Still alive!

Hello and good day to you still around!

Shame on me for leaving you alone for so long. I'm really sorry, but I guess you're used to that from me by now - kind of dropping off the face of the earth for some weeks or months.

Some of you may remember from my last updates that I had some discussions with my wife on the future of the "hobby" and its seriousness. It was triggered by the offer for a cooperation with a miniature producer to get some of my models and tanks produced.

This would've meant some serious changes and the hobby become a lot more important and professional.

I've been there before with a very different game (board game with counters), where I also worked with a so-called "3rd party publisher" and I designed mapboards, counters, and even game covers and magazines.

I had a lot of fun, earned some money, but then it became very serious, and I got "burned" badly.

I no longer play this game, I don't even talk about it anymore.

My wife supported me during this time, helped me to get back up, and find a new hobby.

So now she's tring to prevent me from making the same mistakes again.

I can't even express how gratefull I am for her support :)

Well, for now this cooperation and model production is off the desk, and I don't think I will get into it.

I DO feel honored by the requests of two publishers asking me to produce some of my tanks and models, but I will not mix the hobby and money making again (hopefully!).

So I have an arrangement with my wife.

To see if I can't re-route my creative juices to a more mature aspect of the hobby I do attend arts classes for 12 months to see if I can't re-focus my creativity.

I can still do 40K and stuff - if I'm interested - but currently the drawing and painting is really taking my attention.

I still think alot about 40K and models, I have ideas for a complete game system, and so forth. But currently this is all kind of second rate. I read a lot about art and artists, techniques and so forth.

I have a lot of fun with it.

Who knows what will happen?

For right now, I attend the arts classes, and focus on drawing.

To let you see what I've been doing lately, here are some of my images:

Portatit 1 (pencil on paper)
The goal here was to "iconize" the portatit. 

 

The Eye (pencil on paper)

simple study of an eye

Portrait 2 (chalk on paper)

This was the very first image I have ever done with chalk- a new experience and a lot of fun!

Hans (chalk on paper)

exeprimenting some more with chalk

Night on the street (chalk on paper)

Horse (chalk on paper)

first attempt with colored chalk

Light in the cave (chalk on paper)

Labrador (chalk on paper)

Morning (chalk on paper)

exerimenting with atmospheric lights

Night in the park (chalk on paper)

 

Monk 1 (chalk on paper)

Portatit 3 (chalk on paper)

Ying-Yang-Phoenix (Acrylics on carboard)

Here I experimented with floating and flowing lines. It was influenced by an image of Ying-Yang.

DNA-Phoenix (acrylics on cardboard)

This was the second image with the flowing lines. Again the two phoenix forms, but now they interact and form something like the DNA double-helix.

The blank paper (drybrush on paper)

I got this idea when I didn't know what to draw next. I saw my reflection in the monitor and decided to draw this situation at the same time using a new technique :)

Augenblick - Point of time (acrylics on canvas)

Bully (acrylics on paper)

I did this for my nephew Florian. He got an ld Volkswagen Bully that he wants to restaurate. Not as old as this original model, but still he's "Bully-Fan" :)

6 times (various techniques)

Here I experimented with different techniques for the same portrait.

From left to right:

Graphite, coal, inc pen, stencil for spray paint, pencil, water color

So, now you know how I spend my time these days.

I don't know what will happen to this blog, but I'm pretty sure I will continue to update it. the focus may shift a bit.

I don't know, its all still floating.

Kind of exciting for me to see which way I'm driven...

Thanks for reading and your time.

I hope you stick around.

Cheers

Klaus

kuk -dot- fischer -at- tesionmail - dot- de

Model Makers Competition

Hi all,

Some of you may have received an email from Scott at benchvent.com about a competition.

Take a look at the official page:

http://www.benchvent.com/blog/show-us-your-workspace-and-win-an-exagon-r/

It's actually pretty simple, just show an image of your worktop area and enter the random draw.

Really simple isn't it.

And some you may remember the images I posted in May last year, when my "office" was freshly renovated:

As you can see here, I already have a small ventilation system, but I have to admit I am not very satisfied with it. So regardless of the competition, I will definitely look into the benchvent.

 

 

Well, that was then, and this is now: :D

 

As you can see currently it's quite a mess!

 

The Tomb Raiders pieces are primed and ready for painting.....

