Author Topic: HONK TEAM ✨📯 (first miniatures)  (Read 5836 times)

mooonmagic

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HONK TEAM ✨📯 (first miniatures)
« on: 11 August 2019, 03:14:42 »
Hello everyone! I've been lurking for awhile but I finally finished* painting my first miniature, a Wolverine from the GOAC box:



My daughter and I are learning to play Alpha Strike together, so we are each painting a lance (I'll post more pictures when we finish; our aesthetics are pretty different :) ). I fell in love with Battletech through Mechwarrior 2 (like, 24 years ago?!) but really didn't know about the Inner Sphere or Anything Else until I played the HBS game.

Painting miniatures is super fun. Not sure if there are any units that use this blue / green scheme? Honestly I chose them because I love the sharecart1000 color palette, and those are the colors of my mercenary company in the HBS game (very respectfully named HONK TEAM).

*I need to paint the base and add the little grass tufts, and I'm not brave enough to jewel the cockpit yet. It's so tempting to just fuss with a miniature forever?
« Last Edit: 15 September 2019, 02:02:07 by mooonmagic »

jimdigris

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #1 on: 11 August 2019, 07:04:00 »
 :thumbsup:

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #2 on: 11 August 2019, 08:17:27 »
 :thumbsup:

If continuing to fuss with a miniature until i have it exactly how I want it is wrong, then I don't want to be right.

Battletech has a strong connection to merc units.  Specifically so that you can play "Your dudes and dudettes".  So yes there is a group that use that particular blue and green paint scheme, HONK TEAM.  They are now available for hire at your closest mercenary hiring hall.
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Re: first miniature
« Reply #3 on: 11 August 2019, 12:47:58 »
It is a good miniature and very, very good to be your first.  :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Don't be scared with the jewelling. It is the first step to improve. If it doesn't work you can paint black over it. Just add a glossy coat and it would be ok.

The only suggestion is to add a wash to some panel lines to make them "pop" more. Overall, great miniature.
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mooonmagic

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #4 on: 11 August 2019, 12:54:56 »
Took a deep breath and painted the cockpit this morning.



Really happy with it, but I should probably do the sides too, right?  :P

I'll probably do a really thin wash for some of the panel lines that ended up a bit light. Thanks for the kind words!

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #5 on: 11 August 2019, 13:12:16 »
You did a great job on the cockpit IMO. it really changes the entire mini.

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #6 on: 11 August 2019, 13:54:39 »
Whoah, the cockpit really changes the mini a lot.  :thumbsup:

I need to learn how to do cockpits properly...

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #7 on: 11 August 2019, 21:20:38 »
Well done and the cockpit looks great. :thumbsup: 8)
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Re: first miniature
« Reply #8 on: 11 August 2019, 23:22:17 »
Hello everyone! I've been lurking for awhile but I finally finished* painting my first miniature, a Wolverine from the GOAC box:




If that's your first, I look forward to seeing later ones -- you've nailed it so far!  :thumbsup:

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #9 on: 12 August 2019, 00:25:01 »
Wow, I love the cockpit,  Well Done !!

And I really like the choice of colors too,  I was JUST thinking of some sort of Blue/Green combo the other day.

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #10 on: 12 August 2019, 00:30:41 »
wow that jewling is awesome

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #11 on: 12 August 2019, 07:07:45 »
Well done and the cockpit looks great. :thumbsup: 8)
It does!

An never forget: Minis are supposed to look cool on the battlefield. They're rarely inspected close up. So, everything blurs at a distance and looks quite differently. What looks weird from 10 cm away, will usually come together nicely when inspected from 1 m away and grouped together with the rest of the lance or company.
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Re: first miniature
« Reply #12 on: 12 August 2019, 10:40:28 »
Looks great, and you did an excellent job on the cockpit!

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #13 on: 12 August 2019, 11:01:48 »
Wonderful job for a 1st miniature!

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #14 on: 13 August 2019, 04:51:19 »
Sweet! :thumbsup:

mooonmagic

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #15 on: 13 August 2019, 16:45:32 »
Thanks y'all! This is such an encouraging place.



I finished the other pane of the cockpit and painted the base (muddy yellow basecoat, black wash, orange drybrushing with the same color as the cockpit), which was really satisfying. I added the tufts to see how they looked, but I haven't varnished yet, so they're not glued down. I'll paint them after I glue them so they're not so red. Question: I got Testors Dullcote but I've never used it before. I'm a little worried about applying it? Are there any tricks? I'll be brushing it on.

I've finished basecoating the Thunderbolt and it's shaping up nicely. I feel like I'm already an order of magnitude faster at painting after all the experimenting and fussing with the Wolverine.
« Last Edit: 13 August 2019, 16:57:06 by mooonmagic »

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #16 on: 13 August 2019, 18:59:30 »
Thanks y'all! This is such an encouraging place.



I finished the other pane of the cockpit and painted the base (muddy yellow basecoat, black wash, orange drybrushing with the same color as the cockpit), which was really satisfying. I added the tufts to see how they looked, but I haven't varnished yet, so they're not glued down. I'll paint them after I glue them so they're not so red. Question: I got Testors Dullcote but I've never used it before. I'm a little worried about applying it? Are there any tricks? I'll be brushing it on.

I've finished basecoating the Thunderbolt and it's shaping up nicely. I feel like I'm already an order of magnitude faster at painting after all the experimenting and fussing with the Wolverine.

I haven't used Testors Dullcote in a while. I use Krylon Matte Finish 1311 because the results are similar (in my experience) but it's like $3.50 for a can that is 3 to 4 times the size of Testors.

So with that in mind (different product), I assume it may have the same faults.

