Procrastination by Numbers

[cunningmatt]

Update 8 – Monday 29th August 2011: It's a Bank Holiday and I'm stuck indoors typing this s**t.

Had you noticed my cunning ruse? About two weeks ago I set a chair-based competition and refused to show you any more painting until I got enough entries. Well cunningly this bought me just enough time to finish painting up some models! Not just cunning by name!

Back in Update 4 (sorry I procrastinated!), I'd just got to the South of France, to be more precise it was a town called Castelnaudry, nearish to Carcassone and vaguely nearish Toulouse, should have got the resident five-year old artist to draw a map really. First order of the day was to set up a painting corner for painting to progress in:



Can I say I think regardless of the sun this is the most comfortable chair I've EVER sat in, god it was amazing. Then to be relaxing and painting at the same time I nearly drifted into such a deep sleep, that I'd have required a defibrillator to bring me back – Noah I know that's technically not medically true, but please go with!

And if you're wondering what sitting in that chair was like, here's my point of view:



Please try and contain yourselves at the sight of my legs, I know it is hard, they are sexy.

Should the sun get a bit much, there was also the shaded painting area:



With large table:



And outdoor sink, for washing brushes and topping up water pots:



Yes, this was luxury of the highest order!! I even made a friend:



Fred the pool cleaner. To be honest I've given up on human friends, I've found them harder to obtain and less reliable than inanimate (or in this case animate, yes his wheels spin and everything) friends.

And in a pathetic bid to show off some more of my holiday snaps and fill for time, here's some other things:

Here's the local gypsy caravan. And even travellers look nice baked in the French sunshine looks nice:



Here's the view, squint closely and you'll see the Pyrenees (they're mountains – thickos!):



And here's the secret door:



No one knows what's behind it, maybe it's a paedophile? Good, children are noisy and need to be punished.

Anyway that's enough procrastination, onto the important things, yes I'm going to bore you with some painting instead, because apparently that's what I'm supposed to be talking about. Who makes these rules?

The Scions of Tzeentch

Last time (back in Update 4), I called this painting topic "The Scions of Tzeentch" because scion sounded like a cool word, I had no idea what it meant so thought I should check.

Scion means: "a descendant"

That works.

It also means: "a shoot or twig, especially one cut for grafting or planting; a cutting"

Who says this blog isn't educational? Any way I prefer the second meaning, so here goes:

The Shoot or Twigs, especially ones cut for grafting or planting, of Tzeentch

So here's how we're getting on with the Marauders (technically it should be got on, because as these pictures from France proving it's clearly in the past – but seriously get a grip it's not important!)

Stage 2 – Marauders of Tzeentch











Base: *NO CHANGE*
Shoes: Wash Badab Black*
Trousers: Wash Badab Black
Belt and Straps: Wash Badab Black
Flesh: Layer with Dwarf Flesh
Wood: *NO CHANGE*
Silver Metal: Wash Asurmen Blue
Dark Gold Metal: Shining Gold
Light Gold Metal: Burnished Gold
Horns: Wash Badab Black
Hair: Drybrush Codex Grey (Astronomacian Grey OR Chaos Black Base) OR Drybrush Beastial Brown (Scorched Brown Base)

*Admittedly there's limited point in washing Chaos Black with Badab Black, but I was just throwing the wash on over all the fabrics!

Stage 3 – Marauders of Tzeentch









Base: *NO CHANGE*
Shoes: Highlight Scorched Brown
Trousers: Highlight Codex Grey
Belt and Straps: Highlight Beastial Brown
Flesh: Highlight with Elf Flesh
Wood: *NO CHANGE*
Silver Metal: Highlight with Mithril Silver
Dark Gold Metal: Wash with Gryphonne Sepia, then highlight 5:1 Shining Gold : Mithril Silver*
Light Gold Metal: *NO CHANGE* *
Horns: Layer, in triangular fashion**, Khemri Brown then Dheneb Stone.
Hair: Drybrush Fortress Grey (Astronomacian Grey OR Chaos Black Base) OR Drybrush Snakebite Leather (Scorched Brown Base)

*For my Tzeentch Warriors I like to use the two different golds – Shining and Burnished, however under Gryphonne Sepia they can be a little difficult to distinguish, so I tend to complete Shining Gold and this stage and then do the Burnished Gold in the next stage – it's far simpler!
**There probably should be a word for triangular layering, I have referred to it as feathering before, but have been told this is wrong! Basically I paint smaller and smaller triangle to the tip of the horn to give the gradient shown.

