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Lightbox

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  1. Lightbox
    So anyone who knows me is going to read this title, let out a laugh and say "What? Lightbox paint to a deadline? That'll never happen!" and well... I mean I do have a track record that would prove them right but regardless I'm making this pledge. Even set myself twice a month phone reminders to keep up with it.
    THE PLAN:
    So I'm deciding to start a new conversion project for this one and that projects theme is going to be: SEA AELVES!
    And I don't just mean idoneth... i mean various aelves in blues, greens and turquoises led by a badass mermaid. Now I bet you're wondering "Lightbox how will you make a mermaid?" WELL BEHOLD MY AMAZING MICROSOFT PAINT SKILLS TO SHOW YOU THE MOCKUP OF HOW I PLAN TO DO IT!!
    May alternatively use a demonette head or greenstuff some hair onto it. Colours will of course be BLUE and frankly if I can build it with just the one fish tail I'd prefer that to the 7 billion.
    She will likely be joined by a mix of idoneth and wood aelves as I have some of the latter and I do actually plan on using semi-converted idoneth as the bulk of my force. But it should be fun to play with the colour pallette and get a really nice blue army as I haven't painted something like that in a long while
    I'll try and keep my progress updated on here and hopefully we'll see this project go from amazing MS paint edits to real life well painted models!
  2. Lightbox
    And whilst my madness is still in full bloom the labour of love that gave it it's method is nearing completion. And it's really coming together!
     
    My only issue is it's had to be more angled than I'd like to fit within the height bounds of the 'realmgate' but with the clouds it looks like it's rising up magnificently out of them! And I'm quite proud

    I'm pretty proud I've managed to achieve this just gotta trim the clouds for the base and then finally add on my energy arcs from the gate itself to give it the proper appearance of having just materialised into the realm, bursting forth from the massive gateway to soar through the clouds before dropping down onto the foe to rain aether death upon them!!
     
    Ahem... Anyway here's a WIP of the energy
    Using the creeping vines kit with the leaves cut off for them. Will possibly need to cut them down a bit further but should look good
  3. Lightbox

    Kharadron Ironclad

    By Lightbox,

    Slowly but surely my work on my shadow pirate kharadrons continues currently with my ironclad. Unfortunately my ironclad and frigates were bought fully assembled so are proving a bit of a pain to paint. But we're getting there at least.
     
    Almost done on this one, need to drybrush golden griffon to dull down the gold a little as golden griffon is paler and less bright. Then just crew and little details.

  4. Lightbox
    So good news today. Even more work has been done on the ironclad! And once I get it finished and my special base done it will be ready to set sail at the head of my fleet!
    Look forward to seeing this beauty rising up through the clouds soon!
  5. Lightbox
    Hi there!
     
    Some of you may have noticed that I attempted a 31 days of hoby challenge in December. You'll also notice my blog has far from 31 entries. The objective of this challenge was to work on hobby for at least 1 hour a day, though as I knew I'd be at my girlfriends at least 1 weekend in December I added the rule of if I miss any days I make up for them with extra time on other days. Now I did not manage this challenge at all, but honestly? I've learnt one hell of a lot from trying it and I'm going to share those lessons.
     
