Yu Jing Works In Progress

 I've been working on a couple Infinity figures from an earlier generation - with some scale differences. Apparently these were some of the early models to come out for the Infinity Yu Jing range. They weren't the first though - there is one god-awful Shaolin Monk model that was included in the first Yu Jing starter pack. This one is a later sculpt. Seems that Corvus Belli was working on a heroic scale in those days and has since scaled down to more lifelike sculpts. This monk stands a whole head taller than current models in power armor. I'm not bothered though, he's a great model. 

Even though he could be passable as a finished model, I'm not satisfied with a couple things, like his flowing orange robes and his chain rifle, so I'm going to be working on those before declaring him finished. His companion below is an odd model. She's doing a flip, which seems like a good idea but as a model, it's a bit strange. See most models have a focal point - the head. This is where a lot of the character sits and provides the viewer with a centered point. This monk model has no focal point so your eyes sort of wander and get lost. You're not sure where to center yourself. And the painter has nothing to really embellish with detail. 

The Gui'Lang Skirmisher on the other hand is a great dramatic sculpt. I've painted him in muted tones with Khaki and Chocolate brown. He's almost done though. In games he's been doing ok, but he isn't the hero I thought he would be. Armor 1, even with Camo Level 2, does not provide much protection when the bullets start flying. Though I expect him to be a regular sight in all my lists. 

Everybody was Kuang-Shi Fighting!

 Another post celebrating a awesome time at Adepticon.  First- a photo of (some of) the players and organizers.  John, the TO, is second from the far left, with his back to the camera.  Two of our regular crew are also pictured here.  Sure, we didn't get the giant conference hall / ball-room, but we also didn't get gamer stank.

Next batch of armies-  This is Tim's Yu Jing force.  Sadly, the vivid green boxtop made it rather difficult to get a good photo.  Bad Tim! Bad Tim!  Doesn't make much difference, since his Su Jian has already been featured on the blog.  He just needs to post pics of his more recently completed figures...

Lost Cateran brought his Aleph army... no, just kidding, it's his Ariadne force.  Check a few posts back to read his battle reports.

Kevin G brought his Nomads.  Good natured to the end, G took the far opposite of first place and walked away with an Inquisitor Sketchbook and Warhammer Fantasy paperback for his pain.  He seemed quite pleased, though on the Infinity Forum he posted a photo of a baby seal...

Lo pan's Su Jian Showcase

Lo Pan, fellow author, sent me this photo of his recently completed Su Jian, Immediate Action Unit. I simply love that orange! Plus the NMM is pretty slick too.

Tim's Painting Studio

So I think you can see from these photos that I am not the most organized artist out there. My workbench is pretty cluttered and filled with little paint pots. It's got soul though and I still get lots of work done in this little cave. 

Here you can see my wet pallet, my airbrush cleaning pot, my horde of little paints and my current project. Yep...14 long fangs have been commissioned from a gent in Florida. It's quite a project and I am stunned that I've been able to maintain a high level of painting on these guys.

Behind them in this shot you can see my next commission...6 Alpha Legion Dreads. Good god, I will never get to my own figs again!

My trusty airbrush, Iwata Eclipse. What a beaut!

I find heads are much easier to paint off the model than on them. These ones here are prepped for priming and then base coating with the airbrush. It'll be a great experience to paint all 14 in one go.

Although banner are pretty ridiculous for modern warfare, I do love how they look. 

This is a piece of work my wife did for my birthday. My favorite image in my whole "studio."

Yu Jing Tiger Soldier and Airborne Deployment Thoughts

My latest Infinity model, the Tiger Soldier; Medium infantry, Airborne Deployment L3, combi rifle, flame thrower, mimetism, great statline. Mimetism probably makes him one of the best Airborne Deployment units in the game, as does his BS of 13. 

I often like to drop him down using L3 deployment (deepstriking), but occasionally I'll switch to L2 (outflanking) which is a little safer. Even if you use a combat drop, he has a 60% chance to land where you want him. 

Airborne Deployment is great for flanking the enemy and creating less clear lanes of advance. A crossfire effect is pretty nice too. Sometimes he'll be positioned in such a way that the enemy can't do much without taking AROs from multiple sides. 