Stage 4 – Marauders of Tzeentch

Ok, so I didn't quite get this bit done in France, but at least something's been achieved – stop having a go, you're like my mum!













Base: Drybrushed Bleached Bone, then flocked with Scorched Grass and then Snow.
Shoes: *NO CHANGE*
Trousers: *NO CHANGE*
Belt and Straps: *NO CHANGE*
Flesh: Wash with Ogryn Flesh, then layer with Elf Flesh.*
Wood: *NO CHANGE*
Silver Metal: *NO CHANGE*
Dark Gold Metal: *NO CHANGE*
Light Gold Metal: Wash with Gryphonne Sepia, then highlight 5:1 Burnished Gold : Mithril Silver*
Horns: Layer with Bleached Bone
Hair: Wash with Badab Black (Astronomacian Grey OR Chaos Black Base) OR Wash with Devlan Mud (Scorched Brown Base)

*With the benefit of hindsight, I'd have not bothered with the Elf Flesh in Stage 3, but after I'd used the Ogryn Flesh they appeared a bit too tanned, so I re-highlighted to toned down, it's been a little while since I last did Marauders, so I forgot the exact order I used.

Stage 2 – Marauder Horsemen of Tzeentch

And here's the Horsemen, (the guide for the riders will look a little familiar), apologies for the exceptionally poor picture of the riders:







Marauder
Shoes: Wash Badab Black
Trousers: Wash Badab Black
Jerkin: Wash Badab Black
Belt and Straps: Wash Badab Black
Flesh: Tallarn Flesh
Wood: *NO CHANGE*
Silver Metal: Wash Asurmen Blue
Dark Gold Metal: Shining Gold
Light Gold Metal: Khemri Brown
Horns: Wash Badab Black
Hair: Drybrush Codex Grey (Astronomacian Grey OR Chaos Black Base) OR Drybrush Beastial Brown (Scorched Brown Base)

Horse
Base: *NO CHANGE*
Hooves: *NO CHANGE*
Flesh: Highlight 1:1 Scorched Brown : Graveyard Earth*
Mane / Tail: Drybrush 1:1 Scorched Brown : Graveyard Earth*
Saddle: Wash Badab Black
Cloth: Wash Badab Black
Silver Metal: Wash Asurmen Blue
Dark Gold Metal: Shining Gold
Light Gold Metal: Burnished Gold

*As for Stage 1 the horses were painted using the How to Paint Horses Painting Guide from the Games Workshop website http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/content/article.jsp?catId=cat210002&categoryId=500002&section=&aId=14700022. The one above is a Roan, but for the others:
Dark Bay Horse (Flesh: 1:1 Scorched Brown : Scab Red; Mane / Tail: Drybrush Adeptus Battlegrey)
Dark Grey Horse (Flesh: Codex Grey; Mane / Tail: Drybrush Codex Grey)
Black Horses (Flesh: Drybrush 1:1 Codex Grey : Chaos Black; Mane / Tail: Drybrush 1:1 Codex Grey : Chaos Black)

Stage 3 – Marauder Horsemen of Tzeentch









Marauder
Shoes: Highlight Beastial Brown
Trousers: Highlight Scorched Brown
Jerkin: Highlight Codex Grey
Belt and Straps: Highlight Beastial Brown
Flesh: Layer Elf Flesh
Wood: *NO CHANGE*
Silver Metal: Highlight Chainmail
Dark Gold Metal: Wash with Gryphonne Sepia, then highlight 5:1 Shining Gold : Mithril Silver*
Light Gold Metal: *NO CHANGE* *
Horns: Layer, in triangular fashion**, Khemri Brown then Dheneb Stone.
Hair: Drybrush Fortress Grey (Astronomacian Grey OR Chaos Black Base) OR Drybrush Snakebite Leather (Scorched Brown Base)

