Games Workshop, An Appreciation Thread

[Padlocked]

Looks awesome dude.

[Cocky]

Yeah, it's not bad

For what it's worth I really like your style. There's a nice crispness to the colours and the details always pop out. I understand what your saying though. I've spent a lot of time this year trying to improve my painting and at times it's been a real struggle especially when trying something new. I've found that it's better to adapt a technique to my particular style rather than completely change the look of my miniatures. And yes it's all about having fun!

[Joyrex-J9]

Definitely easy to lose sight of why your doing it - for fun!

The old school 'Eavy Metal/Citadel/GW style is heavily ingrained in me too, don't think I'll ever shake that, and wouldn't try too. I don't spend time on places like coolminiornot.com or any of the mini painting guru hangouts. I think I'd snap all my brushes if I did!

[Benji Dude]

That looks great dude. I've not had the will to paint for most of the year... mostly down to actually working in a wargames shop for 8 or so months. Kinda killed the buzz of it all for me. That and I really need to clear my workspace so I can actually paint when I'm at home instead of relying on the 1-2 hours a week I get to paint at the local GW... it's taken me over a year to paint a Blood Bowl team!

[SimonC]

it's taken me over a year to paint a Blood Bowl team!

Post pix plzz!!

[Sardan]

Well, I have to say that I've really struggled to paint this year. Haven't found it relaxing, nor have I really enjoyed it much. I find my patience wearing thin on various parts of the process - like cleaning the figures, undercoating...erm...painting. This then ends up me going all experimental and bunging on loads of various colours to see what the effect is. It's worked once or twice, but not a huge amount really.

Then I started thinking about what I actually like to paint, and what my style of painting is. I don't profess to be 'Eavy Metal stadard at all, but it is the style which has dictated my painting over 30 (!) years. And loads of folk think it's actually a bit boring and old school - I mean the amount of stuff which has been painted over the last couple of years blows me away with their techniques and stuff. Absolutely awesome things.

But, I don't want to bust my arse trying this sort of thing, when for me the painting should be basically spending a bit of time enjoying yourself and not fretting about how the bloody light sourcing works, or how NMM should lay on a weapon, or any of that stuff.

So, I do what I tend to do to work out my painting demons and go back to a GW figure - and namely an Ultramarine. I love painting blue. Still can't seem to put serious time into it, and it may well be that I won't from now on, but I do know that I'm enjoying painting it when I do so, and that's the main thing.

Here's where we are at the moment with it:

Looks good but maybe you should reinvigorate your painting by painting something different. I know I am in the GW thread but a lot of their modern miniatures leave a lot to be desired.

How about painting Otherworld or Red Box Games figures? To my mind they are producing the best miniatures at the moment.

[Padlocked]

I've been painting again! Badly! Night to myself on Friday night meant I got started on stuff.

I set out to finish up the last set of marines from Space Crusade as Imperial Fists. It did not go very well at all, and they look like absolute shit. Soul destroying, but I'm now just going to tidy up the last bits and then put them in the box. Only 8 orcs, a dreadnought and some weapons to go and the set is complete.

This made me weep a little bit and throw a hissy fit, so I stamped my feet, told myself I'm shit and tried to do some highlights on the one Skaven grunt I've done to date. It made no noticeable difference except in my mind.

Then I started another Skaven...thing...which seemed to go better. I played around with steam and then, this morning, added the colour to the clothes. Probably should have done that first. Struggling with the Cote D'Arms paints a bit - very watery and seem to behave a lot like washes - running off rises into troughs and pooling. I'll see how I go - not sure if some of these paints have separated a little bit. (The red is GW Mechrite Foundation).

Still, it made me far happier with my abilities (so far, more to do) and re-assured me I just need the model to do the hard bit and then trace the brush around it. No more Marines for a while at least.

[idespair]

Don't let anything you're not keen on put you off. I'm only just getting to a point where I'm vaguely happy with some of my painting, and my favourite models have sometimes been those I initally hated. An extra wash or a few highlights can make all the difference, and it's amazing how quickly a couple of little things like that can turn around your impressions of your own work.

