The Challenge
Complete a “unit” of miniatures in the month of June.
Difficulty to resist the Challenge: High!
Ease of Completion: Low-Midling
Excellence of Work: Mediocre
Gratefulness to Azazel for putting up these Challenges: *rating off the chart*
For more details regarding the Community Miniature painting challenge, please check out Azazel’s site: https://azazelx.com/2018/05/25/june-unit-painting-challenge-2018/
It’s totally worth it. On top of putting these Challenges together, he’s a kick-ass painter and all around good guy.
Ok, one more small note before the flood of pictures. I got these all painted and good to go, except I found one guy’s shoulder to be out of sorts (more on him at the end), also I would probably apply some more damage to the armor plates (thanks IRO!). But as fate would have it…I was informed two hours prior that we will now have guests staying over for 4 days. Which blows any hobby plans out the window, and I had to scramble just to get these last pictures taken. Ah well, I hope we’re at least charging a hosting fee for all the sudden guests we’ve had lately.
Pictures!
The “Bully Boys”
Gym “Scissor-Knives” Dred. This guy makes IRO squeal with glee.
Therefore he gets a second picture.
Ramm “Punch it In” Wang, aka ‘Wonky Arm’ (keep reading). Also an unfortunate name given to him, by his Mum.
Krut “Spinwheel” Johnson. Yes, our Toddler would say “He’s a bad guy?!”
Angerlo “Happy Birthday” Shank – Definitely not a nice guy.
Jonny “Sweeper” Kai – He’s okay. Just “misunderstood”.
Doo-Mas “Dream-Maker” He’s definitely not okay, with anything. Or anybody. Think of the worst hard-ass boss you’ve ever had, and multiply it. Note to Self: lookup possible Friendly Fire rules.
I do love that Grenade Launcher though. 🙂
One last one with Gym, toting a Stub Cannon. Just in case he dies, and has to become, um…”Timm”.
And one more with magnetized wargear on their backs. Ask me again after I get to playing, how much I like wargear that falls off in mid-game or gets lost…
Final Thoughts
First off, special thanks to Azazel once again for the challenge, and the tight-knit community of blogger-hobbyists who inspire me to try this stuff and improve. If it wasn’t for that, I probably would have been working on these guys for two years and maybe never got them done. Maybe not that bad, but the comments on my blog definitely keep me going, and frankly, your advice is invaluable! Also, a special thanks to my Family who put up with my hobby. Nothing is more fun than watching my Wife run out of the room crazily waving her hands about, as her head explodes with the next level of detail I’ve just painted in!
It’s still hard for me to fathom that I got six figures painted in approximately 5 weeks. I know that’s slowwwwwww for most people, but I’m sure it’s a record for me. It feels good to know that I’m halfway there to having a decent game of Necromunda. And really, the Goliaths were not too hard of a bunch to paint up. Once I got over my initial assembly nervousness, things went pretty smoothly. I wish I had more time for the last three models, but life is life. I also wasn’t extremely handed with the barbed wire tattoos I freehanded on all their left biceps (BRO-ness!). Originally I thought of doing Celtic armbands, but that would have probably been worse. Freehand is going to take some more time to get better at.
The one thing that probably bugs the crap out of me the most (or maybe it’s just the most recent thing), is pictures. I’ve tried multiple setups, lighting, different phones, and the list goes on, but quality of pics has been midling to outright poor. Which drives me crazy, because I did some really nice mediocre paint jobs here and they barely come through! I’m sure I will eventually get it sorted out, but it’s been beyond frustrating trying to isolate the variables. Hmm, the one variable that I haven’t swapped out is myself. So maybe I should have my wife try to snap some pictures! Yep, that’s the next test.
So that’s it for the Junit Challenge. Hope you liked them, but even if you didn’t feel free to comment. I have one last thing to say (don’t I always), and that’s about the mishap on one of the models. Feel free to skip it, if you’re not into mini-fixing stuff. Cheers!
EDIT: I forgot to add the movie references for these guy’s names!