Horse
Base: *NO CHANGE*
Hooves: *NO CHANGE*
Flesh: Highlight watered down Graveyard Earth**
Mane / Tail: Light drybrush Graveyard Earth**
Saddle: Highlight Beastial Brown
Cloth: Highlight Scorched Brown
Silver Metal: Highlight Chainmail
Dark Gold Metal: Wash with Gryphonne Sepia, then highlight 5:1 Shining Gold : Mithril Silver*
Light Gold Metal: *NO CHANGE* *


*See Marauder guide for notes on painting gold.
* For the other horses:
Dark Bay Horse (Flesh: 1:1:1 Scorched Brown : Scab Red : Dark Flesh; Mane / Tail: Drybrush Fortress Grey)
Dark Grey Horse (Flesh: 1:1 Codex Grey : Kommando Khaki; Mane / Tail: 1:1 Codex Grey : Kommando Khaki)
Black Horses (Flesh: Drybrush Codex Grey; Mane / Tail: Drybrush Codex Grey)

Stage 4 – Marauder Horsemen of Tzeentch












Marauder
Shoes: *NO CHANGE*
Trousers: *NO CHANGE*
Jerkin: *NO CHANGE*
Belt and Straps: *NO CHANGE*
Flesh: Wash with Ogryn Flesh, then layer with Elf Flesh.*
Wood: *NO CHANGE*
Silver Metal: *NO CHANGE*
Dark Gold Metal: *NO CHANGE*
Light Gold Metal: Wash with Gryphonne Sepia, then highlight 5:1 Burnished Gold : Mithril Silver
Horns: Layer with Bleached Bone
Hair: Wash with Badab Black (Astronomacian Grey OR Chaos Black Base) OR Wash with Devlan Mud (Scorched Brown Base)

Horse
Base: Drybrushed Bleached Bone, then flocked with Scorched Grass and then Snow.
Hooves: Highlight Codex Grey
Flesh: Wash watered down Badab Black**
Mane / Tail: Wash watered down Badab Black**
Saddle: *NO CHANGE*
Cloth: *NO CHANGE*
Silver Metal: *NO CHANGE*
Dark Gold Metal: *NO CHANGE*
Light Gold Metal: Wash with Gryphonne Sepia, then highlight 5:1 Burnished Gold : Mithril Silver


*See Marauder guide for notes on painting flesh.
* For the other horses:
Dark Bay Horse (Flesh: *NO CHANGE*; Mane / Tail: *NO CHANGE*)
Dark Grey Horse (Flesh: Wash watered down Badab Black; Mane / Tail: Wash watered down Badab Black)
Black Horses (Flesh: Wash watered down Badab Black; Mane / Tail: Wash watered down Badab Black)

Guess the Number of Chairs Competition

It has been commented there is little blue on my Tzeentch colour scheme, however I find the Asurmen Blue adds blue in a nice mystic way on the armour (befitting for Tzeentch), and then allows me to add blue cloth to my more expensive units and characters and make them feel special. So there, stop moaning!

Phew and there you go forty-five core models all done! Time for a lie down. The finished High Elves and the results to the Guess the Number of Chairs Competition will follow on Thursday morning, if you haven't already done so this is your final chance to enter!

As a reminder I was asking you to guess the number of chairs in my French villa, the rules, are that you have to guess the total number of chairs (both inside and outside the villa). The villa sleeps 10 at maximum, and benches and sofas are being counted as the maximum they'd comfortably sit.

Here are the current entrants in numerical order, obviously you can't chose the numbers they've chosen:

Marauder Mitch – 1
Cyberactivity – 28
Maelzch – 42
Crompton – 52
Fatolaf – 56
Steve H – 61
Dave – 62
Jackhoneysett – 70
Roland Murat – 83
Sainthale 1988 – 180

There is a fabulous prize to be won, I've actually thought of one! And it's even a little bit racist, what more could you want (I joke, sort of!).

So keep those entrants coming in, more painting/moaning/chairs/France later in the week!

