The Spirit Host - a painting log.

[TMS]

Just thought that I'd let you all know that an update is coming along quite soon. Earlier today I had a (rare!) surge of inspiration that told me to start some painting and another batch of seven models is nearing completion. My paint brush decided to suddenly snap in two though, so I won't be able to complete them before tomorrow when I've gotten hold of another one.

Anyway, I should have 14 models completed in two days at most, another four on that and it'll be an entire regiment. That will be an occasion for me to celebrate, it has been years (years and years!) since I've had an entire unit painted up. A custom movement tray with cotton mist around it should complete the effect rather well I hope.

I've also taken some time to re-upload the previous pictures in this thread, as I noticed that some of them were beginning to disappear.

 

[TMS]

Sorry for the double post.


Frontal shot


Angled


Angled the other way


Shot of the rear


Fearsome action shot with a yellow tint

I've yet to sort out the few uneven bases that there are, I'm just not feeling in the mood for such fiddly work today. Anyway, that is 14 out of 18 done. Wahey! :grin:

Edit: Also, a friend of mine pointed this little sequence out to me when I flaunted these new pictures..

Hahahah, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

 

[Vulf von Carstein]

Looking very good there keep up the good work

 

[Skaramak von Carstein]

Wery nice work - I particularly like the effect under the yellow tint

 

[Boo]

It's looking wonderful!

that regiment, although not finished yet, looks great! The army will be pure awesomeness when its done.

Keep up the good work

 

[TMS]

Thanks for the praise fellows, I'm glad that you liked it.

After these green ghosts I think I'll go ahead and tackle the grave guard. I want them to be painted up in a white-ish fashion, I'll give it a shot to simply give them a black wash instead of a green one like I did for the guys above, then perhaps drybrush them with some more white to pick out the details and pick out some metallic decorations at the shoulders and above, to give them an appearance of higher status.

But for now there's still 4 more greenies to go, heheh.

 

[dictator]

Can't wait for that to happen. Good to hear you'll be finishing up a few quick too. It always feels good to complete a project completely before you move on to the next.

 

[TMS]

Right, so I'm back with a few pictures of some intended grave guard. Originally I had planned to drybrush them lightly with white after inking them black and then to pick out some metallic details but right now I'm not too sure, I sort of like the grim and foreboding darkness that they're showing, heheh.


Front


Front/Side


Rear


Skirmish

Additionally, I've got a whole host of interesting miniatures that'll be joining the Spirit Host during this new month.

#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10

Also, I'll be getting This Guy for use as my fighty lord.

I plan on using some of the miniatures above as characters, unit champions and other such fun little tasks. Number 5 and number 7 will go together to form the crew of my planned black coach. More to come on that when I get that project rolling, heheh.

 

[dictator]

Those are fantastic. Very simple and yet great looking. I like your choice of models. They too make me drool, I hope they do go well simply because of different scales in model makers.

 

[The Dark Sheep]

Don't even think of touching your brush. They are perfect as they are.

 

[Skorne]

I agree, keep the black as it is. Well done!

 

[TMS]

Oh you guys are too kind, heheh.

But it is true, I think they look quite nice myself. Painting have been a little slow these past days, something else have always been popping up to steal away my concentration. Getting such positive feedback on this is inspiring though, I can feel another spurt getting closer, one that should boost my number of painted models considerably. :grin:

 

[Disciple of Nagash]

Another great batch MasterSpark. As DS said - don't do anything else to them (apart from the bottom of the bases as I mentioned before.)

maybe at some point I will get motivated to paint and update my painting log.........

 

[TMS]

Hiya,

I'm back with yet another update as inspiration struck me early this morning. As a result, 10 more have joined the ranks of the grave guard and here is how they look as a unit..


Front


Front again..


Flank to show the ranking up


Two pictures showing the relentless march of the Spirit Host, heheh.

Anyway, so that is 13 out of 20 grave guard that are now completed. I'll get working on the standard bearer soon as well, he'll help them distinguish themselves from the rest of the ghosts. For a banner motif, I plan on printing out a picture of Helena's Left Eye and somehow work it onto the banner. Have anyone done anything like this before? I could use some tips, heheh.

Anyway, it is mostly for sentimental reasons. I have her to thank for bringing me the supreme inspiration that I needed to finally get my *ss up from the chair and get to work on my models and since she won't be in my army physically as a miniature unless I sculpt her myself (yeah right, lol) or have her commissioned ($$$) I figured that using her for a banner motif would be a good way to get her "into" the army.

Also, since only two units in my Planned Army (Hrrm, hrrm!,heheh) will have banners (grave guard and black knights) it'll work out in that way as well, since the knights will then get to have her right eye on theirs. The battle standard bearer will then have another motif that relates to her in some way, I'll have to think about that some more.

