Test paint #2

I had another go at trying paint the team colours/kit, as well as settler on the kit scheme.
This time I limited the orange to knees, elbows and shoulders.

 The legs/ trousers were also painted orange, although i am not sure whether there is enough contrast between the legs and knees.

 The tiger stripes I kept horizontal, still feel I need to improve on them, make them thinner.

I tried to not go over the top with the stripes, I think the shoulder pad came out quite well, I also like that it is only on 1 shoulder.

 I like the top of the helmet being orange, although in this case the stripes turned into small triangles. I might make some of the other models helmets all orange with stripes.

 Overall I think this is an improvement over the test paint #1. I think the balance between the black and orange is better. I may limit the stripes to the shoulder pad, purely because it is really tricky to paint stripes on small curved surfaces like the knees and elbows. I would like the helmets to have stripes too but not sure if that will work with every model.
I am thinking that I may leave the elbows as orange without the stripes, paint the knees black, and then paint the diamond flat pieces of plate armour above the knees orange with stripes. That might be easier to pull off.

I also wonder if some of the armour plate "patches" on various part of the mode; should be orange?

Test Paint #1

I consider myself to be a below average painter. It is not a part of the hobby I particularly enjoy. painting time is taking up playing time is my general attitude.

I like to base coat, shade, dry brush, ink wash as quick as possible. Then I am happy to put on the table to play.

I have tried to improve my skill with the paint brush and tried different techniques. These days when I paint I tend to rely on ink washes and glazes. I find it quick and easy and gives a finish I am happy with.  I will start with a white undercoat and then apply a very light colour as a base. I then add wash after wash to the model. The ink adds darkness to the shaded areas of the model while the light base coat comes through on the highlighted areas, I then finish with a glaze or two to smooth out between the light and dark.

This works fine for models that are largely one colour and have just one type of surface ( i.e. scales, armour, skin etc.) Using my usual painting technique  with the Orcs would be trickier and slower. Because I wanted to do a tiger stripe pattern I didn't think it would work very well. I also wanted to try my hand at the GW method of layering.

The primary colours for the team would be black and orange, and of course green for the skin. I watched some you tube videos, and checked some GW painting guides and websites.

I went and got the following colours to paint in the layer method.
Ork Flesh:
Waagh! flesh (base); Warboss green(layer); Skarsnik green (layer); Bei-tan green (ink shade); Waywatcher green (glaze)

Abaddon black (base); Eshin grey (layer); Fenrisian grey (layer); Agrax earthshade(ink shade)

Jokaerg orange (base), Troll slayer orange (layer); Fire dragon bright ( layer); Lugganath orange (egde); Reikland fleshshade (ink shade); bloodletter (glaze)

I wasn't sure if I would use all the of them, particularly for the armour there would only be hard edges and I didn't think there would be much need for multiple layers.


I wanted to practice painting black, as I haven't really painted with black very much.

I started by giving the model a black undercoat then base coating the skin, drum and drumstick

The Chain mail was dry brushed on and pants were painted.

I then did a ink wash on the skin, drum skin and orange bits.

Applied the base coats again over the raised areas and did the first layer of edge highlights for the black armour 

A lighter shade of green was applied as a layer on the areas I thought would be lighter.

Lighter layer for the orange.

A final layer of highlights was added and some details picked out. I tried to get the thinnest, cleanest, sharpest lines I could for the final edge high lights on the black.

I have to say, at this point I was really pleased with how it came out. That is one of the best paint jobs I have ever done. The black looked clean and the highlights looked sharp. I really surprised myself with how well the skin looked. I honestly didn't think I had the skill to produce something like that.

This had given me a lot of confidence to work with black, and to use the layer style of painting. I realised my past mistakes when attempting to paint like this. After the ink wash shade I would apply the first highlight layer, rather then reapply the base coat. 

So with the painting test a success so far I decided I would try having a go at painting the stripes I wanted the team to have. Normally It would be black on orange, but with the model it would be orange on black, it would be interesting to see if that would work.........

AND RUINED.

Ugh! So my stripe painting needs a lot of work. Probably less stripes and limit to shoulders, knees and elbows ( and maybe helmet too). Definitely black on orange too.

Hmm.. I feel this practice was mostly positive. The orc skin layering came out really well ( for what I can normally achieve). I feel a lot more confident when working with black. The stripes, while coming out pretty bad, have helped clarify what I need to do and how I want the paint scheme to look like

So I think another practice paint attempt is needed with what I have learned.

The Orc thrower kit-bashing dilemma

When it comes to the throwers I find myself in a bit of a quandary. The Kits I have been using so have have been really good to make the Orc bloodbowl team I want. But none of them have anything I want to use for my throwers.

Now I have some ideas of what I would like my throwers to be doing. I think the standard thrower pose that you get for most teams is okay, but a bit unOrcky. The one arm outstretched pointing at something across the field the other holding the ball, arm bent ready to throw. You know the one I mean.


I just think an Orc would never look that accomplished at throwing.
My idea is to get an Orc thrower to look like it is doing a rugby throw in. Two hands on the ball just above their head.

To me that feels and looks how an orc would throw the ball.

So I find myself in a situation where I could just add the standard bloodbowl orc thrower miniature, which would look fine and in keeping with the squad with some minor armour adjustments, or I could buy some miniatures to make the throwers I won't. The big thing here is cost and to a lesser extent time.

With the current range of GW models I could have just bought an Orc team. Kit bashing is the more expensive option. If there was a team not yet available that you want, then kit bashing one is a good option, but if the team is available, like the orcs are, it becomes a balance between cost and creative freedom. I really like how my Orc team is looking, I like that it will be different to the standard orc teams. But is it worth it to buy some more models just to make the 2 throwers? Sure I have an idea of what I want them to look and I have seen a couple of models that would do the trick.

This guy is almost exactly what I am after. Head looking up slightly, one foot in front, correct armour. I would just need to work on his arms. they are up in the correct direction, they just need to be bent at the elbows, coming together to hold a ball. I say "just"; I actually have no idea, how to do that, if it is possible, and more importantly, if it possible for me to achieve.

 The Ardboyz Orruk kit I have includes a couple of arms holding an axe or mace in both hands. Again this is almost the right pose. I would need somehow reshape the hands to be more open to hold a ball. This would be highly fiddly, and require high levels of accuracy when cutting. Some green stuff work would also be required.

Then there are these guys. I mean look at them! They are 90% there already! Would need armour and thats about it. They how ever come part of another kit. Should I buy a whole kit of 20 odd models just for those two?

I know I said I didn't want to use the non-classic thrower pose, but you know what? I like this guy for it. The lifted leg and pot belly sells it for me. Again a bit of work with the hand that would have the ball and armour requirements.

So that is where I am with the thowers undecided. Ultimately it comes down to create freedom and following through on my design/theme ideas, or just filling in at the fraction of the cost.