Good Luck!

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=speed+painting+miniatures&rlz=1C1CHZL_enAU754AU754&tbm=vid&ei=n_FjWpOFGsvL0gTZy5fIBg&start=0&sa=N&biw=1920&bih=949&dpr=1

I made the challenge some harder by changing the list to its final version:

Dragon
Manticore
20 Corsairs
10 Corsairs
5 Dark Raiders (done)
5 Dark Raiders (done)
5 Raven Cloaks (done)
28 Executioners
5 Acolytes
5 Acolytes (done)
Kraken (done)

I was doubting to forget NMM for now as just finish it, but I am convinced I will be able to paint good NMM eventually I find it a waste to not try to learn as soon as I am back.

So I will first finish the 20 corsairs, their cloaks are great to paint and don't need wet pallete. On their armour and swords I can practice my NMM. Same for the second unit of Corsairs, although they don't have much metal.

Then Dark Acolytes, again not much armour but can practice wet blending cloth more.

Then start with Executioners, a lot of metal so lots of practice. I should not be too perfectionist here as I will need practice to master it and can't be too slow. Because I can paint in batches of 5 models and then in between reward myself with:

5 Executioners
Other half Dragon
5 Executioners
Manticore
5 Executioners
Banner BSB
5 Executioners
Banner Executioners
5 Executioners
BSB himself
3 Executioner Command
Lord Drakon other half, possibly repainting other half with learned NMM technigue if time allows.

I will try to use the following time table:
Week 1: Corsairs (holiday)
Week 2: Acolytes
Week 3: 5 Executioners, Dragon
Week 4: 5 Executioners, Manticore
Week 5: 5 Executioners, Banner BSB
Week 6: 5 Executioners, BSB himself
Week 7: 8 Executioners, finish Lord Drakon

Your whole army on the photos looks great! Lets just hope that the upcomming hotfix for 9th Age armybooks won't mess up your further plans too much.

So I have set my limits incredibly high, especially because I believe I have it in me to develop my painting to a high standard. Especially the work of Druchii member (look at the PLOG summary) GeOrc have really inspired me to reach the same standards.

However I also see back in his posts that his models take a lot of time, 10-20 hours per model.

If I want to field the army of my dreams end of April (7 weeks) while also paint it to standards I was currently not able to, this is not realistic and will probably result into disaster and failure. Still I would love to bring a beautiful army with impressive models.

So I came up with the idea to speed paint the models that will take most time (24 executioners and 18 witch elves).

Speed painting is very satisfying because you colour different parts in industrial patches and progress fast. It makes it tabletop standard but will ofcourse not bring you to the standard of GeOrc.

Ofcourse I should do a test model for both the Witch Elves and the Executioners so I know which primary colours I want to use. These should be painted to my highest standard and can take a lot of time. Also the centerpieces (Dragon, Manticore, Altar) deserve a lot of time and effort.

This could also give me nice balance between simple applying prime colours at different areas (flesh, cloth, silver, gold, wood, leather, hair) and working in industrial batches and finishing models to my highest standard but taking 10-20 hours and will need a lot of patience and determination.

It will become the (old style) Executioner themed army I always dreamed about painting, however without the most thematic unit, the mounted Executioners.

I also got a lot of inspiration for how to paint the newest Witch Elves and I think they will be very striking between all the fully armoured emotionless Executioners. I have 10 painted Witches, 10 more that I modelled as Dancers (big mistake and hope I did not use superglue although I fear the worst), and absolutely no money. So I got some neat ideas for two unit fillers (40*40 base) so get the unit to 28. I have more than enough Witch Elf models from different editions, but I prefer to make them all of the newest version which I think look best. A horde of them besides an impressive Divine Altar will represent the Witch Elves in my army.

Two chariots mounted by Executioners, a Hydra (Kraken) with two Executioner beastmasters, a Executioner BSB on Manticore and 24 'normal' Executioners will represent the largest part of my Legion and give this Executioner theme. I can make them look good with metallic paints, but I can make them look incredible with NMM I think.

