pin and the base. Once you determine what angle you want your guy rearing up at, you're going to drill straight into the rear tire for a good solid pin. Make sure to use a heavier gauge wire; you'll want the strongest possible reinforcement, and you can really take advantage of the extra-wide tire.

The second component of the pose is a piece of secondary terrain. Most of the time a space marine bike takes up so much of a base that there isn't really room for extra stuff on a base or much call for that matter. But when you have a bike popping up in the air, it exposes much of the base. The extra piece of terrain not only adds interest, you can slope it to provide a visual explanation of why your guy was airborn in the first place.

Weathering for speed

Not much says raw speed like a gigantic motorcycle, and a little bit of extra care can really push the g-forces. Even a few extra streaks when it comes to weathering can make all the difference. Consider extending the length of your weathering lines, while keeping them horizontal. With all the pock marks and mud stains clustered on the front of the model, you are adding that little bit of realism and extra care that separates a good model from a great one. Keep up the hard work and soon you'll have your very own group of (hells) angels ready to burn.

Massive Honors for Project: Howling Griffon

In what has to be the biggest news yet, a model painted for Project: Howling Griffon has won an honorable mention on the Games Workshop website!

Congratulations to all who entered, I am flattered to be shown in the company of such great painters.

3 Keys to Painting Under Pressure

What's that? A painting contest? sponsored by GW? For a gigantic tomb kings poster?

I sat up a little straighter in my chair. My RSS feed told me there was a competition afoot at the GW website, something to do with the elite. I began scheming what I could do to bring the pain, what models I could paint up to compete for the trophy. I was thinking of breaking into the terminators, maybe the lost and the damned...

due in a week.

Oh.

I immediately felt my carefully laid plans of several seconds fall away. How could I paint something up so quickly?

Here's how.

Know your resources

I considered everything I would be doing in the next week. Between a full time job, sports practice, spending quality time with my wife, and all the normal stuff I do, there wasn't much time to maneuver.

It's important to think realistically about the resources available to you. The number one rule: assume nothing. Don't depend on what might happen in the future. Moore's law is real. The guy who was supposed to get you the sword blade bit you needed so bad will flake, the store which had 2 crates of gorilla glue will be closed for inventory, and the client who hasn't emailed you for the past 3 weeks will be doing so. All of this and more will happen the one weekend you have to make this happen. Be prepared for the absolute worst, and you'll be ready or pleasantly surprised.

Be realistic

I only had one model on hand that I could paint up in a single weekend; the Ironclad Dreadnought. I had clipped it all up for an unboxed article a couple months ago. I knew for sure that I could paint a dreadnought in a single weekend, having just completed the more elaborate Furioso in the same timeframe. If anything I would be done early!
...
Yeah, I didn't believe that either.

Know your limitations as well as you resources. If you've never painted a carnifex before, don't assume you know roughly how long it'll take because you painted another model of equivalent size. In this case, any estimates you make need to be apples to apples; no oranges allowed.

In art school, one of the best pieces of advice I ever got was to take the project you wanted to do, and divide it in half. Consider that half by itself, let it really sink in, dedicated yourself to doing an amazing job with just that half... then divide it in half again and go do that. This method has never steered me wrong.

Crush it

With my resources gathered, I stayed up a little extra every night to make sure I stayed ahead of schedule, and could really dedicated some extra time to every facet I wanted to. After all, once this guy was done competing, he would become part of the Howling Griffons charity auction.

No matter how prepared you are, working under extreme deadlines will eventually result in you having to sacrifice something, usually sleep. Do yourself a favor and lose only half an hour every day for a week, rather than five hours the night before its due. You'll avoid the inevitable crash, your work will be better, and for you mathematicians out there, yes I just compared three and a half hours to five. You work will go faster when you're not exhausted.

And there it was, all shiny and ready to take to the field after less than a weeks work. I wanted to take some time off from such hastily executed paintjobs, but that would have to wait. DeviantART, one of my favorite communities on the interwebs, was hosting a custom character competition that was due in less than two weeks!

Here we go again...

The Results

While I knew I had created a model that would sit well with the rest of the Griffons, I had no idea that my submission would net me an honorable mention from Games Workshop. In between writing this article and today's posting date, GW announced the winner and gave out several honorable mentions. I was floored to see my dreadnought sitting on a page owned by Games Workshop, on purpose no less! I am grateful beyond words, and my heartfelt thanks goes out to everyone who have helped me get this far. Here's to another successful model for the Griffons!

7 Steps to a Solid Freehand Design

This article breaks things down so you have the tools you need to carry a freehand from vision to reality.