I find Space Marines really hard to paint, probably because I rely on washes for depth which doesn't work so well on flat surfaces like their shoulder pads. I'd suggest just building up some fresh colour in thin coats on the large sections of armour so that your existing colour becomes the shading. Then add some thin brush lines of hard lighting right on the highest raised edges.

[Padlocked]

Cheers dude. I'll try something. Let's face it, they can't get worse

Anyway, slow last week of the work term (I made my one phone call of the day) meant I could carry on with the warp fire thrower thingie. I did another coat of mechrite red and scorpion green on the clothes, picked out the teeth and claws, added some colour to leather, painted the lead dudes cap and then added boltgun metal everywhere applicable. Which brought me to a flat and boring:

So I dropped Devlan Mud across it all and then highlights wherever I thought relevant. Not so good at this yet, a couple of little mistakes, but it got there.

Just the eyes to do on the back dude, the little rat companion thing and then base it. This one felt relatively easy and I'm pleased with the results. Probably 2 hours with a brush in my hand. Only 37 more Skaven to go in the Island Of Blood box now...

[JoeK]

Looks good but maybe you should reinvigorate your painting by painting something different. I know I am in the GW thread but a lot of their modern miniatures leave a lot to be desired.

How about painting Otherworld or Red Box Games figures? To my mind they are producing the best miniatures at the moment.

Good point there. Red Box have been on the cards for a long while now, just never got around to buying any - wish there was somewhere where I could physically handle them though - whenever I go along to various shows it's always great to pick 'em up and give them a good look!

Actually, I'm very nearly at a point where I'll be getting some new figures sorted for my own business, and they're definitely things which I want to have a dabble at myself. Very different in style from the other figs - mainly because they were an old(ish) range of figures that never expanded much. By a stroke of good fortune, I was offered the chance to pick up the rights to 'em, along with a couple of concepts for new figures, plus loads of good background info to really flesh things out, and I'm determined to have them alongside the 'one-off' figures. Whatever happens I now know that whatever 2012 holds for me, I'll definitely have doubled the amount of figures I've released so far in one fell swoop!

[moosegrinder]

Ok. This is the second mini I've done in like 10 years or some shit so bear with me. It took me a good 3 or so hours to get him just basically coated and even then I kept making mistakes, painting over them, then painting over the mistakes I made painting over them so I've had to stop. Now to read up on what to do next...

This one I tried black undercoat, and the red would not go on at all, so it's dead thick and clarty. Lesson learned.

[Padlocked]

That's looking great dude! Really, really good brush work on the detail, it's coming up great.

[Joyrex-J9]

This one I tried black undercoat, and the red would not go on at all, so it's dead thick and clarty. Lesson learned.

Looking good!

If using a black undercoat you need to apply a base coat of white before applying reds and yellows.

I sometimes put two or maybe three thin, watered down coats of white to get a decent covering over black.

[Benji Dude]

Post pix plzz!!

Well since you asked so nicely...

[Padlocked]

And finished! So very pleased with this one. Sorry to spam the thread, hopefully someone will find the process interesting. All I've done since the last shots is paint the little ratty companion (ON FIYAH!) and base the figure, but both elements make quite a massive impact on the figure overall.

[Padlocked]

First GW figure of the New Year goes to DungeonQuest. I undercoated the 4 included miniatures using the proper spray and it went SO much better than last time. I painted up the knight first - not really happy with the shield if I'm honest, the white was a mistake. I should have left it boltgun metal and then painted the gold onto it. Live and learn, though!

[idespair]

I disagree - I like the white shield, as it adds some nice contrast. Anyhow - well done on getting this year's painting off to a start.

I've just finished off the plastic Fellowship from the Mines of Moria box set, and then faintly terrified myself by realising that it came out in 2005. I'm going to have to improve my purchase -> paint time. I'll probably go back and neaten up the eyes at some point, but they'll do for now.

[RFT]

Looking good!

If using a black undercoat you need to apply a base coat of white before applying reds and yellows.

I sometimes put two or maybe three thin, watered down coats of white to get a decent covering over black.

Or, the Foundation red goes down nicely onto black and then blood red on the top of that gives a good deep red. (that's what I;ve done woth my Space hulk Blood Angels Termies)

Yellow's more awkward, I tend to go with the foundation yelklow (Iyanden darksun) then multiple coats of either sunburst yellow or tamiya gloss lemon yellow.

