How Much Can I Get Done Before Wallshammer Gets Home Challenge - Day 1 Report

So here's where things really kick off!  My super-secret project, shielded from the eyes of Wallshammer  by whatever internet connection he may or may not have in Mexico.

That and the break line:

Welcome back!

So, Day one wrapped up with a a fizzle.  I'm not saying I didn't get a lot done, but I honestly was hoping to get more finished.

I had assembled the Saurus Warriors the night before, and during a very brief break in the weather I jumped out under the awning to spray them.  I was used the Demon Yellow from Army Painter, which I had talked about in a previous article.  However, this time I tried multiple light coat of poor coverage over fewer coats of better coverage.  It took most of the afternoon, but it was worth it.  Decent, but not perfect coverage, but more importantly, no loss of detail.

So once the spray had dried I gave the models a once over, only to find that my super glue had had a bad reaction, and it was bubbled out at the joints.  So I had to go back and clean that up, which took more time.  Once that was done, I was finally ready for painting.

I started with a Baal Red wash on the scales.  This came out a wonderful orangey-brown colour, and is a perfect base for the scales.  I then painted all the claws and teeth with Deneb Stone.  Then I wash the skin and claws/teeth with Gryphonne Sepia.  I'm really happy with how it's turned out so far.

I then began to work on the weapons.  I started putting down Blacks on the inside parts of the weapons, but ran out of steam hard when my back started to hurt.  So I took a long break, and when I came back, decided to lay on the metals to the 5 models whose weapons I had blacked, just to see where things were going.  Again after 5 my back was screaming at me, so I quickly moved to the shields and but down a base of Regal Blue before retiring for the night.  Oh, and I assembled the rest of the Skinks.  10 with blowpipes and 2 with javelins, as extra crew for the Salamander teams.

So what did I learn today?  Well first off, I'm not going to use the Army Painter Soft Shade.  It's just not dramatic enough, and I honestly think I got a better result with the Sepia.  I'm also a lot happier with the primer, even though the can is likely not going to last for the whole army.  Also I did a little research, and Gale Force Nine sells and Jungle Basing Kit.  I've emailed my local gaming store to see if they can get it in for me.  I've been won over to the more traditional jungle basing since the darker greens should help the Yellow pop a little more on the table.  I think the Parched Pasture with the Autumn foliage would mute the colours too much, and the whole point of the Yellow is to stand out.

And for tomorrow?  Obviously getting the metals and the blacks finished on the Warriors, priming the Skinks (weather permitting) and highlighting up the Yellows to a fine white line and the red/orange scales to a yellowy-orange (I've decided to go more of a dark Yellow than pure orange or red, as I think the more 2-tone look will make the shield contrast better.  Three colours would just pull too much focus).  If I can hack through all of that, that's 20 models in 2 days start to finish and almost one whole unit finished (I'm still short one box of Saurus Warriors).

Tune in tomorrow for more of my dementia, trying to paint an entire army in three weeks...