Grimdark, "Black Metal" Rat Ogors, Part 3: The Ice Rat, Progress(kinda) Blog!

 I realized I never posted like, a progress blog. Actually it's gonna be a little hard to post one here because I forgot to take pictures of him besides the initial drybrush, but I can at least show that one. 

Disclaimer to those who don't know: I'm a relative noob with some paintbrushes and not some expert or teacher, so take any of this stuff at your own risk. I'm just showing off what I cobble together. 

I started with a drybrush zenithal deal over black primer. I did a dark grey and then a very light grey over it. I'm not using many speedpaints(I do use some for effects, though), but I do this mostly to get an idea of where I'm putting stuff. I kitbashed on some chains and barbed wire before this, though I might be adding one or two more things before he's done. I also added some AK corrosion texture to the metal parts. 

Then I did some underpainting on the skin with Blanched Berry from the John Blanche set. I wanted the skin to have a bit of a purplish tint at first underneath(it's going to have some frostbitten parts later, near the edges especially.) I brushed on some thinned Dark Rust(also from AP) all over the metal, because rat ogors are not smart lads and don't really maintain their equipment. I then drybrushed Heavy Metal over it(also from the John Blanche set), and then added Grim Rust(from the same set). I'll be doing more stuff with that later on. Some of the metals(that are hard to see in this pic) are done with Vallejo's Aged Metal drybrushed over an underpaint of Abyssal Blue and a wash of Verdigris to make it more like bronze. 

Now, in a "draw the rest of the owl" moment because I didn't take any pictures between then and now, I did a basecoat of Ironclad Grey(the JB set again), with a touch of Uniform Grey, before adding a mix of Grey Castle and Dusty Skull to the fur. The skin was built up with Abyssal Blue, Phalanx Blue, and a touch of Barbarian Flesh, and the claws done with Dusty Skull. The eye is Fiery Vermilion(JB set my beloved) and the nose area is Moldy Wine. Then the whole thing was washed in Grimdark Shadow wash(JB set), because I really want to try to sell the frostbite look to some parts of him, plus I really dig the color it turns everything. When it comes to grimdark stuff I really like the unifying washes(I don't use them on everything; some figures I only use them on a couple of small parts, but when I do the particularly grimdark style stuff, I quite like them.)

After that dried, I did a small drybrush and did the fur part again(mostly the longer fur) with some Dusty Skull; this is going to get the slightest hint of ivory for a dirty white. The skin got a drybrush of Phalanx Blue mixed with Ice Yellow and a touch of Barbarian Flesh to keep it with a more sickly look. I also started taking some Grimdark Shadow and Brownish Decay to fill in some of the parts I want to resemble frostbite. 

The next session I started to make the skin look frosty and rime-covered by using a mix of Ivory White(JB) Fenrisian Grey(Citadel) and Skeleton Bone, and also did a bit of rime-covering on the fur. Then using Brownish Decay speedpaint I started adding the 'frostbitten' effects near where the skin meets the fur in the torn parts. This gets a few covers. Drybrushed on some of that 'rime' mixture to the armor, chains, and wire too(more will be done at the end, along with a bit of work with AK's icy effects.) Also added more rust, started trying to darken the rust a bit, and added in more odds and ends like some verdigis. Decided to make his kilt-thing dark brown leather and the belt red leather to counteract all the cool colors, threw down a basic basecoat on those without  weathering yet. Also started on the warpstone. It looks flat right now since it's just the base tracing of it, going to be adding the effects and everything. I'm deciding on what color to make the tubes. Making them a similar green to the warpstone could look cool(I did that with the first rat, whom I affectionately call 'Filthgrinder'), but I'm still debating. I just painted the one in a basecoat to see how I felt. I might decide to make it another color. 

I am definitely buying Dirty Down Rust next week when I take my trip to the other hobby store. 

This session was more refining of various parts. Weathering the leather kilt(also distressing it physically, scratching the actual surface of that and the belt), using buildups of the previous colors(Blanched Berry and Brigandine Brown) mixed with more and more Grey Castle and Skeleton Bone. Washed it all with a slightly medium'd Desolate Brown wash(and the belt with Dark Red Tone), I use a messy-bristled brush to give it a less 'neat' look building up a little more.  This is a rather stupid lad who again, does not really take care of his stuff. 

Started to do some extremely careful use of Brigandine Brown around the cracks in the skin and added shading to the warpstone along with more effects. Painted the tubes green, but washed it in a slightly diluted Grimdark Shadow for an oily look(might actually come back with some oil stains tomorrow.) Fixed up more rime effects with the same mix as above and generally just refined more. Tweaked the chain since I have a plan for the skeleton for the base and he'll be wearing barbed wire around his neck, which I primed up(unpictured.) 

Today I started the base(no pictures of that yet, I'll grab one tomorrow before I do more of it and post it in a series, managed to get the cork glued and the Vallejo mud paste on it, along with some other bits. Want it to dry overnight, then will prime it up. 

Also to the ratboy, added the start of some blood effects, and his barbed wire/chain necklace with some severed heads. Was a little busy, so that's all I got done(besides a speed-painted little mimic I had been working on on the side while things dried, just a dungeon piece/enemy). The spike on the foot is getting trimmed off, since he's gonna get pinned to the base given the position. 