    POSITIVES:
    So lets begin with the positives I gained/learnt from this challenge:
    1) It gave me motivation: Now this is a big one, normally I have 0 motivation to paint because honestly I find it very intimidating at times. I'm still not used to batch painting or doing lots of models so as much as I love painting a hero or two any squads are instant turn offs because I'm too used to spending hours per model. This challenge however gave me the motivation to attack my unpainted pile and frankly really helped, which also moves me onto point 2...
    2) It broke it down: What I'm saying here is basically that doing only an hour or so at a time was the best thing for it because it taught me that no, I don't have to spend an entire evening doing painting or modelling. The hardest thing for me is fitting hobby around my other time consuming hobbies and the fact I generally don't have weekends available to myself as much anymore as I'm often visiting friends or doing tabletop rpg's with my girlfriend and some of our friends. The fact that I got to experience the idea of just doing small chunks each day actually really helped remove the intimidation factor and let me still do gaming or other stuff in the same day.
    3) I learnt how to batch paint: This came from having to try and get 10 kairic acolytes ready within a week for a big game. It also taught me I hate batch painting but that's another story. I also coincidentally learnt...
    4) I learnt that I don't have to paint every model like a hero: This mostly came from doing the batch painting but I finally actually got myself to try just doing bare minimum quick and easy tabletop standard. And y'know what? It looks pretty damn good in a game and isn't hugely different from my nicely painted heroes. Go figure!
    5) I learnt that I still love doing conversions: But y'know whats even nicer than those conversions? Getting to start painting them and seeing them start coming together.
    6) I learnt new techniques: From this challenge I got to try new things and techniques especially when painting my varanguard and archaon, most notably for archaon I got to try my first time doing a flaming sword. And goodness I think it came out spectacularly well! I also learnt that nuln oil over gold armour is probably better than reikland fleshshade for getting those shadows/shading in. Freehanding eyes and face makeup is still hard but good to practice too.
    7) Most importantly I learnt that it's okay to fail: I did not manage this challenge and frankly? Who cares! I did this challenge in order to give me the motivation to paint and try and just start getting into a habit of doing some hobby. And honestly? It worked! Even now it's over I finally have that itch to want to get stuff painted, something I never really had before and I'm super stoked about that. Just gotta make sure it lasts  But at the end of the day I learnt a lot and had some fun, and that's really the point of challenges isn't it? It's to give yourself a new way to enjoy things.
     
    Now there were also some negatives unfortunately:
     
    1) I found it sometimes became a chore: Having the forced 1 hour a day both didn't work and sometimes demotivated me, I would also feel crappy when I missed days which also didn't help. I think it's good to try and set time to do painting each week but you need to allow yourself to be flexible else you'll struggle to fit it all in.
    2) I still couldn't stick to a single project: Whilst this was initially done to try and finish my kharadrons I had I ended up quite quickly swapping to painting up my chaos force because frankly I felt like it and kinda enjoyed it a bit more. I've always been bad at sticking to any one project for an extended amount of time and alas that doesn't look to be stopping anytime soon.
    3) I got ill!: A big issue with this was being too ill to paint for the first two weeks of December, meant that I missed the early motivation and didn't manage to get it into habit.
    4) I couldn't manage it consecutively: As you'll likely see from my blog posts I was unable to do that many days which whilst it's okay to have failed still feels kinda sucky. But I know I cannot paint every day, just need to try and do at least once a week I think.
    5) I learnt I still don't know how many days are in each month: You'll notice some blog posts are 31 days and some are 30 days. Apparently I am still a child and can't remember month days  Though tbh that's always been a thing for me...
     
    All this being said whilst it did highlight a lot of issues I have when it comes to army projects and painting... I am glad that I tried the challenge because as I said earlier I've really gained some motivation from it and some new insight. Frankly I'd like to put the challenge to you guys as well. Can you manage an hour of painting each day for a month? Maybe try it and see what you learn/gain from it. If nothing else it's a great excuse to finish some of those models you really want to see painted  
     
  6. Lightbox
    So Friday did not have any building or painting due to being at Warhammer world all day alas and Saturday I was also out and busy most of the day.
     
    However I did manage to build valkia the bloody and half a unit of blood warriors. Not much but still something! And that's what counts.
     
    My chaos force is building up nicely. Now just need to get more paint on stuff.


  7. Lightbox
    So yesterday I didn't get much time to paint but I got some good stuff done. Finally got some paint on my priestess and lady of slaanesh as well as getting a bit of paint on some blight kings and doing more work on archaon! Still plenty left to do though.
     
    (Apologies for picture quality. Light in the room was not the best for photos and I was tired)







  8. Lightbox
    Today unfortunately I didn't manage to get much done. I've done further drybrushing work on archaon but it won't show up enough in pics to warrent showing really. But I did start getting some metal detail on my green varanguard. Tomorrow shall have to be more productive.
  9. Lightbox
    So today being Christmas and living with my family meant that I didn't have too much painting time today. But I still got a decent amount done!!
     
    First I added blue to my acolytes and even did their scroll which I'm rather proud of.
    Now mostly need highlights and basing.
     
    I also managed to wash and drybrush my varanguard, something different compared to my last unit but certainly an interesting style. And a rather different colour scheme.
    Need to start getting detailing and other colours on them.
     
    And finally this evening I managed to get started on the big mans horse(monster thing?) himself! Dorghar!!