As I fly home next wednesday I promise that this is the last post without pictures

Also note to myself: upgrade the weapon of Lord Drakon on dragon to a magical version.

GeOrc's Dark Elf army is some of my most favorite work on this site - his painting skill an conversion work (especially his Hag Queen) is simply stunning. It's a shame he is not longer posting here.

I look forward to seeing your work progress and plenty of photos to come.

The list changed yet again so I could finish painting my Corsairs. I have finally finished nearly all of their Sea Dragon Cloaks! This is how they look so far.









I am especially happy with how the cloak of the champion turned out as I managed to get the light / shadows right







Since I was taking pictures with my new camera I decided to make some nice shots of my older units as well!

The Dark Raiders





Black Feather, the messenger of the XIII Legion, haha I only now discovers she is actually a girl





The Kraken / Hydra

They look great!

I especially like the champion - that is a favorite sculpt of mine.

What are you working on next?

Thanks Cult! I will be working on the rest of the Corsairs, after that the Manticore!

​Some progress on the Corsair champion, trying out some NMM. Also most red is done on the unit. After the Corsairs I will paint some nice stuff (manticore BSB and fleet commander on pegasus)



What do you think?

Finished champion



Test Corsair

Nice work - looking good!

How long did it take to paint the test model?

Thanks a lot Cult!
I think in total (including cloak) 3 hours

While these Corsairs are very nice to paint, they are also perfect for trying out new colour schemes. I have tried different schemes for almost all my areas besides the cloaks which I already liked.

The leather boots, I need to become more neat here but you get the idea.

The fiery red coth, I am especially interested in how you find it working out. The test corsair cloth is a bit messy but I think the champion cloth has turned out great.

The NMM armour. Inspired by GeOrc I want to become a master of light and become able to paint working NMM. I am learning to use wet blending but so far it goes very slow and frustrating. However I do find the use of only white, grey and black already giving the effect that I desire - from tabletop standard. Now it will be lots of practice. While I think the NMM gold on the helmet works, the other parts not yet.

Finally the skin is now based on grey instead of dwarven skin and gives it a bit colder look, this I also stole from GeOrc.

Most importantly to work on is the red and the metal, as those two colours will be the most defining colours of my Dark Alf army (and later on my Bretonnia knights) so I hope to get the basics right as soon as possible and than can slowly start to master it over the years.

​I started working on the Pegasus Master Zlatan



and Fury protecting her baby



I am not sure about the red manes, maybe brown manes as well?

They look good - any chance of a close up of the baby?

Also your NMM is coming along nicely - I have never attempted that technique myself, but Georc is the master and a good example to model yourself on.

Here you go Cult!

Baby


Close-up Mama 'Fury'


Got to work a bit on Zlatan




I am progressing faster than I had expected on the characters, hope to finish them the coming days.

The baby looks sweet!

Also like your NMM on the peg master

I nearly finished the [lexicon]Manticore[/lexicon], only to do are the highlights left on the right wing. Unfortunately the deep red glaze is different in the pictures than with normal eye, and I am curious for your feedback on the wings and how I could improve them.

Really like your wings though, Drakon.

With just a glance I thought maybe some bright yellow dots in the red parts might enhance it. I think it would play well with the mane hair on the manticore head. Little dots like stars on the night sky or mini stripes, a few strokes of the brush.

they look good to me!

Thanks a lot for the feedback! I will try the yellow dots this weekend, looking forward to finding out what effect it will give.

​Update on the Battle Standard, what do you think?

​

Still so much to do, but I want at least my three flyers (dragon, manticore and pegasus) to be able to steal the show.

I think you should paint my empty standards. Enough said

Thanks a lot Sabious!!

​Painting Khaled the Collector himself! Doing the final touches on the BSB, Manticore and Battle Standard I could not resist assembling together

Woah - that looks sweet!

Nice job on the banner and good to see it all together.