And almost done! A couple pics of the base in progress, followed by an almost-done fellow. He still needs some touch-ups, the 'altar' at the side needs a little fixing, and just some refining, along with painting the rim and varnishing. I used AK icy crystals and Citadel Valhallan Blizzard, along with Army Painter's snow effect mixed up to get a variety of snow types. Painted the wood in Brownish Decay(with a drybrush mix of frosty blue colors and bony white over top), along with some Battlefield Grey to give some gentle blue hue to things. True Blood touched up the gory stuff and did the glue stringy trick on the hand. (As for the parts, it's some modeling chain, cocktail sticks, some basing resin skulls, and some stuff from outside. Made the trappings from some 3D printed little cups and candlesticks and painted them in bronze with some verdigris.)

And here we have the completed model, after fixing up a few odds and ends, like adding a quasi 'hand of glory' to the inverted cross and fixing up some of the ice and such. This one was a lot of fun. I love doing ice-themed stuff. And we also follow up of the picture of all 3 together finally! 

The 'trinkets'(read: chains, wire, heads, etc), I can imagine, when I'm thinking of the 'story' of the piece which I like to do, despite being on the low end of the Int-scale(I would think these guys might be around a 5 or so on the AD&D scale and I'm being kinda generous), they *are* also rats, and rats like shiny things. IN their cases, they like chains, skulls and other death trophies, and sure, maybe the inverted crosses looked cool. I mean they could be in Warhammer, why not. 

Imagine if these guys ended up in a portal that threw them across universes into Trench Crusade and they're like, the Heretics' new war wolf additions or something, or creations of the Court of the Seven-Headed Serpent, in their cursed factories. 

Anyway, while I'm far from being some high-end painter given I only have a few months under my belt, I thought it would be fun to do a process blog. I will keep pushing to see how much a six-month improvement looks when it's time! (Which will be the end of March! Though I'll be blogging more before that.) 

'Til next time! 

Grimdark, 'Black Metal' Rat Ogor, Part 2: Plaguerat

 Back again with the 2nd rat finished! For now I'm nicknaming him Plaguewielder(the first we'll call Filthgrinder. I am somewhat consistent.)

I probably went a little overboard with the AK-corrosion texture, but I really did want to try to sell the rotted look of the metal that might be on a Nurgle-'blessed' rat ogor, who is already a mass of stitched-together horror and probably does not maintain his equipment at all. I think next week I am going to pull the trigger on the Dirty Down Rust; I know it's got some scent to it, and my painting area is not particularly well-ventilated in the winter(it's Finland), but I already use modeling glue and the like in sparing amounts, so I think using a bit here and there, especially with a mask, will be just fine. (It's a similar reason I've not pulled the trigger on getting some Villainy Inks; I might grab some closer to spring. Plus, and this is a technical thing, mail-ordering paints in the winter can be risky.) It's not as bad when I can open the window in my little area. 

With that aside, here's a few shots of him! I did lean heavy on the Oozing Vomit and Oil Stains(both from Army Painter, along with Nurgle's Rot; mixing Vomit + Oil Stains, or both/either of those with Dry Blood, btw, makes for some really nasty looking effects!) Mix of acrylics and speed paints; one day again I might list everything I've done. 

The third rat is going to be ice-based, and I think I want to base him like he's running down a hill, or on top of a hill, so putting that base together will be fun. I'll of course be utilizing more of the black-metal style trappings in that one, as well. 

Anyway here's Plaguewielder! (And extra shots of him with Filthgrinder.) If I ever play Skaven in AoS any day soon I'll have some big boys, at least. 

So far, time painted: About 4.3 months! I look forward to trying to challenge myself with a 6-month piece. If I can get ahold of that old Konrad Curze model, that may be a nice one; otherwise I will have a lot of Trench Crusade minis soon here keeping me busy! 

Grimdark, "Black Metal" Rat Ogor, Part 1:

 So in my painting adventure, I had picked up some rat ogors because I always liked those brutes, and decided to play around with making some of them. Using some barbed wire, model chains and other bits I added some embellishments. I have now finished the first! Just a big, nasty brute in a place with a lot of skulls and stuff. 

(The second and third are slated to be plague-based, and *probably* ice-based, knowing me, but we'll see. I might do him similarly to the first. Or similar to the first, plus ice.)

Tried to add cool little effects to the base. I discovered I liked basing quite a bit, and I think when I get all three done I might try to make a bigger thing for the crew. (It depends, though, since I do have that Court army on its way.) 

Here's the first guy, so far! 

Still getting better brushwork and things in there, but for these guys, I admit I like a 'rougher' style, given the aesthetic I was going for. 

I could eventually list all the colors I used for him, but it was a lot of Army Painter(mostly acrylics, some speedpaints), and a little bit of Citadel, Scale 75, AK corrosion and Vallejo. (The latter two were two metal colors.) Basing involved mostly a variety of acrylics and speedpaints, some good ol' fashioned foraging, Vallejo mud, Army Painter tufts and so on. GSW provided the chains and barbed wire and Gamer Grass is where I got the skull bits from both for the base and for the skull flail(I just wanted to make a flail out of skulls.) 

Considering making a chain-belt for the plague fellow. Nice thing is I can see how it looks first before adding it! 

Anyway, keeping this short and sweet, will update this again with some more when I'm done another. (Or when the Court army gets here, whatever comes first!)