One of the hardest yet most rewarding aspects of miniature painting is having a cool freehand design. It's always a good idea to have your minis neatly painted, shaded and highlighted. It's another thing entirely to have an otherwise flat surface suddenly covered in a beautiful new design. It's one of the most powerful ways you can make a model your own. It's also an intimidating method due to it's complexity.

A world of potential...

1: Concept

The forgotten step; taking the time to understand exactly what you want to do with your design. This will eliminate your first potential point of failure: trying to add or subtract elements mid-freehand. It doesn't have to be a doctoral thesis; a simple list will do just fine.

In this example, I'm painting a banner for the Howling Griffons. Here's what I want:

• The quartered color scheme the Griffons use for their armor
• The Howling Griffon icon
• The name of the Howling Griffons home planet, "Mancora"
• Embellishments in the corners of the banner

2: Sketch

Unless you're freehanding your army symbol for the 50th+ time on the shoulderpad of a rank-and-file trooper, you're going to want to draw a design out at least one time just to make sure everything fits correctly. How complete an effort and how many times you need to do this is your call. It pays to keep a small sketchbook on hand to ensure you always have some scratch paper for notes, ideas, and most importantly, a practice surface.

Now is the time to make mistakes, adjustments, additions, and subtractions. This is another critical step that if skipped can lead to disaster in your freehand.

Left: My rough sketch for the banner. Right: My reference sheet for the Howling Griffons logo. 

3: Base Color

I cannot reccommend foundation colors highly enough for this all-important stage. A solid and easily reproducable background will make your life infinitly easier. If not foundation colors, a paint with equal coverage is absolutely necessary.

This is where you're going to run into your first challenge, straight lines. Without a physical guide on the model, you've got quite the task. If you're working on cloth, especially dynamic cloth, you'll have some room for mistakes. But if you're painting on a tank hull or similar surface, even the slightest mistake will stand out like a sore thumb.

Get the outlines right first...

7 Tips for straight lines

1. Straight highlights will fool the eye into believing a less-than-perfect freehand is flawless. This only saves you from smaller mistakes, but it can be invaluable if a line is being stubborn.
2. Focus on the lines first, then fill in the rest later. It's distracting to try have to stop and fill in larger areas. Also, with large patches of wet paint, you are forced to slow down and avoid getting the paint on your hand as you're working.
3. If you have a line that is perfectly straight except for one little bump where you twitched while painting, consider covering it up with battle-damage. A chipped-up piece of armor will lend authenticity to your work as well as conveniently covering up mistakes.
4. Just because there isn't a physical guide on the model doesn't mean you can't have one. Any straight edge will serve as a great guide for your brush. Just be sure to use the guide for the brush and not the bristles. Paint can sometimes flow between a straight edge and the surface you're pressing it to, creating an absolute mess. For straight and curved guides that you can easily get your hands on, just grab some warhammer 40k and fantasy bases.
5. If you're a real stickler for precision and you're working on an enormous freehand, consider using painters masking tape. It may take considerable time to get everything in place, but there is no higher degree of precision.
6. Make sure you have enough time to complete the job; a rushed freehand is asking for trouble.
7. Don't forget to breathe.

... then worry about filling in the rest

4: Freehand

Please note, this step is optional. There's nothing wrong with just a simple geometric design if it's well done.

Here's where you're going to be adding anything extra beyond the initial geometric design. This includes, but is not limited to, text, characters, icons, honors, and patterns. How deep the rabbit hole goes is entirely up to you, but the technique remains the same. Get the line work down how you want it, then fill if necessary.

5: Correct

This is where using foundation colors really comes in handy. Time spent correcting mistakes can be kept to a minimum when a single coat of flat color can fix anything. Make sure everything is exactly how you want it, because the next step is going to make further changes time consuming and difficult.

And for the love of everything, make sure it's dry and set.

6: Shade

A single heavy coat of magic wash is all you need here. Take your wash of choice and have at it. If this is a new color combination for you, test this first, you definitely don't want any nasty surprises at this point.

7: De-Shade / Highlight

With a clean, damp brush, slowly draw the magic wash away from the areas you want to be brighter. Having the wash dry after this point will leave you with a very smooth series of shadows and highlights that go far and beyond any effect you could have done by hand in the same amount of time.

If you have further highlights you want to do, be extremely careful, because any brush marks will be extremely apparent compared to the pigment progression you see otherwise.

Then just let it dry and enjoy. Congratulations, you've done freehand.

