I had a bunch of plastic Orc and Goblins on the sprue in my garage. As they’ve been there since late 2006, they’ve definitely met the mandatory 18 month post-purchase stand-down period. So in the last week I’ve been throwing them together while watching BSG Season 2. They’ve initially been assembled as a Warhammer Border Patrol force consisting of:
- An Orc Hero on foot as the General,
- 24 Orcs with double hand-weapons,
- Two units of 5 Goblin Wolf Riders with spears,
- And an Orcish Boar Chariot with two riders.
That lot comes to around 500 points depending on whether you use the 6th or 7th Edition Orc and Goblin army book. To be honest looking at the two I don’t see a lot of difference force wise either, so it’s kind of hard to tell why Games Workshop bothered with the latest Orc army book.
I doubt these figures will see any paint in the near future. I’ve just assembled them so I can play them ‘in the gray’ with friends. I am mildly tempted to try speed painting the rank and file, which isn’t an art I’ve mastered as I typically take days to paint a since 28mm figure. I also white prime rather than black, which complicates things too. I’m considering trying a couple of green ink washes for Orc and Goblin flesh and simply scorched brown basing the rest of each figure and painting a coat or two over that. Basically that would give me ‘brown lining’ which is how I paint 15mm figures where it works reasonably well.
Anybody got any tips for speed painting white primed Orcs and Goblins?
Have you tried the Army Painter System, Stu? I found it pretty good after a first use and intend to continue with it as it saved a lot of time and frustration.
I’m working on speed painting with an air brush.
With Space Marines I clean and air brush Tamiya flat black. Then holding the airbrush at about a 45deg angle I airbrush a couple of light coats of German Grey. Then when the airbrush is almost completely empty I add a couple of drop of Neutral grey and get it to mix in the air brush. I then pick out highlight spots on the shoulder pads etc. You get a lot of Marines painted in a very short time, with only small details to pick out with a brush.
For Space orks and I imagine would work the same with Fantasy. I primered Tamiya JN Grey with the airbrush and then I’ve basecoated with Tamiya Khaki.
The next step which I haven’t got to yet is to ink black. Paint the skin goblin green thenuse the green GW wash. I’m going to use the Tamiya weathering kits to paint the weapons and armour.
Monty, you’re getting some very nice results on those Civil War figures. In fact that shot of the dry gent with the rifle looks like some of my painted Pulp figures. I have to admit I haven’t heard of this system until now. It looks like the key part of their system is the ‘dip’ which I suspect is some kind of varnishing product, plus you know a really good matt varnish afterwards. I know Dustan has done something similar with wood staining products in the past too.
Rob I have a cheapo knock off airbrush which I haven’t quite mastered alas. I can imagine you’re getting nice graduated highlights from the spray on the curved surfaces of space marines. Your use of inks sounds like the sort of thing I already do, but typically with a lot of over-painted highlights.
Thanks for your suggestions! Hmmm I feel I may have to experiment with a few figures.
I had to google the Army Painter System and it’s basically dipping or the various other methods of applying stain/varnish.
The have some fantastic examples on their site including the following which is very topical.
http://www.thearmypainter.com/gallery_presentation.php?GalleryId=15
Its a great idea actually, I would dip more models if I could get round to painting their base coats. Who knows what might happen after the spacewolves
Dustan, that’s a great find. Now I wonder if we can find a supplier in Aussie/NZ of these products, or alternately a wood varnishing product that comes close to the same effect. That’s what you were using wasn’t it? A coloured wood varnish for dipping?
I notice their distributor list includes an Aussie company: Battleline Scenics and indeed they appear to stock Quickshade for $38au a tin.
The trick to airbrushing is to use the right paint. If you can get the Gunze Sangyo paints – GSI Aqueous Hobby Color it’s a hell a lot easier. Bog standard Tamiya thinned with Tamiya thinners is good too. I’ve stopped using spray primer and just prime with Tamiya from the air brush. The coverage is better, and it has a good tooth.
If you want to use GW paints the only way I’ve found to get it to work well is to put the paint in a dropper bottle and shake the hell out of it for a couple of minutes first.
Vallejo air colour is ok but I’ve found you have to keep cleaning the brush because it plasticises in the nozzle.
If you’re having your air brush try spraying some meths through it.
I had writen a NZers guide to dipping on pityak forums, i decided to make a copy of it on your forums Stu
http://www.tabletop-terrain.com/forum/index.php?topic=822.0
How have we not found out about The Army Painter system before? I know its just a professional variation on Dustan’s idea but I think even I could finish an army if that was all I had to do…
Well there’s an Aussie company that sells it and ships to NZ. Anybody want to chip in and we’ll split a tin or something?
I’ve been unable to paint any more figures up due to working away over the last two weeks, however, I will do a couple more this weekend and publish them. I intend to trial the painter system with 15mm figures too; I really can’t be bothered with all the highlighting/dry brushing etc anymore – I suppose I’m just lazy…
Lazy or not, I’m trying not to buy models until I finish my current mountain (no, realy it is) of back log. I have always planned to dip a lot more but cant seem to five up the brush… so to speak. The idea of using multiple different shade washes appeals though.
Heh…
Border Patrol….
Brings back memories….
Yeah it’s still just as much fun as when I was playing your Brettonians and Brent’s Chaos Knights. Orcs and Goblins are a bit more amusing to play than Undead though I’ve been finding.
More amusing?
You mean you bitch less?
;-)
xxx