Grundz'z Adeptus Mechanicus Army WIP (very pic heavy)

[GRUNDZ]

So I primarily posted over on dakka, however I get very little feedback there. so here I am I'm primarily looking for feedback to help my painting and/or modeling skills improve as I work pretty much in a fishbowl.

My primary army is adeptus mechanicus IG, largely kitbashed/converted.

Basic infantry are kitbashed from WGF infantry and various GW bits
Light vehicles are stalk tanks (4 legged talks)
Leman russes are slowly being converted into heavy stalk tanks (4-6 legged heavy stalk tanks)
Some Leman russes are knight titans (marked with a leman russ-size base)

most models are basecoated with an airbrush and minorly shaded, then minwax/washed, then the original color drybrushed over top. I've lately been experimenting with line highlighting, and all my attempts at blending have ended in horrible firestorms of terribleness.

I'm currently looking for an easy way of "gear"ing the base of all my greatcoats!

anyways, what you have come for more than likely, pictures!

The army in all its partially finished glory
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_7953.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80878)

Armored "iron man" sentinel along with his less armored brothers:
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_1787227.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80876)

The mighty Knight Titan
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_625948.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80877)

Executioner Heavy Stalk Tank w/ plasma "sponsons"
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_1333506.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80871)

[GRUNDZ]

More pics


Tanks and Stalkers
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_267098.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80875)

Various squad leaders and Iron Priest
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_1373107.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80874)

Infantry!
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_1314557.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80873)

Lord fabricator Creed
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_113603.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80872)

[GRUNDZ]

Mechanicus Termite:
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_57057.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80884)

Tech guard w/ Improved mobility (stormtroopers)
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_21061.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80883)

What a completed Stalker leman russ w/ heavy bolter will look like:
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_11292.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80881)

Knight Titan reverse angle pre-paint
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331079308/gallery_66211_7035_8891.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80882)

[GRUNDZ]

How to fire plasma... hehe
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1331209679/gallery_66211_7035_49798.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=80935)

Learning how to airbrush, it looks better in person I promise!
http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/uploads/1332145752/gallery_66211_7035_1074821.jpg (http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=81681)

Finishing up the OSL grey knights, just need to drill some gunbarrels and some minor details Next purchase planned: a friggen macro lens!
http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2012/3/23/345069_sm-OSL%20grey%20knight%20complete%201.jpg (http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/345069-OSL%20grey%20knight%20complete%201.html)

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2012/3/23/345068_sm-OSL%20grey%20knight%20complete%201.jpg (http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/345068-OSL%20grey%20knight%20complete%201.html)

[SotonShades]

Not bad at all; I really like the stalk tanks, especially using the middle leg mounts from the defiler kit as sponson mounts. May have to nick that idea if/when I get round to my renagade IG.

Onviously still a lot of work to do, but a good solid start.

[Night Haunter]

Looking good. I love converted armies!

[Tristangray]

Really dig those Leamen Russ conversions. Great job!

[RudeboyJefe]

that's pretty epic

[GRUNDZ]

Not bad at all; I really like the stalk tanks, especially using the middle leg mounts from the defiler kit as sponson mounts. May have to nick that idea if/when I get round to my renagade IG.

Onviously still a lot of work to do, but a good solid start.

Thanks!

The no sponson tanks give me the ability to use the 1/3rd of the defiler bodies for knight titans, I actually have 3 or 4 more titans worth of parts to make.
I have 3 or 4 more defiler tanks to do and those are done and I can sell off all the leman russes. The next phase is slowly replacing the infantry with DKOK and microart admech infantry. Once that is complete I have an evil plan to sell and convert all of my sentinels.

Then again I did just start ORKS, so that may suck me up as I'm starting to like them more and more! :P

[Transmutedelf]

Converted Items are always fun! NIce job and interesting use of barricades.

[Iifeelstrange]

ok mate that is mental

[Captainparty]

I hate to think how much money your parents have thrown away on your mashing models together seemingly at random like this.

