CREATURE FEATURE DOUBLE BILL 40K EDITION

 This will be my last post for this years Monster May(hem), had a few other models I'd hoped to finish but just couldn't get them done in time, and that's okay, as I can always do them at some other point. First up today is a Krootox, you may remember back in January I mentioned I'd like to use the spare parts I had to make a fifth Krootox to bring the unit to a full contingent of five, now as this was one I was building, I could change the pose and make it a bit more dynamic like I'd seen in some of the artwork. So what parts are GW, the head of the Krootox, the Kroot and weapon are all GW plastic except the Kroot's legs, the rest was made from greenstuff and a foam core.

Painting wise I went with my standard palate, and changed some of the tones, here it is with the rest of the Krootox I have, although it does make the standard GW one look like it's trying to compensate for something with all it's bling ! LOL

Next I've finished the Khymerae for my Dark Eldar which I showed earlier in the year.

Here it is with the rest of the squad, still need to make two more, or find some reasonably priced ones on Ebay, to finish this army.

Many thanks to Keith for hosting this years challenge, enjoyed being part of it again. Until next time stay safe, and have fun !

Cheers Dave  

OFF THE WORKBENCH

 Been a while since I've done one of these, but didn't feel like painting this weekend, while working on commissions, so instead used the time I had between drying times to build some new models instead which will help with next May's Monster May(hem). First let's start with my favourite realm Star Wars, I wanted a Eopie, as these appear a lot on Tatooine, once the basic model is finished, I'll take a cast so I can have some with baggage or a rider to help populate the streets.

Next is a Correllion Hound, these were first seen in the movie Solo, but have since appeared in multiple series, and will fit in well with the crime boss I built a few years ago.

Now we move over to the realm of 40K for a Khymerae, as GW haven't released a new model for these and the old ones are really expensive on Ebay, I've started to build the first of three I need to finish my Wych army.

Last today is another Great Knarloc, you may remember I already have 3, an original Forgeworld one and two I've already built, and I'd been hoping that GW might release a plastic one, which doesn't seem on the cards, and the price on Ebay is extortionate, I've decided to make some more, this will be a second with a mounted weapon, then I'm thinking of doing a couple of more without riders or baggage.

That's all today, hopefully I'll have something painted by Friday, but we'll have to see, so until next time stay safe, and have fun !

Cheers Dave 

CHIPPING AWAY

 Continuing on with trying to complete armies (as long as GW doesn't keep releasing new models for ones I thought I was at an end of ! LOL) I've painted up the last Raider I need for my Dark Eldar Wych army, this is the last section of the three factions that need finishing, I was lucky enough to get a new Raider for Christmas, and I've gone with the standard colours that I use for that faction mostly bone colour with weapons and details done in black and highlighted with green then gloss varnished.

I had to convert the crew to Wyches, as the standard model has Kabalite crew, but I think they turned out well. This now leaves 3 Khymerae to complete this army, which I have started to build, but may take some time.

You may have noticed my output for the current challenge has been lower than previous years, this is partly due to lot's of painted orders, not just the few bits I've been showing which are something new, but more standard stuff direct from my website, and also my children needing help with some bits for their Martial Arts entrances, for contests. They are allowed to give themselves fighting names, and use accessories for their entrances. My daughter chose the name Red Devil, and found a Japanese Demon mask on line, but the teeth and horns needed tidying as the painting on them was a bit sloppy.

My son chose the name Skullcrusher, and wanted a skull mask, when it came through, the painting was terrible, so I repainted the whole mask, also, my son liked the idea of having mirrored lenses behind the eyes, which I got from my favourite sunglasses that broke last year, I had to greenstuff these in as they didn't fit the eyes well. 

Thinking of putting black cloth behind the ears and nose sockets to add to the effect. That's all for this post, so until next time stay safe and have fun !

Cheers Dave 

HERE BOY

Today I have a couple of GW Dark Eldar Khymera as my next entry for Monster May(hem), these look a bit like skinless dogs, the official synopsis is as follows :

A Khymera (pl. Khymerae), are terrifying creatures, literally born from an intelligent being's nightmares. They spawn in the Warp or on Daemon Worlds, coalescing into existence like malignant cysts around the psychic energies that fear and terror leaves in the Immaterium. They do not form at the whim of the Chaos Gods nor do they appear to be fragments of these powers.

Taxonomists of the Ordo Malleus classify them not as actual daemons but as Warp creatures, one example of the many unnatural flora and fauna existing in the Immaterium, though this distinction is usually lost on those facing the beasts.

Khymerae lack a proper corporeal form, allowing them to flicker between realspace and the Sea of Souls at whim, appearing momentarily before a foe and then vanishing suddenly to launch an attack from an unexpected direction.

Their phasing powers also mean Khymerae can appear inside areas thought secure -- such as locked rooms or the fighting compartments of armoured vehicles. They have even been known to appear inside of moving voidships, meaning they were either drawn by on-board psykers or were directed in the attack by agencies unknown.