6 Ways to Build a Better Boss

Headquarters

It's the first model you look for after setup, the one you worry about when close combat begins, and the one you'll risk half your army to protect. We have a strong attachment to the heroic hand that guides our forces, and we take pride in letting them lead the way (sometimes against our better judgement). They are often the most expensive unit in the army, and the benefits they provide are potentially game-changing. So what can the hobbyist do to distinguish their precious HQ from the rest of the pack? What can be done to create a model worthy of the points and the prestige?

1. Do a Better Job

Look at it this way: a space marine costs 16 points, and a blank Chaplain 100. Doesn't it make sense that the chappy should be painted six times better than the standard marine he leads? Now I'm sure we're all thinking if only it were so easy that all I have to do is want to improve. Strange thing is: you're not far from the mark. Just vowing to take your time and really notice every detail is one of the major keys that separate a good paintjob from a great one. Most people underestimate their own capacity for artistic success; I know I have. If you're looking for a couple specific ways to up your game, try this article I wrote about taking your painting to the next level.

2. Build a Better Base

It used to be in 4th edition 40k that line of sight was grouped according to size categories instead of today's true line of sight. Thus, if you wanted your commander looking down on the enemy from atop a ten-foot statue, that wasn't a problem. But today you want someone that can keep their head down as low as the rest of the boys. In some cases it can't be helped (looking at you Hive Tyrant), but it's asking for pain when your boss is the only guy that can be seen by the las cannon devastator squad on the far hill. Factor in that characters must be mounted on the base they came with (aka: no more terminator bases for you!) and you're looking at some pretty severe limitations on how to build a better base. My solution is to keep it simple.

I'm reminded of real-time strategy games like Dawn of War or Starcraft where there's a glowing circle around your selected units, and I don't see why it couldn't be done directly on a base. In 40k you already have the circle drawn for you, and you can use simple geometric objects (such as other bases) to stencil all manner of interesting designs on your base. This way you can paint a base that fits with the rest of the army, but still stands out. This can be adapted for any number of circumstances. Psychic characters could cause the ground around their feet to glow, a more burly character might be lit from below by lava, and any model could be lit up on a suitable technological base.

In this way you add plenty of depth to your creation while keeping him/her/it at the lowest vertical point possible. Check out this article for a step by step way to texture a flat base for the best of both worlds.

3. Make a Custom Model

Every time Games Workshop puts out a warhammer plastic release, I dive right into the sprue pics looking for conversion opportunities. There are so many options, even an adamant collector won't find every possible combination. Take a look online at some of the bits ordering sites and you know there are plenty of conversion opportunities out there.

A growing option is forgeworld. Although the company is largely known for their oversized models (demons, titans, tanks, etc.), they have also been putting out a number of kits specifically to customize existing GW HQ models. Forgeworld is still rare enough that it may be worth it to order that great monstrous creature, or a space marine modification kit. Shipping is always a hassle with international orders, so consider getting some buddies together to chip in and reduce the individual shipping cost to something more affordable.

But don't forget, even a custom pose can sometimes be the difference between Bob McMarine and Crog the Conqueror. Just because you spent money on your HQ doesn't mean that you've got an automatic winner. I've seen plenty of cash all but thrown in the trash on fancy forgeworld models with a subpar paint job. It's more than okay if your librarians custom bike is just a regular bike with a couple plastic shields glued on. Remember, the only thing that matters at the end of the day is how your leader looks, not the price tag.

4. Give it a Custom Color Scheme

Sometimes the best solution is the simplest. You have 100 guardsmen wearing black camo with red armor. How do you make the general stand out? Paint him white with green armor!

Take a look at a color wheel and see what colors are opposite the ones you've been painting. These are called complimentary colors, which provide maximum contrast when displayed next to each other. It's especially convincing if it's only applied to a few models, so try to use this technique sparingly.

Another easy way to make a model stand out with just color but without such a drastic difference is to flip-flop the color placement on the model. This was the theory that game developer Relic ran with when they made the first Dawn of War games. Going back to the black camo/red armor example, a commanding officer wearing red cloth with black armor would certainly stand out, but would also keep much more closely in line with his fellow Guardsmen.

5. Make it Shine

Perhaps the most convincing way to denote importance is to do just that. A marine in power armor will get someone's attention if he's the only one also wearing a billowing cape with a gigantic skull and laurels emblazoned on the back. Signature weapons, ornate armor, unique helmets, personal heraldry, war trophies; all of these send a very clear message to your opponent: don't mess with this guy!