    Still lots to do before friday though!! So shall get cracking again tomorrow.
  10. Lightbox
    So as per usual I have continued to work on my beloved varanguard. With 2 of squad 1 almost finished and squad 2 now base sprayed caliban green for something a little different. Figure hey why not really differentiate the squads, get that proper multiple bands coming together as everchosen feel.
    Whew that's a lot of photos of beefy horsemen!! So let's have something a little different. I started on batch painting my 10 kairic acolytes I'll need, doing them very quick and dirty because I need to teach myself not to spend hours on single footsoldiers who are gonna be surrounded by lots of others and die in droves. They're far from finished but definitely a good start and mostly now just need smaller details, feathers and then highlights.

     
    Though I plan to do more later I am taking a break for now in order to play a game against my dad to try out my list for Friday's Warhammer world 2v2 where me and another man of the same name playing khorne will square off vs my dad and another guy playing bonesplitters & ironjawz. (Fun fact, all 4 of us have names beginning with J)

    Wish me luck!
  11. Lightbox
    My goal of 9 varanguard is nearing completion... 4 of the 6 i was building are finished! Decided one unit will have daemonforged blades, I know they're kinda crappy but I love the sculpts and I can always count them as ensorcelled weapons sometimes too. That will give me 6 spears and 3 who don't care about charging (If I need someone tough to objective sit)

    I've also done more work on the slaughterpriestess, couldn't find a good head with hair to hold so instead she's torn out the spine too!! I'm very happy with it

    And finally I have almost finished my lord of slaanesh on foot, some escher legs gave a lovely punkish slaanesh feel may have to shorten the sword though but I do love her dancing esque pose 


    All in all I'm really happy with how this lot are coming along
  12. Lightbox
    On friday I did a little bit of building a nurgle gnarlmaw which isn't worth a photo really. On Saturday I was too busy tabletop roleplaying for painting alas but today... Today I have continued to give glorious cover to the strongest of all chaos warriors!! THE VARANGUARD!
     
    This first squad is slowly but surely getting there. I can only hope it'll prove quicker for other ones so I can try and get them ready for friday!!








  13. Lightbox
    So yesterday I began work on some conversions which are all in a WIP state but I'm having fun building. The first is my slaughterpriest/priest to sit atop my warshrine made from a darkoath warqueen. She's getting there and just needs a victims head to hold, his body also needs some greenstuffing.


    I shall endeavour to get better pictures once done.
    Next we have MORE VARANGUARD. Once these and another box are done I shall have 9 total, because I'm terrible but I love them so much. Not much to say here as they're all non converted besides a tentacle to replace the hand I used for the queen.


    Finally we have some very WIP conversions for some lords of slaanesh made from idoneth. One on a demonic steed and another on foot. I'll definitely need some ways to chaos these two up a bit more. Besides just shields. Hopefully they'll look the part when finished and painted!

    I shall be doing more work on them tonight so hopefully will be able to show you all soon!!
  14. Lightbox
    So for today I kitbashed some DoK khinerae into some shield maiden-esque hellstriders of slaanesh as well as started slapping some paint onto my slaaneshi Varanguard.
     
    I think they're coming out quite nicely it's nice to get more of my chaos stuff sorted too. Archaon and the Varanguard have really been giving me enjoyment doing chaos.






  15. Lightbox
    So today wasn't an hour of painting... It was more a half hour of building / converting as between picking up a doctor's note and wargaming I didn't have much time today or motivation to paint. But hey any hobby is better than none
     
    Today I finally built up a rider for my third Varanguard as I had used a rider ages back to make a chaos lord. This new lord is pretty simple, he's the manticore sorcerer lord with a shield. But he looks very nice on his steed and makes a great tzeentchy varanguard.
     
    The steed I lost a head for somehow so he instead had a cold one head with some greenstuffed armour to make him fit in more which I think looks nice He also had a great first showing tonight when his unit charged in and butchered mazarral the butcher!! Go team!


  16. Lightbox
    So making up for being ill for like 10 days by painting up this beauty. Still got his hair to do and no doubt many other details but considering he started as grey plastic today I'm pretty happy with my work.
     
    Absolutely lovely model to work with though I am terrified of painting Dorghar... That boy is big!




  17. Lightbox
    So some people (the best kind of people, ones who look at this mess of a blog) will have seen my post about wanting to do an hour of painting each day in December. Something I totally intended to do.
     