Gym “Scissor-Knives” Dred – Jim from Edward Scissorhands
Ramm “Punch it In” Wang – Ram from Heathers
Krut “Spinwheel” Johnson – Kurt Kelly from Heathers
Angerlo “Happy Birthday” Shank – Angelo from Book of Love
Jonny “Sweeper” Kai – Johnny from The Karate Kid
Doo-Mas “Dream-Maker” – Dumas from Dream a Little Dream
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Thoughts on old Wonky Arm
EDIT: Feel free to disregard, IRO called it (thanks man!). Turns out that the model is just like that, and GW covered the shoulder with a shoulder pad on their pics to make up for it. So, I’ll definitely be adding a shoulder pad once I get some time.
So this guy ended up getting his right shoulder transmogrified somehow. I was able to fix the underarm gap decently with some green stuff, but the way his deltoid is turned all the way forward, is still really noticeable.
As I mentioned above, I don’t have time to fix before the Challenge is over. Also, the Goliaths are not my favorite gang. But I do plan on a quick remedy if possible.
I looked him over last night, thought about altering the shading/painting. And tried a few shoulder pads on him. This seemed to work. Not perfectly, but maybe “good enough”. I’m curious what fellow hobbyists think though. Here’s some shots from different angles:
Double Down Dice 
If I’m being honest mate, and I am, I think you are being hard on yourself. The figures and the photos all look very good to me. I think you might be falling victim to the perfectionist bug. Remember under the 80/20 rule the final 20% takes 80% percent of your time and effort to show improvement and given almost nobody hits 100% the gap ain’t as wide as you might think. Onward to the July challange! Enjoy your company.
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Thanks TIM, appreciate the thoughts! Yea, we are all our own worst critics. Art is a funny thing, I’ve done stuff that I’ve been quite happy with, and then no one liked it. And vice versa. You never can tell. These guys are all right, and mainly they are for gaming. The pics though, I know those could be a lot better. Work in progress!
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Looking at other blogs today….there is a plus and a minus to not being a perfect painter. The minus, is you’re not perfect, but the plus is….more Comments! I’m always pretty astounded when I see blogs of impeccably painted minis….and no comments. None!
Maybe they just aren’t good at responding back to people, so people don’t post. Or maybe people are too scared to post on their blog, because they are such amazing artists. Who knows. But at least I can enjoy some comments! 🙂
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Now there’s a musing If ever I heard one! I get way more comments for my musings that for my models. Now I know I’m imperfect, I’m TIM after all, but the stats are bloody proving it too! 😅😃😃
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Wait…so if it’s opposite…that means you are a really good painter and therefore don’t get many comments….but then you get lots of comments on your musings because they….
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Thats the way I’d prefer to look at it but the truth may be another thing entirely. Personally for my ego and confidence I like to think it’s all good and the absence of comments and likes is due to time zones. While I’m awake most of the southern hemisphere a sleep or nursing a hangover!
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Yea, the downside of international communication. No one is awake at the time to get the joke or listen to your great idea! 😀
With me, I’m finding an explosion of posts during the weekend, and I only have time to read through blogs on the weekdays, so it seems to be quite a bit of catchup. Maybe if I quit reading IRO’s blog, and just look at the pictures?
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Haha you could be right. Then again your work life balance could be out of kilter in which case ditch the work! Easier said than done I know.
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I don’t think any of us would claim to be perfect. Part of the fun of painting is learning to do new things and eat a bit better each time.
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Yea, I was looking at a blog that was likely a Golden Demon winner. Not that some of us aren’t capable. It’s just very different from what I typically see. It’s also not a style of painting that I am very crazy about. It looks too perfect, like it was done by a machine. Who knows, maybe someday my tastes will change.
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Some people are an absolute marvel with airbrushing which has that machine made look, which technically it is. I admire the brush purists though who can make something look airbrushed. I’m my own worse critic which is a good thing because it pushes me to try and get better.
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Yea, that’s the look I’m not crazy about, the painted air-brushed look. To me, paints should look more like, well, paints. I don’t want to see sticky brush strokes, but airbrush like gradations across the whole mini, just looks odd to me.
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I tend to agree
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It’s okay if you like that look, I won’t hate you, haha! Everyone has their own taste.
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Great to see them all here! I really like them! I would never have guessed those are mediocre paint jobs, so I’m just assuming we’re using different definitions of the word! I don’t have a problem with the arm/shoulder pad, looks fine to me! At the end of the day, just go with what you’re happy with – they are your (very nice looking) minis after all!
