Theres been a distinct lack of painted stuff here at Brummies Wargaming blog lately so here we are got the first batch of Alien Drones finished this week and the Queen. I might darken the heads on the drones I've tried to create the effect of light reflecting of the domed head. They are going to be varnished with a satin varnish I've been recommended which is not matt and not to glossy so want to get that appearance you get in the movies. What do you think?
None of the base's are done this will be done in one big batch as I mix paint in with the pva etc when basing them.
Here is the test scheme for the Yautja its not been highlighted or anything yet this is just the base colour's with a black wash over the top. The metal is in two tones its a base of shining gold over black then the edges painted on plate mail. What do you think so far?
Aliens are looking very nice to me!
ReplyDeleteCheers Phil.
DeleteGreat stuff Simon.
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve.
DeleteLooking great Simon,
ReplyDeleteThough I'm used to seeing them black, the green is an interesting choice for the aliens and actually does work well. I'm really loving the predator, and considering the small scale, double impressive!
Thanks Dave, It really depends on where your source comes from most of the movies has them as a black menace. Various games (Aliens 3 (snes), AVP2) and the novels has them in various colours. Its rumoured that the queen of a hive normally destroys errant strains but in one novel the queen is stolen from a hive by humans and a red Alien hive springs up and they then end up waging war upon each other. (Genocide I think the book is called).
DeleteAll interesting stuff the books especially Steel Egg and the Aliens Vs Predator books open up the universe a lot and its more diverse than you think. Especially when you take into account Prometheus and some of the snapshots of Yautja Trophy walls in the movies it just doesn't come across much.
Looking good Brummie. I like the green colour.
ReplyDeleteThanks mate, It was between green and blue.
DeleteI also like the dark green. I think that might be the way to go on the Aliens. I don't Know enough about Predator to suggest anything on him though. Very nice mate.
ReplyDeleteThanks Clint
DeleteThey are coming along nicely, Simon. That's an interesting looking vehicle in the fourth photo down. What is it and who is it for?
ReplyDeleteThanks Bryan, its just a hot wheels car it looked suitably sci fi and match's up with 15mm figs quite well. I'd seen one converted in to a fast attack vehicle on dropship horizon so when spotting it at Asda grabbed one.
DeleteI think it will be repainted as a civilian or perhaps a corporate hotshots ride. Undecided what to do with it at the moment. There are kind of alien hunters who track down the remaining nests on Earth in a book call 'No Exit' It might be cool to have some games set around that at some point perhaps some sort of campaign. Who knows!
I like them and an interesting colour in the green which is jolly effective as I see them as a dark greyish blue but the grey is great. Yes Satin effect them as they need that shininess.
ReplyDeleteI like the predator too but I think the face plate and all the metal needs to be a tin bits type colour rather than silver, but otherwise good job.
Thanks yeah I'll give a coat of satin when the bases are done. I'm in two minds as to do tin as its very close colour match to the pred's skin and at 15mm I'm worried about it just blurring into all the same colour. I'll get it finished one of the nights this week and try and take some proper photo's as the gold layer doesn't show much through in these pics you can see it a bit better if you make the pic bigger.
DeleteThis is quite cool! Keep to this dark green, really add some depth to these 15mm models.
ReplyDeleteKeep the yautja as it is just with a light wash and highlight. Which should be done fairly quickly on this size.
Cheers Johnny glad you like I thought they would stand out more.
DeleteI like the look of this project. Is there a chance of a batrep in the future? Personally, I like the gloss effect for sci fi, gives it that unusual science look.
ReplyDeleteThanks mate, I hope to do one I have a pile of rules to try out and make a decision on.
DeleteReally like the colour scheme- full marks!
ReplyDeleteThanks glad you like them.
DeleteWell done , great look Simon .
ReplyDeleteThanks Vincent.
DeleteIt's all looking good. I like the idea of using a satin finish on the Aliens. Should give them a slimy feel. Looks like a fun project.
ReplyDeleteCheers Ironmonk, yeah I think normal glass especially at this scale is to much. I have big thanks to Pulp Citizen for recommending the Satin Varnish.
DeleteLooking great Simon. Getting aprehensive now as all my new 15mm sci fi stuff has arrived and been built. Just never painted owt so small.
ReplyDeleteDon't be its a lot easier once you get the hang of it. Painted a single figure first to get your eye in as what works on 28mm doesn't on 15mm.
Deleteundercoat, base colour, wash then a highlight does the trick tbh, watch picking colours that are to similar as after a wash they can end up looking the same colour I had this problem with my marines the two browns I used on the fatigues and the body armour just ended up looking the same. Have a play with one and just a quick dip in dettol and a scrub later he'll be good as new if you don't like it.
The satin varnish does the trick. Just enough for that chitinous shine.
ReplyDeleteThanks Finch its just paint effect a curve of light green and a spot of white paint on the opposite corner.
