sotf
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Post by sotf on Feb 10, 2018 5:27:54 GMT
There are a few things I hadn't wanted to mess with for a while that, now that I have, I can't really see why I didn't beforehand.
Acryllic Inks are one of the major ones there that are extremely useful and rather cheap if you use it properly.
It's one of the easiest ways to paint up rocks that look more realistic than most ways.
After you have the rocks ready to paint, just paint them a flat white and let it dry completely. Then take inks (I've used, largely, blacks and browns with a few greens added as well), you want to mix it about 1 drop of ink to 2 drops of water. Mix if up and you can pretty much slop it over the rocks like a wash. The end result works very well in looking like real ones for the scale. If you want it mossy or algae covered, use green ink for the same basic thing but use a smaller brush to work the areas you want it.
The same ink mixes work well for dirt with your bases or even full tables if you want. Paint it brown, give a heavy drybrush of a lighter brown. Then take some of the thinned black ink and work it along edges where there would be a shadow, then a brown ink over the entire thing and you get a muddy look, add another drybrush of the lighter brown or an ivory or tan for more dry dirt.
You can use a variety of watered down inks with flocks and static grass to add variety to it without needing more types of it just by dripping some of the thinned inks into it after you glue it down.
It tends to work better than normal washes for heavier detail on larger pieces...dinosaurs and similar things with highly textured skin is a great place for this sort of thing.
There's a lot of other uses that pop up.
Sure, it costs more than craft paint per bottle, but since you need to thin it and the bottles are larger, you get a whole lot more out of it compared to the craft paint bottles.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Feb 10, 2018 4:27:02 GMT
Some recent work for things. As a major note, these are with a new phone camera...still working out all of the issues in getting used to it. Fey Mushrooms
The first are some mushrooms, spotted them in the craft store for 12 for $1.25 and decided to grab them to repaint. Only major downside to them was discovering that whatever they used in coloring the caps originally bled through layers of stuff until I pretty much resealed them...after it bled through autoprimer. So I went with red as the possibility of further bleed through kind of scared me off the original colors I was going to use for them.
Based six in a ring for a basic fairy circle piece, two together, and then 4 individually. They're rather large as shown by the pathfinder goblins that I'm still working on that are there for some semblance of scale since I've been working elsewhere in my house recently since the window in my work area needs some work on it (There's a piece that goes up against the glass that's supposed to make it look like multiple panes, but it's loose and I can't fix that until everything warms up for a while because I need to pull out the part of the window to glue it back down...and at the moment whenever the heater comes on the thing starts rattling because of air movement there).
The Lord Of The Forest (Legendary Stag)Found the deer in the dollar store just before christmas and just got around to working on it. I used some hot glue to cover up the join in the center of it's ribs and the hole where the tag was attached. Wanted something more mystical looking than a normal deer, so I went with the white deer coloration that I'd found some pics of. There are several types of deer with the coloration to it's fur, mainly in the Americas (There are some white tails and some key deer that I found pics of. It's also the color that, supposedly, used to be a rarer one for various european, asian, and african deer and was referred to as golden such as the golden hind from mythology.
The antlers and hooves aren't matching the normal ones as I went with blue rather than the normal colors.
He's also a massive creature that towers over normal minis which is impressive on the table.
Bloodtip the Stegosaurus This is the one that took the most time to do, entering it into this months mini painting contest as I only just got it and had to paint him up right away...then it took a few days to figure out how I wanted to paint him until I stumbled onto some pics of zebras and followed that up by adding a bit of red to make him pop to the tips of the plates and the eye ridges. The Lost World: Jurassic Park inspired the muddy creek for the basing with the first scene with the stegosaurs in it and he worked well to spook the party last night when the players stumbled onto him.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Feb 9, 2018 21:42:19 GMT
actualy , most of the older mageknight sculpts werent as bad as they looked if you strip and repaint them . many are especially useful for parts , and the "dungeons" sets were mostly monsters that can be easily kitbashed into something suitably grotesque . Hell, several of the original run ones are actually pretty good with just a few touchups. The first and second run of the first set, and possibly the first of the second set along with most of the visible boxed sets (Ones where you could see the minis inside of the packaging) were quite well done. The later ones were where it seemed like the care put into it went downhill while the clear box ones maintained it because people could see them and the added cost was enough from the advertising they did to cover their smaller numbers. I recently found the old box of some first run ones I'd gotten right when the game released and been rebasing them. A wash and a few touchups and they look quite good. The only issue is with a few of the weapons, they turned fragile. One I managed to find a new weapon to replace it and the other actually looked better without it since the design looked a lot better as a monk...
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Feb 7, 2018 8:47:06 GMT
I used to use testors dull coat for it, stuff is rather good and useable.
