Happy New Year.

2012 was Epic. Epic.

For the family, for me professionally and for the hobby: I made a few really great new friends. I ended up finishing 20 miniatures! (Considering the insanity of conversion work and my work and family commitments, I must say I'm surprised and pleased with the number.) Furthermore, I got the dream desk done and loaded with the right tools and supplies.

2013 promises to be very very interesting. I've heard rumors of a neat Blanchitsu in the January WD to begin with. In turn I promise to:

1. Get gaming with my minis again! (that's been the big failure in '12 and something I dearly miss)
2. Finish the Legion army fully done to tournament ready glory. (starting with the Bay area open team tournament)
3. Surprise you every now and then.

Select few photos from 2012 to kick off the new year.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

And a happy new year!

PIP of the Alter and the HH book from Santa!

PS/Edit / oh WOW how badly the blogger app pic size quality shrink sucks...

Setting a deadline.

On 1st of March, one of the most insanely converted and painted Warhammer 40000 armies ever built will go to war.

THE BAY AREA OPEN

I am contemplating between the team tournament (if I find a good match) and the massive task of finishing 2000pts (I'm up to 1250ish today) and living with the consequences of doing a crazy army list to reach that and then having my beautifully made models die to some possibly half painted copy paste list.

The latter don't sound so good, does it? In time, I'm sure my list will be very strong too, but I also need practice, since I only managed to play like half a dozen games of 5th, after very active 3rd and 4th editions.

WIP update : Heroes and Villains

Almost ready to prime.

Both the Von Lochov Praetorian and the Devotee have since gotten fitting shoulder pad detailing that completely hides the Cadian feel. The trio, together with the Chastener (the dual pistol guy) and Servo-skull, both shown earlier, received a coat of primer today.

I like how the B&Ws hide what I sculpted and what is standard parts.

Devotee is heading for the BAD retinue. The +I+ not decided yet, the Praetorian is Legion, Von Lochov's personal Praetorian.

... stories will be written ....

WIP update : Legion, Good and Bad

Here's a random update of what's cooking. Adding to the mix a Leman Russ Demolisher 50% assembled.

You see here models that will end up in the Bad retinue, the very first concepts for the Good Retinue and Legion project (Space Marine squad and Von Lochov's retinue)

I'll try to focus so I can actually deliver something soon.

See how badly scaled the DA Librarian is to the Cultist models most of whom are actually a tad taller. This plays nicely for my project though. My own marines being "correctly" scaled to GW Background, I get to make good use of a lot of Space Marine parts/models for =I= projects. The Librarian will be a fine canvas for one.

+ Inquisitor Silas and the new recruits +

Mirror Master - Where is the mirror? Old, Wise beyond law, Erudite Extraordinaire, but how to remember thy minutia?

Tobias the Curze - Caretaker, Make sure master see no harm, solid slug for everyday, Enuncia for ordnance!

Chaide - Pelicanne, Man Bird, Haunted Hunter, The Weather!

At long last, The new additions are here. Well new and old. I had tremendous fun painting them. Taking fifteen minutes here and there. I still have some finishing work to do after varnish, but 99% they are done.

I've kept going back to the original +I+ rulebook for guidance. I've worked hard to maintain that feel and for these characters to be something if rendered by Blanche, Kopinski,  or Dainton that they would totally fit in. For each new character I had unique considerations, but ended up also wanting a somewhat common look for the three of them. Like I had for the first three.

It is now time to start planning how to play with these guys, where to find a new gang of crazy hobbyists to create a world and storyline worthy of the energy.

Next comes.

The Mirror - mirror mirror, dead or alive...

The Devout - Burn the Ministeric!

and of course, The Alterkin

Cant wait to show you more...

Chaide Pelicanne, Mirror Master and Caretaker Tobias, with a cool link!

PIP - I've been stealing small moments of time to paint these characters and having hell of a time. There will be delicious little sub themes and pairings in the Retinue. Chaide will hunt with Valencia. Valencia actually has two of his feathers on her hair for you keen eyed followers.

Mirror Master will have two minders, first whom I tried to be as "normal" as one can be in this retinue. Sense of normality, in scale and equipment is very important when everyone else is so unique and a tad over the top. Both the master and minder have very wicked faces and a success with the eyes in particular.

I should have all three of these finished in a week or so.

One of the secrets of my late surge in production is the now fully functioning, desk of my dreams. I have everything there, ready to go for a 10 minute session if need be, and need no cleaning, other than closing a drawer or two :)

The fact that the whole table and setup oozes what the hobby is all about for me makes getting in the right mood very easy. I'm surrounded by hand picked objects that are all about good design, and great craftsmanship or a nostalgic form of industrial production.

The Fact that my current projects grow on the top is a great motivator, and I can pull them down for reference in seconds. I highly recommend you make the effort to create the right desk setup for yourself. And if you are serious about producing beautiful models, art, work... then it would be plain wrong if beauty isn't a key driver for the desk.

Finally,

Sometimes I find something so damn cool and gothic, that it just makes me want to raise the quality of my own work and produce. I've known Cedric's work for what must be close to a decade now. We've both grown from enthusiastic converters to "artists" with a very distinct approach and ambition.

This thing right here is so damn cool... fits what I had in mind for the "good" continent of the trilogy very well. (In spirit, not in object)

Ministorum Walker