Monday 9 February 2015

A BRUSH CRISIS AND A COUPLE MORE SURVIVORS.

What's occurrin' then?
What a week, what a week. The New England Patriots won the Superbowl against nearly all predictions. I've had my first major crisis of the year, more on that in a bit. Amongst all these distractions I've still managed to paint a couple more survivors.

We'll kick off with what has become a regular feature, the introduction of some zombie art. This beautiful piece is another by the very talented Bryan Baugh and is called Nara and Hazy vs Zombies. It's a tribute to the "Dead @ 17" comic series by Josh Howard. (Was published by Viper Comics, now being published by Image Comics. Yes, the same guys who publish "The Walking Dead".).

NARA AND HAZY VS ZOMBIES.

A crisis at the bunker! Oh yes, as usual though it's all my own fault. I haven't bought any brushes in a while, (read in a while as several years) so the ones I was using had been worn away to virtually nothing. Like a typical man, I ignored the problem hoping it would go away. It didn't. Anyway after struggling along for months on end, wondering why my productivity was steadily decreasing, matters came to a head this week. I finally cracked, threw said brushes against the wall and stopped painting.

It'll be fine, I thought, I just need a few days not painting. Cue several days of clipping and gluing, whilst I assembled more of my plastic survivors. I even dug out my Green Stuff, only for gap filling mind you, my sculpting's worse than my painting and my painting isn't great. Anyway, after I finished several survivors and zombies, it was time to pick up the brushes again. Looking at them with fresh eyes, I could tell they had been pushed beyond the call of duty.

I THINK THESE GUYS HAVE HAD IT.

Time to bite the bullet, I had to buy new ones. Being somewhat miserly, if not downright tight, I really didn't want to go and pay GW's ridiculous prices even though I have a shop not five minutes walk away. Instead I turned to the magic of the interweb, with the help of my daughter of course, 10 minutes later brushes and paints were ordered and en route to the bunker.

Three days later, said items landed. Fine service indeed. What had I ordered you ask, well it's also been quite a while since I bought any paint (don't worry, not as long as the brush thing but some of them seem to be quite solid, no matter how much water I add or how fast I stir) so I treated myself to the "Zombicide Core Paint Set" by Army Painter. They come in fancy squeezy bottles, so they don't dry up. There was even a free brush in the set, BONUS. Oh and a set of fine detail brushes, eight brushes for £7.95, less than a pound a brush. BARGAIN.

SMELL THE NEWNESS.

I guess all that was a round about way of saying, seeing that my brushes didn't arrive until Friday, I've only managed to finish two survivors this weekend.

So without further ado, here they are. The rather dishevelled looking office worker on the left is made from a Studio zombie torso and legs, with Wargames Factory head and arms. While the redneck on the right is all Wargames Factory.

TWO MORE FOR THE GRINDER.

The dude on the left is the first of several such conversions, a good way to make an already good value box set stretch even further. I hope to show more of them next post.

It's my first time trying out paint in a squeezy dropper bottle and I must confess to rather liking them, not much wastage and your paint doesn't dry up as your using it. I think I shall be buying more like this.

ANNOYINGLY OUT OF FOCUS.

As a result of said crisis, things have turned out all new and improved. I like all this stuff I'm finding out, see it only takes me a few years to catch up.

Anyhow, I guess that's all I've got for this time dudes and dudettes. So until the next time, just remember to walk the path of the DUDE, and "take it easy".


23 comments:

  1. Two great looking figures Bob, and some nice new paints brushes as well , can't be bad for under a quid each!!

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    1. Thanks Ray.
      The paints are pretty nifty and the brushes are great value for money.

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  2. I've always wondered what the official Zombicide paints are like. Please do let us know how you get on with them. You certainly lucked out on the paintbrushes and well done to you for not buying them at the hated GW. The figures look rather grubby, but I mean that in a good way.

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    1. Thanks Bryan.
      I've only used a couple of the colours so far but they seem quite nice, going to have to start using a mixing pallete though. Not used to these new fangled squeezy bottles yet.
      The brushes were great value, came in 0, 3/0, 5/0 and 10/0. I doubt I would have got two at GW for that kind of money.
      The grubiness is down to an Agrax Earthshade (dark brown) wash. In the latest series of Walking Dead everyone looks like they need a good scrub, I'm trying to replicate that.

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  3. I like the grubby, grityy effect you've got on these and like you I've dug my brushes out too, now that the evenings are lighter.

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    1. Thanks Joe.
      I think they have more important things to worry about than having a wash, like staying alive.
      Great to hear your brushes are out Joe, I know how much you love painting!

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  4. It was time to get new bruches :) great job on the survivors Dude!

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    1. Thanks Andre.
      It was definitely time for new brushes dude.

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  5. I'd say you managed to get the 'grubby' feel on the figs. They look good and worn. I'm interested to hear how the zombicide paints turn out for you. Keep the updates coming!

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    1. Thanks Steve.
      Post apocalypse grime is the new black.
      Will have a better opinion on the zombicide paints when I've used them a little more.

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  6. They look really good, the office guy looks like he has just had the worst day in the world. Mixing the kits was a great idea.

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    1. Thanks Mike.
      Office guy certainly does look that way, I'm pretty sure he'd like a cup of coffee and a smoke break. He had better make the most of it though, the bad days have only just begun.
      Kitbashing is one of my favourite ways to model dude.

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  7. I love new paints and brushes! Always a good day when you get a parcel with said items in it!!! I always feel I paint better with new equipment!

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    1. Thanks CW.
      It felt like Crimbo again.
      I don't know about painting better but I hope to get more done. Painting with my old "brushes" was becoming a joke.

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  8. Nice job on the survivors dude. I look forward to seeing what you can do with your new brushes :)

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    1. Thanks Simon.
      Best pull my finger out then!

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  9. Squeezy bottles rule!! A great way to store and dispense paint.

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    1. Thanks Finch.
      They certainly rule! Never used them before, I'm only just catching up on "new" things.

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  10. Ha! I had a good laugh reading about waiting for the problem to go away. Not that it sounds familiar, I am as disciplined as a samurai warrior... :D

    Brushes seem good enough for me, the problem with GW stuff is, you pay a hefty price for rebranding. I am buying brushes from a local art store for what would be a bit under a quid each and they are just fine for what I'm doing.

    Survivors look great, I do like the gritty look you keep giving to your miniatures, very suitable for the zombie apocalypse.

    As for Greenstuff, there is no reason not to try doing more than just filling the gaps. Use a needle, wet it (saliva works, but so does grease from your nose or forehead, really - don't put it in your mouth!), use a TINY blob of GS and do something. Bags are always a nice start. Everyone likes bags.

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    1. Thanks Mathyoo.
      Glad I could raise a laugh, samurai.
      My new brushes are from an online art store and they seem pretty good. GW just takes the piss with their prices.
      The way I see it, surviving takes priority over showering. Besides you'd soon be covered in "road dirt" anyway.
      I have enough trouble painting never mind learning all new skills. I have tried to sculpt before now and the results were OK, it's just a massive hassle.

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  11. Ooo ... nice set of brushes. Nylon or Kolinsky Sable?

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    1. Thanks F.E.M.
      The blue ones are nylon I think, but the gold ones are some kind of hair. For about a pound each, I don't think it's sable maybe it's cat hair. Ha ha.

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