  • Shake it very well, and do some test pulses into a box
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  • Humidity in the air: This can cause the miniature to develop a surface coat which almost looks like a frosty dust. Google it and you can see examples. If you are spraying outside, I would look at the humidity, if it is too high, I would maybe spray another day. I spray indoors and deal with the smell, you might want to get a mask. If you do encounter this frosty looking dust, it can go away if you re-spray it - i would google this as-well just so you know the fixes that people have done.
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  • Spray distance and pace: Follow instructions as best as you can for distance. You don't have to be perfect. Pace, I would suggest you do long strokes, so if the mini is 2" tall, maybe go 5" or 6". Always starting and ending your strokes away from the mini directly. I start at a side of the mini,  up and down motion (in pulses, not continuously hitting the cap), then move to the right or left (depending on which side you started) to cover the mini. I put the minis in a box, so that the open end faces me vertically, and the mini is upwards on one of the walls. That way whatever spray does not hit the mini, hits the inside of the box, and it is technically fully enclosed (5 walls around it, with the open area for you to spray). You can even use the open end of the box as a shield for whatever furniture you are spraying on.
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  • Coverage: I typically spray in 9 directions up and down, thin quickish strokes. I start dead on, and hit it from about -45º, head on (0º), and the +45º. Let it dry per the instructions on the label (for Krylon, 10 to 15 minutes is fine, this will depend on how thin you spray), and I rotate the entire mini 120º, and do the 3 sweeps (-45º, 0º, +45º), wait... another 120º rotation. and do the 3 sweeps (-45º, 0º, +45º). This is easy to visualize as the base is a hex. I start at one hex face, rotate 2 hex faces, and rotate 2 hex faces.
---
  • The only time i'll do a direct burst onto the mini, will be if there is a decal on that face, as a precaution because the air-pressure can lift the decal and ruin it. I will have always gotten one coat of dullcote before applying decals though.
« Last Edit: 13 August 2019, 19:03:41 by .RL »
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Re: first miniature
« Reply #17 on: 13 August 2019, 19:21:27 »
Dang dude, you sure you're not a CamoSpecs artist?

That's a fantastic mini!

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Re: first miniature
« Reply #18 on: 14 August 2019, 08:02:28 »
It is a good miniature and very, very good to be your first.  :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Agreed. Better than anything I've done.

Don't be scared with the jewelling. It is the first step to improve. If it doesn't work you can paint black over it. Just add a glossy coat and it would be ok.

Didn't someone suggest using nail polish for jewelling? Already a super high gloss and it comes in a variety of colors.
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mooonmagic

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Re: first miniatures
« Reply #19 on: 16 August 2019, 21:49:45 »
WIP Thunderbolt. I love this sculpt! So chonky. Still need to do some clean-up but mostly done.

mooonmagic

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Re: first miniatures
« Reply #20 on: 15 September 2019, 01:55:30 »
I mostly finished the lance! Here's a small, shadowy picture of them; need to get A Lighting Situation.

I STILL haven't varnished them, but I will, eventually, and then I'll glue the grass down and they will be Properly Done.

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Re: HONK TEAM ✨📯 (first miniatures)
« Reply #21 on: 15 September 2019, 05:14:03 »
They're looking real good.

Here's a small, shadowy picture of them; need to get A Lighting Situation.

Don't be scared to take them outside in the sun to photograph, usually works out every bit as good as a light box (disclaimer: I still use a lightbox, because I'm  a shut-in). If you look up a channel called miniac on youtube, he has some good tutorials for photoghraphing your stuff, including using sunlight.

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Re: first miniatures
« Reply #22 on: 15 September 2019, 11:50:01 »
I mostly finished the lance! Here's a small, shadowy picture of them; need to get A Lighting Situation.

I STILL haven't varnished them, but I will, eventually, and then I'll glue the grass down and they will be Properly Done.

From that distance the Battlemaster cockpit looks beautiful. Well done. :thumbsup:
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Re: HONK TEAM ✨📯 (first miniatures)
« Reply #23 on: 15 September 2019, 13:21:33 »
Quality work moonmagic, but i don't believe this is your first time painting.

mostly because if it is i'll be very depressed.....
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Re: first miniatures
« Reply #24 on: 15 September 2019, 20:27:06 »
WIP Thunderbolt. I love this sculpt! So chonky. Still need to do some clean-up but mostly done.

I'm a BIG fan of the new Thunderbolt.
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Re: HONK TEAM ✨📯 (first miniatures)
« Reply #25 on: 15 September 2019, 22:10:00 »
Quality work moonmagic, but i don't believe this is your first time painting.

mostly because if it is i'll be very depressed.....

yeah it took me like 200 paint jobs just to achieve "looks competent but only in peripheral vision"

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mooonmagic

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Re: HONK TEAM ✨📯 (first miniatures)
« Reply #26 on: 16 September 2019, 00:25:29 »
Quality work moonmagic, but i don't believe this is your first time painting.

mostly because if it is i'll be very depressed.....

I feel like I have a lot of privilege just being able to access all the helpful resources and tutorials folks have provided on this forum! Also I haven't posted pictures of all the times I donked it up and had to start over. It has been over a month on these bbs, after all. 😅

EDIT: to be clear i mean "babies" and not "bulletin board system".
« Last Edit: 16 September 2019, 00:35:14 by mooonmagic »

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Re: HONK TEAM ✨📯 (first miniatures)
« Reply #27 on: 16 September 2019, 08:06:44 »
Those cockpits are amazing! Really nice work. (Nice lance make-up, too!)
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Re: HONK TEAM ✨📯 (first miniatures)
« Reply #28 on: 24 September 2019, 16:23:33 »
I  :smitten: HONK TEAM!  ;D