[Dave]

having seen some more pictures I'm feeling my estimate may be a little on the high side given there appears to be a total of 1 chair beside the pool!

[Rob Maley]

64 Chairs

[noahtonkin]

13 chairs...it's got to be something obscure, either 13 or 300!

[cunningmatt]

Update 9 – Thursday 1st September 2011: Guess the Number of Chairs – THE RESULTS.

Earlier in the week I showed you my French painted Warriors of Chaos, now comes the turn of the High Elves that I took out to sunny français. You may remember, you may even care, that I'm painting a second unit of Ellyrian Reavers (I know – shut up), and the on foot model of Prince Althran. Well the good news is I've finished them, and I've put together this really exciting painting guide for you to skip through.

Tale of OG Gamers – High Elves

Stage 2 – Ellyrian Reavers







Base: *NO CHANGE*
Skulls (on base): Layer Dheneb Stone
Rocks (on base): Wash Badab Black
Hooves: *NO CHANGE*
Mane/Tail: Drybrush Codex Grey
Horse Skin: Layer 1:1 Adeptus Battlegrey : Codex Grey
Barding Cloak Outside/Rider Cloth: Layer Golden Yellow
Barding Metal Trim/Arrow Flights/Trim: Layer 1:2 Astronomican Grey : Skull White
Barding Cloak Inside/Feathers: Layer Ice Blue
Silver Metal: Wash Badab Black
Gold Metal: Shining Gold
Wood: Layer Graveyard Earth
Leather: Wash Badab Black
Flesh: Layer Elf Flesh
Hair: Vomit Brown – washed with Ogryn Flesh. Dheneb Stone – washed with Badab Black. Calthan Brown – washed with Badab Black

Stage 3 – Ellyrian Reavers







Base: *NO CHANGE*
Skulls (on base): Layer Bleached Bone
Rocks (on base): Drybrush Adeptus Battlegrey
Hooves: *NO CHANGE*
Mane/Tail: Drybrush Fortress Grey
Horse Skin: Highlight Fotress Grey
Barding Cloak Outside/Rider Cloth: Layer watered down Skull White
Barding Cloak Inside/Feathers: Layer Sunburst Yellow
Barding Metal Trim/Arrow Flights/Trim: Highlight 1:1 Ice Blue : Skull White
Silver Metal: Highlight Mithril Silver
Gold Metal: Wash Gryphonne Sepia
Wood: Layer watered down Bleached Bown
Leather: Highlight Bestial Brown
Flesh: Wash watered down Ogryn Flesh
Hair: Vomit Brown – highlighted with Vomit Brown. Dheneb Stone – highlighted with Bleached Bone. Calthan Brown – highlighted with Snakebite Leather


Stage 4 – Ellyrian Reavers













Base: Drybrush Bleached Bone, add Static Grass
Skulls (on base): Layer 1:1 Bleached Bone : Skull White
Rocks (on base): Drybrush Fortress Grey
Hooves: Highlight Codex Gray
Mane/Tail: *NO CHANGE*
Horse Skin: Stippled 1:1 Adeptus Battlegrey : Fortress Grey, restippled with increasing amounts of Fortress Grey until one final layer of Fortress Grey
Barding Cloak Outside/Rider Cloth: Skull White on centremost parts
Barding Cloak Inside/Feathers: *NO CHANGE*
Barding Metal Trim/Arrow Flights/Trim: Highlight Bad Moon Yellow
Silver Metal: *NO CHANGE*
Gold Metal: Highlight 5:1 Shining Gold : Mithril Silver
Wood: *NO CHANGE*
Leather: *NO CHANGE*
Flesh: Highlight Bleached Bone
Hair: Vomit Brown – highlighted with Bleached Bone. Dheneb Stone – highlighted with Skull White. Calthan Brown – highlighted with Bubonic Brown

And I'm reasonably pleased with the standard and musician shown above, who were conversions, albeit very basic, it's still fun when they come out well!