[GRUNDZ]

I hate to think how much money your parents have thrown away on your mashing models together seemingly at random like this.

Well its my money, and since a majority of it are re purposed craigslists models, and are built to maximize models/bitz, not very much. Maybe $400-600? not including the resales of the vehicles/models I get that I don't want/cant use?
Not nearly as much as you are wasting in future income and time being an nonconstructive douche. :)

[Captainparty]

Well its my money, and since a majority of it are re purposed craigslists models, and are built to maximize models/bitz, not very much. Maybe $400-600? not including the resales of the vehicles/models I get that I don't want/cant use?
Not nearly as much as you are wasting in future income and time being an nonconstructive douche. :)

Pretty sure I am not wasting any money telling you how bad your models are.

You haven't planned anything, thrown together bits and hoped and your painting is terrible, so they don't even make good display pieces.

[GRUNDZ]

Pretty sure I am not wasting any money telling you how bad your models are.

You haven't planned anything, thrown together bits and hoped and your painting is terrible, so they don't even make good display pieces.

To risk going off topic:
I'm a top ~3ish person at a profitable, niche software company, which is a fairly atypical, relaxed environment (infinite vacation time as long as you make deadlines, tshirt/jeans dresscode, good pay, ect.) Our HR guys kick *** and take names using various information-mining services to really find out who you are. Technical skills can be taught, personal ones cannot. One comment about an xbox live screen name on facebook or something like that and everything branches out, pretty much forever. (its up to HR to decide if it is you or not once they get out to the fringes) Even doing a search for myself, and i'm pretty careful, come some crazy stuff from 10 years ago.
As "unfortunate" as it is, this is the world you now live in. If HR came across this forum, esp. since every one of your "critique" posts are nonconstructive and douchey, you wouldn't even be considered. With these services becoming cheaper and cheaper every year they are becoming much more common. So yes, there is the distinct possibility that being an "anonymous" dbag on the internet will cost you an interview for an excellent job down the road. (making the assumption you have aspirations to work for a company such as mine and are not a "lifer")

So yes, while I admit my painting and converting need work (I'm still kind of new to this), Edge highlighting is tricky and blending totally escapes me, I will dare to say, judging that pm's that I receive here and elsewhere, that a majority of visitors to this thread will enjoy my stuff to some extent, and the motivation to improve the skills that I lack don't come from people being jerks, they come from people being constructive and nudging me/others in the right direction.
I look forward to seeing some of your creations and maybe I can offer some advice that I've come across in this adventure of little toy men I have embarked on that you haven't come across.

[=Angel=]

I hate to think how much money your parents have thrown away on your mashing models together seemingly at random like this.

The WGF troopers are quite inexpensive actually.
Other than that, I like this kitbashing and I've seen much more poorly executed Mechanicus armies made from complete and utter spare parts.

Grundz has done a good job here, and I'd like to see more of his creativity and less of your nonconstructive commentary please.

[Kamui]

I like the theme and you've got some nice conversions there. The paint job isn't too bad. It looks like the minwax has made them a bit shiny. You might be able to tone down the glare a bit with some Dulcote or a matte sealer. It may also be the flash on your camera, if they're not that shiny in person I'd blame the camera.

I like the extreme OSL blades on the Grey Knights. That should give the unit a very dramatic effect on the table.

[Thornblood]

This army is awesome. Really nice conversions, looks like its alot of fun as well. Im pretty jealous.

Also, 'Captainparty' less of that please. If you cant say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

Grundz as for painting- the new citadel paints look awesome. Your paintings not bad, but a drybrush of the new dry paints and then a black wash would really bring the paintjob up to meet the amazing conversion work! Real simple, but on an army that size, might be a bit time consuming.

I converted up a little squad of ten Skitarii/Techguard once. They never got painted though....

I particularly like the four legged stalk tanks.

[Kamui]

I agree with Thornblood that it wouldn't take much to tie up the paint job. By the time you finish painting all the stuff on that table you'll have a better feel for the brushes and should be able to easily touch up the rest to a level you'll be proud of.