Sometimes it's taken care of for you, as with the master of the forge. This Space Marine HQ has a special ranged weapon called a conversion beamer, essentially a gigantic laser cannon. As there is currently no official model, it's full of possibilities for the hobbyist. After all, how easy would it be to notice a marine who has a giant gun that is modelled with 4 gauss tubes from the necron warriors box?

6. Be all Sneaky-Like

Not everyone wants their commander to stand out. After all, with some forces, the HQ would rightfully be hiding as best he could; it's a dangerous universe out there!

There are some gamers that would rather not make a big deal of their HQ, in hopes that their opponent forgets or misses his presence altogether until it's too late. After all, as long as they're equipped correctly, there's nothing to say your boss man has to be bathed in neon lights at all times. Especially if you're playing a low toughness/wound model, having someone blend in with the crowd wouldn't be the worst idea in the world.

It builds an interesting narrative of an everyman/woman hero or a junior officer of some sort who is just starting their career. There's tons of good reasons to keep it humble, but do keep it honest.

5 Reasons Why You Should Be Batch Painting

Painting an entire army for Warhammer is a pain in the ass.

There, I said it. I don't think any veteran painter can honestly say they've never felt the mid-project slump. Even in today's game where it's possible to build a 2000 point force with well under 50 models, it's still 50 repetitions on a theme. God help you if you play swarm infantry. It's almost too much to even consider building such an army...

almost.

There are ways to combat the half-an-army-to-go blues. Having finished 5 armies now (The Howling Griffons will make 6) I have a couple tricks I've picked up along the way. Here's one of my most effective strategies:

BATCH PAINT

If you've got fifty guys to paint, paint fifty boots, fifty pants, fifty shirts, etc. Paint them stage by stage, all at once. Why subject yourself to what seems like torture? Numbered list activate!

1. Sanity

Yes, batch painting seems like out of the frying pan and into the fire, and in some ways it is. It's ripping the band aid off rather than trying to peel it back just a little bit at a time; just get it over with.

Speaking of getting it over with, batch painting can actually provide a huge psychological benefit when you look out over your work and see all your models with colors on them instead of just a few really well done guys keeping company with grey plastics. This is all about maximum return on your investment, in this case one half sanity...

2. Time

...and one half time. Batch painting takes far less time than painting the models individually, even when you need to break off and finish each model individually. Not having to pause to clean the brush, find the next color, and start in on a new section saves an enormous amount of time. But it gets even better; after painting the same model so many times, you actually become faster and more accurate. Your muscle memory adjusts to the angles and curves of the sculpt; what took you 45 seconds the first time now can easily be accomplished in 20.

3. Money

I remember reading an article that claimed per measurement of volume, printer ink was among the most expensive substances commercially available, far in excess of even the most valued wines. Of course, we don't really think about that when we're replacing a cartridge; we're buying a tiny amount with a large break in between purchases...

sound familiar?

Citadel paints are great, but at over $3 a pot, it is wise to conserve paint as much as possible. Every time you switch colors, you're losing some paint in the process. Minimize the amount of paint you waste, you don't need to replace the color as often, you have more money, and that's a very good thing.

4. Consistency

I clearly remember when working on my Chaos Warriors of Nurgle, I managed to royally screw up my paint job when I mixed up the capes I was working on and couldn't remember how I had achieved the original colors. This mistake ate up a good two or three hours, and caused a massive headache. The source of the problem was that I had stopped mid-project and had completely forgotten how to reproduce the colors. Had I been batch painting, I could have walked away for a year and everything would have been fine, since there were no models to match up.

Even if you're painting something that is blatantly simple, there are plenty of subtle influences to your colors: how much water you have mixed into the paint that day, the humidity/temperature of the room, and even what brush you're using. You're committing yourself to an act of extreme repetition, you deserve to have it come out unified and consistant.

5. Creativity

Another counter-intuitive element that comes into the equation is the creativity you experience while working through something so dense. You get bored after the first dozen anything, and your mind begins to wonder: What can I do to make this interesting again? Let this question sit with you as you work, and get playful with your painting. You'll have not only a cohesive look when you're done, but lots of subtle variations you may have missed out on if you were painting one model at a time.

3 Ways to Transform Your Technique

Sometimes it isn't enough to simply take the next step.

Sometimes the next step has to be a running leap.

1. Do your homework

If you want to improve, you need a goal. A tried and true way to know what you're aiming for is to study the masters. In the case of toy soldiers, golden demon award winners are a great place to start. These dedicated artists have spent hundreds of hours planning, working, reworking, and re-reworking their submission. Learn from continual observation, and incorporate the techniques and ideas you like the most.

