So, having gotten into Infinity last year with Steel Phalanx I largely waited for N4 to release before taking the jump and about two weeks ago I got both the Coldfront parts. Having never been really happy with any of the ALEPH models I painted I decided to give the TAK a go first. And I might be addicted. I painted the 10 models couple of days and I ordered some 5 more this week that I ended up painting all in one go, so I decided it might be time for a bit of a paint log. To begin with the finished infantry. Then the Ratnik, it has since been based. And lastly the new models, a pack of Spetsnaz and two of the Intel operatives for proxying, that I painted up all five today. Will share the basing tomorrow.
Thanks, I'm feeling more comfortable painting these more traditional minis having come from 40k and other more "dirty" games. My ALEPH aren't bad per se I guess, but I just want them to be cleaner than they are.
In that case, I would recommend going back over some of the areas on them that have the off-white color and covering up some of the excess wash / shade that you have on them. To my eye, that's the biggest thing that's keeping them from having a "clean" look. You want to keep a bit in the cracks and folds, but the majority of the surface should be a nice smooth color.
The issue is that I've been largely using Citadel Contrast paint, and the flesh and khaki is really just off-white and wash, so I really need to start over with a wholly new technique.
No, not really, all you need to do in this case is what Toadchild mentioned, go back over those areas and clean them up, you're just missing one step (or more, depending on if you'd want to highlight the parts more)
Finished the bases, and decided to also take a picture of the based Ratnik at the same time. Possibly, I just feel dejected after all the failures and want to try something else, I also decided to paint a more traditional Achilles and I'm more overall satisfied how he turned out. My current consideration is to try something white-orange for the unpainted OSS I have. Although that may have to wait, since the package that has the orange also contains a USARF army pack that I plan to slavify...
@Axelius Orange+White sounds like an interesting Aleph color scheme. I say try it out and see how it goes. As for your current miniatures I think they all look really nice. A job well done.
And to finish it off, here are my Myrmidions, they were the first models I painted and by now they've gotten a bit worn since I never were satisfied with them and as such never sealed them. I do still really like the actual colour, Akhelian Green, but the contrast effect doesn't quite work on these models and I have a hard time finding a good paint to drybrush or highlight with. Thanks, it's not like it is a unique idea. I've seen a fair amount of cyberpunky artworks with that combination (and especially a set of 40k conversions that I really like).
Primarily these models made by Weirdings Way for a navigator warband. They are barely 40k at all. https://www.instagram.com/p/Blaw5i5D7oR/
The reinforcements have arrived, now they will subjected to hardbass treatment, have their burgers replaced with pelmeni and their beer swapped for kvass.
Agreed on that. I do see 40k bits but it certain looks like the models could be from another universe. Looking forward to what you do with those USA models and how they will fit in. Are you just going to stick with Tartary or are you branching out into the USA sectorial?
Sticking with Tartary for now, the Mavericks and Devil dogs will be inducted as Dynamos, Dog Warrior and Strelok K9. The rest I will see how I can do some smaller changes to make them a bit more Tartary, primarily the Grunts and the Foxtrot.
Turns out, I decided not to do much in the way of conversions to slavify. The only real slavification was this Fixtrot getting a head and weapon swap to be used mainly as an SMG strelok. I did some arm swaps on some other guys as well, and I modded a (not pictured) grunt's Rifle into a Sniper. The arm swaps of the ladies do make them a bit more suited to proxy some other roles, primarily strelok shotgun/FO. Having looked at and assembled the models I decided to keep the two male grunts and the Intel Grunt as is and use them as Proxy Frontoviks. The Marauder and Minuteman will be unassembled for now until I can find a use for them or start offically go into vanilla or USARF Edit: Assuming weather is ok I will probably spray tomorrow and crack on with painting next week.
@Axelius It is surprising how simple yet effective an arm swap can be. Your work seems to keep getting better.
@Golem2God converting has always been a thing I enjoy, especially the small touches. However working with metal does have its own challenges that you don't have with plastic. Especially the bending. It's probably not going to be an issue once it is painted and on the table, but it frustrates the hell out of me when I'm sitting there with super glue in hand. Also, bonus primed pic of the converted Sniper. Decided it was probably easiest to transplant the scope and front of a spare sniper I had lying around on the guy's rifle rather than try to carve out the left hand holding it at the bottom.