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Thank you, thank you JNV! Yea, he’s likely getting the shoulder pad upgrade once I can return to him. It kind of gives him a footballer (American) sort of look, which is nice…because then I can also sneak him onto my Blood Bowl team. “Oh sorry, yea, you didn’t see the latest White Dwarf rules? He’s got a gun, automatic Injury roll.”. 😉
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Love em mate. Scissor knives is definitely my favourite though! I think the arm has improved bro 👍🏼👍🏼 I like all the names and references too
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Thanks IRO, glad you like! Yea, it’s the weird angle of the arm. I’m definitely going to glue that shoulder pad on him though. Plus next time, absolutely make sure I got the arm on right! ;P
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I think, from memory, that is how it’s supposed to go. When I was tinkering with the Goliath’s I remember slicing the armpit off so that the arm fit better.
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Oh man, I think you’re right! He’s the guy in the upper left of the pic:
Looks like they covered the damn shoulder with a tilted shoulder pad! *bleeeep!* *bleeeep!!*
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Just realized that I also painted the exact same model as they did, for the dark skinned guy. I thought had chosen a different model. Ah, well.
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Haha yea so it’s not you bro it’s GW who got it wrong
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Yea, that’s just crazy and I’m surprised I didn’t notice before. But I rarely look at their models when I’m painting/assembling my own, just so I’m putting more of my signature on them. Lookups are usually macro focus…what is that bit there that I can identify?
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Man, oh man Faust, don’t be so hard on yourself! These are FUN. These are INTRIGUING! These are going to be fun in your games and no one will notice (I would not have unless you pointed it out,and still I think it’s not even an issue cuz I think the mini works). Maybe if you get an expert on Netter’s anatomy, and even then…
Congrats on your Junit contribution! Still a couple days left for more, just ditch the guests 😜
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Lol, “expert on Netter’s anatomy”! Well, my brother is quite the artist, so he would immediately spot the anatomical anomaly. As did I, once I looked more closely.
Thanks for the compliments! I actually broke out the minis and showed our guests (my In-Laws), and they loved them. My Wife even gave me a fine compliment saying that appreciates that my hobby is nice and quiet and not messy. (No one better tell her about the time I spilt half a bottle of Typhus Corrosion across my desk!) So, I guess she doesn’t think I’m 100% crazy. Maybe down to 94% now. 😉
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Good stuff. Nice solid paintjobs, and with some great story to them*. Ramm definitely looks better with the shoulder pad, but like I think I mentioned on the last post, that issue is really on the sculptor, not you. That arm was really badly designed. “Happy Birthday” as a nickname for the Rivet Cannon dude is perfect. Doubles down really nicely on his “this guy is very happy about something that normal people should not find happy” facial expression. I’m almost certain that there are friendly fire rules for Doo-mas somewhere in the Advanced Rules. And Blasts can be placed pretty freely anyhow, so he’s got plenty of opportunity to be a jerk with the frags, too. This is a stupidly overworked joke that basically no one would get, but I would totally make Jonny the sabotage/demolition specialist, inasmuch as that’s a thing, just as a reference to the “Zabka-tage” bit from How I Met Your Mother XD
*I feel absolutely certain, for instance, that Ramm “Punch It In” Wang goes for groin shots way more often than is called for 😉
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LMAO@ “goes for groin shots”! Thanks Alexis! Yea, I didn’t catch the ‘sculptor’s fault’ bit before, it’s all going to work out though.
The Book of Love is an 80s movie (like most of these), but there is a scene in there where the bully has done something bad and sings Happy Birthday menacingly. Most of the nicknames are movie line quotes. “Sweep the leg!” from Karate Kid, etc.
I originally had their names allotted differently, but when I looked at the models again, he just said “Happy Birthday” with this crazy fuuu eyes!
Oh yea, I meant that the other gangers might try to friendly fire their lead Doo-Mas, for being such a jerk. If the rules are in there, I just might have to role-play that up or use the blast radius thing.
