Thursday 22 January 2015

White Out!

Introduction

I'm going to be doing 2 things in this post that are somewhat unusual, for me.

  • Firstly, I don't normally show pictures of models that aren't finished.  It would be all too easy to fill the Internet with images of my started-but-on-hold model mountain.  However if I did that regularly then I would lose all credibility as someone who can actually complete anything.
  • Next, I normally undercoat models in grey.  I've tried black before and it's really difficult to lay down pale colours on top of this.  White undercoat, in my experience, doesn't coat too well.  Unless a model is to be predominantly black or white, I compromise and use grey.
Strangely, this week I've found myself undercoating a number of models in white, though..,

The Apparitions

I'm trying to collect some figures that I can use in games of Fear and Faith.  Last week, I posted details of Mystery Incorporated (better known as "the Scooby Doo gang") and I can probably come up with some suitably suspicious civilians to use as allies, bystanders and low-level enemies.  However, I wanted some monsters as well.


These spectre models come from Black Tree Design, though they only seem to be available in a regiment-sized pack.  I've had a large bag of them sitting in the lead pile for many years and now seemed like a good time to paint a few.  They'll be used as haunts in Fear and Faith - but in the best traditions of Scooby Doo they may turn out not to be real ghosts.  Instead, they could be just images projected onto clouds of smoke by the demented janitor.  Or maybe not!

I plan to paint these spectres to be as pale and ethereal as possible.  This might be a challenge, since they're quite solid models and I don't have any transparent paint.  Still, I'll give it a go...

The Angels

It came as quite a surprise to me recently to discover that I had not one but two packs of the Daredevil Sisters from Crooked Dice.  I don't normally forget a purchase so completely that I buy another copy of the same thing!

Now, as anyone with an interest in Marionation knows, the Daredevil sisters are based very closely on the Angels from the Captain Scarlet TV series (gosh, is it really almost 50 years?).  The Angels were the 5 female pilots of Spectrum's fleet of fighter and passenger aircraft; they were young, international and glamorous!  As with the other members of the organisation, they all had code names, in this case Destiny, Harmony, Rhapsody, Melody and Symphony.

Since the Angels wore white uniforms, I've decided to undercoat these models in white (well, obviously!).  I bought a separate pack of helmeted heads to customise them a bit, so at least I won't have 2 sets of 3 identical figures.

Actually, I went a bit further than this and also changed around the equipment the Angels were holding or wearing as well as their heads.  This gives me 6 models that are all unique, though it's easy enough to spot the duplicate bodies.

Of course, there were only 5 Angels in the Captain Scarlet show.  I've decided that in my universe there is another Angel who isn't quite as well known.  Perhaps she's been on leave, or on special assignment somewhere.  I'm thinking of naming her Serenity; I had to abandon the musical theme when the only name in that area which I could find was Cacophony!

So, there you are - some of the recent works from my "White" period!

21 comments:

  1. Sometimes white is the best colour to use for priming a figure. I predominantly use black but there are times when I've used white. For these figures you've shown, I'd certainly have gone with white as well.
    Serenity is an excellent choice of name for an Angel. They don't have to have musical names. After all, Destiny, is not named after a musical term.

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    1. I suppose that I'm so used to priming in grey that any other colour seems...strange. But these models will all be very pale when finished, so white makes more sense.

      You're quite right about Destiny, Bryan. I've often wondered why the other 4 followed the musical theme, but Destiny didn't!

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  2. Good stuff.. Go bold with the White.. Look forward to seeing end results.. I would be tempted with a bit of light blue in the deaths of the apparitions to make them cold and highlight up to pure white..

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    1. Thanks, Dave. I was thinking more of green than blue. Blue is perhaps a bit too wholesome for this job, if you know what I mean? Although it would give a very chilly, frozen effect. Hmm...

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  3. I've used both black and white undercoats, but currently I'm favouring grey. I've found that when painting brighter colours, specifically yellows and reds I don't get good enough colour.
    Those "haunts" look interesting and the Angels are great sculpts.

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    1. Thanks, Joe. I've also used both black and white undercoats in the past, but only for very specific purposes.
      Hopefully I'll find enough time to finish these models off quite soon and then you'll be able to see how they look!

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  4. After years of using black undercoats as advised by many GW fuckwits, I've changed to white undercoats and am experiencing much better results, I'd never go back to anything else.

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    1. I know that some people swear by black, some by white and some by grey. I'd say that it's a personal thing and that there is no "right" answer :-) .

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  5. You could also name her Stereophony :-)
    Seriously, nice figures, I'm especially looking forward to seeing the specters.

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    1. Stereophony? Nice idea, but perhaps a bit too cumbersome :-) ?
      I'll try and get these models finished soon, then I can show them.

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  6. I often think I should try white undercoat, but bottle it every time, preferring to stay with my more familiar black. I shall be curious to see how these all turn out.

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    1. Well, I say do whatever works for you. For these models, with their white uniforms, I think that a black undercoat would have been inconvenient - but then I've never used a lot of black-lining in my painting style!

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  7. Fun looking figures - I don't now anything about Marioantion, but I grew up watching Captain Scarlett (dundadundadun) - and remember the Angels. I always thought their aircraft looked a bit fragile :)

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    1. Thanks, Dean, All of Gerry Anderson's TV series were filmed in "*Super Marionation*" and "*Technicolor*". Everyone I knew was always amused at the brashness of using these terms for puppets and colour!

      I liked the Angel's Interceptor jets, but it was the Spectrum ground vehicles that really excited me. Particularly the SPV - the big, multi-wheeled blue pursuit vehicle!

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  8. "Cacophony Angel" I like the sound of that! Instant villain angel! You know this makes a story all it's own. I might nick it!
    Looking forward to seeing them finished. The Black tree stuff looks good too. I always thought they were so-so sculpts. But I may have to have another look now.

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    1. Thanks, Clint. Feel free to use Cacophany Angel in any way you see fit :-) .

      BTD models are a real mixed bag. Some of their huge catalogue of sculpts are very nice but others are, as you say, so-so. At least their website is fairly well-illustrated, so you can make up your own mind.

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  9. Cacophony sounds like the name for someone who always does things wrong, lol.

    Also, transparent paint for your spectres are washes. I painted mine while and just washed them with a dilluted green paint. You might want to experiment with VERY think wash of blue or maybe even purple? I wouldn't want to try painting any transparency effects (like how you can see wall behind it, because the miniature is transparent), because it NEVER comes out right.

    As for primer, I am using white but just because thats the only colour I found in a pot. I should probably follow it with a black wash, but that seems like so much effort I don't generally do that, I should though.
    I once read an article that claimed white is most suitable primer colour, but you'd paint black over it for skin and metal areas.

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    1. I will indeed be using washes for the spectres. "Transparent paint" was just my little joke (though while I think about it, I really need to find a good source of tartan paint as well :-) ).

      For most cases, I don't think the colour of the primer matters. I've seen excellent results from people who swear by white and also very good models from those who use black. Generally I'll stick with my grey, if only because it's an easy spray to find!

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  10. I now this is not the right forum for this but... cant you post your powerpoint file / base card for your ATZ event cards plz :)

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    1. Ah, the original link that I posted (in a comment) seens to have expired. Here's a new one: http://www.mediafire.com/view/9cku5925nb58kun/atz-new-event-cards.pptx

      Note that I've also updated the original article about the ATZ event cards (http://colgar6.blogspot.com/2012/08/atz-event-cards-finally.html) to include this new download link.

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    2. Thx mate!
      Will try the link when i get home :)

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