Eldar Bright Avengers

Got some Space Elves painted, though just a few more done this time, there are another 6 to finish as well. These few allow me to have a complete squad with options. Once again the theme is the Craftworld Alaiborn (origins of the Alai Mercenary Corps (in my head)). These are the elite troops of the Dire (Bright) Avengers, with their vintage Aspect armour, using the 'pink' tones of the Alai paint scheme. The Dire Avengers are known as a noble and merciless warrior, and are the most tactically flexible of all the Aspect Warriors of the Eldar paths.

The three newly painted models, the Exarch in the middle with her twin Avenger Catapult.

Two new paint Dire Avengers.

The other side of each.

Hopefully what you can't see is that the new Exarch is a metal conversion that someone had started, I acquired her in a box of bits. Originally she is a Banshee body, a Avenger Head, Exarch sword arm and 2 plastic Shurikens I adapted. I did think about swapping out the sword arm, but I like the look. The conversion had a pistol, but I think the twin Avenger Shuriken Catapult looks much better.  I've re-pined the sword arm and 'filled' in the gaps around various parts of the model to clean up the ordinal trimming. Hopefully it looks like a 'original' variation now.

Joining 2 other Avengers and a Exarch on the left (with the same sword arm). 

  Original Exarch in the squad, for variation in the style. 

Space Nebula Farseer - Final!

I'm calling this one done, any more painting and such, I'm either going to get lost. Make a massive mistake, or cause a distraction from the work I've done. So this is Nebula, my Space Elf, or Eldar or Aeldari Farseer.

More Greene Space Nebula

Things are progressing on my Space Nebula Farseer. Most of the washes and some of the base highlights are done. Just the main highlighting to do, cleaning up of any overruns and mistakes and adding a few little details like runes to break it up.

Greene Space Nebula

I had one of those painting moments last night, I'd been thinking about painting a Eldar Farseers cloak with a fancy space pattern and stars on the back. But I wasn't really sure how to start it, I had the basics there, with a green base coat. Then, just before bed, I got the urge, so I acted on it. It was about 1am before I was done but I'm pretty happy with the look and the little stars. As always it does need some clean up and the rest of him isn't finished, but it does create the impact I was looking for.
As always, its all hand painted, no spraying or anything. The only thing that wasn't brushed on is the dots for stars as that was the end of a toothpick.

 Cloak, with the basics of the mini already painted in.

Then the back, with the nebula and stars.

Graceful Hawks of Craftworld Alaiborn

Continuing with my slow painting of Eldar (Space Elves) of the Craftworld Alaiborn (origins of the Alai Mercenary Corps (in my head)), I've moved onto their more graceful flying elements. Aspect Warriors know as the Swooping Hawks, normally blue. But when something tells me it needs to be this way, immediately I want to change it all.
Researching some hawks, I noticed how they are more likely to have a lighter coloured body, with a dark back feathers. In cloudy areas, this blends them in with the sky while also reflecting light. The dark feathers when on the ground help them blend in, and means they are harder to be seen from above when flying low themselves. Figuring these Aspect Warriors would take their colour scheme from the 'giant hawks' of their now lost home world I had a little test paint. 

This is the start of the test scheme, which seemed to work very well. Brown on the wings, with a deep red to break up the pattern and the same on the head. The body is all white, with a light red wash. This gave it a pink look, but that is only the start of the scheme so that will change. The weapon is just a black or dark colour to pick it out, I'm highlighting with grey to give it a bonish look.

This is after the highlights and other things have been done and a satin varnish. The body is picked out with more white to tone down the pink, and a little brown wash in key areas to darken those bits up more. The 'leather' look of pouches and belts is a 'bone white' washed with a brown at least twice.

So the finished model on it base, wooden with a brass pole, and a varnished bit of drift wood picked up from a walk on the beach.

The model in the middle I'm using to represent there group leader, hence the aspect rune on its head, unlike the others.

Before any asks, I hand painted the rune, I've never used transfers.

BLOOD BOWL!

