SDR-5V Spider / 23rd Arcturan Guards (Group shot added)

[Cazaril]

Have you ever had that mini on your workbench.. The one that when you started it you were so excited, but something happened and by the time you were through you just wanted to get it done? This is one of them for me...

This Spider I started right after the Charity Auction we did last November... It was the first Spider I've ever done, so I couldn't wait to do it... Of course mistake number one was not reposing it. I've got 6 Spiders planned for the 349th's Independent Recon Group, and since I didn't have any others, I figured I leave this one as is... But reposing has made me WANT to paint, so the excitement soon wore off.

Then came the new year. Work picked up, so spare time evaporated... But I had made arrangements to do a little repose work... Figuring I could paint a little, repose a little, it'd all be good.. Yeah, ask me how that worked out... I struggled to just get the repose stuff done...

Anyway, I got the repose stuff out the door, and sat down to a real effort to finish this one up... Not as happy as I usually am... The 6 months of no painting shows, and my skills are a little rusty. Plus, I was in such a hurry to get it done I rushed it...

Normally about now I would also add a bunch of fluff, but I've forgotten most of the story I had in my head from 6 months ago.. Although part of it does remain. The story centers around a company in the Commonwealth that makes "Steiner Blue" armor bond for 'Mechs. Mainly because the owner of the company was offended to see "Damn Kurita Red" panel lines on Steiner Mechs... Since that time, Forged Bond in the Federated Suns has brought out a whole line of colored armor bond, which has become popular among MechWarriors, especially Spider pilots.

Comments, suggestions, welcome





Caz

[Saatch]

That's really nice, and I love your basing. Very well done.

[JadeHellbringer]

Agreed, the Mech looks fantastic, but the basing is just top notch stuff. What do you use for trees?

[Cazaril]

What do you use for trees?

All they are is just dark green clump foliage, torn into a vague tree shape.

Caz

[worktroll]

You've got the panelled white, and snow bases, down just right ...  O0

[SDR-5V]

 :D  O0 Cool!

Great job, the repose is subtle but well done, painting and basing are top, too!

Cheers

[jimdigris]

 O0

[Wotan]

I wish my paintjobs would look half as nice when i'm finally done with them.  :-\

As always you did an excellent white and your winter bases are awesome.

[HavocTheWarDog]

Fantastic!!!! Painstaking work, I'm sure! Beautiful nonetheless!

[Cazaril]

the repose is subtle but well done

No repose on this one (other then maybe it being bashed around a bit by a previous owner)... I left this one alone since I have plans for 6 others, all to be reposed, for my 349th Dragoon's IRG.

Caz

[SDR-5V]

I thought the walking stance was slightly enhanced.
However, great paintjob and matching base!  O0

[dirty harry]

Cazaril the white magician strikes back...

I am painting a Scarabus for another Arcturian Guard at the moment and it doesn't look as good as this one anyway. How can one manage white this good...

[BARNESGN]

super sweet snow job

[avon1985]

I like it! O0

[Cazaril]

How can one manage white this good...

The short tutorial;

Remember, this is all panel painting.

Paint the whole thing with an undercoat of Reaper's Rainy Grey... Then start painting the panels with Reaper's Misty Grey... After that repaint the panels with the Misty Grey mixed 2:1, 1:1, 1:2 and finally straight Reaper's Pure White. Each time, trying to leave a little bit (or more, depending on the shadow) of the previous color behind.

I guess there are 5 progressions, 6 if you count the undercoat.

When I did the original Griffin, I learned to make the size of the grey area smaller, and use more white - where I had used it as a highlight color previously. What that mean is, paint your white to be the majority of each panel (unless in shadow), because otherwise your Mech comes out light grey, with white highlights.

Sounds simple, but it is tedious... Of course the time spent is worth it..

That's how you get them to look like mine... My current challenge is to figure out ow to make them look better then they do now...  :)

Caz

[Dragoon1]

Love seeing your work.  Your white I'd outstanding!  I would love to a group shot of all your Arcturan Guards.  O0 O0 O0 [drool] [drool] 8)

[Cazaril]

I would love to a group shot of all your Arcturan Guards.

Here is the team so far... I'm working mainly in the first Battalion, although the Atlas belongs to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Company (Which will be entirely done with plastic minis or one kind or another).



And while I can't get my hands on them, I still do have pictures of these two:

This was a commission for Haku... It's a BD Falcon. The reason it is number 5, is that was his kids favorite number at the time.




This one was auctioned off at a charity auction we held last year for a member of Lords of the Battlefield... It's a reposed AWS-9Q Awesome. It has no number, so it can be used anywhere in the unit the winner wanted.




Like I originally said (before I edited it out); With only 7 Mechs so far, the team isn't that impressive... I had planned to do a group shot when I got a full company finished (and probably still will)

Caz

[Cowdragon]

holy buckets! Love it! Wish when I rushed things it looked this good

[TheMaster1955]

very nice O0