Update - First Clanrat unit!

Just a quick update before dinner!

I finished my first 30 Clanrats to a standard good enough to use on a gaming table! (I think!)

This is my first full unit, and so I am really going to have to come back and take a proper look at these later to answer some questions.

For example, does the Ice Blue unit colour work? Since the first 15 models that I painted there was feedback that the colour is too bright to be very Skaven-like (you know, when they are sneaking around etc.) and I think I agree. However, for the last 15 that I did I didn't add any highlighting or drybrushing after a wash of Devlan Brown, so the colours are muted. (In the second picture, compare the Ice Blue cowls of the troops in the 3 rows on the left to see the difference.)

Also, if I am honest with myself, the second batch of fifteen isn't actually finished. If you look closely you can see that as well as not doing any drybrushing after the wash I haven't added any extra colours - on the tails there are no "Dwarf Flesh" highlights for example in the 3 rows at left. With half the unit done like this and half done "properly" it does speed things up, but does it look OK? I'm going to leave it for a while and see if I can resist the urge to get in there and tidy things up...

I'll come back to these questions when I have a bit more time, but here are the next ten that I have lined up!

Plague Monks!

Even after just 30 Clanrats, I'm sure any Skaven Warlord reading this will agree a commander needs a break from painting the same troop type right?
;-)

Skaven Clanrat Painting

Following my post yesterday of my first 15 Clanrats, I thought I would post a few more pictures and some specifics on the process I used.

First, the finished product. 

This is a fairly typical example of  an assembled 4th generation Clanrat model. (See here for my feelings about these older models...). I would say that this is what people would call "Tabletop" quality - so it looks fine on the gaming table but deliberately hasn't had lots of detail or attention that would make it good enough to enter a painting competition. (Of course, I don't know how to do that well enough anyway! haha!)

EDIT: Following the launch of the latest Citadel Paint range in 2012, please note that the colours listed below are from the previous range. I hope to have time to rewrite in the future, but for the time being, you can use the conversion chart/ list I made here or use the official Citadel Conversion chart here.

The  process followed was:

A.) Undercoat and layering:

1. After assembly, liberally apply PVA glue to base and dip in modelling sand.
2. Wait until dry, then undercoat. (I use Chaos Black spraypaint.)
3. Fur: Drybrush Calthan Brown.
4. Skin/ Tail/ Feet: Tallarn Flesh.
5. Cloth: Ice Blue.
6. Metal: Boltgun metal. (Weapons, belt buckle)
7. Leathers: Snakebite leather. (Belt, wristband, armour crosspiece on the back of the Clanrat.)

B.) Apply Washes: Liberally apply Devlan Mud Wash all over.

C.) Reapply base colours: Layered up lighter shades/ colours: 

1. Skin/ Tail/ Feet: Dwarf Flesh on raised areas. (Being careful to leave some Tallarn flesh areas and the shadows created by the Devlan Mud wash and the black undercoat - especially on the tail.)
2. Cloth: Ice Blue on raised areas of cloth.
3. Leathers: Snakebite leather/ Skull white (50/50 mix). 

D.) Final Drybrushing:

1. Fur: Drybrush Calthan Brown/ Skull White (50/50).
2. Metal: Drybrush Mithril silver (Weapon edges) buttons etc. (e.g. Rivets if the model has a shield etc.) or just apply as an "Extreme Highlight" on the edge of the weapon.
3. Base: Drybrush Calthan brown, then drybrush Tallarn Flesh.

E.) Final Basing:

1. Apply dabs of PVA glue onto the base and dip into green flock.
2. Paint base sides Knarloc Green.

Looking at this model now, some final observations and self-criticism would be:

• I need to pay more attention to the feet. I should really do something with the nails/ toes so that they are visible...but I just hate the feet on these models so much I can't motivate myself to do it. (I'll get around to it sometime.)
• I'm still undecided on the Ice Blue colour. As some people have noted, it is just too bright to really be very "Skavenish". On the other hand, if I like it, who cares? I could try toning it down a bit OR go to another colour.
• Skaven weapons that have rust on them look absolutely great. I haven't tried that yet so the weapons on these Clanrats look too well-cared for, and definitely not from the scavenge pile.
• Could I make the flesh areas stand out even more by using a further highlight or drybrushing of Elf flesh? Would it be worth it?
• Applying the modelling sand BEFORE undercoating is fine, but unfortunately it gets on the feet of the model and makes it harder to paint later. I might go back to applying the modelling sand after finishing the paint job.