Finally, I'll come forwards and confess that I've not put as much work into the bases right now as I could have done. The reason for that is mostly that I'm alot more interested in getting the miniatures painted (this is almost revolutionary, I am on my way to actually having a painted force!) than to fiddle with the bases "more than necessary" for tabletop quality. I'll dedicate a day or two to groom the cotton fog and to smoothen it out around the edges, don't you worry. I just want to ride the wave of painting-inspiration for as long as possible, heheh.

 

[Boo]

You are the master, mastersparks! Your white regiment looks so cool, and you have really done a great job with them. And now that I've read your fluff about your army, it looks even better!

I would just repeat myself.
so:

The army will be pure awesomeness when its done.

Keep up the good work

 

[dictator]

Making the whole model look great will make your army look even better. Complete the bases before you move on. It will make things go faster as it will motivate you further to complete the rest of the army.

 

[TMS]

You are of course right Dictator, I should make time to get the bases just right before there'll be too many of them to do. After I've finished the remaining grave guard and their banner I'll get right on it.

Also, Boo, thanks a lot for such warming words.

I could still use some advice on how to print out a decent little picture/icon to put on the banner though. Have anyone done this before?

 

[dictator]

I found a site that might help you out
http://www.powerdigital.com.au/Xfer_Inkjet.php#waterslide

 

[Kindred Bloodslear]

Regarding the banner, you can ask josef.

I know he makes custom decals, he's made his own banners (pretty sure he posted them in his P.log), and I believe he's also shipped fellow Vampires on the forum their own custom banners.

 

[Trevy the Great]

Wow, this stuff is awesome. The effect you get with the cotton is amazing!

 

[The Dark Sheep]

Ooh... creepy pictures. You only need a black background (with maybe some stars and moon) and it will indeed look like the host is marching forth.

 

[TMS]

Hiya fellows,

I'm afraid to say that I haven't gotten much work done at all over the past week, mainly due to some turbulence as to how I should handle my current studying and other such stuff. Things seems to be dying down a bit now though, so I'm trying to get back into it now, heheh.

Anyway, I've gotten a few character models made up for later painting.

First up is my planned general,

Lord Andreasse - Vengeful Spirit of Righteous Retribution, Personal Champion of Helena, Leader of the White/Grey Ones (impressive title, huh?)
-Front
-Side - sorry about the blur
-Side
-Rear
-Closeup

You'll note that the poor horse had a little accident as I snapped one of it's hooves off, the metal being far softer than I had anticipated. Luckily I had a spare Bretonnian steed to steal a hoof from and since it'll be covered by the cotton mist when that is put on, it should not prove to be an issue. Also, he looks alot more dark and evil than I had first imagined him (as he's a former noble of Bretonnia) but I could always make up that the violent emotions that suffuses his spirit is altering his appearance or something like that, huh?

Next is this guy, who'll pose as a hero-level vampire,

Currently Unknown - Leader of the Green Ones (At first the thought of naming him Incognito entered my mind but after some more thinking I came to the conclusion that it'd be unethical of me and that I didn't even want to have "him" in the army myself, heheh...the bastard.)
-Front
-Side
-Side/rear

Lastly, this one will get to play as a necromancer,

Astraega - Leader of the Blue Ones
-Front
-Side
-Side/Front
-Rear

And finally, a group shot with some pointers,


The green line marks the approximate height of a standard grave guard model. Originally, I had planned to try my hand at making a conversion of Helena by using the model of Astraega as a base but looking at it now it feels like a breach of character, as the red line marks the height of Helena as I would like for the ideal model to be, heheh.

The purple/magenta lines actually marks a question that I'd like to ask. Do you think that it would work if I glued cotton around the sides of the "upper platform" that I have on every model? It would make sure to completely cover all of the base. The only problem I can see is that the cotton might hinder the models from ranking up together like they should.. anyone got any input on this?

And now, absolutely finally, I've chosen This Picture of Helena's House to use as the motif on my battle standard. (for which I've not chosen a model yet) It'd be cut out suitably first of course, heheh.

Anyway, I'll get back to the painting ASAP. :grin:

 

[dictator]

The only problem I can see is that the cotton might hinder the models from ranking up together like they should.. anyone got any input on this?

You hit it on the head. I had a great idea to put water effects about 1/4" deep on all my zombies. They'd be wading through rice patties. Well to put the story short, it didn't work and now they all love to get stuck together. Still have problems with them after a year of them sitting/drying/etc.

I would say, think hard and long before you commit to that idea.

 

[The Dark Sheep]

I agree. Having an individual piece of mist'd look better than if they had it all added up in a common... pool of mist.

 

[leviathan]

You'll note that the poor horse had a little accident as I snapped one of it's hooves off, the metal being far softer than I had anticipated.

That was my fear in buying these models. The sculpts are fantastic, but from my experience with Gamezone the metal is softer and all these knights' steeds are only standing on one leg. I'm still debating whether or not to get them