However, a good, clear, flat spray varnish is cheaper option.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Feb 7, 2018 8:44:39 GMT
If you want an easier way to make "sharks" for the table, use some of the harder, clear plastic. Either the stuff from clam shell packs of going with the report covers that Scotty has used in a few videos.
On the underside, use a dark color (Black, blue, or greys) and give the general outline of the shark as viewed from above. Let it dry completely and then take a mid blue and go over it before sealing it (You really want to do so with this or you will regret it later on).
Then take some scraps of foamcore or foamboard and cut the classic fin and possibly the tail fin if you want it. Paint it up in the shark grey, and glue them in place on the unpainted side of the clear plastic and use hot glue to make the ripples and similar for it before hitting it with a very light white on it to exaggerate the ripples/waves. They work rather well.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Feb 2, 2018 18:50:49 GMT
You may want to simply make it a dual proficiency weapon, meaning you need both Firearms/Black Powder Weapons and the Siege Weapons proficiency.
And a crew of 5 is a massive number, most cannon would have a crew of 2-3 depending upon a few things.
Person 1 clears the gun Person 2 loads the powder Person 3 drops the ammo in Person 1 rams it down (On a ship) the weapon is pushed back into position They aim the thing as directed Person 3 fires (Recoil pushes the weapon on its carriage back to go back to loading position on a ship) Goes back to step 1
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Feb 1, 2018 22:37:08 GMT
Right on! I've got an old copy of StormWrack sea campaign sourcebook from 3.5 somewhere at another house, I seem to remember there being info like this in it. StormWrack didn't have black powder stuff in it, there were a few siege weapons, but it was still without those rules. For blackpowder, you needed to go either third party or, I think, the D20 Past book. There were some rather good large vehicle rules in it, though that was largely a reprint from the Arms & Equipment Guide.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Feb 1, 2018 21:16:15 GMT
I saw those, but I was hoping for something like lightening where it runs through multiple targets in a line, or even a scatter dice roll, etc. Scatter die would be more for using a mortar or similar, and if it isn't moved should hit the same place. Personally, the best way to handle things for a cannons and mortars would be to have it target a location rather than normal targeting rolls. Ball ammunition would be an aoe template (3" diameter would probably be good) with additional damage effects to structures and similar, and if you want to make things interesting in other ways, make a bunch of craters the size of the template that might add cover against normal ranged weapons. Add in evasion type things for people being shot at by it. Grapeshot would be a larger template (5" diameter would work), no extra structure damage or crater left, but harder for people to evade it. Chainshot would use the 3" template, no crater and have some added effects against ships and the like since it was heavily used to target masts and similar. Mortars are indirect fire and could ignore walls and might have even larger templates, but would have to deal with scatter. Of course, with black powder you start getting the fun things that can pop up like rocket arrows (Hwacha would be interesting to have pop up for a fight or two), grenado, and smoke pots.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Feb 1, 2018 20:38:09 GMT
If you're playing 5e, I believe there are rules for cannon in the DMG.
I've been working on an expansion of the black powder weapons for it though they're nowhere near done.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 31, 2018 23:44:13 GMT
Ive heard you can hold up the plastic(any 3d print) above some acetone, and the fumes will smooth out print lines and such. Any truth to that? It depends upon the material, with some it works and with others it doesn't.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 27, 2018 5:15:54 GMT
I've toyed with the idea of using TP and PVA, to form mountains on a globe. The idea being that I would take a globe of the Earth, and paint it over with my own world map, with small mountain ridges. Several ways to do it have come to mind, but it's still a lot of work, and a difficult project, to say the least. Earth globes often have ridges for the mountains, already. With that in mind, I thought another option would be to use the inflated vinyl kid's balls at Wal-Mart, and other stores. It would be easy enough to apply paper mache' to the surface, building up layers, as appropriate. One could cut the paper mache', after it dries, and remove the vinyl ball at its core, to make more. These balls come in various diameters, so it should be possible to find one of the desired size. Inflatable beach balls could also work, and they come in some decently large sizes, for very little money. Leave the air nipple out of the paper mache', and it would be that much easier to deflate, and extract it, from the outer skin. Once removed, it would be simple to patch up the seam with additional paper mache'. Would I use it? Well, I would display it at every game, and it would be quite popular with my players for years to follow. It might inspire my players to explore the rest of my game world, but then I would need to develop other continents, and societies, and cultures... Like I said, it would be, " a lot of work"! I am still toying with the idea of making a bas-relief map of the main continent where my games are based (it is a smaller continent, compared to the rest of the planet...). This, too, could be done simply, with paper mache'. I would likely use 1/4"-thick plywood for the base; that, or artist's easel cardboard. It could be made to order, for size, up to 4 feet by 8 feet! I did the hard part: offering inspiration! Now. Go forth and craft like the madmen that I know you all are! Cheers! If you want to make a globe, the easiest option is to go to the craft store. There are often the large foam spheres and, sometimes, there's the hard, moulded cardboard ones...and rarely plastic ones that are intended for display globes (Meaning you stick things in them and then seal it up to set on a base). A very long time ago, a creative writing class I had in Jr High did a world building project that actually involved making a world, a map, and a globe for it over the year. The map was done starting with a large cardboard piece covered in a layer of foil and sculpted with flour paste before it was painted, the globe was just painted on a ball of floral foam.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 27, 2018 5:09:19 GMT
Ive straightened out a base by holding it high above a gas stovetop. It worked but I was in a hurry While it works, open flames and the hot water tends to be a lot more difficult to get right. The heatgun and hair dryer options don't always work with other plastic minis, and hot water works but it's one where you really need to have the rubber heat resistant gloves or there's more risks of making things worse if the wet and slick mini slips out of your grip and in... Also, if working with an actual flame, you can discolor or "frost" transparent parts such as some of the Reaper bones or things like a few of the old WotC plastic minis (Ruined a few Jedi minis that way)
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 26, 2018 20:14:14 GMT
There's actually a far cheaper way to do this.
