The new USB cable for my camera finally came in the mail today so now I can upload some of the pictures I took of my WIP bronze Necrons. Unfortunately the cable seems to already be broken and is having trouble staying connected long enough for me to look through my photos. That's what I get for ordering it from some sketchy camera cable company online, I suppose. Anyway, I've made a few changes to my initial idea of oxidized bronze and so far I'm pretty happy with it. The painting on this first one's a little sloppy but you get the idea.
I took
Nick's advice and replaced the plastic rods with bent paperclips to simulate a lightning, or plasma-like effect instead, like
this guy but less crazy with the OSL. So then I had a lot of green rods left over, and since I already make crystals for terrain out of all the leftover rod sprues, I figured I'd make some nice little crystals for the warriors themselves. I got the idea to have them growing out of the actual Necron from
Andy, who suggested that the oxidation be beneficial for them, like microscopic bacteria, instead of actual verdigris since hypothetically living metal can't rust. So far it looks great, and I no longer feel like my army is missing something visually. The only obstacle before me now is the Monolith and how to make it fit in with the rest of the army. I'm hesitant to paint over the clear green door and crystal since i don't like the look of the repainted rods and I have a feeling it would be similar. But I'm also at a loss as to what to replace them with and still have that Necron feel.
I also tested the bronze look out on a Destroyer to see if it looked just as good. He has yet to have his cannon added because I haven't decided if I want to try and convert the ones from my batteforce box into Heavy Destroyers to save money. My army list has been fluctuating a lot in preparation for the tournament at Madicon and because of all the helpful feedback I've been receiving in emails and comments from you guys.
Speaking of
Madicon, I've got a quick little tidbit of news that I'll post more on later, but I've been hired to paint two miniatures as 1st and 2nd prize for the 40K tournament. I was given a Chaos Terminator Lord for 1st and a Commissar for 2nd, so expect progress pics and more info soon. I'm still running that workshop on basic miniature painting the day of the tournament (March 13th) with the possibility of additional panels on the other two days as well, probably also about 40K. I'd love to see lots of new faces and have lots of competition in the tournament, so if you're going to be in the Virginia area March 12th-14th please stop by!
I also tested the bronze look out on a Destroyer to see if it looked just as good. He has yet to have his cannon added because I haven't decided if I want to try and convert the ones from my batteforce box into Heavy Destroyers to save money. My army list has been fluctuating a lot in preparation for the tournament at Madicon and because of all the helpful feedback I've been receiving in emails and comments from you guys.
I saw someone use two Vortex grenade templates for a centrepiece on a Dark Eldar army. Maybe you could use something similar but smaller in place of the crystal?
ReplyDeleteWhy wouldn't living metal rust? (Honest question)
Congrats on first and second place!
With regard to painting/replacing Necron portals and crystals - Mike over at Tales from the tombworld uses large glass marbles as a replacement for the Necron crystals. I think he also casts his own portals and paints them.
ReplyDeletehttp://talesfromthetombworld.blogspot.com/
Great looking Necrons BTW. :)
I like the look of your bronzed 'crons.
ReplyDeleteThe wire/lightning effect looks really good, much better than the standard tubes.
On the portal, maybe you could use GW's Water effects. I'm yet to experiment with it myself, but maybe it might be something to look at.
So thats why your never online any more! GG, they look good enough that Rob may even cry tears of jealousy over them!
ReplyDeleteGood job on the bronze, your blue-green weathering looks realistic and is very nicely done. The little bit of white on the destroyer is just enough to accent it. Really nice job!
ReplyDeleteMy crons rods have been replaced with blue and is the general theme in my army. I recently took a transparant blue clipboard and cut the door and small circle out for the portals. I am still in the working mode for the swirl that GW has on the green portal, I may just spray the green one white then place it behind the blue to see if the contrast is enough.
ReplyDeleteNice touch having the crystals growing out of the body. The white on the destroyer mask kind of clashes with the weathered look of the rest of the model, though; it's too clean compared to all that nice gritty bronze. Maybe add some crystal there instead, to unite it visually with your warriors? You could expand on this theme with your Monolith, and have it covered with growths of crystals the same way a blue whale is crusted with barnacles.
ReplyDelete@ Soundwave: because it would heal and keep replacing its damaged "cells" that's why. Although if Zephri's starting a meme with her crystals, maybe over time the Bronzecrons' metallic skin breaks down, and they slowly turn into living crystal?
I've never seen Necrons quite like that! The crystals and gun look very good. I am slowly writing some background up for you, I'll try to get it finished for you by next week.
ReplyDeleteThe only real improvement I think may be with the lighting effect off the gun. Which in some parts looks a little 2D, since some parts of the model aren't lighted equally. Though the model itself is well painted and its not over the top with the light effect anyway.
Here are the parts that I think could be highlighted more.
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/8940/necron.jpg
Though that guy's OSL model that you showed in your post is perfect as he had a good idea on where the light would reflect onto the model from the light source, you dont want your necrons looking like cheap christmas lights!
If you dont want to go overboard, thats fine, its just to help make the glow have more realism.
Hope this helps.
The rough areas around the crystals breaking through the metal look awesome. Gives them so much more character and then all the variation you can give with the placement of the crystals! Looking forward to see what's next.
ReplyDeleteGlad my wire replacement idea is catching on, hate the green rods. :)
ReplyDeleteThe clip for lightning conversion does not seem to have worked well.. It looks oddly out of place I'm afraid. Otherwise great models.
ReplyDeleteFor the door and crystal, how about bending some of the wire you used to replace the plastic rod into a weblike door and a ball/egg like webbing for the crystal?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4484986#post4484986
ReplyDeleteThis just in. Looks like that new codex might finally be on the way...