Khymerae are among the creatures tamed by the Drukhari Beastmasters, technically members of the Wych Cults, though they are always male and remain remote from the true Hekatarii. Some Imperial savants who know of such things suspect they are part of an ancient Aeldari shamanic tradition, for when the Beastmasters go to battle, they wear totems and masks echoing the nature of the alien predators under their control.

It is partially because of these artefacts that they enjoy such mastery over their ferocious beasts, for their masks harbour complex sonic emitters and pheromone traps. The Warp-beasts called Khymerae are living proof of the Beastmasters' skills as a spirit-hunter.

Beastmasters must hunt down and harness their own Khymerae in perilous fugues or dream-quests, but if they are successful, they can draw entire packs of Khymerae back across the veil to the physical dimension to do their bidding. Khymerae set loose on the battlefields of realspace can wreak utter havoc before fading away like mist.

I've gone for similar colours as the GW version except on the tongues and tentacles where I've used the same colours as the Fiend's tail. 

Just noticed the flock in this picture, and have now cleaned it off !

I found these two on Ebay recently at a reasonable price, just before GW rereleased them on their webstore, which would have been more expensive with the postage, than the pair I found, so I was happy. I need 3 more to finish the unit, which I will sculpt, to add some variation. That's all for this post, next timne I will be returning to a galaxy far far away for my next entry, so until then stay safe and have fun !

Cheers Dave

A FIENDISH PLAN

 My next model for Monster May(hem) is the clawed fiend I showed the green of last month, I've used similar colours to my first one, but changed some of the tones and markings so they look similar, but different, like animals in nature.

Below is a picture of it with it's fellow fiend, and the two beastmasters

Currently working on some Khymera to finish of the last beast pack, that's all for this post, so until next time stay safe and have fun !

Cheers Dave

THE MONSTERS ARE COMING

 As May is rapidly approaching, and I want to take part in Monster May(hem) again over on Keith's site angrypiper I thought it would be a good idea to have some monsters prepared so I can spend the time painting rather than building. I thought I would show you how I approach building one. First you need a frame, now there are many materials you can use, so what I use is a guideline, and not the only way. I've recently started using foam on bigger models to cut down costs and time to get the bulk of the shape, and for the limbs I've used paperclips, as they are easy to get hold of, cheap, and easy to bend.

After this stage if you are doing fur of scales instead of skin, I build the basic muscle shapes, to give a surface to work against when I come to texture the model. If I was doing bare skin, I would sculpt it straight to the paperclip like I did with the Ogre. An idea on how muscle groups are placed on the anatomy and how they function is very useful for this stage.

Once the above stage is dry you can then add the texture, by laying a layer of green over the top of the muscle structure, and then working the texture in, as this one is covered in fur, I started at the end of a limb and using small strokes added the layers of the fur in, if you want longer fur, you use longer strokes, and if you want a rough fur look, use sweeping strokes in multiple directions, always working down but either left or right, to give the rough look.

Once the fur was dry, I then added all the spikes, the rough fur helped, with the green sticking to it because of the texture. Once painted this will give me the second Clawed Fiend I need for my Wych Cult army.

I've started another fantasy monster, as my choice for Rogers challenge would have been a Dragonkin, I didn't voice my choice on Roger's site as I wanted to see what everyone else wanted, knowing I could build my choice anyrate, and this is how far I've got so far, I'm making it castable, so it will be available on my site, it will have armour added. That's all for this post so until next time stay safe and have fun !

Cheers Dave

TWO FOR ONE

 As promised here are the army pictures I promised to some, I've tried as best as I can to include the whole unit and it's transport if it has one, and I have two completed armies to show.

COURT OF PAIN

This was the first one I finished so only right it's first in this post, below is the Haemonculus ancient and her retinue of Grotesques, now some will be saying that the ancient option is no longer available, but as this is for games at home, I'm keeping her ! LOL

Next is the first of three Haemonculus with her unit of Wracks and Raider transport.

Here is the second

And the third

Lastly for this army I have the option of three Talos, and a Cronos Parasite engine.

KABAL OF THE BLOODY CLAW

First is a picture of the two HQ choices I have The Dark Avatar, and the court of the Arcon with venom transport.

Next we have the elites, first is a unit of Incubi with Raider Transport.

Next is a unit of Mandrakes

A unit of Harlequins

The last elite is a unite of Kabalite Trueborn with their Raider/Ravager transport, probably used as the later more often.

Next we have four troop units of warriors all with their dedicated Raider transport.

We now move onto the Fast Attack option a unit of Scourges.

Finally onto the Heavy Support, below is a Voidraven Bomber, and two Razorwing Jetfighters

Lastly there is my standard Ravager, next to the super heavy Darkstar.

This now completes these two armies, unless of course I add anything, which isn't very likely at this time, but never say never ! LOL That's all for this post, so until next time stay safe and have fun !

Cheers Dave