Just use a hair dryer rather than a heat gun...
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 18, 2018 12:54:33 GMT
One other thing I'm coming to appreciate more and more about the 2.5" tiles is the fact that they fit in a pretty standard trading card storage box for storage and transport. And those stack well enough on their own on a shelf...
Some of the larger tiles I'd done in the past or some of the very special ones for specific things tend to be a nightmare to keep if you plan on using them again. They end up crushed, bent, twisted, or otherwise destroyed far to often, and that's without the space required for them...not to mention organization issues...
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 11, 2018 0:43:02 GMT
Interesting idea.
Kind of Surprised you used the older Hylian Shield design rather than the one that's been used since Skyward Sword with the bird crest.
Also, the Hylian Shield is designed for the right arm rather than the left since Link is a lefty (Only game he isn't is the ones where combat is motion controlled or where it can be equipped on either so it would probably work better to ditch the handle for a second strap since strap on shields didn't have them, but a pair of straps anyway.
I've spent way to long playing Zelda games...and a bit to long working on the old Zelda 3.5 project that was bouncing around on the WotC forums before their massive trainwreck of an "upgrade" and later removal of the boards.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 10, 2018 23:40:48 GMT
Make the rest "Dire Pigeons" (CR 4) Or crows and the like put on terrain pieces.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 10, 2018 23:38:58 GMT
I've used Hot Glue, but I found that the High Temp glue setting will melt the foam... Low Temp setting works pretty well. They do make a glue for use on foam, however, if you want to try a specialized product for it. Have not use it, myself, but it is highly recommended for such on other forums. Cheers! The foam glue is really only worth getting if you're going to do a lot of massive shaping of foam after putting it together because it pretty much fuses the material and you don't have the minor issues that can come out of glue barriers when cutting it up. For terrain work, it isn't needed unless you either have a bit left over or you have a lot of money to burn. I know a couple people who tend to use it regularly, but they don't really make terrain pieces. They're more of the professional level stuff that isn't for wargaming. They make props and decorations for companies and theaters, and one of them uses it for sculpting work where the catches and issues add a whole lot more issues when making it that are a pain to fix up.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 9, 2018 19:28:28 GMT
Toothpicks and similar are great ways to reinforce joins.
If you're making something that will end up heavier over it to the point where it may not support it with the white or wood glue, you might consider using a two part epoxy or resin to bond it. Adding hardness to the bond.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 5, 2018 22:40:55 GMT
From the sound of things, the foam you got was craft foam. It's not that good for tiles, it has a lot of other uses though.
Also, most of what Scotty uses is Foamcore which is very different from foamboard.
Foamcore is a foam that's easy to texture and work with, but it's clad in paper that sandwiches it.
Foamboard is a more solid foam that usually has no cladding. It's not so good for a lot of the detail work, but is very good for more structural work.
Both require you to keep your knife very sharp to cut it, and if you use a high temp glue gun, you can cause some issues if you aren't careful since the heat can mess with the foam.
Both also tend not to absorb that much water into it, which cardboard does since, well, cardboard is a paper product.
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sotf
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Post by sotf on Jan 4, 2018 7:58:31 GMT
You can sometimes find the Marvel "Handful of Heroes" blind bags in dollar stores and other places of the type, there are several minis of Hulk in those that work great for ogres. Several also armored ones. Just add weapons if you want them and they paint up great.
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