Wokyard by Kraan 21-02

This is what I am doing at the moment.

I need to finally assemble all the pieces.
One is the Panzer Crew Summer figure from Alpine Miniatures 1/35, the other is the Northumbrian Warrior by Latorre.
They are being painted for the contest in Lyon at the end of the week.

Painted both with acrilycs. The bases are a mix of airbrush and then oils and enamels to add depth to the ground and vegetation.
The sunflower is from Voyager Model, the chair  from Miniart.

The shield in the box will be glued before attaching the hand with the spears.

Andrea "Kraan" Buratta

Article and Pics by: Andrea "Kraan" Buratta

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Wokyard by Trevis 22-02

Miss fewer hours per start for Lyon

and I find myself on my workyard to make the night..
aaaaa I was missing it, guys it's almost a year and a half that I didn't join a contest..and I feel like a kid, the night before his birthday..calculating how many beautiful gifts will receive the next day ..
(Also the metaphor, it's apt..Competition=dedicated stores=a lot of gifts)

oook, returning to us
Yesterday, I found myself to be a carpenter DIY (do it yourself) at home ..
It all started with the box for the miniatures (I needed a little one for the contest)
- buy what I need,
- find the best place where you will not be a problem for anyone, even if you'll dirty
- dispose tripod for the camera
- set the camera for the photos, and so on with screws and PVA glue

and in the next days you will got a step by step guide how to build your own DIY box for miniature.

But meanwhile I was putting order after the first session of carpentry, my sweetie was thought that we needed a bit of order in my work room, and then "someone" had to remove the cabinet .. "do you do it?!"

I've thought a moment, without the cabinet means more space for me a new shelf and another desk for work "but sure honey, I'll do it..even better I do now"
and so on to remove planks and doors.

After one hour, in the middle of the work, I asked to my darling if I could already organize the new free spaces of the closet.. and guess what was the answer:
"Yes dear, but I don't know if we have already the size of the crib and changing table"

.. So over the insult to injury ..
as well as deluded myself to be able to have a desk in addition, I find myself having also lost the place to put the only desk that I had..

Finished to disassemble and move all..looking at the clock and I decided that it was better to go back to painting, calculating missing fewer hours to the contest where I could forget my home little troubles.

And through metal vibration I get lost in this night of color and fantasy.

Cheers Guys! And Good Night!

Cesare "Trevis_11" Trevisiol

Articles and Pics by: Cesare "Trevis_11" Trevisiol

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Review: the Orc by Carmine "Thor" Giugliano

Today I want to review this figure by Carmine Giugliano (aka THOR).

I bought this figure in Monte San Savino after following the WIP on Legio Pictorum.
The piece is clearly inspired by the great artist Paul Bonner but it's not a rip-off since you can place this piece in that universe but not pointing directly to a particular drawing.

The piece came in a plastic bag with a little leaflet showing a few pictures of the piece and the resin copies.
I will show you the various pieces:

The body is enormous. It is clearly cut at the head and shoulders. As you can see there is no muscle on the back since the figure must be assembled with the coat.
Otherwise you will have to sculpt all the muscles.
The detail is crisp and I found some light leavings under the armpits and the crouch (nothing that some very light sanding didn't resolve).
The trousers are full of folds and each one is definite and no overlapping during the casting.
There are 3 square holes to use to build the arms and the head.

The coat with a fur trim is 2 pieces that have to be built directly on the body since, as you can see, the arms must be glued after the coat.
The fitting is somewhat difficult since in my copy there was a little gap that I think will be filled with some green stuff (something like 2mm in the largest point).
The holes for the arms had to be freed from a little film of resin (I just used the cutter and they were ready to go).

The arms are massive and very aggressive. The muscle are well defined as in Thor's style. One arm has some piece of armor, the other has some leather straps with a little dagger (maybe a bone dagger?).

The head and the tusks need to be assembled and then glued to the body. The fitting is almost perfect, just a little gap under the chin (it is so little that it can be left there and none the wiser)

The hood (optional) fit precisely the head and covers the left hear. You can choose to use it but either way the piece is ok. It's just your taste.

