40k: Paint Stirs for Basecoating Infantry

This is a quick painting tip for applying base coats to batches of infantry models: Tape them to paint stirs (I used duck tape).

 You can get the stirs for free from any paint store; the models can be turned to get at any angle you need, they don't fall over or get pushed around by the pressure released by the can and you won't get as much paint on your wrist/hands. I don't remember where I first heard this tip, but I tried it the other day on two units of Dark Eldar Wyches and I can confirm that it works.

I will undercoating all my infantry using this method in the future.

40K: Experimenting with Space Hulk Doors

Fear not faithful reader(s?), I have not forsaken the blog! After a rather hectic week and a half, I finally got around to getting a new post together.

The Space Hulk door bases are great for practicing new painting techniques on. Particularly, I wanted to make them look old and rusty - a technique I plan to apply to my Orks, once perfected.

Step 1 (not pictured): Undercoat of Chaos Black (sprayed on)

Step 2: Flat coat of Boltgun Metal

Step 3: Scorched Brown on the sides, corners and recesses - basically anywhere that does not get as much foot traffic on it.

Step 4: Tin Bitz over the Scorched Brown. Don't worry about an even coat or leaving some of the Brown peeking out in places - it's supposed to old and rundown.

Step 5: Here is where the experimentation really come in to play. Not sure which wash would produce the best effect, I tried three: Flesh Wash, Thraka Green, Badab Black. The washes were liberally applied all over the base. In the case of the Flesh Wash, I probably could have done with a little less.

Step 6: After the washes dried, I drybrushed some Boltgun Metal over the base - being mindful to give the more heavily trafficked areas extra attention.

And that is pretty much all there is to it! I put some doors in the bases to see how they looked.
Surprisingly, I discovered that I only had one green door for the whole set, so I probably won't be using Thraka Green on any of the other steps. The Flesh Wash looked good, but was a little too brownish/orange in the final product for an ideal match to the doors - though the yellow doors helped bring it together some. The Badab Black came out the closest to the color of the metal printed on the cards.

For some added immersion, I'm toying with the idea of making plasticard door frames - without the doors in them - that would fit in the bases and represent open doors. But I've got a loooong list of things to finish before I get around to that.

40K: Glue Then Paint or Paint Then Glue?

I am so close to having all my Black Reach Slugga Boyz painted, I can taste it! That's 36 Boyz, plus a Warboss, plus a Big Mek.

Well, when I say 'painted,' I'm really just talking about the Scorched Brown I'm using for the leather parts. And when I refer to a 'Slugga Boy,' it's really just the torso and base - the gun arm and heads are not attached. They're not even primed yet. I still have to clean the flashing and bore the barrels on 8 or 9 arms . . .

Y'see, I've gotten into this habit of painting nearly all my models before I glue them together. Since I'm so hung up on details, I find that I can reach nearly every nook and cranny of the model much easier before I glue everything together. My poor Blood Angels have been wondering around without guns and backpacks for years now (I keep meaning to get back to them, honest).

The problem, especially with horde armies like the Orks, is that this approach is taking much longer to finish. Sure the end result will look better, but on those odd occasions where someone wants to actually pick up and inspect one of my models, it's almost always one of the conversions or an HQ. So, is this extra time really worth it? (That's rhetorical, you don't have to answer)

And I haven't even address the matter of excess glue can mess up or completely wreck a part of the model that's already been painted.

My mantra has been "just the flats," meaning that I just want to get the base layer of paint on - maybe a wash, then I'll glue them together and finish up with any drybrushing and highlights that need to be done. But should the rank-and-file need much more than a basecoat and a wash? I noted in the Games Workshop painting article for the Black Reach Box Set, that was about all they did with their Orks.

Am I the only one crazy enough to take this approach? Does everyone else glue everything together before slapping on the paint? I know those 40k-ers only interested in playing will glue first and ask questions later, but what about those of you who won't play until a model (or even a whole army) is 'table-top presentable.'