Kiwi's Catachans

After looking through the rule book I decided on catachans largely because they were the only models I could afford and my friend had some bits I could use.
Anyway here is my first go at painting one:

Front

Back
Sorry about the paper in the back ground I didn't realise the joins were so obvious

Nice work!

That looks very nice. Nice close ups too.

Good work! I'm liking the camo work, simple but very effective =]

VERY nice model! Photos THAT close tend to show the worse on the model (like if one eye is 1/1000th of a mm too much to the left!) and yours looks GREAT!

I would suggest basing it... simple, some fine sand and few clumps of static grass... will take the model to a new level! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks guys for all the compliments.
I'm a bit unsure about the skin tone but hopefully I can fix it

Quote :

I would suggest basing it... simple, some fine sand and few clumps of static grass... will take the model to a new level!

I think my models are probably long overdue to receive basing but I'm a bit unsure about it. I will probably base them once I have finished the squad.

A couple of days ago I got a bit carried away mucking around with some bits and well....this is what I came up with:


front

side

I'm much to ashamed to show you the back of the model (the orc arm doesn't fit on the small torso)

Took me a 2nd look... is that a SHOVEL for his left foot?!? Hehehe! GREAT!

Few constructive criticisms.
1) Mold lines... they are only cool when YOU are casting your own models (it means they sealed fine. Attempt to avoid them, as they break the illusion.

2) I coudl suggest a brown (mud) wash on this model, specially the skull. It would bring out those 3D contours and erase the white-wash look. The model will look kindda 'dirty' but I guess this psyco is not much for personal hygiene!

Great over all model!

I like the Catachan, he's great. The skin tone looks nice, if a little pale for an outdoor living Catachan trooper.

I redid some parts of him today

front

left

@ Mordheimer: not sure if this is what you were meaning but I think it looks a lot better. Not so much luck with the moldlines but Ive learnt a valuable lesson

@ precentor_james: thanks. I know the skin is quite light but I imagine catachans living in dense foliage and not getting exposed to that much light. maybe I'll give some of them a tan...

the main question is did you have fun making these units?

if you did then it was well worth your time and effort.

As Mord mentioned I think if you did a wash of ink over the skin and skull it would add some depth and shadow effect as well.

Btw: where in NZ are you?

Cheers
LGW

@Lord GreyWolf :Of course I enjoyed making these guys! I wouldn't do it other wise . I did try to wash it but I'm not sure the brown I have is suitable for this so I painted over it. I'm living in Palmerston North where are you in N.Z?

Kiwi wrote:

@Lord GreyWolf :Of course I enjoyed making these guys! I wouldn't do it other wise . I did try to wash it but I'm not sure the brown I have is suitable for this so I painted over it. I'm living in Palmerston North where are you in N.Z?

Te Aroha about 5-6 hours drive from you give or take an hour for getting lost.

good to see another Kiwi on here. spread the word hopefully I might have a few more coming on here but its early days.

keep up the good work Kiwi. keep sharing your ideas and questions as well we are here to make DeathSquad the best it can be....

cheers
LGW

*looks out a map*

Geez, I never new NZ was that long to begin with... you taught THIS Yank something... (it looks so small, hovering next to AUS )

The fig looks great. Personally, whenever I have an arm joint that doesn't quite match the torso, and filler putty won't do, I try to put something just over the break. For this guy, for example, I'd probably wrap a bit of black jeweler's chain around the armpit/shoulder, and stick it down with a little superglue. Hope that helps!

The model looks WAY better... and your 'solution' for the mold line (more blood and gore!) is very creative! What I said about the wash is (as LGW put it correctly) that it adds depth. Do yourself a favor... find TWO skulls in your bits. Glue each to a paperclip, so you can hold them without touching them. Now paint them both WHITE and paint the eye sockets black. They look good? Excellent!

After they dry, take one and brush a little brown ink/wash. Let it dry, then drybrush a little white (brush VERY dry!) Put them side by side... and you will see how the plain white skull suddenly looks utterly bad? It was good 10 mins ago... now you can't wait to ink it!

Your model will suddenly get the muscle definition and depth you have on your mind. Simple technique, and goes miles. Just don't over do it.


PS: Ohhhh I see a Conenvtion in Australia forming!

Thanks again guys for the feed back.
@ Lord GreyWolf: 4-5 hours might be a bit much for a game of . Hopefully my friend will start death squads (last time I think he was thinking of playing kroot) he paints really quickly and, I will try to get him to post what ever he comes up with.

@ Mordheimer: When I first painted the mini I washed pretty much the entire model with watered down bestial brown the only problem was it was extremely light and kinda made the model look funny so I dry brushed over it. Maybe the problem is that i don't have a "proper" wash but I shudder at the idea of shelling out $6.50 N.Z. when I am dangerously low on other paints .

Quote :

Ohhhh I see a Death Squads Conenvtion in Australia forming!

That better be sarcasm.

