Modelkits and Partworks: builds, guides and fun!
Tonight sees the beginning of a new warhammer kit. I don’t know which one yet, I’ve let my patrons decide. Voting ends a little before the stream starts, YOU can still have your say by becoming a patron ( patreon.com/GrossModels )Become a Patron!
Watch live at 8pm GMT today and see what I’m making next!
If you’ve been watching my Warhamster streams on sundays, you’ll have seen I’m getting close to finishing the orange dragon. I’ve always intended it to have a base like cracked lava, so I thought I’d better practice.
I am using citadel paints, and they do have a good range of what they call “Technical” paints. These are usually used for effects: things like blood, snow, mud, and some have a special ‘crackle’ property as they dry.
I tried a couple of different ones and decided on Mordant earth as my black lava type top.
I have been told of a method for getting the best crackle, so I followed it and we will see how it comes together.
To begin, you need a good base colour. Obviously for lava that’s going to be red. Over that you need some yellow/ orange to make swirls and a visual texture. The tricky part comes next: PVA. Pva is a white glue, that goes transparent when it dries. It also shrinks quite a lot.
The yellow was just ‘Slapped on’ to see how it could come through. I know lava doesn’t look anything like that.
The next trick I was told about is not to let the technical paint dry on its own. Using a hairdryer to quickly dry it gives more cracks, and makes them bigger.
The thick paint didn’t crack much, so I added a thinner layer (closer to the camera in the picture). I sort of wanted something between the 2 finishes, so I thought I’d have to get the thickness of the paint just right. Except…. when I came back to it the next day something wonderful had happened.
It had continued to crack, getting almost exactly the effect I intended!
I’ll post another page about the actual base shortly. But suffice to say, it didn’t go quite as planned…….
As you may be aware, on a Sunday evening I stream the “Warhamster Late show” where I build and paint Warhammer stuff.
It’s been ongoing for almost a year now, with a flying skiff thing, an orange space tank, 3 parks in armour, a tiny Grot and Squig (don’t ask) all completed. The current project is a lovely bright orange dragon. I don’t know why orange has become the colour of the stream, but we are stuck with it now. 🙂
The stream itself is every Sunday at 8pm UK time and is usually about 90 minutes long. I very rarely do any “behind the scenes” stuff, except priming the kits for painting as that’s hard to do on camera. After the stream has finished the video is archived into a Patreon exclusive playlist, so although anyone can watch live, watching it again or on YouTube is reserved for my patrons. I have to have something a little special for them!
I have got a couple of streams I have left open for all so you can get an idea of what it’s about if you are unable to catch me live, and if you would like to watch something like 60 hours of “Previously on Warhamster” you can always join my Patreon…..
The current progress of the dragon is ‘Almost done’. I still need to do the base and decide if I am doing the rider or not…..
Come watch next Sunday to see how much I get done!
No, not a ‘here’s stuff I’m working on’, this is an actual update of my bench.
I’m having a move around to try to get some better camera angles for filming and streaming. I also have some new mats to use, in a more neutral grey colour that should be nicer on film. (‘not that anyone actually uses film. Or even tape. ‘Nicer on ram’ doesn’t sound quite the same though does it?)
I picked up 3 sizes of mat, the big one I use at the moment is a1 although half of it is hidden under my storage area. Perhaps I can turn it around when it invariably gets dirty. Or the lines get cleaned off…..
Thursday is my usual evening for streaming a fun “chat show” type stream.
It’s just me and usually a couple of “The Gross Gang” (other Modelmaking friends) and my patrons for 90 minutes of general chat and nonsense. But, for the last Thursday in the month I open the doors to all comers. Anyone can come and join in on camera and hang out for a little while.
I post the link on my Facebook page for people to join in. If you just want to watch, or join in with the text chat you can find it on my youtube, or this weeks show will be right here from 8pm BST Thursday.
It was a great trip to visit eModels this week, and I picked up. My next build for them.
These are the paints I’ll be using, any guesses on what my next project will be?
Watch Monday’s eModels stream to find out!
My merchandise store has been updated with a couple of new items.
The store is just as good as it was, but now with added Warhamster! Take a look, you may find something you like…..
It’s almost Christmas too!
I’ve finally finished the sazabi build! It took me longer than I expected. I did seem to start it well, but then slowed down to a crawl (ok, a stop).
Once I’d finished the build (which I really enjoyed) I seemed to get slowed down with decals and details.
But, I’ve finally completed it. Here’s a small gallery of pictures.
Of course, there is a full build video, actually 13 videos…. but these are only available to my Patrons…. come see if you’d like to help support my work!
Over the last few weeks I’ve been building/ painting the Warhammer dragon kit.
As it’s become a tradition I’ve been painting it in orange. Working for a white primer coat, I added a yellow shade, then a layer of orange. That’s as far as I am at the moment, next is a red highlight to add some depth, and. Some black burnt patches.
Tonight I also detailed the mouth, with a pink internal, red tongue, and various shades to the teeth …..
Next time I’ll be doing the same to the horns and spines.
The next few months are going to be quite busy!
I have 1 live appearance each month for September, October and November. All around the Midlands. Can you make them all?
On September the 19th (just 10 days after my birthday….) I, as well as Ted, Foxx and hopefully Tony from the eModels builders will be descending on eModels for the afternoon. I’ll be picking up my secret new build as well as dropping off the Zaku and the MiGs I’ve built for them. Ted is also picking up his next build, the big Digger thing. And of course he is delivering his HUGE submarine. I hope they have room for it. Foxx already has his next build: The perfect grade Falcon, I think he’s just coming for the donuts.
October 22nd is my first trip to Warhammer World. A few people hope to make it the same day, I’ll update when we know who’s able to make it!
My final outing for the year is the big one. Scale Model World in Telford. This is “The greatest model show in the world” and takes a whole weekend. I’ll just be there on Sunday 10th November.
Hopefully some of you will be able to make at least one of these, come and say hello! I’ll make sure I have some stickers on me- find me and ask for one!