Affiliates and other Goblins

January 7, 2020January 7, 2020 DebbieForster3 Comments

A couple of points I want to make today.

I have set up an affiliates link page on the blog, http://www.blackhandmarines.com/afiliates, and I am looking to add to the list. If you are interested in adding yourself to the page, please get in touch and I shall do so. Please only give me one option to start with, this may change in the future, but for now I think one per person is enough. I hope to create a reference place for other hobby blogs and maybe even generate some traffic. Who knows, it might even work.

In other news, I have finished painting somem squig hoppers and I am pleased with how they have turned out:

Not only were they a lot of fun to work on, but I used the airbrush for the base coats and that gave me some practice as finer detail work. Hopefully, they will find a new home soon!

Blood Guard: A Vindicator!

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020 DebbieForster2 Comments

First Commission of the year and it’s a tank! I really love painting tanks now that I have my head around how to do battle damage. I relished the opportunity to try some in a different colour. I love the colour red, and have been enjoying painting the Blood Angels, so when I was asked to paint this tank in red with as much battle damage as I could do, I leapt at the chance. Here it is in all it’s battered glory:

I also enjoyed using the airbrush again with this one, first to create the base red and again at the end to add the final layer of grime. I know Tragic Fangirl (www.tragicfangirl.com) is pleased already with the tank, and hope it brings her Blood Guard glory in the coming battles!

figures · miniatures.

2019 – A Year in Review

January 1, 2020 DebbieForsterLeave a comment

A lot has changed for me over the last year and I wanted to have a look back at some of the things I have achieved over it. Last year, I was teaching full time at a primary school. I had a lovely class of children and great colleagues too. Unfortunately, being a teacher means that you have no real time to do anything else. Weekends are spent working and worrying and trying to get ahead of the demands placed on you. Hobby-wise, not a great deal happened in the first part of the year, however I do have a few pictures I can share in regards to what I did:

Night Lords, Ahriman, Tzeench demons and Reaver Titans galore!

The first part of the year saw me trying some new techniques, experimenting with freehand a bit more and working on skills I already had. I left my job as a teacher in May due to mental health and decided to become a miniature painter instead. It is not easy, but I have never been healthier. I went on a painting course and gained insight, and validation, into what I have been doing.

Here are some of my favourites from the previous six months:

June and July saw me working on miniatures for Everchosen, in which I came Third in the Open and Second in the Everchosen category – by one point! I also painted Mephiston for a good friend. I love working on dioramas and want to do more of them in the coming year.

In August I went on a painting course and learned how to use an airbrush – another skill I want to work on in the new year. I also began working on a large commission of D&D scenary miniatures for the local games store, which took most of October to complete.

In November, I painted a lot of Space Marines. Mainly Iron Hands. I also learned how to lighten pictures and so managed to begin taking better ones. I also finished Shalaxi, who is one of the best painted miniatures I have ever done.

December was a quiet month mainly due to illness and travelling and winter craziness, however I did paint the Sisters of Battle boxed set, which was fun.

Going forward, I have a few things I want to work on in the coming year:

Non Metallic Metals
Airbrush techniques
Creating dioramas
Conversions
Painting a whole army!

I have a lot to work on in January and some good ideas to work on too. I am looking forward to it!

miniatures.

Book Review: Blood of Sanguinius – Darius Hinks

December 10, 2019December 9, 2019 DebbieForsterLeave a comment

It’s been a while since I have done a book review, though that doesn’t mean I haven’t been reading. I have indulged in a lot of short stories, which would take forever to review them all. It doesn’t mean they are not good, or engaging and they certainly are worth reading however I would be here forever if I posted about them all.

One group of short stories has led me down a rather delightful path, and those feature the oddity that is Mephiston. Recommended by a close friend, I decided that it was time to venture out if the realms of chaos and see what the Imperium had to offer. I must say I was very well surprised with the two short stories: Eclipse of Hope and Lord of Death by David Annandale, however the character really comes into his own when penned by the capable hand of Darius Hinks.

