Author Topic: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.  (Read 5499 times)

willydstyle

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #30 on: 18 May 2024, 01:50:10 »
Next up for paint is a Timberwolf S conversion, since apparently I'm allergic to Prime configurations


willydstyle

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #31 on: 19 May 2024, 15:59:06 »
I spent massive amounts of time trying to paint the timberwolf to the best of my capabilities and stressing over tiny details, and then I speed painted this Incubus in less than an hour total.




thesilverback

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #32 on: 20 May 2024, 16:54:39 »
Great looking paint job. I really like the color combo that you have going on.  :smilie_happy_thumbup:
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willydstyle

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #33 on: 21 May 2024, 02:51:14 »
Here's the entire force so far. Overall I think they look good and I feel like I've learned a lot since getting back into mini painting at the start of this project, although I would say my progression feels more zig zaggy than linear improvement.



Considering what I already have painted, which 3 mechs should I paint next to fill out the two Mech stars? Here's what I have available:



My thoughts are maybe the Dire Wolf and Warhammer (as one of the canon Clan refits) to finish off the heavier star as an Assault Star? Then I',m thinking the Vapor Eagle to run the lighter mechs as a Striker Star? What do y'all think?

ISD

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #34 on: 22 May 2024, 06:49:25 »
Fantastic-looking paintwork and I'm always a *happy camper* seeing modifications :smilie_happy_thumbup:
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Charistoph

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #35 on: 22 May 2024, 11:34:21 »
Considering what I already have painted, which 3 mechs should I paint next to fill out the two Mech stars? Here's what I have available:

My thoughts are maybe the Dire Wolf and Warhammer (as one of the canon Clan refits) to finish off the heavier star as an Assault Star? Then I',m thinking the Vapor Eagle to run the lighter mechs as a Striker Star? What do y'all think?

That could work.

It looks more like a Cavalry Binary to me, so while the Dire Wolf is a great anchor, it is an expensive and slow one.  Definitely go with a Warhammer C, as that would probably fit better than a Rifleman C or Rifleman IIC, even if the rest of the Star would leave it behind.

I love the Vapor Eagle, and it fits in well with the Mongrel and Nova, operating in between their movement profiles, with it's only problem being a non-Omni (though I imagine your Elementals will be riding the Eponas and Hephaestus more often).  If you are looking for another mobile ride for the Elementals, the Mist Lynx is the best option from your list, with the Stormcrow being a heavier option.

If you're not caring about Elemental rides, the Horned Owl makes for a good backstop psuedo-Scout that isn't too expensive if you lose it.  The Conjurer pairs well with the Vapor Eagle as well (the combo nearly tore apart a reinforced lance in a campaign we're in, if it wasn't for a couple lucky Head hits and de-legging, the unit might not have reported back).

The Piranha is a fast unit and can Scout, but I'd only bring it out to play if you face a lot of ConvInf, or you really like backstabbing with Machine Guns.
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willydstyle

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #36 on: 22 May 2024, 13:22:48 »
That could work.

It looks more like a Cavalry Binary to me, so while the Dire Wolf is a great anchor, it is an expensive and slow one.  Definitely go with a Warhammer C, as that would probably fit better than a Rifleman C or Rifleman IIC, even if the rest of the Star would leave it behind.

I love the Vapor Eagle, and it fits in well with the Mongrel and Nova, operating in between their movement profiles, with it's only problem being a non-Omni (though I imagine your Elementals will be riding the Eponas and Hephaestus more often).  If you are looking for another mobile ride for the Elementals, the Mist Lynx is the best option from your list, with the Stormcrow being a heavier option.

If you're not caring about Elemental rides, the Horned Owl makes for a good backstop psuedo-Scout that isn't too expensive if you lose it.  The Conjurer pairs well with the Vapor Eagle as well (the combo nearly tore apart a reinforced lance in a campaign we're in, if it wasn't for a couple lucky Head hits and de-legging, the unit might not have reported back).

The Piranha is a fast unit and can Scout, but I'd only bring it out to play if you face a lot of ConvInf, or you really like backstabbing with Machine Guns.

I think I'm actually leaning towards the Warhammer and Stormcrow (probably run the C variant) in the heavier star as a Heavy Striker Star, then the Vapor Eagle for the lighter star as a Striker star. What's your opinion on that?

