Mago: Skin

Getting a small head start on next year's project goals. This is Mago, from the Morituri faction of Arena Rex. I think his skin is finished. Oh wait, not quite - he's got some texture on there that I need to highlight.

24!

This figure is not meant to be *good*. I spent maybe a whole 2 hours on it. It is meant to be done so I can finish the year at an even 24 figures. That's 2 per month, on average, and more than meets my goal for the year.

I think it's been a pretty good year, painting-wise. I more than hit my goal for number of figures painted. I hit my goal for Arena Rex factions. I have many where I am happy with the quality of the paint job, and a few where I was not. I painted some small figures, some large figures, some that were quick and easy, and some that took a long time and a lot of effort. 

Next year, I am going to aim for 18 figures again. I don't see a lot of value in pushing for more quantity at this point, and I made 24 this year by working on a few that were really simple and fast to paint, and I'm not going to rely on that always being the case. Maybe I feel like doing more large scale or busts this year, or something. 18 seems like a good number.

I want to finish one Arena Rex faction completely, and the two Arena Rex beasts I have put together already.

I'd kind of like to work on some of the Raging Heroes figures I have, because I have a lot, but I'm not going to be particularly sad if I don't. 

I'd like to do some more terrain building this year, because I didn't do any last year - but again, if I don't, not a crisis. 

Mostly, I just want to keep getting stuff done, and keep working through my very large stash of unpainted figures. I'll never finish them all. 24 painted figures is barely noticeable out of everything I have. A lot of what I have I bought many years ago. My tastes and interests have changed, so I'm not even sure I want to paint all of them. I'd never have purchased this guy now. But the point is just to keep painting, keep trying new things, and maybe even keep improving a little bit.

23!

 Here she is on her base, all finished. 

Bad Blood: Last Bits

Cleaned up her gun hand, put the freckles on, and futzed with the jacket some and then immediately regretted it. I've tried to fix it while keeping some of the lighter mottling, but I'm going to have to think about it a bit and see if I want to do anything more to it. Oh, I also started painting the base; the rest of that will wait until the plinth is ready. She's almost done.

Bad Blood: Bits

I attached the rest of her hair and her hand. Tweaked the highlights on the newly attached hair. Highlighted the gun. I need to clean up her gun hand where I slopped some paint while I was base coating the gun, futz with the jacket a bit more - I want to add some shadows and bring up another highlight level - and give her some freckles. Then I have to finish the base. Two, maybe three sessions.

Bad Blood: Jacket

Added the texture/highlight to her jacket, and then did the zipper because I had a little time left. I'm not sure, I might mess with the jacket some more. I need to sit with it a bit and think about it. I'll probably attach the other pieces next time; I think this is far enough along that it will be OK.

Bad Blood: Hair, Jacket

Finished her hair (mostly, I think I'll have to tweak it a bit after I attach the ponytail), and got a base coat on the jacket. Very happy with the jacket color. I love the stage where things start to come together.

Bad Blood: Shirt, hair band

Today I shaded and highlighted her shirt, and then quick painted the band that holds her ponytail. I was going to do the jacket next, but I think I need to do the hair. I don't want to worry about rubbing off the paint on the jacket when I come back to do other parts.

Bad Blood: Pants, Shirt

Painted her pants tonight and base coated her shirt. The pants look like cargo pants or something to me, so I went with khaki rather than a blue for denim or something like that. For her shirt, I waffled between a dirty beige and the blue that I've gone with here. I like the blue; I think I will stick with that.

Next will be finishing the shirt and base coating the jacket.

Bad Blood: Cybernetics

Shaded and highlighted her cybernetics. I think I need a bit more highlight on the details on the top of her chest, as they are not showing they way I'd like. The highlights also look a little weird because they are painted for an overhead light source, but the light in the booth comes more from the sides.

Bad Blood: Cybernetics, other bits

Got the base metal on the cybernetics. I was going to focus on that tonight, but I ended up getting base coats on the two pieces that aren't attached yet - the rest of her hair, and her right hand and gun. Probably will finish the cybernetics next. Then I'm going to have to make some color choices for her clothing.

Bad Blood: Face, Hair

I did the face details, though I might add some freckles. She looks like she should have freckles. After that, I did the undercoat for the metal, and then base coated her hair because the white was bugging me.

Bad Blood: Skin Shadow & Highlight

I think I'm pretty much done with the skin. I might lighten the shadow by her collar bone, it's a little darker than it needs to be. And I might broaden some of the shadow on either side of her nose, going up the sides. Next I'll finish her face, and then the cyber parts.

Bad Blood: First skin shadow

 Got the first round of shadow on her. Hoped to get farther, didn't end up with enough time for it.

Bad Blood: Skin

 This piece is called 'Bad Blood 2'. She'll need a name at some point. Anyway, there's some hair, her right hand, and a big gun not yet attached. I've just started; this is a base coat on her skin and nothing else. I'll finish the skin, then the cyber areas, and go from there.

22!

Finished!

Death Jester: Coat

Got the last piece attached. I also finished the arm, the mechanical gun arm, and the coat collar. I think I should be able to get it finished next time.

Death Jester: Coat, Gun Arm Thing

Got highlights on the back of his coat, and then primed, based, and attached the mechanical arm thing that attaches to his rifle. I suppose it is a big rifle, after all. Anyway, one piece left to attach. If things go well I might have him done tomorrow. Otherwise, two days.

Death Jester: Gun

Finished the gun, I think. Not my best work, but it'll do. Next I'll finish the coat, or at least the back, so I can get the next piece on.

Death Jester: Coat, Gun

 Got the coat and gun base coated and attached. I also got the rest of the highlights on his legs, and highlights on some incidental bits, like the right arm and glove. I think I might focus on the rifle next, and then the cloak. There are two more pieces to be attached, too.