Wednesday, October 22, 2014

When Alaitoc Meets Tron a.k.a. SGP Sales Eldar Wave Serpent Waltz Completed

It has been quite sometime.  Been thinking of this blogs readers quite a bit.  This post shouldn't disappoint.  I'll be back to my daily posting soon.  Thanks!  Now for the pic dump.

Airbrushing yellow wasn't working.  Certainly didn't want to strip and try the yellow again.  Then Zab's words of contrast went through my head.  How about another set of colours mottled?


JJ painting, to date this is the longest it has taken me to finish painting a project.  Some of you may remember a post on Aug 18th 2013SGP Sales Eldar Wave Serpent Waltz part 1. Took me about 5 weeks to purchase the three wave serpents.  Fantasy Flight only had one in stock.  Had to special order the other two back in early July of 2013.  Was plugging away at them and planned to put them up on my brand new commission site.  These models were interrupted when I received my first official commission.

Almost two months to the date, Sept 1, of the site going live I received an email from someone wanting me to paint some models.  Was actually in the middle of painting these wave serpents when a text arrived from my Love stating that I was right almost to the date, "someone is ready to give you money."  Was completely besides myself.  Went to the email and yep, there it was.  Someone had some questions for me.  We emailed back and forth for a couple of days.  He then said he would take sometime to think about it and would get back to me in a week.  That week was both tense and exciting.  Waiting for the decision from this person to decide if they were going to hire me was excruciating.  All the while I continued to work on these wave serpents.  You can visit the history of Aug and Sept of 2013 and check out the progress of these guys. The first post of these girls received warm welcome from many of those whom I respect and grateful they check out this sandbox of ours.  Thanks, Evan S, 17 year olde hobbyist and Zab.

Kept plugging away at these knowing full well that the commission could fall through and I would never hear from the client ever again.  These things do happen in that line of work.  As many of you know that wasn't the case.  It was official, he hired me.  We talked, finalized prices and funds were sent to purchase the army.  Orders were made and models were coming in.  These wave serpents had to be moth-balled.  There were more important tasks at hand.  Started the commission Sept 18th, seventeen days after he contacted me.  A month after starting these wave serpents.  Last time I worked on them was Sept 5th, 410 days ago.  One thing I like to do with models is put little easter eggs in them.  You can see painted on the inside of the lower chassis band name and date I was painting the lower hull in the first post.

Ah, from humble beginnings.

Aug 17th.  Was listening to VNV Nation, TOYS and Mind in a Box when assembling each of these.

Well the commission didn't end well.  That is past, olde water as they say.  Now to time to finish these.  This post consists of several days of work over the past few weeks.  Enjoy.

Thank you for visiting this sandbox of ours.

Some Evil Sunz Scarlet, Blazing Orange and Flash Gitz Yellow later and it looks great.

Needed a little clean up.

Then it occurred to me that Florida Miniature Paint blog has used some orange stripes with their Alaitoc colours.  Felt like I'd be copying them.  Abandoned it all together.

Back to the drawing board.  Based Army Painter Mat Black.  Definitely mottled, but what?

Ah, how about metal?  Leadbelcher, Ironbreaker and Vallejo Model Air Steel.

Don't think it looks that bad.  The metal looks helps keep the cool tone of the blue hull I'm going for.

While looking at the various parts something occurred to me.

Instead of black lines separating the hull plates.  How about white?  As I read Mortian7th comment on a blog.  He said best advice he received was to use Vallejo Grey White and use white only as highlight.  With Grey White next to other colours it looks white.  Vallejo Grey White it was.

Since I finished re-watching Tron Legacy how about using the different coloured LEDs in the movie to distinguish the difference amongst the wave serpents?  Print it!

Clu's transport.  Blazing Orange energy lines with Vallejo Model Air Light Sea Blue for particular line highlighting.

Re-purposed citizen Red Sunz Scarlet.



Vallejo Model Air Light Sea Blue for specific line highlighting.






Now for other bits.  Paint stick, poster tac and bits are ready to be painted.


Same for the weapons.

Going to use Rob Baer's tutorial for painting canopies.  Been wanting to do this since I read it.

Army Painter Uniform Grey spray paint.

Caledor Sky made into airbrush form.

Lorthian Blue made into airbrush form.  When I was getting close to painting these something was bugging me.  If I did exactly as Rob did the light source would be opposite for the spiritstones on the hull.  hmm?  Then as I was going to sleep it occurred to me to flip it.

Based Vallejo White Primer.

Lorthian Blue made into airbrush form.

Slowly built up Caledor Sky made into airbrush from over the existing blue.  Now how the canopies catch the light will work with the spirit stones.

Army Painter Mat Black for canopy support.

Thanks, Rob.

Zemisk Desert based, Ushabti Bone highlight and Army Painter Mat Black.

Evil Sunz Scarlet and Army Painter Mat Black.


Vallejo Model Air Steel washed with Leviathan Purple Wash.

Cockpits and canopies installed on top chassis.

Close up for Clu's ride again.





Base Job Kovalik's Black Armour Primer.

Dots of Vallejo Stormy Blue, Kantor Blue and Caledor Sky for base.  White: Vallejo Grey White.  Orange: Blazing Orange.  Red: Evil Sunz Scarlet.  Vallejo Light Sea Blue for specific line highlight.



Regal Blue on left edge of vents.  Saw this on a blog and thought it looked really cool.  Wanted to give it a go.



Vallejo Model Air Steel.


Time for more assembling.  Getting closer to the end.




Really struggled with this.  Wanted to do green spiritstones since the beginning.  Then remember Zab's words about contrast again.  Decide to stick with the plan.

Caliban Green for base.




Scorpion Green for fight highlight.


Goblin Green for second highlight.



3:5 Flash Gitz Yellow and Caliban Green for third highlight on spiritstones.



One or two little dots of Vallejo Grey White for shine.



Last bit of magic.  Gloss Varnish to give it that polished stone appearance.



Finally both top and bottom chassis are glued together.



This pill bottle has been holding onto the turret since Aug of 2013.

Done!  All assembled and ready for some pictures at Fantasy Flight and thrown up on ebay.

Clu's ride is finished.

Now for the finished pictures.  Need to take some with my set up for my pics.

Stopped in at Fantasy Flight Event Centre Mon around 11:24pm.  Just enough time to set up the table and take pics, then get out before they close at midnight.










Hope you've enjoyed this as much as I have had painting these.

For those who are interested.  Here's the link to the ebay auction: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Warhammer-40k-Eldar-Alaitoc-meets-Tron-Wave-Serpents-/141445939801?pt=Games_US&hash=item20eed5c259


slainte mhath

4 comments:

  1. I really REALLY like those. The fade on the canopies? Moving parts? Magnetized weapons? YEAH!!!! Great work man :)

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    1. Thanks, Zab. Feels really good to complete this project over a year in the making.

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  2. I really like the end product. The studio lights weren't doing the pieces justice. The final photos look great. Love the effect, texture, detail. Works well together. Nicely done!

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    1. Excellent to hear, Greg. Personally not a fan of commission jobs and models that are sold online with studio lights. Makes them look too clean. Prefer to give the colours some flavour by having them on a gaming table with store lights. Something about that yellow hue really adds some reality to the model. Weird thoughts I know.

      Thanks for the kind words.

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