And for our hero:

Stage 2 – Prince Althran on Foot









Base: *NO CHANGE*
Skulls (on base): Wash Badab Black
Rocks (on base): Drybrush Adeptus Battlegrey
Inside of Cloak / Sleeves / Shield Design: Layer 1:1 (1:1 Astronomican Grey : Skull White) : (1:2 Astronomican Grey : Skull White), then layer 1:2 Astronomican Grey : Skull White
Ribbons: Layer 1:1 Iyanden Dark Sun : Golden Yellow, then layer Golden Yellow
Shield / Outside of Cloak: Layer 1:1 (1:1 Enchanted Blue : Ice Blue) : Ice Blue, then layer Ice Blue
Silver Metal: Wash Badab Black
Gold Metal: Paint Shining Gold
Wood: Grain of Snakebite Leather painted
Leather: Wash Badab Black
Flesh: Layer 1:1 Dwarf Flesh : Elf Flesh, then layer Elf Flesh
Hair: Layer Desert Yellow, then layer 1:1 Desert Yellow : Bleached Bone

Stage 3 – Prince Althran on Foot







Base: *NO CHANGE*
Skulls (on base): Layer Khemri Brown, then Dheneb Stone
Rocks (on base): Drybrush Codex Grey
Inside of Cloak / Sleeves / Shield Design: Layer 1:1 (1:2 Astronomican Grey : Skull White) : Skull White, then layer watered down Skull White
Ribbons: Layer 1:1 Golden Yellow : Sunburst Yellow, then layer Sunburst Yellow
Shield / Outside of Cloak: Layer 1:1 (1:1 Skull White : Ice Blue) : Ice Blue, then layer 1:1 Skull White : Ice Blue
Silver Metal: Highlight Chainmail
Gold Metal: Wash Gryphonne Sepia
Wood: Grain highlight Bubonic Brown
Leather: Highlight Scorched Brown
Flesh: Wash watered down Ogryn Flesh
Hair: Wash Gryphonne Sepia, then Devlan Mud in recesses

Stage 4 – Prince Althran on Foot













Base: Drybrush Bleached Bone, add Static Grass
Skulls (on base): Layer Bleached Bone, then 1:1 Bleached Bone : Skull White
Rocks (on base): Drybrush Fortress Grey, then wash Badab Black
Inside of Cloak / Sleeves / Shield Design: Highlight Skull White
Ribbons: Wash Ogryn Flesh, then layer 1:1 Sunburst Yellow: Bad Moon Yellow, then layer Bad Moon Yellow
Shield / Outside of Cloak: *NO CHANGE*
Silver Metal: Highlight Mithril Silver
Gold Metal: Highlight 5:1 Shining Gold : Mithril Silver, then highlight Mithril Silver
Wood: Grain highlight Bleached Bone
Leather: Highlight Beastial Brown
Flesh: Highlight 1:1 Elf Flesh : Bleached Bone, then highlight Elf Flesh
Hair: Highlight Bleached Bone, then highlight Skull White at tips.

He's even got a vial of liquid and dagger at his feet, well something had to go there!

Guess the Number of Chairs Competition – The Results

Now it's the moment you've all been waiting for it's the Guess the Number of Chairs Competition – The Results.

In case you've forgotten I, for no reason at all, asked you to guess the number of chairs in my French villa, (inside and out, counting benches/sofas as the maximum they'd comfortably sit)

With a few last minute entries, here's what you guessed:

Marauder Mitch – 1
Noahtonkin – 13
Cyberactivity – 28
Maelzch – 42
Crompton – 52
Fatolaf – 56
Steve H – 61
Dave – 62
Rob Maley – 64
Jackhoneysett – 70
Roland Murat – 83
Sainthale 1988 – 180

For those that care, this gives an average answer of 59.33 or 5.93 chairs per inhabitant (actually 11.87 chairs per inhabitant – there were only five of us). Given that we've already seen about a dozen chairs in Monday's post we can already conclude Marauder Mitch has not won.

So with the answers in let's count the chairs, for the sake of brevity and so as not to overload your browser/smart phone I have shrunk some of the pictures. Please however take my word this is a genuine count, so even it doesn't appear clear I can assure you it is right (some people care too much about this).

Let's start in the bedrooms:



That's are first 10 chairs, but that's not all of upstairs:


Chairs 12-14 are actually in the bathrooms, should you wish to watch other people having a poo - I guess.

