Over the last two weeks I have been working on an entry for the diorama category of the bronze spawn. I have had a lemartes model for a few years I haven’t ever painted and I picked up a lilith model early this year to get a gw order over the necessary 50 or 60 bucks to get free shipping.
With that I have come to a few conclusions. 1. There is no way the GW model on the box is finecast. 2. I really really am not a fan of finecast. I have painted 3 or 4 finecast models now and aside from the bubbles bends bad cast they really don’t take paint very well. I don’t really want to jump on the band wagon of finecast hate but seriously at this point i give up the material doesn’t do it for me.
I am curious about other peoples experiences it seems like its a real luck of the draw kind of deal. There is something about the material though, perhaps it is my primer, but every finecast model I have painted has ended with a really chalky finish, it just seems inevitable for me. Any who.
I had both the models around lemartes had to be stripped from a half paint job a few years back. A week long bath in simple green took care of that. And some green stuff and a butt load of patience got most of the bends and bubbles out of the lilith sculpt.
Gallery
I have one more entry to finish for the standoff which is right around the corner. I have also decided to add a few units to my white scars for the tournament and redo my display board. Not a heck of a lot of time but after doing all this stuff for the bronze spawn entries basic table top stuff should be a piece of cake.
Hopefully next week I can show off a completed 60mm entry, or at least my final white scars list I am still tinkering away on it.
- How to Create Simple Earth Basing for Miniatures (Tutorial) - February 8, 2015
- Standish Standoff Painting Entries Completed (Showcase) - November 8, 2014
- How to Easily Magnetize a Display Board for Your Miniatures - November 3, 2014
I think you pulled off rain slick pretty well; better than I would have for sure. The base they are on is awesome as always. The painting is well done as well. It’s a good piece. Maybe not your best work but still a good solid piece of work and worth being proud of.
I need to figure out what models I’m bringing along. I have a few in mind but I don’t think it’s going to be my year.
On finecast. You have to treat it like awful resin. Lots and lots of cleanup and wash wash wash it. (Soap and water, and rinse till nothing is left). If you don’t, the paint will just come right off.
Piece looks really nice. The diorama itself is really well done, and the texture of the terrain is fantastic.
Now before I comment, I’m going to point out that this work you’ve done is far better then anything I have created, and nothing below is meant to downplay your work. It is merely critique, as you are trying to enter this into contests and competitions.
If I was looking at this from a judges point of view, I would say that the figures could be integrated more into the diorama itself.
Lemartes looks like he is about to leap forward, and fire his jets, yet there is no flare or flame from the jump pack. A missed opportunity for some really great OSL and dynamic colors on that side of the base. Something you could revisit later to really give the base some pop.
On leith, she looks great, but then you notice the pole on her base. It doesn’t fit in with the diorama and takes you immediately out of the piece. A judge could possibly say no just from that. (Mini judging is all about saying no to rapidly eliminate contestants. They really only judge the last bit). Removing that pole, and reposing her onto a rock which fit the style of the base would really help your piece.
I think this piece will blow away the local competition just on the base alone (which looks fantastic by the way.) But I agree with greggles on integration of the models. They look like they’re posing for each other rather than engaging in an epic confrontation. It feels like the models are there to accentuate the base rather than the other way around.
Still, I doubt we will see much at the Standoff that compares to this in the diorama class.
I agree whole heartedly with the criticisms guys the eldar flag thingy doesn’t really fit and much more detail could have been added to the models. Both models I wasn’t really excited about but I felt like I needed to put them to use somewhere because they weren’t worth selling. In retrospect this could have been made a lot more interesting by adding some verticality to it, building the terrain up rather than out.but i didn’t have the vision for it at the time.It is one of those I am just pleased to have off the books at the end of the day.