Fantastic-looking paintwork and I'm always a *happy camper* seeing modifications :smilie_happy_thumbup:

Thank you very much :)

Charistoph

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #37 on: 22 May 2024, 18:57:45 »
Silly me, I forgot to say that your painting is great, and leagues ahead of my own.

I think I'm actually leaning towards the Warhammer and Stormcrow (probably run the C variant) in the heavier star as a Heavy Striker Star, then the Vapor Eagle for the lighter star as a Striker star. What's your opinion on that?

It definitely works.  You can use the Warhammer as an anchor, with the Executioner bouncing between that and a striker.  The Timber Wolf, Gargoyle, and Stormcrow run around causing problems as they do.

I've already given my points on the Vapor Eagle, and think its a prime choice, especially if the unit won't go Nova.

Just need another Enyo to fill out your pseudo Vehicle Nova.  Are you planning on going full Nova with 10 Vehicles and 5 Elemental Squads, or keeping this Star as is?
Are you a Wolf, a Sheep, or a Hound?
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They called me crazy…they called me insane…THEY CALLED ME LOONEY!! and boy, were they right.

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willydstyle

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #38 on: 22 May 2024, 19:04:28 »
Silly me, I forgot to say that your painting is great, and leagues ahead of my own.

It definitely works.  You can use the Warhammer as an anchor, with the Executioner bouncing between that and a striker.  The Timber Wolf, Gargoyle, and Stormcrow run around causing problems as they do.

I've already given my points on the Vapor Eagle, and think its a prime choice, especially if the unit won't go Nova.

Just need another Enyo to fill out your pseudo Vehicle Nova.  Are you planning on going full Nova with 10 Vehicles and 5 Elemental Squads, or keeping this Star as is?

I have a second enyo because they come in two packs, but I'm annoyingly missing one of the tracks. I similarly have an Anhur but I should have two. I actually found the missing minis/bits not long ago but then I lost them again lol. But yeah, the goal is a vee/elemental Nova, although in actual games I rarely run canon unit sizes/formations due to BV limitations.

Charistoph

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #39 on: 22 May 2024, 20:53:58 »
although in actual games I rarely run canon unit sizes/formations due to BV limitations.

That's almost always the case unless one runs really light.  It's one reason I don't stick to canon paint schemes myself (the other being a basic painting ability).
« Last Edit: 04 June 2024, 21:23:06 by Charistoph »
Are you a Wolf, a Sheep, or a Hound?
Quote from: Megavolt
They called me crazy…they called me insane…THEY CALLED ME LOONEY!! and boy, were they right.

Charistoph's Painted Products of Mechanical Mayhem

willydstyle

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #40 on: 23 May 2024, 22:44:33 »
That's almost always the case unless on runs really light.  It's one reason I don't stick to canon paint schemes myself (the other being a basic painting ability).

I have two wolves inside me: one that doesn't care about the lore and hasn't read a single BT novel, and one that doesn't feel right unless I make some effort to run faction-appropriate forces, lol

Anyways, thanks for your kind words and your feedback, you've been very helpful!

willydstyle

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #41 on: 04 June 2024, 18:29:50 »
It's been a while since I've done an actual "log" as in discussing my painting journey rather than just posting pictures of painted minis, so let's take some time now. This is both to provide (hopefully useful) content for y'all as well as to journal my work. I have a sizeable number of minis that I painted in the before times, before getting back into painting a year ago, where I tell myself "how did I achieve that?" and I think it might be helpful to have a record of what I've been up to for future me.

I've been focusing on two things lately: trying to get a larger difference between dark and light color values on the most shaded and most highlighted surfaces on the minis I paint, and also trying to figure out the proper paint consistency for glazing, as a skill to further the first focus. I dislike the patchiness of some of my paint jobs, especially when viewed up close, and I think if I had smoother color transitions my individual brush strokes would be less visible, achieving a smoother overall effect.

I think the Timberwolf I posted above does a good job of achieving the first goal, it has pretty dramatic shadows and well-lit upper surfaces, but the individual brush strokes are also very apparent and up close it has a patchy look.

I made a simple wet palette out of a takeout container, wet paper towels and a bit of parchment paper so I could more easily thin paints to and keep paints at glazing consistency.

The result of practicing this skill is this Warhammer:







It's not perfect, but I feel like I'm getting pretty close. I think more patience is needed to really take the time and focus on each panel if I really want to nail what I'm going for. I was going for a "heat effected metal" effect on the tips of the PPC barrels, but I think I needed to water down my paints more to get them properly translucent for that effect to really sell.