The little crocodile pet that goes on the shoulders/back. It's very detailed with all the scales sculpted and a skin texture. The body of the crocodile is arched so to be put on the shoulders so anyone who wanted to use it ground level should keep it in consideration.

The piece assembled with pattafix (bluetak).
As you can see the piece is massive (a very huge 90 mm). The resin quality is incredible, very resistent and almost free of bubbles and defects (the fusion line was so light that the sanding took me a few minutes with sandpaper size 1000).

If you are interested in purchasing the piece please tell us and we will make the author get in touch with you as soon as possible

I must recommend this piece for whomever likes fantasy and big figures.

Andrea "Kraan" Buratta

Article and Pics by: Andrea "Kraan" Buratta

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Review: Gorilla Artbook vol.1

Hello guys

this is the first of many reviews I would like to propose you about the wonderful world of graphics.
Infact one of the many things I invest money in is buying artbooks whenever I can afford.
The one I present you is the latest I bought on the internet: Gorilla Artbook vol.1 by CFSL Ink.

I discovered their blog just recently http://www.cfsl-ink.com/fr/blog and they are amazing.
I regularly check the news and even though most of the events and news regards the french country, I still enjoy most of the things they show me.

The book presents itself very well. It stands at 256 pages, hardcover and great paper, some kind of very high quality glossy paper ( I am no expert regarding paper but it offers a great sensation both visually and tactilly).

The works are divided in categories.

Gorilla Artbook is not like Spectrum ( another series I will write you about in the future): there are no Big names like Donato Giancola, James Gurney, Frank Cho, M.W.Kaluta (i could write for an hour)...
Here you can find many lesser known (I speak personally in somber ignorance) artists and some unknown. But what Spectrum offers in commercial and more market oriented works (in the sense that most of those works are commissions), this book offers more freedom and fresh looks.
In fact some of the works seems more like very elaborate sketches while others are complete. That's something you don't really need worry about. Every work is great and inspired.

Since I want you to consider buying this book, I will offer you some pictures and then a few links.

 

http://www.parkablogs.com/content/book-review-gorilla-artbook

Andrea "Kraan" Buratta

Article and Pics by: Andrea "Kraan" Buratta

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Workyard by Trevis 17-02

Good evening guys!

And while outside the sun is going down, I can say that my weekend is finished ..

so what better way to pass the time listening some good music, cleaning home and ordering my Workyard and my ideas.

Sitting on the chair between a cup of coffee and a cigarette, they come to the surface all the projects that I have not even started.

But back to reality..I think the fact that there are only 4 days to my trip to Lyon.

ONLY 4 DAYS REMAINING?!

..and as always my list of miniature to bring to the competition is shortened.

then reorganizing the work bench here is the results:

from left to right we have:

- Bishop of Ahkanar  by Degra:

This piece is a commission for a D&D player and I did a little conversion on demand, instead of the sledge hammer I put a sword, a small buckler behind.

Unfortunately this resin piece is really fragile, and so I decided to change the original chain on a metal chain for bracelets.

The nice thing about it is that the heads are interchangeable, one with a helmet ( the original one) and the other one I choose to put a younger head wich the old one was in the blister.

Not requested, I also made a base for exposing with a wood plint ( I'll put a a little tutorial on how to do it in the next future), in order to have the miniature game available, and then be able to store in its plinth.

Now all that's left is to give it the primer and paint!

- Don quixote de la Mancha by phlegyasart:

It's a really funny and beautiful piece of phlegyasart range who was half painted in a corner of my desk for a few months becasue commissions had come earlier..

and so with the fact that Lyon is close, why not..I'll do a final sprint and try to finish it ..

- Thordek by Aitna Model:

Yes, I'm incorrigible, I have at all costs to change something in a piece but I need to feel mine to paint it

In this case the changes are heavy..and I'm still on open water with the crossbow and the arms

"..ARMS?!!.. But this model has no arms?!" 