The more I look at these pictures though, the more I think the camera isn't doing you any favors. The flash causes glare and harsh shadows that obscure the painting, and it tends to bring out flaws that are very difficult to see in person. Try taking some shots without the flash, bring in a little extra lighting if you need to.

I'd really like to see a group shot of the Grey Knights when they're finished.

[GRUNDZ]

Yeah, you are right, but without flash I think it looks even worse.

However I'm going to try and make a light box and take some pictures this weekend, also ordering a macro lense for my phone today (right now actually) which should help.

as for the paint, I know i have to tone down the minwax, but in reality it is mostly the camera flash.
The infantry look like they are all drenched/covered in machine oil, which is what I was going for (I imagine it is rather holy to them :D ) ESP the "leather mask" troops look especially freaky. I need to redo the eyes in gold and then glaze over it, the green irridecent paint looks good on the tabletop since the helmet slightly shadows them and all you see is the green dots, but I think glazed over gold will look better.

The infantry especially need work, I am starting to "get it" (eg, look at the knight titan standing pic, thats all edge highlighting! :D However I am about to start phasing the infantry out and phasing DKOK and microarts admech infantry in, keeping these for when I decide to run super horde guard.

since everyone loves the, here's a quick "go around" for the OSL knights, this was my first batch and the flash makes the blue look might brighter than reality. you can see I airbrush shaded the metal to be brighter on the front/top than on the back/legs, all colors are washes or glazes so everything shades equally

Oh, I also need a color or process to make reasonable looking "burnt flesh" so the backs of their heads, and exposed skin can be throughly burned and deformed from constant exposure to hot oil and machine exhaust.

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2011/6/28/240409_sm-Glowing%2C%20Grey%20Knights%2C%20Object%20Source%2 0Lighting.jpg (http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/240409-Glowing%2C%20Grey%20Knights%2C%20Object%20Source%2 0Lighting.html)

here's one infantry without flash, pre-metal armor and such, so you can see the shading on the coat a little better.
http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2010/8/24/133188_sm-Adaptus%20Mechanicus%2C%20Red%20Skull.jpg (http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/133188-Adaptus%20Mechanicus%2C%20Red%20Skull.html)

[Ch_DokWreckshop]

Very interresting converted army, some ideas to pick up!

[szym]

This is awesome. The amount of work put into it is impressive. Great work!

I wish GW released codex for Mechanicus :?

[GRUNDZ]

This is awesome. The amount of work put into it is impressive. Great work!

I wish GW released codex for Mechanicus :?


There's actually a fandex I worked on that is kind of a little underpowered, but plays sort of like IG mixed with necrons (original concept was before necron codex came out obviously)

http://www.admechfandex.com/?page_id=38

termites, forsaken, knight titans, and a few others are my babies.
Note: you'll probably get creamed since its a resiliant shooting army, but doesn't do shooting really super will, but it is a ton of fun. ;D

[GRUNDZ]

Built a lightbox, got a macro lense, pictures still dont come out right, but, better? ~_^
starting to annoy me, since I really need to ebay somet hings

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2012/4/12/353123_sm-.jpg (http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/353123-.html)

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2012/4/12/353124_sm-.jpg (http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/353124-.html)

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2012/4/12/353126_sm-.jpg (http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/353126-.html)

[turiya64]

i think you just need to move your light and up your ev value up a bit and you will be good to go

[GRUNDZ]

ev value?

[CountCyrus]

Nice conversions! What did you use for the center of the leman Russ with the big turret?

[GRUNDZ]

It is mostly a defiler, chopped up pretty severely and glued back together! :)

[Brandoncbaker]

I've been painting GW minis for many moons now,and consider myself an above average painter,but I recently picked up the new How to book that was released with the new paint line,and it's shined a new light on my painting.i strongly recommend it to help you out with some of the issues you mention haing

Otherwise great idea you have there

[Meph]

Have you tried daylight for your photos? With the shutter speed and a little tripod you can pretty much dial in the light as you want it.