DeepWars and ShadowSea (08-25 Coyotl Warriors)

[dijit]

That tower looks great. nice work!

[Timbor]

Over the holidays and the past few weeks I made some progress on my ruined building for DeepWars.  I am pleased to say that it is now ready to be painted!

First, I added some encrusting growth onto the structure using a pretty simple method.  I spread carpenter's glue where I wanted the encrusting life.  Then I sprinkled on dental plaster to get it to stick to the stone.  I shook off the excess.  Make sure you do not touch it with your fingers!  You will flatten it and ruin the effect.  I then finally used a water mister to spray a fine mist of water to wet the plaster, allowing it to fuse to itself and the glue.  I did this in several steps - I would spray a fine mist, then come back 20 minutes and repeat that several times.  Wait until a few hours have passed before touching the plaster so as to avoid flattening it.

Next, I added some plating and branching corals to the top of the structure.  These used yogourt container plastic as a base, with greenstuff for details.  Pretty simple and self explanatory.

Finally, I based it on a piece of MDF board with some sand and rubble.  Hope you like it!



Closeups of the corals:



Some closeups of the encrusting plaster:





Finally, I had an idea to make coral heads to decorate this and other underwater terrain.  Ever see the sea sponges in the paint section at your local hardware store?  The ones used to make cool patterns on your wall?  Well, those are made from actual sea sponges, which when cut into smaller pieces, make for easy and passable corals heads for 28mm.  Here are some sample pieces, cut and dipped in a mixture of craft paint, water, and PVA glue.  They still need some shading and highlighting, but you get the idea!



As always, comments and suggestions welcome!  I posted a few extra pictures on my blog if you want to check them out:  http://mylifeinmm.blogspot.ca/

Cheers!

[Estarriol]

Looking amazing. you're inspiring me with the very basic stuff I'm throwing together at the moment

[DeafNala]

That is BEAUTIFUL. I normally think of Hirst Art as being rather Lego like in its inflexible, angular nature, but your piece has a graceful fluidity to it. The Underwater embellishments are TERRIFIC. GREAT WORK!

[hendybadger]

That looks fantastic. Really impressive.
Nice Salvager as well. Have you painted up any of the other DW minis?

Hope you dont mind, but I have also added your blog to the blogroll on my own.

[Thantsants]

Lovely work with the Hirst Arts blocks and the corals are very nicely done too.

I think the spiral staircase might be on one of those molds that I'll soon be hankering after that you mentioned the other day 

[Timbor]

Thanks for the comments, guys!

That is BEAUTIFUL. I normally think of Hirst Art as being rather Lego like in its inflexible, angular nature, but your piece has a graceful fluidity to it. The Underwater embellishments are TERRIFIC. GREAT WORK!

There are several molds with rounded and angular pieces, and this one is actually a stock build from the hirst arts site... for the most part... I did not make the entire building in the plans.

That looks fantastic. Really impressive.
Nice Salvager as well. Have you painted up any of the other DW minis?

Hope you dont mind, but I have also added your blog to the blogroll on my own.

Thanks!  Always appreciate more followers on the blog.  I am kinda new to the blog thing-y-magig.  For me it serves as a nice, central location to post all my progress, even if it seems a bit quiet at times! 

The Salvager is my first DeepWars miniature, and is still a WIP - I have only started on the base coats, so it still has further to go.

Lovely work with the Hirst Arts blocks and the corals are very nicely done too.

I think the spiral staircase might be on one of those molds that I'll soon be hankering after that you mentioned the other day 

This was built using the ruined tower mold #65 http://www.hirstarts.com/ruin/ruin.html .  It is a very useful mold as it has two different diameters of curved walls, some nice arches, and the spiral staircase.  If you look at the plans, you will note I made the main building, but not the little side buildings.

[Thantsants]

Oh yeah - it may be the coral but there's a real Atlantean feeling to yours which is surprising looking at the medieval castle-y ruin featured on the Hirst Arts site.

[Timbor]

I think its the pillars and arches that make it so... I was looking for the same feeling before I started.  I have lots of the fieldstone molds, and I am just not sure they would fit in with this.  I also have the Roman Temple mold, so I am hoping to make my own version of their temple of the ancients.  Basically, use this:



To make something like this:

 

I got my LGS to order me on of the statues that's in the temple, so I will just have to build the temple around it.  I will probably make that one less 'undersea' like so I could also use it with the ShadowSea rules on dry ground...

[Timbor]

I finished painting my first DeepWars miniature - the Dagathonan Salvager.  I hope you like him!  I added a bit more of a writeup on my blog if you are interested.










The paint scheme was inspired by the Fu Manchu lionfish:

[Andrew May]

Looks fantastic!

[Mason]

Love it!
 

Great colour choices and interpretation.

[Estarriol]

Excellent as usual, Timbor. I do believe I could've avoided this game had it not been for you

[Timbor]

Excellent as usual, Timbor. I do believe I could've avoided this game had it not been for you

Glad you like it, and I am always pleased to help draw folks into a new game.  I like this game, and I think it deserves more attention.  I have always loved underwater life and have had marine aquariums before and such so this game helps scratch that itch. 

[Engel]

Ohh nice project. Fun too see something you are not use to. Underwater fantasy.