After looking through the rule book I decided on catachans largely because they were the only models I could afford and my friend had some bits I could use.
Anyway here is my first go at painting one:

Front

Back
Sorry about the paper in the back ground I didn't realise the joins were so obvious

Nice work!

That looks very nice. Nice close ups too.

Good work! I'm liking the camo work, simple but very effective =]

VERY nice model! Photos THAT close tend to show the worse on the model (like if one eye is 1/1000th of a mm too much to the left!) and yours looks GREAT!

I would suggest basing it... simple, some fine sand and few clumps of static grass... will take the model to a new level! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks guys for all the compliments.
I'm a bit unsure about the skin tone but hopefully I can fix it

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I would suggest basing it... simple, some fine sand and few clumps of static grass... will take the model to a new level!

I think my models are probably long overdue to receive basing but I'm a bit unsure about it. I will probably base them once I have finished the squad.

A couple of days ago I got a bit carried away mucking around with some bits and well....this is what I came up with:


front

side

I'm much to ashamed to show you the back of the model (the orc arm doesn't fit on the small torso)

Took me a 2nd look... is that a SHOVEL for his left foot?!? Hehehe! GREAT!

Few constructive criticisms.
1) Mold lines... they are only cool when YOU are casting your own models (it means they sealed fine. Attempt to avoid them, as they break the illusion.

2) I coudl suggest a brown (mud) wash on this model, specially the skull. It would bring out those 3D contours and erase the white-wash look. The model will look kindda 'dirty' but I guess this psyco is not much for personal hygiene!

Great over all model!

I like the Catachan, he's great. The skin tone looks nice, if a little pale for an outdoor living Catachan trooper.

I redid some parts of him today

front

left

@ Mordheimer: not sure if this is what you were meaning but I think it looks a lot better. Not so much luck with the moldlines but Ive learnt a valuable lesson

@ precentor_james: thanks. I know the skin is quite light but I imagine catachans living in dense foliage and not getting exposed to that much light. maybe I'll give some of them a tan...

the main question is did you have fun making these units?

if you did then it was well worth your time and effort.

As Mord mentioned I think if you did a wash of ink over the skin and skull it would add some depth and shadow effect as well.

Btw: where in NZ are you?

Cheers
LGW

@Lord GreyWolf :Of course I enjoyed making these guys! I wouldn't do it other wise . I did try to wash it but I'm not sure the brown I have is suitable for this so I painted over it. I'm living in Palmerston North where are you in N.Z?

*looks out a map*

Geez, I never new NZ was that long to begin with... you taught THIS Yank something... (it looks so small, hovering next to AUS )

The fig looks great. Personally, whenever I have an arm joint that doesn't quite match the torso, and filler putty won't do, I try to put something just over the break. For this guy, for example, I'd probably wrap a bit of black jeweler's chain around the armpit/shoulder, and stick it down with a little superglue. Hope that helps!

The model looks WAY better... and your 'solution' for the mold line (more blood and gore!) is very creative! What I said about the wash is (as LGW put it correctly) that it adds depth. Do yourself a favor... find TWO skulls in your bits. Glue each to a paperclip, so you can hold them without touching them. Now paint them both WHITE and paint the eye sockets black. They look good? Excellent!

After they dry, take one and brush a little brown ink/wash. Let it dry, then drybrush a little white (brush VERY dry!) Put them side by side... and you will see how the plain white skull suddenly looks utterly bad? It was good 10 mins ago... now you can't wait to ink it!

Your model will suddenly get the muscle definition and depth you have on your mind. Simple technique, and goes miles. Just don't over do it.


PS: Ohhhh I see a Conenvtion in Australia forming!

Thanks again guys for the feed back.
@ Lord GreyWolf: 4-5 hours might be a bit much for a game of . Hopefully my friend will start death squads (last time I think he was thinking of playing kroot) he paints really quickly and, I will try to get him to post what ever he comes up with.

@ Mordheimer: When I first painted the mini I washed pretty much the entire model with watered down bestial brown the only problem was it was extremely light and kinda made the model look funny so I dry brushed over it. Maybe the problem is that i don't have a "proper" wash but I shudder at the idea of shelling out $6.50 N.Z. when I am dangerously low on other paints .

Quote:

Ohhhh I see a Death Squads Conenvtion in Australia forming!

That better be sarcasm.

@ StyrofoamKing: Thanks for taking the time to find out about N.Z most people have no idea where it is (I think that was one of the main ideas in Flight of the Conchords)

You've gotta love those posters

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Personally, whenever I have an arm joint that doesn't quite match the torso, and filler putty won't do, I try to put something just over the break.

I honestly didn't think of that will try to find something to cover it tonight.

Sorry for the super long post