Moving onto downstairs:



Yes I am counting the high chair, and the cinema style chairs outside the utility room (your guess is as good as mine).

Oh and of course there's the living room and dining room:



Then there's by the pool:



The outdoor eating area(s), which we didn't sit at as they were infested with flies:



Oh and the sheltered outdoor eating area, by the pool.



Chairs 112 & 113 are actually another seat like 108 & 109 which I forgot to take a picture of, but it is just out of shot.

Oh and I nearly forgot the balcony:



Yes I did take a photo of every chair in my villa on holiday. Well you've probably got a girlfriend or something to fill your cold and lonely nights.

Anyway that makes a grand total of 119 chairs, or 23.8 chairs per guest, I don't know about you but I thought that was a little excessive. Bare in mind if you were to spend just 5 minutes sitting in each chair, it would take you 10 hours to sit everywhere in the villa!!

So to our winner. And the closest answer is Roland Murat with 83 chairs just 36 chairs short of the final total (though in fairness Tom's answer looks less stupid now!). Congratulations Roland you win the fabulous prize, and thanks to Crompton for the inspiration for this, because you have won yourself your very own Make Your Face Out of Angel Delight Kit



The kit includes Strawberry, Butterscotch and Chocolate Angel Delight so you can match any skin tone (we don't want to be discriminatory). And in addition to the chocolate buttons, you get the exclusive Teeth and Lips accessory pack. Milk not included.

I think this is the best prize we've ever given away on this forum, Roland I hope you have fun with the kit, we look forward to seeing pictures of your attempts – the other entrants will EXPECT it!

Thanks to all who entered.

What's In The Box?

It's the turn of a new month, so that can mean only one thing it's the return of the game that everyone with a packet of Nurofen Plus has been playing that's right it's the Tale of OG Gamers classic game What's In The Box?

For new players, there are no prizes, it's largely a pointless game. Under my bed are thirty six boxes labelled one to thirty six each containing some random miniatures (some broken, some classic, some painted, some crap). All you need to do is pick a box between one and thirty six, one entrant will be picked at random to see the contents of that box on this very forum.



Veteran players should be aware, since Tale of OG Gamers – High Elves I've had a tidy up and have had to rearrange the boxes to include new models. So the board has been reset, all numbers are up for grab, in the unlikely event you pick a box whose contents have already been seen I'll save myself having to get the camera out, so everyone wins!

You've got two weeks to get your entrants in so get picking, this is important! Sort of.

That's it for today, make sure you head back soon, as I'll be giving you my thoughts on weddings (I have to go to one this weekend, not mine I hasten to add) and we'll be finding out what the hell this is...



Until then...

[maelzch]

I'm gonna pick up where I left off and pick box 13

[Meals]

That's it for today, make sure you head back soon, as I'll be giving you my thoughts on weddings (I have to go to one this weekend, not mine I hasten to add) and we'll be finding out what the hell this is...

Until then...

There had better be pictures of hot Bridesmaids this time! The last Oggers trip to a wedding (Stevo's effort) was seriously underwhelming on the photos front...

Also is it bad that I kinda really want to do an army with a horde of Elyrian Reavers? I love those models, but I'm not sure even Mindrazor is enough to make them worthwhile...

Oh and I choose box 3!

[cunningmatt]

There had better be pictures of hot Bridesmaids this time! The last Oggers trip to a wedding (Stevo's effort) was seriously underwhelming on the photos front...

I wouldn't hold your breath.

Also is it bad that I kinda really want to do an army with a horde of Elyrian Reavers? I love those models, but I'm not sure even Mindrazor is enough to make them worthwhile...

I think 10 is enough for me, any more might be odd!

[Crompton]

Wow, I don't think I've ever been an inspiration before!

I am also going to a wedding this weekend. As I assume only 1 wedding happens per weekend in Britain I expect to see you in North Yorkshire as well Matt.

I choose box number 16.

[cunningmatt]

Wow, I don't think I've ever been an inspiration before!

Enjoy it!!

...I expect to see you in North Yorkshire as well Matt.

Manchester for me!