Good artists borrow. Great artists steal.

While researching Dreadnought paintjobs, I made a list of common elements among the top minis. This became my go-to guide; a miniature would not be complete until the checklist was filled.

2. Reflect

Remember, you are always learning, most of all from direct experience. Self-analysis is a great tool to reveal areas that need improvement. If something about your work isn't up to par, figure out why and take appropriate steps to fix it. If you're fortunate enough to have someone else to provide a critique, so much the better. That being said, learning how to look at your own work objectively is a crucial skill. Be honest with yourself, especially if it makes you uncomfortable; that means you're hitting on something important.

I painted this Black Templar Dreadnought a year ago. It was an average paintjob that relied on additional bits and freehand designs to compensate for a lackluster base coat. Taken on their own, the panels of armor were flat and boring; the overall color scheme uninspired. The base color was taupe for god's sake. Lesson learned: a model has to be able to hold it's own.

3. Jump!

It doesn't matter how difficult the technique is, just do it. It might work, it might fail miserably, but you will learn volumes.

The fear of failure is paralyzing. Many would rather commit to a paintjob they know will turn out okay rather than try for a new technique that might ruin the model.

Enjoy the mistakes; they are the stepping stones to greatness.

Painted battle damage lent another dimension to the armor. Increased shading and highlighting gave the flat panels depth. Clean freehand and basecoating created a professional finish. In the fine arts, this is referred to as gestalt theory, the unified whole being greater than the sum of it's individual parts. By improving the weakest elements of my painting, I had raised the quality of the strongest.

Take the time to challenge yourself and there will be no limit to what you can achieve.

40k: Bringing New Life to an Old Friend

This week the Griffons go mobile with their first transport, a Rhino APC.

The Rhino Chassis

This is the sixth time I've painted a vehicle based on the Rhino chassis that GW introduced about 5 years ago. It's an amazing kit, in that it is truly scalable. All space marine ground vehicles, loyalist and chaos alike, are built on this one design, land raiders excepted. If you're painting marines, you're going to be spending some serious time with this kit. It's a clean and simple assembly, but it's ubiquity is a double edged sword.

The fact of the matter is that Rhinos are boring. We're so used to seeing the chassis brimming with guns, armor, and other goodies, that when we see the basic Rhino it becomes rather lackluster. It is up to us to take this humble kit and make it interesting.

Why bother? Because, depending on the game, that Rhino may be the only thing you have to represent the ten marines that are riding in it.

Think about that.

If there's ten well painted space marines you're leaving off the table, then your Rhino should be ten times more interesting than a single space marine. That's a pretty tall order, but with a strong visual theme, it's possible.

Urbanize Vehicles: Modeling

Urbanizing a vehicle is all about function.

Before you add anything past the basic build, ask yourself: Why would they bring this? The purity seals and banners can stay home, but a couple tarps could come in handy, rope or cable is always good to have around, as are repair kits and medical supplies. Communication is key, so maybe an extra antennae or two is in order. The idea is to give the impression of a self sustaining field operative.

Urbanize Vehicles: Painting

Once the vehicle is modeled completely, there are several elements that can be added to the surface of the model to reinforce the established theme. Some of the most popular Rhinos on the net are from people who use the tank as a canvas to create wild illustrations. While the skill set is impressive, it's not really in line with the urban combat theme, unless you want to have the tank camouflaged as a graffiti-strewn wall (email me if you've done this: thatguyjames-at-gmail-dot-com). It is possible to have interesting freehand without being ostentatious.

Again, functionality is key.

In this theme, vehicle markings are meant to convey pertinent information to the viewer. Here are some examples of what a marine would need to know when looking at a vehicle:

• Loyalist or renegade
• Chapter of origin
• Squad designation
• Weapon capabilities
• Model and make

These pieces of information can be conveyed in a number of subtle and not-so-subtle ways. In this Rhino, the aquila and colors show that it belongs to the Howling Griffons, a Loyalist marine chapter. The prominence of the arrow symbol as well as the number 1 indicates it is transporting marines from the 1st tactical squad. When combined, these elements will add a strong atmospheric element to your model. You begin to build a micro-narrative for the vehicle with every extra detail you add. Every scar on the armor is telling of the battles it has seen, every piece of equipment where it has yet to go.

Balance is vital. Just as an underdetailed model does not hold interest, an overworked model becomes messy and difficult to look at. Take your time and reevaluate frequently; you're the only one who knows when it's done. With these ideas in mind, you'll end up with a transport you can be proud to have represent your boys on the tabletop.