 

Well actually they scream:
PAINT ME!

But I simply lack the time these days. I hope I can get to them this weekend, but the family schedule looks busy with a photography class and a wedding to attend...

Oh well.

Let me know if you're also participating in the competition - I look forward to see your desks.

Cheers and Best of Luck to all of you!

Cheers

Klaus

Tomb Raiders (6)

Hi guys,

finally!

The damn cold had me longer in its fangs than I ever expected plus there's some family stuff I have to sort out, regarding the "seriousness" of the hobby.

But at least the Tomb Raiders diorama is picking up speed again.

As mentioned, the Dutch postal service somehow wasn't able to send a small envelop with Scarabs to me, so I had to "create" some myself. Took a few days, but at least I got all the Scarabs I wanted...

Here you can see all the Scarabs assembled - scurrying :)

 

All actors on stage

 

and ready for priming.

 

But then, really last minute, the Scarabs from Chelnov arrived, so I was able to replace my "created" ones against the originals.

 

My desk after priming - everything set to start the big adventure :D

 

I started with the Temple in a dark beige and the mural on the back wall.

 

Still very early, but it looks promising I think.

 

So what do you think so far?

I will place most parts in the shadows - only lighted by the OSL effects of the Scarabs and some Muzzle flashes. The statues will also have some green light effects around the cracks, where the Necrons "peel" out.

And the "throne" will be in a ray of relative bright daylight.

I look forward to your comments, feedback and suggestions.

Cheers

Klaus

Update

Sorry guys,
I'm still a bit sick, so I haven't done much.
The Dutch post failed to deliver the 26 Scarabs that Chelnov sent me, so I have to create/sculpt/cast some Scarabs quickly.

While there's nothing new to report from me, here's a project I'd like to sahre with you guys:

Art Book by Roman and Raffa

The boys from Massive Voodoo have a nice crowdfunding project - check it out.
I did support :)
Cheers
Klaus

Tomb Raiders (5) Operation “Ultima Preces”

Today only a small fluff update on the diorama setting for Tomb Raiders:

The Legend of Ka’An and Operation “Ultima Preces”


It is believed that one of the key missions of the Officium –censored- (OX) is the rescue and collection of sacred items for the Emperor. Rumors indicate that the final goal of this treasure hunt is the resurrection and revival of the Emperors body, freeing him from the Golden Throne and enabling him to truly rule his empire and crushing his enemies with his strides.

A key instrument in this project seems to be the Space Marine chapter of the Crimson Guardians. Their Supreme Grand Master Geller is unrivaled in his loyalty to the Emperor and the OX and under his regime the chapter of the Crimson Guardians was forged into a ruthlessly effective fighting machine combined with the best researchers and archeologists of the whole Imperium. Their success in discovering and recovering some of the most valued and venerated items seems to be beyond belief. Chief Librarian Zastavus who has access to even the darkest and most secret archives on Terra and Mars, as well as the chapters own secret archives on –censored- which are rumored to rival even the Inquisitions secret archives is captivated by the legend of Ka’An and follows its implementation with complete single-mindedness.

According to this legend he who can gather the 13 sacred items of the Ka’An and can combine them in a complicated rite of utter complexity will gain the power to heal and revive any corpus, be it merely human or even divine, and bring it eternal youth and vitality.

So he and the Supreme Grand Master send their companies on the hunt for these items time and again.

No exact reports are known outside the Officium –censored- and the chapter’s headquarters, but it is believed that the Crimson Guardians are rather successful and more than half the items are recovered and safely harbored on –censored-.

Recent events and encounters seem to indicate that at least one other race is aware of the legend of Ka’An and also seeks to rein its power. If these rumors are to be believed then the Silent King himself ordered a large group of his Triarch Praetorians to hunt for the 13 items of Ka’an. For him, the Silent King, the completion of the ritual would grant him the power to free his people from the C’tan curse and while maintaining their eternal lives they would regain their souls and become the real Necrontyr again.

So the treasure hunt of the Officium –censored- has now become a race with Szarekh and his Praetorians and maybe even with the C’tan, hoping to be freed from their shards. Chief Librarian Zastavus has called his forces to Operation “Ultima Preces” in which they are to find the remaining artifacts at even greater speed.