DeleteThanks Barks.
ReplyDeleteThanks Andrew its just light reflecting effect painted on at the moment not varnished them yet.
ReplyDeleteHard to believe they're 15's, the choice of green makes for a more interesting alien.
ReplyDeleteThanks Khurasan do execellent figures. I think they will stand out more on the table top in this colour as well,
DeleteAt first I wasn't sure about the green, but when I took a closer look I found it was, in truth, an excellent choice. And like you say, there are sources to play with aside from the films. I remember seeing the cover for Genocide and thinking different colours would be cool, kind of like ants. I really need to read more of the books and comics. Although I am a fan of the idea in other media (and loved the first AvP video game when I was a kid), the AvP movies really didn't do it for me unfortunately. I may need to revisit them with a less critical mind and perhaps a couple of beers and an eye out for wargaming scenarios!
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get the vehicle in the pic with the aliens from?
I think with the AVP movies you have to ignore the story to some extent and just enjoy the visuals and the snippets to the story. I see them as stop gaps between the modern day and the original Aliens series especially the links to the various corporations at the end of each film.
DeleteI mean the key recurring theme with the Aliens is that there is always somebody tinkering with them whether its corporate labs, Predators or the military so outbreaks can happen anywhere.
They also use any large mammal as an incubator and in Aliens 3 the drone is more of a quadruped as its original host was a dog. So there a lot of scope for mutation. I don't think I'd have armed variants though there have been genetically modified creatures in AVP Hunters Planet for example.
Besides the queen I plan on having 3 types Runners (smaller but faster they'll be 10mm Pendraken normal Aliens) normal drones as pictured above and Praetorians which are between Drone and Queen size (pendraken 10mm Queens) they where in AVP2 the game and were resistant to normal weapons all though they where slower and unable to climb walls.
There are Predaliens as well but not sure what figures to use for those as there is the single film example AVP Requiem but also another variant in AVP2.
Even watching Predators is great to watch the story is a bit meh but really back in the day so was the first Predator movies story.
The car is just a hotwheels toy I got from ASDA its a Max Steel Turbo racer.
I do like the Aliens; that green-blue is very effective. If it was me I'd probably have attempted a very black colour scheme, but I think that would have been a mistake. Your version is much nicer!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much! I thought long and hard about it. Its took me a year from buying them to actually getting round to doing something with them. I undercoated them black and then couldn't make my mind up what colour to highlight them in. These were a lot brighter at first so washed them in black again to darken it.
DeleteNice color scheme, quite scary looking.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much.
DeleteYep another 12 to go yet. Then need to stick another order in.
ReplyDeleteThe green is a great choice for the Aliens they look suitably menacing. Are we going to loose you to 15mm? At 15mm this project must be very cheap compared to 28mm.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I still love my 28mm figures. It will be just for Sci Fi I think. Especially with all the great walkers and stuff you can get.
DeleteExcellent work Simon. Kudos mate. :)
ReplyDeleteCheers Dude. Thanks for the Satin Varnish recommendation as well.
DeleteStunning, loving these Sinon.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Michael :)
DeleteVery cool Brummie. I am liking the colors alot. Curious how the Satin varnish works out for you, as it might not be as shiny as you think. Might need to add just a drop of gloss in with it to give it a bit more shine.
ReplyDeleteCheers and thanks for the heads up. I've tried it on some potion bottles on one of my Otherworld figures and look ok for what I want. I didn't want them to be to shiny.
DeleteI love the alien, and extra points for painting the teeth (does it show I've been reading Curt's painting challenge posts? :P)
ReplyDeleteThe predator is nicely painted, but I never liked those in anything else but a full armour myself :P.
Thanks mate. The teeth are kind if iconic especially the inner set. The other Predators I have are more armoured up but still have a bit of flesh showing.
DeleteComing in late it's hard to add anything new to the discussion other than the usual 'oohs' and 'ahhhs', but I do love these, I love this direction (and I love the new blog banner).
ReplyDeleteI'd definitely do a semi-gloss at least on the carapace and heads of the aliens. Any chance of Colonial Marines showing up?
Rock on.
Thanks Mik, Yep they have already arrived they need to be expanded by another squad of grunt though.
DeleteThey will have a satin coat so they'll be shiny when finished. Well I hope so.
http://brummieswargamingblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/khurasan-exterminators-part-2.html
Excellent work Simon, I really like this project as it's a personal favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteThanks Fran, There will be some more stuff for it soon. Theres a competition over at dropship horizon so going to enter a squad and a vehicle and maybe a terrain piece if I can get my ass in gear with it.
DeleteI like the colour scheme to! Great start!
ReplyDeleteGreetings
Peter
Very cool. Can't help wonder how much cooler they might have been in 28mm!
ReplyDeleteThey would of been awesome! But expensive lol
Delete