[Sabreman]

I've got the urge to paint a miniature, so I've armed myself with the relevant information to make a visit to GW as painless as possible. I've got the names and model numbers of what I want in order of preference, I already have all the tools, paints and brushes I need. This should be really simple. I'm heading out in a short while.

Wish me luck.

[moosegrinder]

Good luck! I need to see step by step photos of how you get on too. You still got that inquisitor you did about 6 years ago?

[Sabreman]

Good luck! I need to see step by step photos of how you get on too. You still got that inquisitor you did about 6 years ago?

Yes! I Remember I asked you to get something interesting for me to paint

[Joyrex-J9]

Fairly widely reported that GW's profits are up 40%

That's pretty surprising given the economic climate etc. So well done! What's extra heartening for me, is a big part of that coming from them licensing to the likes of FF for RPGs, board & card games. I wonder if that will ever make them rethink their current "no games other than 40k/WH/LOTR" business model. Doubt it, but I still hold hope.

http://www.rttnews.com/1791705/games-workshop-h1-profit-rises-quick-facts.aspx?type=qf

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/city-news/2012/01/06/games-workshop-posts-40-surge-in-profits-115875-23682535/

[bcofn]

Heh, after Dreadfleet sold so well? Not likely

I know it was still warhammer themed but it was still something outside the usual.

[waddie]

The jump in licensing revenue had a lot more to do with Space Marine than FFG.

[Joyrex-J9]

Booo

[RFT]

Heh, after Dreadfleet sold so well? Not likely

I know it was still warhammer themed but it was still something outside the usual.

I think it's just a question of product - they know that Dreadfleet slightly missed (and will probably still sell out, it;s just taking longer than Space Hulk did).

Essentially it looks GW like to have a big, new £60 (or so) box every year, and Space Hulk / Dreadfleet fill in the gaps between Main game releases.

2008: 40k 5th Ed (Black Reach)

2009: Space Hulk

2010: WFB new edition (island of blood?)

2011: Dread Fleet

This Year seems certain to be a new 40k edition (4-year cycle, plus it's the 25th anniversary of Rogue Trader).

I think they'll still do something next year. another edition of Space Hulk's unlikely. Battlefleet gothic (or rather a self-contained space battle game) perhaps? I'd love a new Blood Bowl box with modern-quality plastic minis but that seems very unlikely. Though - 2013 would be the 20th anniversary of Blood Bowl 3rd edition.

I think they've seen that the big splashy self-contained releases do get new (or even old) people into the stores who haven't been in before, or for a long time. In addition, unlike the big kits such as the Baneblade, they've got more of a chance of appealing to the whole customer base as opposed to those with that specific army/faction/game. I did at least give Dreadfleet some attention before deciding not to buy, whereas a new WFB war engine wouldn't even raise a flicker of attention.

What we have seen from GW is that they are at least more open to trying new things, the sublicensing of IP to FFG, for instance, than they were for a long time. it would be nice if the GW stores would carry the FFG products as well, though.

They've hiked prices, as they always do, but at leasdt in this most recent 4-year or so period, that's not been the only strategy, they have at least tried to push into new areas and stick thier necks out a bit.

[SimonC]

it would be nice if the GW stores would carry the FFG products as well, though.

A friend of mine went in the local GW before Xmas and the staff member he spoke to had never heard of FFG....

[idespair]

A couple of PDFs have appeared today, which are apparently the playtest rules & codex updates for WH40K's sixth edition. They're fairly easy to get hold of, and would appear to be a huge shift in depth & complexity.

It was about this far out from release that the 5th edition play test was leaked, and there weren't a lot of differences to the final rules.

[Joyrex-J9]

I'm familiar with 4th Ed rules - 5th didn't make any radical changes did it?

[idespair]

5th had lots of small changes, but nothing radical - the main things were true line of sight, cover from almost anything, wound allocation and the removal of consolidation into combat. It was meant to simplify the game to broaden its appeal, but in reality just neutered it.

From what I've read so far, 6th is a huge rethink of every phase of the game.