Latest reports indicate that a large contingent of Crimson Guardians under Captain Erbas has landed at Corellian Base on Tiber together with a company of Sisters of the Golden Bolter. Maybe here, where a once large Imperial sanctuary was located, the Crimson Guardians can find the sacred Chalice of Lord Mathias von Schultz, one of the few remaining items of the legend of Ka’An.

But will they find it in time…?

:)
I know there will be plenty of logical gaps and holes larger than a barn door, but I hope you like it anyhow :)
Cheers Klaus

Tomb Raiders (4)

Hi all,

well as expected I did get a cold, and it hampered progress quite strong.

Nevertheless I dis make some progress.

It seems like the newest version of Disqus is preventing some of you to comment directly and so I have received a lot of feedback via email, or in the forums. I hope a better Disqus version will be available soon.

Anyhow, many comments stated that the Necrons were too few, and not "ambushy" enough. Like Rawsons comment:

The scene doesn't really have the ambush feel to me yet. What about a door in the corner (or a balcony on the side) with more necrons emerging? 4 necrons (even if 1 is a lord) and a lot of scarabs aren't really a match for 7 Crimson Guardians in terminator armor. 

So the idea is that the Necron Lord with the resurrection orb is awakening some more Necrons. To simulate this, I decided to place several statues in the scene, that are in various stages of "resurrection" :)

For this I'm using some old Tamiya tankers

 

Unfortunately the Necron range has a very limited offer of arms, so I have to experiment a bit.

 

In addition I had to remove some of the rubble again, to make room for those statues along the walls.

 

It looks a bit crowded now, but I hope that the darkness and light effects, that will pick out some members, while others remain in the shadows, will organize the scene better.

 

 

 

 

Damn!
My desk really is a mess after this :)

 

 

To make the statues look a bit more like stone I gave them a rough coat with a mix of deluded plaster, some PVA and fine sand.

 

 

Then I added some minor details to the Crimson Guardians.

 

So every Bolter now has a small light on top (taken from the Space Hulk Termies).

 

Even though this part of the scene will hardly be visible, I will add some greenstuff to make this Necron look like he's morphing out of the wall, thus surprising Brother Janus.

 

Which takes some mortal shots in return.

 

Then I positioned the first 12 Scarabs (hopefully another 24 are in the mail), looking like they exit the tomb.

And I placed the final vines and Liana's.

Some still taped in position till the PVA is cured.

 

 

So this is as far as I got - all that's still left are the remaining Scarabs and then I will start painting.

Also common feedback was "not to use the standard Boltgun pattern". To which I agree, and I will most likely try a porcelain, bone color pattern with lots of weathering, rust etc.

What do you think?

Cheers

Klaus

Tomb Raiders (3)

Thank you Ray :)

Looks as if I'm catching a cold, so despite having my first real hobby evening in over a week I got relatively little done :(

I started off with placing a lot of rubble on the base.

Which also enabled me to position the Apothecary Brother Chelnov higher, so he will be better visible later on.

 

Then I started with my first Necron.

Its also my first Finecast....

I have to say I'm not very much impressed - there is a lot of cleanup to do.

 

 

Since he got his head bowed down, the only logical position was really on top of the pillar - but I think he fits perfectly there.

 

Since this is my first Necron experience I'm still trying to get the feel for the models. They are pretty much stock (no Santa modifications) and I have to rely solely on the pose to give them something unique.

 

As you can see I will have one Deathmark shooting Brother Janus, another Deathmark is being shot and flung back by Brother Jaccus, and a Praetorian is emerging from the crypt.

 

This is a closer shot of the Praetorian.

 

Next I will add a bunch of Scarabs - some emerging from the crypt, some on and around the pillar with the Necron Lord, and a whole bunch (thanks to a generous offer by Chelnov) coming down the wall, emerging from behind the throne etc.

And then the remaining vines, plus some more rubble and debris.

But, I need your help now.
As mentioned I'm new to the Necrons, so I'd like to get your feedback on them. What do you think, do they fit, how do they look, is my combination of weapons OK, poses, positions, improvements, any fancy modifications or poses?
Also paint schemes!
Any idea besides the standard? I will use green light effects for them, that's for sure, but what about the rest? As mentioned, the scene itself will be relatively dark, the Crimson Guardians will be red and black, the energy weapons most likely standard blue-ish and the Necron light effects will be green.

Thanks guys!

Cheers

Klaus