Don't worry guys you will see how it will come.

Anyway I want to congratulate with Marco "Gotrakk" Rizzotti for this interesting sculpture.

By his works you can understand his full love for Dwarfs.

- Lord Carver, BMMD, Esq III by Hordes - Privateer Press:

The last, but not least, is the one of the last miniatures painted for a quite big commission for gaming, 21 pieces of Minions by Ordes

It was long time since I didn't paint pieces of Privateer Press, and I can understand why, too much detailed, by the simple soldier to the biggest beast.

But just as fun and useful to got experience with various painting techniques.

I'll photograph the entire unit painted for your reference

Well, now I can say that the order has been restored in the desk at the moment..

..And after having tasted the freedom in my workyard and have played with the imagination, back to the sad reality of housework..Damn housework.

Good evening to all.

Cheers

Cesare "Trevis_11" Trevisiol

Article and Pics by: Cesare "Trevis_11" Trevisiol

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Tutorial: Converting a Contemptor: Thousand Sons Style

Hello comrades in arms!

Today I bring you my first article ever, ever!
I will show you my conversion of the Contemptor, or cool Dreaddy!
I purchased this piece from Forgeworld quite a long ago, but only last month I decided to start building it, with a twist.
These are the two culprits for the conversion, the first comes from the great Julien Casses,
This piece is everything I look for in a single miniature prepared for a GD: a cool subject, a (pre-heresy, more or less) thousands sons hero; I nice but simple conversion that does not requires a professional sculptor; a great base with lots of tiny details but nonetheless not excessive; great scheme of colours; a tutorial on how it's done.

The second one ..I really don't know, but Kudos!

I really like Thousands sons fluff. They are cool and they are egyptians! How mystic is that!

The torso here shows just the scarab. It's from the warsphinx by Games Workshop (lots of cool bits).
I suggest that for this type of conversion using bits of Gw is really useful and fast!
Later you will see I added also a gem and some skulls above the head.

The disk on the head is from the little skull from the warsphinx. I separated the skull from the disk and recycled it.

The two shoulders. One has a scarab (duh!) and the other some parchments. The scarab is a green stuff copy of the scarab...coming from...guess?

You may have noticed that I put roung earth magnets inside the shoulder socket. I choose to equip my contemptor with a few different weapons.

Be careful with the sides of the magnets while pasting. Remedy of mistake could be really difficult and it will take you a long time.

As you can notice the way I built it you can only choose two right weapons and two left weapons. 

The bottom part, the most tricky, was built and glued straight away. I used some column sections, an egyptian decorative piece from Scibor, an old resin base with stones.

I put the various elements together with vallejo pumice, I great product I use constantly to make bases, terrain, glueing parts in a diorama...

The little skull is what is left of the original I talked above.

These are the final shots. 

It's not really primed. I just sprayed the black and then some white just so I could take pictures. 

I used the primers from GW.

I think I will add some bigger parchments I got from a friend of mine (once it's painted I will post more details about it).

See ya! 

Andrea "Kraan" Buratta

Article and Pics by: Andrea "Kraan" Buratta

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Workyard by Amon 15-02

Hi Guy!
These are my current WIPs:

Two for the next Golden Demon, one Hulk by Knight Model and a little conversion...

 (Using acrilycs, pigments and inks)

I gave the basecoat with the airbrush on the Knight Model's piece. Now I am working it with inks and acrilycs. I just made a little conversion, I removed the torn shirt from the shoulders and I placed him on some destroyed concrete just as he landed after one of his gigantic jumps. The effect was realized with gypsum and then placed with some pins. " HUUUUULK SMMAAAASH!!!"

The Knight on the left is almost done, a simple conversion, and the painting is almost finished. I just have to create the base. Got any ideas?

The model in the bottom center is just started, I just gave the base skin color with the airbrush. It will the single 40k entry for next GD.

Now I go painting! See ya!

Max “Amon” Richiero

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