He's been painted with GW paints, Vallejo paints and old school GW inks. 

Showcase: Sun Tze

A bit of eye candy. Since our weekly game got snowed out last time, and I've got nothing worth sharing from the "in progress" catalogue, I thought I'd post a few photos of Sun Tze.


I entered him in an online competition via the Infinity forum back in December. He didn't make the final cut, but that's fine- he does fairly well on the game board with Stragegos L3 and some other nifty features.


The mini features some freehand details on the cloak and shoulder pad, and for fun I tried doing some OSL on his gauntlet.


The only thing I'm not happy with is how a relatively thick mold line runs right down one of his eyes. I just couldn't get rid of all of it.

Graphic Knights - Infinity Military Orders

Here's a few more painted knight models for your perusal.

Teutonic Knights

Magister Knight

Hospitaller Knight

Graphic Knights - Infinity Order Sergeants

No this is not the start of some slash fiction with the military knights raiding and uh... pillaging some poor unsuspecting village. Rather it is a post of my completed order sergeants (at long last).

No longer doomed to play in their white-washed villainy - the sergeants have exploded onto the scene in blazing technicolor!

Okay, so this is really just the first of several posts of my painted Military Orders list. The goal here is not to show off my painting (clearly overshadowed by other contributors to this illustrious blog). Instead I humbly offer these as close-ups for how the knights can be painted. When I started painting Infinity models I struggled to find fully painted minis that helped me decide how to define the colors for each model, where certain markings went, and so on.

In that vein, I present my fairly pedestrian shadings of those fabulously detailed, Corvus Belli miniatures - the Order Sergeants.

Hobby Tutorial: Celestial Guard (part 3)

or "Yeah, they were all yellow."

My enthusiasm for the hobby ebbs and flows, and after my last post it was at a relatively low point. Since then, I've taken a quick vacation to sunny Los Angeles where the weather is always warm, the sky is always blue, and the wimmins are usually lovely (which reminds me- one of these days I'll have to do a tutorial on silicon mold making...), and managed to recharge my batteries. I also acquired a new camera and I'm hopeful that subsequent pictures will be superior to earlier pictures. Upgrading from a 12 year old Nikon Coolpix 950 to a new Cannon G12. Woo hoo!

The idea here was to minimize the level of effort in painting by blocking out areas of one color at a time and then applying washes. Starting with the lightest color and working to the darkest, it will allow you to cover over any overpainting or slip-ups. For the Celestial Guard, that meant starting with the body armor, which is a dark yellow/light orange. The process is illustrated below.


Step 1 shows the basic color applied. In this case, Vallejo Flat Yellow. In order to preserve as much detail as possible and also provide a solid layer of color, I went over the miniature with three very light coats of paint. To prevent my paint from drying out, I use a wet palette. It's simply a re-usable Zip-loc plastic container with folded paper towels at the bottom, soaked with water, covered by a single sheet of parchment paper cut to size.

Step 2 shows the miniature after the first wash was applied. Gryphonne Sepia, straight from the bottle. The primary purpose of this was is to create shadows, and as the first wash, it was used somewhat liberally.

Step 3 shows the miniature after the second wash. Ogryn Flesh, again straight from the bottle. This wash warms up the sepia from Step 2, but also adds more depth to the shadows.


Step 4 shows the miniature after the third wash. Baal Red, straight from the bottle. This wash pumps the overall color into a more orange hue, but can easily overpower the prior washes, so I apply it very quickly and do not allow it to linger in one place to pool up under any circumstance. Gotta be quick on this wash.

Step 5 shows the miniature after applying highlights of the original Flat Yellow. This brings out the contours of the figure and allows for some further definition of fabric seams, armor plates, and other prominent bits.

On my Celestial Guard, the armor uses the most numerous washes, so I've used it as the example here. The pants (green) and padding (gray) are more simple but follow the same process.

