Chrome really is everywhere on my painting table right now. So much so that I’ve completely cleared the area and have just left out five to eight models I’m ‘working on’ at that moment in time to keep it clear and tidy. A little ocd coming out maybe, but a) it doesn’t look quite as daunting and b) I don’t like painting on the edge of a huge table, tidy up and use all your space - I’d rather put in the time and effort and do things properly, something that has become more and more evident in my photography over the last few years.
Since the last post I’ve been chipping away at the painting in my spare time, Twitch streaming it here and there and have got to stage now where I’m very comfortable and happy with the colour scheme, the technique, the paints and how to apply them. It’s maybe taken a little longer than I anticipated to get this nailed down but I think it has been worth the wait.
Let’s get you up to speed.
I left you last post after converting what felt like a million tiny little robot hands, swords and worst mounted pistols on to the Praetorian models. Once they were all done I had to decide how to base them. I couldn’t understand how the Necron ‘jump pack’ troops didn’t have the little flying bases that you found with the Space Marines or the Ork Stormboyz. I wanted to get some semblance of them flying and toyed with a couple of different ways to show that.
I thought about using the flying base but couldn’t quite make it look right with certain poses
Tried a custom rod for a little extra height and a different profile but still didn’t quite like it the models stood
Ultimately I went with a small wire in one of their feet. This could be hidden once based properly with a little static grass
The wire in the foot gave me a few different looks and feels that I liked. I could have some of the poses a little higher when that worked, whereas the more dynamic ‘striding’ poses could be dropped much lower so they were almost hovering. The second foot being totally clear of any support totally added to the illusion.
Easy to match the wire size to a drill size so I dropped a hole and a wire in each foot and set all the models up on corks ready for their chrome.
With a few spare parts I also made up an Immortal Champion model... just because
The chrome paint application I’ve nailed down to getting two thin coats of gloss black down reasonably quickly, about 15 to 20 minutes between coats.
The first coat of chrome is then put on very lightly on the shadowy underside of the model and left to cure just a little. The lacquer dries very quickly and can be sprayed over almost instantly but takes a little longer to cure properly. Another 15 or 20 minutes and a light coat from the top ‘highlighting’ the model, again not putting it on too heavily. I find I like the look when there’s plenty of shadow in the finished chrome look before I add that with a wash. Putting it on quite lightly gives a black chrome look that can be built upon slowly. One more coat picking out the chest plate and shoulder pads and we’re ready to take them to the paint table.
That’s the hard bit done. Once they’re back on the table it’s a case of washing some nuln oil in the recesses and then the fun part, Blue!
Nuln Oil brings out the contrast
The flying effect with the wire is very evident here, and I’ve done a little work on their bases, too
The blue is probably my favourite part to paint. It’s the Soulstone Blue technical paint from Citadel and over this chrome it’s fantastic! I build it up slowly with just a light hint over the area I’m ‘staining’ before building it up stronger.
You can see the stain build up here as I work across the chest plate
Never thought I’d get the blue exactly how I had in my head when I first envisioned this colour scheme. This rich a blue is perfect and so striking when you line all the models up.
Before I show you the finished line up there’s the matt black contrast to add on to certain areas, the particle caster, the blades and the jump pack ‘ribs’.
I feel the black adds some great contrast to the shiny chrome
So once that’s all done here’re all the models finished and lined up ready for their addition to the Armies on Parade board, which, by the way, I’ll be working on this coming weekend!
And just to tease you another pic before I post some of the board updates, here’re all the models done so far all neatly standing in the newly hung cabinet!
I’ll be live on my Twitch channel working on one last model before starting the board over the weekend, so if you’re free on Thursday or Friday evening, get your paint pots out, a cup of tea, and come and hang out with me www.Twitch.tv/ChrisFrosin
See you anon!
Chris