My First Static Grass

I have never used static grass before. I like the effect but I never really got to the basing phase (see my previous post). I had already painted the bases with black and overbrushed with dark brown (FA's Dark Umber). Then I dry brushed with FA's Teddy Bear Tan, a much lighter brown. I liked the effect but it was still a little dark. So I finally busted out my static grass (I think I bought it 5 years ago). I used a brush to but straight Elmer's in the low parts of the base. I was able to do the 20 Saurus Warriors, 4 of 5 Terradon bases, and 2 Skink Priests. This is what I came up with and I love it.

I still have the Calvary and the skinks to static grass but they will have to wait for next week.

Basing

I have never been good at basing. At first, I didn't know where to start, so I left it to the end. I have also never been good at deciding a model was done so I never was good at spraying them with varnish. Of all my many models, none have varnish. Therefore, none have bases either, because I was leaving that until the end. So now, I am basing, regardless if it is done. In fact, when I do my Tharn Ravagers, I think I will put the basing material down before I prime it!

So I decided to paint the bases I did last night with FA's Burnt Umber, a really dark brown. I think I did a cross between over brushing and bad painting. I wanted to leave the black in the crevasses, so I dipped my flat blade bush in the paint, ran it across the rim of the paint tray, then drug it across the surface. If the paint covered all the black or just hit the high points, I just let it do what it was going to do. It looks ok now, even if it is a little dark for the Jungles of Lusteria. I did this assembly line for 5 Terradon bases, 16 Saurus, 2 Skink Priests, and a Cold One.

Touching Up Terradons & More

I wanted to touch up my Terradons before next week's game so I dug out (and was actually able to find) my notes for how I painted them. I don't have step by step pictures but here is the process.

• Base with a black wash or primer
• Wash with Folk Art's Hauser Green Dark (I don't remember if I covered the wings too. Now, I wouldn't)
• Dry brush the green areas with FA's Holly Leaf
• Paint the wing membrane with FA's Tapioca tinted with FA's Hauser Green Light. It makes a light pus color. I did this in two coats. Now days, I might start with a wash of the light green and then highlight with the mix.
• I lined in veins on the wings of FA's Medium Yellow.
• Dry (very dry) brush wings and everything with FA's Hauser Green Light.

Knowing all that, here is the starter picture of what I will touch up on all of them:


You can see the holes in the paint left by the old glue bases.

After touching them up, I decided to go ahead and sand the bases. I mixed Elmer's and a little water and painted it on. Then I dipped them in my basing material (sifted fine sand).

With the glue already mixed up, I decided to touch up the basing material on the Saurus.

There was also one Saurus Calvary that didn't have basing material so I covered it also. After touching the Cold One Calvary, I wanted to glue the riders to the their mounts. I simply used plastic glue and I may have to pin them later if they pop off. I None of this took too long, so I decided to mix up Elmers, water, and FA's Black paint. I started painting and it took a while. But here is what it looks like now.

I meant to just sit down and do a short project but you know how that goes.

Another Short Project

Ok, so the gluing and pinning of the old Terradons didn't take as long as I thought. I would say less than an hour. I did go ahead and use the Dremal tool on all 4 of the underbellys and again, the remaining plastic melted to the drill bit. However, I was able to remove it more quickly (with a file and a pair of clippers) and it sped up the process. In the pictures below, you can make out the pins in the flying bases. Again, I didn't glue the end that goes in the bases so they are removable for transport.

A Short Project

Last week, the guys at the store showed me how to make the flying bases of Terradons better. I did the first one in the blog here. I really just wanted a short, brainless project while I watch the new episode of Deadliest Catch.

It took no time at all to cut the flying bases from the Terradons. I used super glue and it has held great, even 2 years later. Where I was less than careful with it and it pooled out, I now have bare metal showing. I used the pin vice again to drill out the clear post. 4 of them with a short pizza break took about 1 hour. I would guess actual time was 30 minutes but my fingers kept needing a break. I will dremal the metal Terradons in the next few days and get the pins glued in. Estimated time: 1.5 hours.

Looking at the Lizardmen Army

Well, there are several things I need to do for this army (without buying anything).
The Saurus bases still need to be painted and the movement tray needs to be based. I really want to put the rare earth magnets on the models and the metal plate on the move tray but this is a strictly no $$$ time.

The Saurus Calvary needs about 4-5 hours of painting and then glue them to their cold ones

I would like to re-base the 4 other Terradons like I did with the broken one here

The Salamander needs painting.

The Carnosaur Old One needs about an hour more paint and then be pinned. I would like to base the Carnosaur with a more modeled base but I am honestly a little intimidated and not sure where to begin. I will probably take him up to the shop and get the guys to help me get started.
I have an old school Stegadon that still needs assembly and paint. Eventually, the entire army needs static grass on the bases.

I have a busy week at school so none of this will get done but maybe now I can break it into smaller pieces. (see the new list on the side bar: Pieces of Projects)

Lizardmen Army (now called Seraphon?)

(Edit 2017- Warhammer Fantasy is now called Age of Sigmar and Lizardmen are apparently called Seraphon)

So, the other night, I went to my local game store and one of the guys was playing Lizardmen in a Warhammer Fantasy match. I haven't played WHF in about 2 years so I hadn't seen the new models or the new army book (check out the Games Workshop Lizardmen page for more info). The new minis are great, especially the new stegadon. So I came home and started digging mine out. I totaled it up and the bare minimum is 2,006 points. Here's the whole army.

And here are the pieces.
16 Saurus

4 Swarms of Jungle Reptiles, a flaming lizard with crew (forgot the name right now), and a skink priest.

T-Rex - rider coming soon. This is probably my favorite model I have painted.

24 Skinks with blowpipes, 24 skinks with spears, and 14 Cold Ones (riders coming soon).

5 old school terradons and the walking wounded. The terradon on the far right is the one I pinned in the last post.

9 chameleons.

I have some great stuff here. Now I just need to finish the riders and base the stuff. I also have an old school stegadon that needs building.

Old Terradon

I also have a Warhammer Fantasy Army of Lizardmen. I will post pictures of them later. However, they have had a rough life and several of the pieces have broken, especially the stinking little flying bases (grumble, grumble, grumble). This particular model broke with the peg still in the Terradon's underbelly.

So I finally asked at my local gaming store, Albright's how to fix them and the guys clued me in. I filed off the rest of the peg to give myself a flat surface. I took a pin vise (rather than my Dremal tool) and drilled a whole down into the clear support peg, the exact diameter of the pin I would use. I made sure the well was deep, as I do not intend to glue the pin in.




Next, I took my Dremal tool and drilled into the peg still in the underbelly. Turns out, the guys were right to tell me to use a pin vise on the plastic. The clear plastic melted to the drill. I had to pry the stuff off. Once the plastic was out of the underbelly, I could use my Dremal to sink a nice whole. I measured and cut the pin and super glued it in.








The idea here is to leave the base free from the model. The pin is long enough that it will stay in during games but you can also remove the base for traveling. I have more Terradons to convert later but for now, they are still together.