Weathering Pigment: Tank Treads

I just finished a tutorial for Secret Weapon Miniatures showing you how I weather tank treads using pigments. This fantastic technique is easy to apply and takes only a few minutes to create.

Check it out on the Secret Weapon blog....

Imperial Fists Sterngard Veteran

I just launched a new set of Roman style crests for Secret Weapon Miniatures and just had to take the first cast and start a model.

I've wanted an excuse to paint one of my Sterngard Veteran models and a shiny new helmet crest seemed like the perfect excuse. I went with Imperial Fists simply because I like 'em.

Imperial Guard Kill Team

I've been working on armies off and on for a few years now - and I still don't have one I can game with regularly. To help correct that, and give me a chance to learn the rules, I've put together two kill team lists. One uses 25 of my Vostroyan infantry and the other, shown here, is an 11 man hitter:

Vet squad w/ Harker (2 flamers)
Marbo

I don't have Marbo in the picture because I haven't started painting him and I'm shy one flamer so the other vet is standing by.

Because I might eventually use these models with my Vostroyans they're being done in the same colours but with Cadian bodies and Pig Iron heads to help differentiate them.

Forge World Executioner - Color Test 01

This isn't the Executioner. This is one of several Leman Russ that I have laying about. I decided to pull a couple of them out of my army transport bag and start doing some color tests.

On this first I like the recipe but think I applied the second highlight much too heavily. Much, much too heavily. I'm going to set this one aside for my weathering workshop on Friday and get another one ready to spray later this week.

I won't let paint touch the Executioner until I'm happy with a color test though. Nope, no sir. Not gonna happen.

Quick Tip: Paint & Detail Order

I see a lot of questions on forums about when certain techniques should be applied in relation to each other and so I've put together this Quick Tip rule of thumb:

primer
acrylic paints
gloss
washes & decals
gloss if you've done decals
secondary washes & panel lines
matte sealer
chipping (sponge or brush)
pencil effects
oil & wash filter effects
pigments
matte sealer

See my Quick Tip on Gloss vs. Flat Sealer for a quick look at which the different sealers matter.

Weathering Workshop - Sacramento, CA

Friday 26-March @ 6:30 PM

Great Escape Games and Secret Weapon Miniatures are presenting a FREE model weathering workshop. Justin "misterjustin" McCoy, founder of Secret Weapon, will be in the shop to present a one hour introduction to working with weathering pigments that will include:

* Pigments vs. Pastels
* What to look for in a pigment
* Basic application - dry
* Using a thinner to set pigments
* Using a liquid fixative to set pigments
* Achieving realistic dust/dirt
* Achieving realistic rust
* Weathering tracks and tires
* Weathering metal and engines
* Weathering exhausts and gun muzzles
* Weathering infantry

Participants are invited to bring a model for demonstration purposes. This model should have all of the basic painting completed - although some demonstration can be done on a primed model.

For more information send an email to misterjustin at Secret Weapon Miniatures dot com or leave a comment with your contact information.

I will also have product samples on hand - and although I will have two models for the demonstration my hope is to use what attendees bring with them. Everyone should get a chance to try the materials and techniques and I will stick around for a bit after the workshop for some 1:1 assistance.

Forge World Executioner - Clean-up Time

I just couldn't stop myself from doing a bit more work on this today. I still need to finish the restraints on the pioneer kit and do a bit of clean-up but otherwise, barring any feedback from the online community, I think it's time to set the model aside and move on to the base.

A friend is sending me some of the FW Krieg decals to help with the finishing touches and I'm going to test the paint scheme on... something prior to putting this thing in the same room as my airbrush. I'm sure I can dig up a tank from one of my boxes.

And now... back to my Vostroyans!

Forge World Executioner - Detailing Nearly Finished!!!

The starboard side brass rail for the skirt needs to be smoothed but at least it's cut, folded and attached.

I've added tracks on hooks to the front as both stowage and extra armor. I will add weld lines to the hooks, do a bit more folding and then fill in the mold marks on the tracks.

The brass pannier has been reattached and squared a bit more. It will have jerry cans in it when the model is finished.

I still need to decide where to put a couple of lights... but that doesn't have to happen today.

Forge World Executioner

I had a couple of people ask me what the brass triangles on the side of the tank were for so I thought I'd post an early WIP shot of the side skirt armor. I say "early" because this is only about 50% completed... on one side.

I need to bring the back of the support rail up a bit to correct the lay of the bottom line. There will also be secondary supports where the holes in the center of each panel are... assuming I remembered to line them up correctly.

The side skirts are going to get covered in litany text from bow to stern and then appropriately weathered and chipped. I won't be attaching them permanently so that I can get to the tank itself.

Forge World Executioner

My brass panniers came in today and I wasted no time in getting one onto the Executioner!

Of course I also apparently wasted no time in making sure that the edges were square. I'll fix that.

The detail on the engine is from the panniers frame. The bits on the side are cut brass that will form the top half of the side skirt armor rail.

The panniers are, of course, a Secret Weapon product -- and you get EIGHT panniers in three sizes on the frame. Oh yes, I will have a use for these....