Only a hundred more models to go and then I'm done!

;-)

First Clanrats!

Well here they are! The beginning of my mighty army of scurrying greatness...


...or 15 of them anyway.

From Skaven

From Skaven

From Skaven

From Skaven

...and it took me a week of evenings after work to get them done, so yes, I am a slow painter, but this was a really good experience for me.


Some thoughts and lessons learned at this early stage:


1. These old clanrat models are awful - and I mean AWFUL!
I am not a sculptor and so I probably shouldn't comment, but as a consumer...

• ...the poses work out almost all the same. You'd have to do a lot of cutting, filing and "greenstuff-ing" to get some variation.
• By the Holy Horned One the actual sculpting in places just looks weird. The feet are basically gigantic slabs of flesh, and as others have said, they don't actually look like Skaven, more like monkeys/ rat mutations. (Ronkeys? Clanmats? etc.?) I mean, a Skaven army made of these guys couldn't sneak up on anyone - you'd hear their feet flapping from miles away! (Compare these to the latest Skaven plastics - which have fantastic details!)
• BTW - For a really good look at Skaven models over the years, take a look at the excellent article over at My Wargame - I agree with everything the author says about these 4th generation models. ("Urgh")
• Related to that...

2. ..."Caveat Emptor" (Buyer beware.)

• Always carefully check the images and descriptions on ebay if you are buying Skaven. If you don't like these older clanrat models be careful, because they can make up the bulk of many of the Skaven armies that are on ebay.

3. I'm gonna have to learn to speed paint!

• It takes about 3 - 4 hours to do 5 clanrats for me at the moment, including basing. I would think that these are "Tabletop quality" so they are good enough to use on a battlefield but nothing more than that.
• At this rate, it will take me 5 years 4 months and 13 days of painting every evening after work to finish my current army. (JOKE! I couldn't be bothered to work it out, but you get the point...)
• I could probably speed up the whole process by having some of my clanrats with black fur (i.e. just leave the fur as the black undercoat...).

On that note...


4. Drybrushing works just fine...

• I experimented by using simple drybrushing of the base fur colour over the chaos black basecoat and that seems to look fine for tabletop quality. (i.e. when the models are viewed from a distance.) Add another, slightly lighter colour via drybrushing later and it will look even better.

5. Washes are your friend...

• Devlan Brown. 'nuff said.

Step-by-step guide on these models to come. What do you think of the Ice Blue scheme?


*Neek*

Beasts of War!

*Neeeeek*
ahem...well I haven't updated the site for at least a week due to work and other things - like painting! I am halfway through my first Clanrats/ slave unit and it is sloooooowww going. I hope to have my first full unit finished this weekend though and will post some pics.

In the meantime, I thought I would shout out about the Beasts of War YouTube channel and website - these guys are doing an awesome job for the love of their gaming hobby.

Why should you check it out?

1. The hosts, John, Darrell, Lloyd and Warren - love gaming, and it shows.
2. Unboxing videos.
3. Modeling videos.
4. Painting videos
5. Rules discussions and gaming tips ("BOW Tips").
6. "First Looks" at new and existing gaming systems.
7. All videos are high-quality and well shot.
8. Beautiful design on the YouTube channel.
9. Lots of wargaming systems covered and introduced.

One of the thing I really like is their "Unboxing Videos" as you don't see many of these around on the web. I thought a talk-through of opening a box would be pretty dull, but actually if it for an army that you like it is pretty interesting - and very useful if you are thinking of buying a new model. Here are a couple of Skaven-themed vids that you might like:

• Skaven Screaming Bell ("The kit does look a little bit like a thornbush")
• Skaven Doomwheel

So if you don't know these guys yet, scurry over and check out the Beasts of War YouTube channel.

John, Darrell, Warren and Beasts of War - the chattering horde salutes you!
*Squeek*

Great Skaven Leader Thought of the Day (2)

"Given the same amount of intelligence, timidity will do a thousand times more damage than audacity."

Snarl Von Mousewitz,
General and Military Strategist.