I've finished rather a few Blood Bowl teams over the time that I've had this blog now. Most of them my own, and a commission that I did for a friend as I liked the challenge. So lets start at the beginning. 'Orcwind' are the first Blood Bowl team that I played and painted when I was getting back into the hobby. I made some silly choices with the team positions at first, but they allowed me to get some practice in both the game and painting. Plus I made a cool logo for them.

So, you can see I have all four 3rd Edition Goblins lined up ( would I ever use four?). Behind them 4 Blockers being the Black Orcs, then the red based Blitzers, Linemen (grey). Token Thrower, chap I converted from the plastic Orc with a chainsaw. At the back a Troll, an original Ripper model.

Next was my Chaos Dwarfs, these I used to be my originally painted Chaos Dwarfs that I did when I was 15ish, plus 2 new painted ones. You can tell the early painting due to the flames on the legs like a bad heavy metal band. Added some 3rd edition Hobgoblins, and then did a Chaos Dwarf conversion with a boar and made another out of Milliput. The Minotaur, which I've yet to use, as they are a bit of a liability. 

I called this lot, Chopper Pots, due to the mine they get their money from. You can also see another conversion of a Chaos Dwarf with a 'Blunderbuss' as a star player. Then in the back, their coach Dark Dwarf Lord Va'Durr (Heresy Miniatures).

Next are Goblins, they have had a mix of names. At the moment I've called them 'Lucky 4 Sum', though I expect that might change depending on my mood or futher inspiration.

These are all 2nd edition Goblins, painted in 3 main colours. Red for 'Lava', Green for 'Forest', then Blue for the 'Sea'. I figured different types would come together to play. The other positions are from 3rd Edition models and a Warhammer Doom Diver. They also have some Goblin Cheerleaders who have their nipples out. Then its the 1999 Chaos Troll, along with Ripper you'd have seen in the Orc team. He doesn't care who he plays for, as long as they pay.

You can also see the Orc coach in this photo, though he heads up both the Goblin and Orc teams. He's a busy Orc.

After this is, the team I painted for a friend are Space Frogs or as GW calls them, Slann. Now this seemed like a great idea at first, but these are resin. Some of the most awful resin I've ever experienced. These where won at a auction, but apparently not the first time, I think four other people gave up with the idea of painting them. While I persisted, it was a arse. The resin wouldn't hold the paint, even after cleaning and soaking, so I had to be extra careful until they where varnished. Assembly was a bit troublesome too, lots of parts had to be re-worked to get them to fit. The heads being the most difficult. But they got finished in all their multi-coloured glory. Unfortunately I don't think my camera did the colours justice.

They are painted in colours similar to rain forest tree frogs, so bold bright colours to warn of poison. Along with random dark patterns on the skin like below.

These two are probably linemen.

I painted these up as Blitzers due to the increased armour, and gave them red and orange tones.

 2 more line men

Catchers/Runners. 

When I finished those I decided to make a start on my Dark Elves, these are the oldest team I own, making it 30 years now. But with changes to the rules, they are missing some players, so I've added some Witch Elves, an Assassin, and touched up the paint work on the team. Which I think needs doing again.

I'm currently using these the most at the moment, hence the paint needing some TLC.

After these it was the ones everyone loves and hates, the hardest team in Blood Bowl (to play and win) the Halfings and their Treemen Friends. I've got a mix of the 2nd edition (smallest) and 3rd edition models, which I've done in what I consider fondant colours to match the team name, 'Fondant Fancies'. Plus 2 of the first release Treemen, or which one I was fortunate to acquire with the 'limited' arm-sculpt. The chap in the helmet has this arm set which was only out for a while as the original  mold broke, after which they went with a 2 shoulder pad version.

Made another team logo for them!

This is the Treeman with the 'limited' arms.

This is the other sculpt that was also used for Warhammer Fantasy Battles, know as Tree-beard.

 I liked them so much I decided to draw him too!

These were the last Halflings I painted, which was for a challenge to paint with only 3 colours. Those behind the models. 

Finished with grass and mud. 

I did 4 Halflings, but the chap on the right had a extra colour for his belt and 'satchel' of loafs.

All stand together.

With their Treemen friends.

Note the team logo on the Treeman shoulder pad.

Finally we have the extras, Star players, Cheerleaders, Coaches, turn markers of tied up dwarfs, and Bloodwiser Wench.