Counts-as Abaddon

I just realized I never posted these, so here you go:

Basing still needs finished, but for the most part the painting is done.

Why iPhone Cameras Just Don't Cut It

Yes, I'm back after a long hiatus again. Hi.

I had some stirrings of creativity the last month or so and so finally tried to revisit the hobby to provide an outlet for all that energy. I did a decent enough job considering that all my paints are drying up and caking in the bottom of the GW pots (I'll be switching to Vallejo indefinitely after this). At least, I thought so!

However, it is something of a stifle when the camera just does not do the model justice.  This Dark Angel Librarian from the Dark Vengeance set came out fairly well, but the camera in the iPhone 4 just doesn't have the capacity to bring out the detail that I worked so meticulously on. No amount of lighting changes or background switches could help. I tried a multitude of different backgrounds and lighting situations... but in the end, I settled on this picture. This was the best of a bad lot and that is pretty frustrating to me.

Guess I'll be asking for a new digital camera for my upcoming b-day this month...

My First Abaddon List of 6th- 1999 Point Black Legion (Fluffy)

The theme: Abaddon and his personal retinue of Chosen, assisted by members of his legion and cultist "fans" that he uses as fodder. Zaraphiston is known in the lore to be his personal advisor, using powers of divination to foresee events before they happen. Unfortunately, the new CSM codex doesn't allow sorcerers access to Divination, but I wanted to put him on the battlefield anyway.

UNIT & OPTIONS
(HQ) Abbadon the Despoiler - Warlord
(HQ)"Zaraphiston" the Sorcerer w/ Aura of Dark Glory, Mastery Level 3, Mark of Tzeentch
(Troops) Chosen w/ +1 Chosen, Power Weapon Champion with Plasma Pistol, 1 pair Lightning claws, 1 Power Fist, 2 Power Weapons, Mark of Khorne, Icon of Wrath, Veterans of the Long War
(Troops) Chosen w/ +1 Chosen, Power Weapon Champion with Plasma Pistol, 1 pair Lightning claws, 1 Power Fist, 2 Power Weapons, Mark of Khorne, Icon of Wrath, Veterans of the Long War
(Troops) Chaos Space Marines with +5 CSM, 2 Plasmaguns, Veterans of the Long War, Champ has PW
(Troops) Chaos Space Marines with +5 CSM, 2 Meltaguns, Veterans of the Long War, Extra CCWs, Champ has PW
(Troops) Chaos Cultists with Autoguns, 20 Man, 2 H. Stubbers, leader has Shotgun
(Troops) Chaos Cultists with CCWs/Pistols, 20 man, 2 Flamers
(Elite) Hellbrute w/ Multimelta
(Elite) Hellbrute w/ TL Lascannon
(Fast Attack) Hell Drake (Thinking of going with the Hades Autocannon to give one extra weapon against fliers, since this is my only real AA unit in the list)
Total- 1999

I have posted this on several forums, but it has thus far been ignored. Any input you guys could give would help!

WIP Abaddon Kitbash

 

Editorial: Generation Critical

As I get older, it seems like negativity lurks around every corner, and seeps into everything in life. Lately, I feel that this is especially true in any place of public communication. People these days just genuinely cannot seem to keep their thoughts and comments positive. It has a way of getting in your head, and making you the same way. If you don't quite understand what I am talking about, take a gander at the following public forums:

Yahoo News comment pages
Dakkadakka.com
the Blizzard Forums

Pretty much wherever people can make their voices heard, they feel the need to voice their negativity and dissatisfaction. What was originally created to share ideas and information in a positive light, has now become a soapbox for every self-proclaimed martyr or dissident.

How can we expect our children to remain positive, and to solve their problems like mature adults, when our own generation result to this passive-aggressive behavior?

The irony is not lost upon me that here I am, writing my own dissatisfied rant. Maybe it is just how we are now? How do we change it? How can we get past our own dissatisfaction and ego-centrism?

I think the best way to keep myself from falling into the trap will be to remove myself from the company of those who are seeking something to complain about.

Dakka, I'm looking at you.

When to move on

Sometimes you start a project and it doesn't turn out how you expected. Sometimes it just takes too much time, or you feel like you aren't grasping the concepts.

This is the first time I truly felt defeated by a project.

I don't feel badly about it, it is an advanced technique. Source-lighting is not for the beginning painter. However, I feel that I must return to the basics before I will attempt to master this technique again.

Here is the result of my frustration:

A miniature I had spent a lot of time working on to enter into a contest.

Sometimes you have to chalk it up to a learning experience, and move on. I had spent 12 hours total painting this guy, and didn't have the heart to do it over.

So how long is too long? When do you chalk it up to a learning experience, and either re-do it or move on?

I don't feel like I wasted time, as I learned a lot about source lighting techniques. I do feel like this miniature will need work before it is complete, though.