Hobby Tutorial: Celestial Guard (part 2)

or "It’s over. Prime”

A relatively small post here, but I’ve been busywith the NOVA Open and subsequent recovery thereafter. Having been an Army Appearance Judge over the weekend, I’ve realized that my own stuff isn’t up to par. How’s that for a kick in the pants? Anyway, since part one of this tutorial I’ve been otherwise occupied and in my free time have been determinedly plowing ahead with the “completion” of my Ultramarine vehicles. The only progress made on the Celestial Guard has been priming.


I could have waited a while longer to post, but since it has been well over a week, I figured now would be a good time. Also, the weekend at the NOVA Open and a quick trip to the local Penn Camera finally convinced me that my Nikon CoolPix 950 is a dinosaur and needs replacement, ergo, no photos for at least 2 weeks. Even with a lightbox and tripod, it’s a pain in the butt to get any decent photos. Here’s a close up of my Sniper. You can see that the prime coat is not 100% perfect, but does cover the majority of the figure without obscuring the fine details.


Over the years I’ve used several varieties of primer and have narrowed it down to a few reliable types: Armory (white or black), Tamiya (white or gray), Mr. Surfacer (500 or 1000), and Floquil. I only use Armory on wargaming miniatures because the can is relatively large and relatively cheap compared to the other options I’ve listed. If I’m working with resin figures, I’ll usually hit it with the Mr. Surfacer because that brand is a self-leveling primer that does a great job filling small file marks and scratches that resin kits tend to be prone to. Tamiya, though good, is rather expensive for the quantity you get, and as a result I usually only use it on my regular scale models. Same for Floquil, although I have found that it provides the best adhesion to metals (white metal, brass, steel, or otherwise).

The other reason I’m posting now is because I have just been reminded of Why Not To Paint In Highly Humid Conditions. Now, not everybody primes their models before laying down the first layer of color, and I’m happy for you and Imma let you finish*, but for tabletop wargaming it’s a really good idea to prime your metal and resin figures, and IMHO if you are going to do it for those you might as well do it for the plastics as well.

So here’s my personal observation of the day regarding humidity: If it feels sticky outside, don’t spray paint, prime, or airbrush, or dull coat, or gloss coat, or anything. Don’t. If you do, you will wind up with some sort of terrible frosting nastiness that will ruin your work thus far, create terrible discord within your own humors, and allow pure evil to seep into the world unchecked. Do I exaggerate? Well, yes, but that’s not the point. The last thing you want to do is ruin the finish on 20 tactical marines, or a 5-man Celestial Guard squad that you spent weeks painting. Folks, it only takes 2 seconds to make this mistake. Do yourself a favor… think before you spray. Fortunately for me, I only messed up one vehicle, and usually a second coat of sealer will clear up the problem**

When I started dull coating this morning, the humidity was only in the mid 40% range. When I painted the final vehicle later in the evening, the humidity had almost hit 70%. I knew it had gotten worse out, but I didn’t think, and now I have to wait until both the model and the weather dries out a bit.

When priming (or using any sort of spray paint) there are other things to take in to consideration. For example- always shake the spray can vigorously and for at least a minute to make sure you’ve thoroughly mixed the contents. If you haven’t, you might have solvent shoot out and ruin your model, or have some sort of half-mixed watery mess spew forth. Also, be aware of the distance between the spray can and model. If you are too close, you’ll get too much paint on the model and the paint will start to run. If you are too far away, the paint may start to dry before hitting the model. This will cause a pebbling effect… the surface will look sandy. If you’re lucky, you can “dust” off the offending pebbles. Another nasty effect is known as “orange peeling”, and that’s where the paint refuses to adhere to the model and forms a very uneven surface, often with visible gaps. This happens because the surface of the model hasn’t been properly cleaned of dirt, oils (from handling), solvents or glue (from assembly), or mold release (for resin kits) and the paint just wont’ stick. If you are really unfortunately, you’ll have to either sand off the bad paint or strip the model and start all over again (as me why my Ultramarine tanks all have sparkly instead of smooth cannons…).

So, before you prime your model- make sure that you’ve completely cleaned and prepped your model (soap and water, denatured alcohol, plastic prep…), the spray can has been properly agitated (shaken, not stirred), the atmospheric conditions are correct (as dry as possible and no wind if you are outside), there is proper ventilation (respirator mask, ducted fans, spray booth, or open air), you have proper eye protection, and are not in a rush.