Thanks for the demo/sabotage, groin shot, and friendly fire suggestions, those will certainly be coming into play as I can do them. Makes the rather bland Goliaths a bit more fun. 😉
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OK, yeah, I was reading it more as that Doo-Mas is just such a misanthrope that he’ll take a shot at anyone who ends up in his line of fire, regardless of whether or not they’re theoretically on his side. The others trying to frag him when they think they can get away with it is a good take on it, too.
And yeah, the Goliaths definitely need something to give them a bit more interest. I’m not sure mine will ever see action in Necromunda, they may just be consigned entirely to being Culties for my Iron Warriors.
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I briefly saw a post where you mentioned your Iron Goliaths. I’ll be going back to read that one thoroughly. I need to figure out how to like comment on blogger sites too. I mainly just use the WordPress Reader view these days, as it nicely consolidates everything into a feed.
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Very nice work! I think you’re probably being a bit overly critical of yourself (with ‘Excellence of Work: Mediocre’) as I think you should be proud of these beefcakes.
How come the last chap (carrying what looks like a giant revolver) doesn’t get treated to a cheesy name?
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Thanks mate! The last chap is “Gym”, he’s the same model as the one with two knives, but I had added magnets so
I can do a weapon swap. 🙂
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Everything about those figures is so freaking cool. Huge kudos mate. They’re really ace (stop being hard on yourself!)
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Lol, okay, okay! Thanks Luke, much appreciated! Glad people are liking them. Will be even more fun playing with them. 😃
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Let me know what that’s like when you do!
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Will do, I’m sure there will be some sort of battle report when we get our first game in.
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I’m a bit behind on my blog responses at the moment, but I have to agree with everyone else – you’re being way too hard on yourself here. And here’s the thing to remember – and I’m not being condescending here – you’re going to improve the more you continue to paint. Even though I feel like I hit the bell curve part of the plateau 25 years ago, I’ve still been improving in different ways over the last few years. Look at IRO’s earlier work and look at when he’s doing today.
I’ve posted up quite a few figures in the last year or so where I’ve gone back and revisited old models because I felt that this wasn’t done all that well, or that I made poor (or even terribad) colour choices and just renovated them to 2017 or 2018 standard. There’s no reason that you can’t call these guys done and good enough now and then come back to them in 2 of 4 or 10 years and update/upgrade this or that. They honestly look good to me right now, but I also know that we’re often our own worst critics (well, unless you go to some forums, etc where some people are dicks about pointing out every flaw).
I think that dude does definitely need a shoulder pad. Do you have any Space Marine or Terminator ones? they make a good base with large coverage, and can easily be cut down and have spikes/detail glued on to look much less like a Marine part.
With the lighting setup.. I might be able to give some advice. (maybe, hopefully) Can you take a photo of your current setup for mini photos?
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Thanks mate! Yea, I’ve been on the receiving side of art critiques (and internet would-be art critiques), it’s not always fun but constructive criticism can help one improve. Glad they are looking good to you, and you’re right that I can certainly revisit later. I think they are just fine, but there was the potential to be a bit better, given more time. But better to get a group of minis out there than have some languishing around in a perpetual painting state.
The one guy already has a shoulder pad now. I might throw out an addendum post in a few days.
Heh, I was hoping to post a ‘Faust’s Adventures in Photographing Minis’, but that was after I got it all figured out! I’m doing some more tests with one of those phone tripods next, and also will have my wife give it a go. I definitely appreciate the help, so if those don’t work out, I’ll throw out a post for help.
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Looking great if you ask me 👍. I loved Necromunda first time around and had Cawdor, Escher as well as a ratskin renegade war party. I just can’t find the energy to get back into it. Lovely figures, but just not interested☹️
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Thanks! Curious about the lack of interest. Just the game itself or the new rules? I imagine you could still use your old minis just fine with the new game too.
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Not sure to be honest, maybe I just moved onto other things. Or maybe it was GW themselves, one minute it is the bees knees and then it goes into the second class system and then it is dumped as it didn’t make the money 40k or Warhammer made. I ran the club at my school, I let the kids use whatever they had. I brought various gangs but if someone had an assassin then we went with it. I just Romberg I had a Spyrer gang too. still have my Mordheim books and my original Necromunda rules. Sadly the gangs went onto Ebay a while ago.
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