I also reposed and painted this Stormcrow, albeit with much less attention to detail and more shortcuts. I was in a rush to get these minis painted before a game so I did this one in more speed mode. I'm pretty happy with the cockpit windows, but the grey looks obviously drybrushed which gives it IMO a dirtier look. My method for painting red for the more recent minis has been to paint the entire mech grey with highlights and shading, then to paint the red areas with 50/50 red ink and water. The ink is translucent so the shading is maintained. I have also started to add extra green shading to the red areas before painting with the red ink, as green will darken red without making it look muddy. The red actually looks very rich and more shaded and highlighted in person. I'm not sure how to get the red to show up as nice on camera!





I've been transitioning to this new base effect, going for a "muddy battlefield" look. My most recent bases have achieved it best I think. The method has been to paint the base with a light dirt color, then to heavily apply umber wash, allowing the wash to pool up on the base and dry. It leaves behind that whitish glaze that IMO does a decent job of simulating light reflecting off very shallow muddy puddles.

To finish off this long reply, here's a pic of the battle that was my self-imposed painting deadline for these minis: a traditional Clan Honor Duel between a Star of my Hell's Horses and a Steel Viper star in the Clan Invasion era.


ISD

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #42 on: 05 June 2024, 00:59:34 »
Wow, great paintjobs again and thanks for sharing your process thoughts too!

Warhammer's heat-mistreated PPC tips my brain autocorrected as red-accented the same way as the Stormcrow's fists, as at a first glance it fit the theme perfectly ::think
I am awed by the Stormcrow's canopies (front shot especially).
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worktroll

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #43 on: 05 June 2024, 17:56:28 »

I've been transitioning to this new base effect, going for a "muddy battlefield" look. My most recent bases have achieved it best I think. The method has been to paint the base with a light dirt color, then to heavily apply umber wash, allowing the wash to pool up on the base and dry. It leaves behind that whitish glaze that IMO does a decent job of simulating light reflecting off very shallow muddy puddles.

I love this! So there's no texture or layering on the base itself? The effect makes it look like there is! What umber wash are you using - I don't think Agrax Earthshade would give that effect, especially the glaze?

(Definitely stealing this!)
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
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* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

willydstyle

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #44 on: 05 June 2024, 18:22:54 »
I love this! So there's no texture or layering on the base itself? The effect makes it look like there is! What umber wash are you using - I don't think Agrax Earthshade would give that effect, especially the glaze?

(Definitely stealing this!)

Thank you! Nope, there's no texture or effects paint or layering or anything, just Vallejo Umber Wash. I may have watered it down somewhat? I wish I would take more notes in the middle of my painting because I'm bad at consistent results and it would help lol

Gladius-XC

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #45 on: 05 June 2024, 19:03:40 »
You’ve definitely brought out the shadows and the highlights! That Warhammer is awesome!

worktroll

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #46 on: 05 June 2024, 20:19:19 »
Thank you! Nope, there's no texture or effects paint or layering or anything, just Vallejo Umber Wash. I may have watered it down somewhat? I wish I would take more notes in the middle of my painting because I'm bad at consistent results and it would help lol

I'll have to look into that.

One of the main reasons I always list my 'recipes', is that consistency is one of my primary goals. In cases like my Deltas, where I'll have to do the 3 additional minis later, it's how I remember :)
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

willydstyle

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #47 on: 24 August 2024, 13:18:13 »
It's been a while since I updated. This Vapor Eagle was another high-effort paint job and I'm pretty happy with it. I also used some random twigs to try to make it look like it's standing next to an artillery-shattered tree. I wish I'd had this idea earlier, as I'm trying to lean into the feeling of an artillery-battered WWI battlefield with the basing. I might need to get more ambitious with adding sandbags, trenches, etc. if I really want to capture this feeling though.

The Enyo I decided to paint in a tiger stripe camo just for funsies.

« Last Edit: 28 August 2024, 15:18:30 by willydstyle »

willydstyle

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Re: Clan Hell's Horses Alpha Galaxy painting log.
« Reply #48 on: 13 October 2024, 18:18:22 »
The CGL discord Trial of Pigmentation gave me the motivation to paint up my Anhurs this weekend. I painted this one in an hour and 4 minutes, trying and just failing to beat the 1 hour time limit of the Paintchall



Here is the second one I spent much more time on. Sorry for the poor quality photo, I was trying to take a good picture with my laptop webcam because my phone is in sorry shape, but it didn't work out too well lol.