    Then I got ill. And I'm still ill. And it's pretty crappy. Hoping to be better soon but yeah I've been mostly out of action this entire week so alas no painting. Which is sucky So instead I'll show you guys some stuff from an hour I did late November as an attempt to start getting me ready for the December challenge.



    Nothing too amazing unfortunately but hopefully it could be kinda cool to get a following of the progress on these three guys in pic form And hope they finish as much more interesting
     
  18. Lightbox
    So I'm going to publically say that I am going to attempt to do something I've never managed before and may very well fail.
     
    I am going to try and do 1 hour of painting every day for the whole of december... 
     
    I know I know... Me? Paint every day? Not just once a month? It's absolute madness! But it's important that I try because I want to get into the habit of painting for an hour every day. And it might help me catch up on the tale of warlords that I have fallen rediculously behind on. I shall try and post each day of my progress somewhere and anytime I miss days (whether due to my own forgetfulness or not being around my paints) I shall endeavour to catch up on the lost hours.
     
    Here's to dreaming of a corax white christmas  

    And constantly getting paint on my clothes...
  19. Lightbox
    So yesterday my dastardly nighthaunt fought against my dads villainous beastmen and won a close fought victory. We played path to glory using the malign portents rules for some extra pizazz. We picked our portents at random and I ended up with the falling star which gave me some surprisingly useful save shenanigans.
     
    Gavespawn beasts can pack a punch! I'm very glad of my etheral since his doombull was capable of doing 5 damage with his axe and was really gunning for my mounted knight of shrouds. At the end of the game I had just 2 chainrasps left who valiently knocked the last 2 wounds off of his summoned bullgors. Chainrasps are a great little battleline
     
    Malign portents was a surprisingly simple and fun addon, we played the they came from below narrative mission from the book which I think was a good fun one. Lots of good shenanigans were had! Even if he kept making me charge on d6 and i kept rolling 1's and 2's... my poor dreadblade harrow barely made his charges.
     
    Unfortunately I have no photos but my list was:
    -1 x knight of shrouds on ethereal steed
    -1 x Dreadblade harrow
    -5 x Glaivewraith stalkers
    -4 x Myrnmourn Banshees
    -10 x Chainrasps
  24. Lightbox
    Sooo spent practically my entire day today working on Morathi. Building her and then beginning to paint her! She's certainly shaping up nicely
     
    looking forward to seeing her when she's done. I'm a bit unsure on the pink scales but well they'll do! Unless I can find a better colour to add my second drybrush coat with. Drybrushing them wasn't too bad and makes it a faster process!


  25. Lightbox
    So I have the issue of I have done no work on my freeguild since Friday because motivation... (and also monster hunter with friends + assignments got in the way) so that's a pain... gonna make sure the remaining 10 guard I need are built up tonight. And will try and get stuff at least sprayed the basecoat.
     
    I always struggle getting things painted, and I suppose the fact I've been basically dragged into doing a game with my least put together army with only a week to try and prepare anything for what is going to be a difficult game (My opponents all only really play khorne so can build really well whereas I have played freeguild like... for one path to glory campaign) Is a really big pain!
     
    At least come Saturday I can drown my tears in pretty van saar and just start focusing on necromunda and 40k for a bit. Will probably try and play less games of AoS till I can get some painting done, I'm also getting really bored of fighting khorne armies right now (they always feel the same to play, they move forward and charge and ignore battleshock. Give me an opponent that can actually do more than just combat phase me to death and tank)
     
    I'm just taking a cannon & a volley gun to upset them whilst one of my teammates will be taking a cannon and lord ordinator who can buff the ****** out of both of us. If I'm gonna be forced to keep playing khorne I'm going to introduce them to their least favourite phase... SHOOTING! And I'll rock tempests eye so I can hopefully get extra gun shots.


    At least Gunther and his gun are built. Everything else I can fill in with other stuff easy peasy. The big guns are the important bits for upsetting khorne players
     
    At least I'll get to see how well 20 guard tank a charge. Though no mystic shield wizard might be a pain... hopefully my phoenix temple ally can help me out there.  
     
    I'll see what I can push myself to do tonight. Though my order army has always been intended as a stuff to work on when I feel like it sort of army and not anything I want to rush to get table worthy. Will try to remember to do my battle report though. Unless I lose horribly, then all my notes shall somehow accidentally disappear  (just joking... probably)
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