Will Vale Posted December 19, 2015 Share Posted December 19, 2015 Hi all, I seem to have spent most of the year apologising for not finishing things! It's not a good look is it? But we did move house (unplanned, something came on the market we really liked after we'd just about committed to staying put). Then my wife spent a month swanning around Europe's ivory towers while I looked after small and kept up work. After that I'm not sure what happened. Anyway, here's what's emerged from the forest of started-and-unfinished threads this year: (click for bigger) A set of three Baldwin Steam Tanks from the wargame "All Quiet on the Martian Front" - these are nice little plastic models with OK fit. They painted up quite nicely despite the rather soft mouldings, and it was fun to go all-out with the modulation. The scale is a bit odd but they're about three inches long. The natural adversary for these tanks - a Martian Fighting Machine. Again this is quite a nice little plastic kit, painted with various Alclad shades. The winter was cold and in the new place my office-cum-modelling room is no longer the warmest space, so I retired to the sofa and painted little plastic men. These are all Games Workshop so a bit bigger than 28mm. This chap was "free" with the GW magazine. I thought the designs (fantasy cybermen?) were silly at first but they really grew on me and I ended up buying the starter box for Age of Sigmar to have more cybermen to paint. Especially this one! Amazing what they can do with the plastic now, these are incredibly complex for fixed-pose figures. I also painted a group of the Chaos adversaries: which taught me a fair bit about painting skin. I've been trying to be braver about contrast and neater with details. I amused myself painting chest and armpit hair onto some of them as you can see. I finished my figure painting off by doing their leader, Khorgos Khul, and his little dog too: he seemed to take forever and I was pretty burnt out from doing all the tiny details at the end. I loved painting his cape though: After that I started some things and didn't finish them (sorry Vietnam GB!) and finally got back into gear with this little Gundam - cheap and cheerful and a lot of fun: Since I've had a bit less modelling time this year, I've been looking for things to do with my existing models and I've been trying (inspired mainly by Andy Moore) to make my photography and presentation a bit more interesting: My favourite is probably this one which was shot on a model railway module in front of my window, and then messed with: I should mention two other things which have taken time away from modelling - I spent a month learning to sew in order to make costumes for a 40th Anniversary Rocky Horror screening, including a scratch-built antimatter laser made mainly from knitting needles. And I've been doing the posters and newsletters and website for our model club's Expo next year: Feel free to check out our website here - I'm probably going to change the yellow on white: Although I was following some guidelines for Wellington promotion on the council's website, the header would be better on dark grey. http://scalemodelswellington.org.nz/ If I'm lucky I will get to add one more model to the total this year: I am trying to psych myself up to fix the rigging strand that broke in the move... I leave you with the following - don't trust strange strange couples: Cheers! Will 22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Moore Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 I always thought your annus was a bit dodgy Will. Everything looks brilliant, but I will eternally love those little steam tanks. Definitely my pick of the year. Andy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Hi Will - said it before and I'll say it again, I always look forward to your yearbook. Always high quality and interesting mate. This year is no exception - absolutely superb. One thing...I think your lady wife comes out of that photograph better than you! Careful with those leg hairs in those stockings! Brilliant - I have a similar thing coming up next year in Bristol - dreading it as my wife is a BIG fan of the film and musical 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeW Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 That has to be one of the most interesting "what I did this year" posts yet. Only drawback is hearing that it is The Rocky Horrors' 40th anniversary. I was 20 when we all went mad the first time, so that makes me .....well, old. Great builds - including the little dog. Cheers, Mike 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted December 20, 2015 Author Share Posted December 20, 2015 I always thought your annus was a bit dodgy Will.I'm just flattered you were paying attention to my annus One thing...I think your lady wife comes out of that photograph better than you! Careful with those leg hairs in those stockings!I don't deny that despite all the running up hills I've been doing I'd much rather look at her legs than mine I did make it through the evening without laddering which is better than last year. I'm sure you'll have a great time, it's definitely a rush. I was 20 when we all went mad the first time, so that makes me .....well, old.A friend at my model club went to the second theatrical run, he said it was a really bizarre and amazing experience when Frank came down the aisle! Must've been great to see it when it was all new, as opposed to the slightly codified (responses etc.) experience it has become. Thanks for the kind comments folks, I'm really hoping for more builds next year but you never know what'll get in the way until it does. To wit: I have to produce Christmas dinner bang on time this year rather than the usual "sometime after 1pm". Because I found out last week that my dad is flying to China on Christmas day and has to leave the house before 2pm. Apparently the thing he's speaking at was originally going to be on Christmas day. He explained that Christmas is actually a bit of a thing over here and the folks in charge conceded to move the date back a bit. Cheers, Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Very different line up there Will, nice work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted December 20, 2015 Author Share Posted December 20, 2015 Thanks Mish! I like your (new?) Facebook page, it looks very professional. W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravens Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 Love the tanks and the Chaos minis; and the photography is very effective. Ross. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestar12chris Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Great work Will, always a pleasure seeing your builds. All the best Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickstorm Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Superb work, inspirational and the camera shots are a credit, first rate will. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted December 21, 2015 Author Share Posted December 21, 2015 Thanks folks, glad you liked them. My big sheet of white paper has done sterling service this year. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calum Posted December 23, 2015 Share Posted December 23, 2015 Fantastic work, especially on those figures 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengalensis Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Will, your work is always very inspiring, varying and with an exceptional finish. This year is no exception and on top of that the models are very well presented and photographed. Thanks a lot for sharing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 Thanks folks! Thanks a lot for sharing! Lovely to hear from you again Jörgen - Britmodeller has been diminished by your absence, I hope you have some more modelling time in 2016! Will 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh65 Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 The figure work is great but that photo of the tanks and the fighting machine at the end is awesome. Great work. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcode Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 some great work, very nice job on the games workshop figures.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted December 30, 2015 Author Share Posted December 30, 2015 Thanks! I'm starting to get more confident with the figures - I mostly seem to be able to figure out how to proceed with things now, rather than getting stuck because I can't think how to do something. Still need to practice and practice to get faster and neater, although the Stormcast (gold armour guys) are relatively quick to paint. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 It's nice to see some seriously good figure painting going on. I think the Chaos adversary with the topknot is wonderful! The Tiger Moth looks great too - I have no idea why rigging is always harder to fix than it is to do the first time around! Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Extraordinary detail on those little figures. A painting masterclass really. Great work Al 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Your figure model building and painting never ceases to amaze me. Beautiful work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Heath Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Will, your painting skills are soothing else, lovely presented photos as well. I also like the Martian tank scene. a scratch-built antimatter laser made mainly from knitting needles. Of course, what else would you use? Can we see it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashman Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Diverse, interesting and with excellent skill- would love to see more work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 Of course, what else would you use? Can we see it? I still haven't taken decent pictures, I will remedy that. I did think of you as I was building it as some of my solutions were... less than orthodox. Will 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HL-10 Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Fantastic work, especially on the figures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Vale Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 Thanks! I have finally taken some pictures of the laser and posted it in RFI. It looks like this: Cheers, Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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