*this is both a pop-culture joke AND a modeling joke rolled into a double entendre, so it’s like a triple word score.

**this is another double entendre, as the chemicals of the fresh dull coat will immediately react to the earlier coat and sort of re-activate the initial coat and hopefully reduce, if not totally eliminate, the frosting effect.

Hobby Tutorial: Celestial Guard (part 1)

or "how to build an army and rule the universe from beyond the grave!"

I’ve only been playing Infinity for about 3 months now. The first step was to acquire enough models to field a decent sized combat group. The look of Yu Jing appealed to me. I really liked how the designs reflected the artwork of Masamune Shirow (Ghost in the Shell, Appleseed, Dominion, etc.), and since the Imperial Service had a good variety in the starter box, that’s the way I went. Adding a box of Kuang Shi gave me just enough guys to field a strong starter force. That being said, I have found enough enjoyment in the game to add some reinforcements. I’ll be posting a multi-part tutorial covering the preparation, assembly, and painting of my Celestial Guard.



Why the C-Guard? I already have three from the ISSA box, but wanted to add heavy weapons and a Kuang Shi controller. From my perspective, I’m limited to a pre-existing color scheme, but the techniques I’ll be going over are universal.



The first thing to recognize about the Infinity figures is that they are gorgeous. Having played 40k for many years I had grown used to the Games Workshop style of metal miniatures. Corvus Belli minis are much more delicate and refined and seem to have as much, if not more, detail than many other 28mm figures on the market. They’re also extremely well cast. So well, in fact, that most pieces can be cleaned up with a quick pass of a new hobby blade and a few swipes with fine grained sandpaper (I like 320 grit wet-or-dry from K&S engineering). In rare cases, a file might be needed. Word of advice- use files that you've dedicated to working with metal, since the softer metals will gum up the files very quickly. Also, metals will dull the blades of hobby knives much faster than plastic will, so have plenty of new blades on hand. Of all the figures I’ve put together thus far only the Yaokong remotes had noticeable mold lines/offsets. You will have to be careful at this point- for the painting techniques I’ll be discussing, any pour stubs or mold lines that aren’t cleaned up prior to priming will become problematic blemishes on your paint job.



Once you’ve cleaned up the figure, you can assemble it in whatever sequence feels most comfortable to you, although I have attached the body to the base first in most cases, followed by any other pieces. For a tighter fit into the “slotta” bases, I have wedged small blobs of Green Stuff. This not only further secures the figure, but also plugs any open gaps in the base.



The delicate nature of the models means that most parts are very light, yet the excellent engineering of the parts breakdown means that you will not want for sufficient mating surfaces for your glue. Pinning is not necessary for infantry figures. You could pin larger TAG models if you want. The key to a decent bond is to make sure the attachment points are clean. I use isopropyl alcohol to rub down the model before I attach the parts with a drop of super glue. Instead of a special plastic flow applicator, I just use a short length of polished brass rod to apply tiny drops of glue at precise locations. Don’t rush this part of the process. Actually, don’t rush ANY part- if you become impatient, you’ll regret it later. Let the glue cure for several hours, overnight if you can. Another word of advice- wear some sort of eye protection. I've been building models for a long time and have had more than my fair share of trips to the ER in order to get various foreign objects out of my eyes. Most recently it was super glue, but that's another story...


I like to get my models stuck into the bases before adding any base details, but it's up to you. For my Infinity figures, I felt that a more techno-urban motif would be appropriate, so I dove into my bits box and pulled out a sheet of tiled styrene and fine ballast. I cut the styrene into irregular blocks and arranged them on the various bases, skirting the feet of the models but also covering much of the exposed slots. Don't be afraid to break the plane of the base and let the basing details hang over the edge. It's your model. Go crazy.

In the mean time, is this a possible future venue for tabletop wargaming fans?

…to be continued.

August Releases

New releases for August can now bee seen at the Infinity website. New units include the Hexas Sniper (Pan-O), Myrmidon Officer (Aleph), Kameel Remotes (Haqquislam), and Sin Eaters (Nomads).