Technically, the language is beautiful. While reading, there were no clumsy sentences, wonderfully crafted metaphors which were wrought in a careful, considerate way. Hinks’ choice of language complimented the carefully crafted world he created for the story and it was neither heavy handed or awkward. The pace of the novel was excellent and it kept me turning the pages until many a small hour – always a successful point. I was gripped.

What truly seized me however were the interactions between the three main protagonists. After reading a lot of novels set in the realm of chaos, it was a true pleasure to read about characters that liked one another. The dynamic between the young Antros, the older, sterner Rhacelus and the enigmatic Mephiston is expertly executed. The three compliment one another, even if they often do not understand each other. I never felt as though there was deceit between them and it was clear that although there was definite fear of death, none of them would die alone.

I don’t post spoilers in my reviews, but I want to discuss one point at the start of the book that was refreshing. Antros seeks the aid of a guardsman in locating a position in a dangerous place. When the inevitable danger occurs, he is desperate to ensure the guardsman survives. The fact that there are Chapters that still regard mortals as valuable and worth saving was brought into this novel clearly, however it never forgot the elements of Grimdark that are associated with Warhammer 40 000 either.

Darius Hinks has done a wonderful job with this novel, and I do look forward to reading the next one, right after Devastation of Baal, which is what I am chewing through rapidly at the moment.

40K · Age of Sigmar · miniatures.

Shalaxi Helbane – Finished!

October 10, 2019 DebbieForster3 Comments

Mostly. I need to just touch up the base and tidy up the rim. The miniature is finished however and here he/she is! I am so very, very pleased with how this turned out:

I am so pleased with the blue skin and how the layers came together. The purple cloth looks alright as well, though I think the fabric layers could vary in colour a bit more.

The gold non-metallic metal has a slightly warmer tone to it than I have done before and that is something I want to build on further in my next attempt at something like this. The silver could use more work I think but regardless of this, I am pleased!

miniatures.

Update!!

October 7, 2019October 7, 2019 DebbieForster2 Comments

It seems to have been ages since I posted anything on here. The reason for this is that my urrent projects have been taking a while to complete. I am so close to finishing the D&D miniatures for Stronghold Games that I can really smell the finish line (It smells like varnish). They have taken a long time due to the sheer number of miniatures I have had to get through, and I shall be very glad when they are done.

I have also been working on Shalaxi. All the blue and purple is now finished on this wonder and I am left with the non-metallic metal, both silver and gold, as well as the bead chains and the base. I hope to have both of these done by the end of the week.

I have set up a Patreon as well for those who want to support me. This goes far better than I thought it would and can only thank those people for their support here too. If you are interested I am here: https://www.patreon.com/Heretic_Deb It’s only $2 as I wanted to keep it really cheap for people; a bit like a ‘tip-jar’ if you will. It has my tutorials on it as well as some other little bits here and there, a lot of it relating to Abaddon and Teal!

I’ve also got these to work on, and a commission for D&D Dogs as well. I will not be quiet over the next week, that much is certain!

Age of Sigmar · miniatures. · warhammer

Cypher Lords and a Webstore?

August 28, 2019August 28, 2019 DebbieForster4 Comments

I have just finished painted the Cypher Lords for Warcry, and I must say they are amazing miniatures to work on. They are detailed, interesting and not too fiddly to stick together either. Easier than the Corvus Cabal for definite. I stuck to the colour scheme on the box as I have painted these with the idea of selling them in mind and wanted to stick to what I know is popular. Here they are:

IMG_2676 (2) IMG_2677 (2) IMG_2678 (2) IMG_2679 (2)

I am also going to add a page on this website with miniatures I have painted that are for sale. They will have a price next to them and people will be able to contact me if they are interested. This blog gets a fair bit of traffic now, when I post things and it might be another channel for me to sell bits and bobs – has to be worth a try!

blackhandmarines.com/store/