January is a slow month

As usual January is a slow month. For me I have barely been able to get near the painting table. The lack of light in the evenings is proving to be a complete killer as I still can't find any lamp that takes a 100w bulb. I have searched everywhere possible and have turned up nothing at all. The little painting I am getting done is solely during the brief window of actual daylight I manage to be awake for at the weekend! At least now I can see that the evenings are beginning to stretch a little so soon I will be able to get painting properly again. I have restricted myself to getting some smaller things done that I had started rather than beginning new stuff. This month was also slow on the painting due to the release of the company I work fors latest game! So far so good and hopefully it will grow. Seventeen thousand customers in two days is not so bad I think.

My slightly converted Crom the Conqueror is just about finished. I have a few last touches to do, especially on the horns. He has turned out pretty good in the end. It is a pity I didn't have him ready for the Wwarhammer Ireland painting competition for December. Hopefully I will finish him within the month as my painting time is getting short short by a holiday to Finland and finally moving apartment! Wher I might add I have managed to get a dedicated 'hobby' room. I wonder how long that will last! I have no clue as to what I will be using Crom for. I had been thinking about slowly collecting a regiment of Chosen from all the metal champions I could get my hands on and that have this style of armour. It would be pretty expensive in €€€ terms but would look fairly good especially in comparison to the current Chosen models. I really don't like them at the moment. I would like to see them in the flesh so that I could jusge better.

The spawn has also been worked on a little. I have the sculpting done and the base coats applied. I think that the concept came out well. I wanted him to be a little like Slaine when he warp spasms. I think it is okay. I don't know if I should have a discarded axe somewhere on the base. The horns are annoying to do and I have tried a different technique than usual. They are okay so far but I could end up changing them still. The flesh will be done the same as on the marauders. Hopefully the weird flesh on this model will take my style of painting as easily as the more natural marauders. I wonder what they were thinking when they sculpted these models. The Spawn are so terrible. There is really nothing to be said for them.

One massive problem I have encountered is the poor quality of GW Washes. I noticed the green left a white residue on the model once the pot started to become empty. Well with this guy the GW Ogryn Flesh has left the residue too and it was a new pot. Click on the picture to pop it up in a big version and you will quickly see what I mean! I gave a very thin coat (but not a thinned coat) over the entire model. Once it had dried it left in all the areas that should be darkest a horrible white chalky effetc. I am not sure what can be done to remove this except for base coating the model again which I am loathe to do. Aanyone else had this problem? Aanyway the pot is in the bin and will possibly be followed soon by the rest of the GW Washes!

I saw the new Beastmen models this week. I actually like them quite a lot, though I am undecided about the Minotaurs still. They are huge though and would I imagine be quite easy to paint. The expanses of flesh would be pretty simple to do and I guess if they are painted better than the current GW standard of painting they would look awesome. Some of the heads are poor but I guess there are a few alternatives in the box? I can't wait to see this book. I have wanted to collect the Beastmen for a while and a good book would be the impetus I need to start. Though I have been promising not to get more stuff until I have these Warriors finished... I also saw the new Wwarmachine stuff. Thjats pretty amazing but a little more expensive than I thought it would be. I am tempted by a Cygnar army now....

It might be a while before I get to post again. Early February I expect as I am going to be very busy with the house move...Sorry!