@ StyrofoamKing: Thanks for taking the time to find out about N.Z most people have no idea where it is (I think that was one of the main ideas in Flight of the Conchords)

You've gotta love those posters

Quote :

Personally, whenever I have an arm joint that doesn't quite match the torso, and filler putty won't do, I try to put something just over the break.

I honestly didn't think of that will try to find something to cover it tonight.

Sorry for the super long post

lol don't worry about the long post [in fact its quite short] you should see some of Mords novels posts....

I bought some black ink recently cost me $7NZD it was a tough decsion to make I tell you.

I buy my paint from a local store [similiar to $2-$3 shop] $2.90 per bottle and it has 4x as much paint as the GW pots. Plus it has a decent color range [Semco is the brand]

I use that tactic of hiding joins, and defects. A shoulder pad here, a back pack there.... it works well.

would be good to see what he does with Kroot. They will be my next squad after I've finished sorting out the space elves.

Cheers
LGW

Lord GreyWolf wrote:

lol don't worry about the long post [in fact its quite short] you should see some of Mords novels posts...

It would be funny if it were NOT true. I have MAXED the post character limit THREE times... so I just removed the limit on my profile. Its good to be the Admin.

Mord:

DORK!!!! your such a

Cheers
LGW

Thanks for the advice guys.
I decided to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and hide the rather obvious gap with a skaven skull using the method you described, Mordheimer and it worked perfectly.
The skull looks nice and dirty and has good depth and almost completely covers the gap.

Quote :

I buy my paint from a local store [similiar to $2-$3 shop] $2.90 per bottle and it has 4x as much paint as the GW pots. Plus it has a decent color range [Semco is the brand]

Thanks for the tip I'll look for some when I'm in town next I could end up saving myself a fortune.

looks reallly cool kiwi can't wait to play a game against you.

they look really cool but the guy with the skull head looks kinds more chaosy then catachan to me,but over all awesome minis

Kiwi!!! You are getting your group together... WAY TO GO!

@ Mordheimer it will be a while before we actually get to playing thanks to my inability to paint quickly hopefully we will find some one else interested by then.

@ edward thanks I hope your mordians are going well I'm not sure how we'll explain them going against my catachans but I'm sure we'll think of something.

Anyway I have recently finished painting two more catachans and here they are:









I also this guy I made up hoping to participate in prisoner exchange but I'm not sure he'll be finished by then or whether I'll have the money to post him.





What do you guys think of them?

i see your making good use of those bitz i gave you and once i figure out how to up load the pics of my mordians i'll get them on asap

Kiwi wrote:

@ Mordheimer it will be a while before we actually get to playing thanks to my inability to paint quickly hopefully we will find some one else interested by then.

You can play with unpainted models! I'm a slow painter too... and HATE playing with unpainted models... but I'm getting better. When we play, we get together once a week and my goal is to have 2 models painted. I have a wife & 3 kids... and a job that pays money (work) AND a job that does not pays anything ( )... so I know how hard can be. The important thing... play and have fun!

Kiwi wrote:

@ edward thanks I hope your mordians are going well I'm not sure how we'll explain them going against my catachans but I'm sure we'll think of something.

Hmmmm... How about the Mordians just destroyed a Daemon Gate, left the planet leaving a small garrison to guard the ruins. A small Catachan outfit arrived late to the conflict, and they think the Mordians are corrupted... while the Mordians think the Catachans are heretics trying to get the ruined Gate back? HA! That is Tzeentch all over!

Kiwi wrote:

I also this guy I made up hoping to participate in prisoner exchange but I'm not sure he'll be finished by then or whether I'll have the money to post him.

The time to sign up ends this Sunday (May 16th)... then you have ONE MONTH to build and paint (the guys just started, because they are nuts!) That is plenty of time to paint your GORGEOUS model and save some cash. ALSO, I'm sure if you explain your folks what you are doing (and receiving) they may help you a little bit. It is clean fun! Just don't mention the name of the game... they may get spooked! HA!

About your models...
GREAT JOB! You have a talent to paint faces. They both look really good, but the 1st guy is my favorite... he looks ANGRY!! The multiple shade technique is coming right along. Just remember to base the model! Over all... really impressive work. THANKS FOR SHARING!


edward: Check out this Tutorial, it will teach you how to post pictures of your models. Also, please avoid double posting. If your post is the last one, just click EDIT and add the new information there (like I did to your last post!) Makes the thread easier to read.

@ edward I new you'd have already finished some of them. I'd be surprised if on Monday you haven't finished the whole squad. Yeah I have been busy with those bis, I feel kind of bad about that now you're doing mordians .

@ Mordheimer Well you certainly put my complaints of having no time to paint to shame .

Quote :

How about the Mordians just destroyed a Daemon Gate, left the planet leaving a small garrison to guard the ruins. A small Catachan outfit arrived late to the conflict, and they think the Mordians are corrupted... while the Mordians think the Catachans are heretics trying to get the ruined Gate back?

If I can find some suitable terrain that would make a great scenario/campaign for our squads.

My parents say it's fine but I'll have to use my own money to send him.
Do you think $20 NZ ($14 USA) would cover shipping him overseas?

My medic: