Corehammer Single Figure Challenge

IMAG0877[1]Here at Corehammer we are all great believers in striving to push ourselves and our hobby abilities forward, both as a group and as individuals. Within our circle we have a small number of very talented painters whilst the majority of us hover around the ‘tabletop standard’ mark. In order to push our skills we’re kicking off the monthly Single Figure Challenge (it does have another name but I realise that not everyone is as au fait with Street Level vernacular as us!)  alongside the Oath Of Moment challenge we detailed earlier. Rather than smashing through a load of troops like the Oath Of Moment however, the Single Figure challenge focuses on developing ones painting and modelling skills and throwing a lot more technique at a miniature than you might do for your normal army standard. Hopefully we’ll all raise our game a little and learn new techniques as a result of the positive peer pressure. Once again this challenge is open to anyone who wishes to particpate, just drop us a line and get on board!

As one of our resident artists, Joes artwork can be seen gracing flyers, t-shirts and record sleeves throughout the underground. Obviously we hold his work to a very high standard and once again he does not disappoint.
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“This Prince is part of a High Elf army I’m doing whose fluff if that they’re grim High Elves who’ve turned on their own. The idea with the colour scheme is to keep the royal blues you always see on High Elves but make them a little more grim and along with some greys instead of whites and bronzed golds and so on. I tried to really push myself with it because that’s part of the idea of doing the Single Figure Challenge. I also tried some new things out like doing brighter base colours then toning them down afterwards with washes/glazes a lot of which I can see me trying to use again. Overall I’d say it’s probably one of the better things I’ve painted but I’m keen to keep pushing myself from now on in everything I do.”image[1]

Joe’s brother John is no slouch with brush and paints either and has stepped up his game with this awesome Nurgle GiantIMG-20140330-WA0005[1]

‘This nurgle giant is the latest addition to my second army, having read Kev’s article on painting and seeing the quality of paint jobs the other Corehammer lads are putting out I got fed up with the quality of my ogre army so started a Warriors of Chaos army with the intention of putting more thought and effort into the overall style and level of finish with the new models, especially paying attention to multiple dry bursh and wash layers to achieve a better ‘depth’ to the textures. Using this in combination with highlighting has massively increased the overall quality of my paint jobs. I’ll definitely be doing another single figure in the future to further push my skills and learn new techniques.’IMG-20140330-WA0004[1]

It seems exalting Papa Nurgle has been a popular theme this month, Tony from the pox ridden Miasma Of Pestilence blog talks us through his entry, the Blight Drone:007

About 18 months back I bought the amazing Blight Drone kit from Forge World, and recently I’ve finally gotten around to getting some paint on it. For a while I’d been worried about accidentally trashing this amazing kit by doing a poor paint job on it. That’s why it had remained untouched for so long – under confidence in my own abilities.
Anyways, I decided to bite the bullet. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?
Basically, I laid down an undercoat of Vallejo black primer and then a base coat (Vallejo rust for the carapace and Vallejo Russian Green primer on the slug part) using the air brush. Swiftly followed by an airbrush coat of Vallejo duck egg on the slug bit, trying to avoid getting into the creases.008
Followed this up with a dry-brush of P3 pig iron and a coat of Typhus Corrosion (love this shit) on the carapace. The slug part got successive washes and glazes with a blend of Devlan Mud and green wash; Druchii Violet wash; Guilliman Blue glaze; the GW red glaze (forget the name), yellow glaze and Reikland flesh wash (not necessarily in that order). This was interspersed with bits of dry-brushing (P3 thrall flesh, lightened down with off-white) between some of the translucent layers to try and build up some fairly unpleasant, bruised, rotting effects.021

Once I’d gotten into the swing of this, and kind of gotten over my initial misgivings, I decided to do something else I’d been putting off for ages. Using the Vallejo weathering pigments I’d bought over 2 years ago. Again, I’d been terrified of wrecking a cherished model by messing up in the application of this stuff (can you see a theme emerging here?). I’d had no idea how to use them, and incredibly, didn’t even bother looking at any tutorials. I’m an idiot. This stuff is really, really simple to use, and great fun to mess about with. Few drops of water, few drops of matt varnish, add a bit of powders to make a paste of milky consistency, daub it on). Don’t be a dickhead like me, give new painting techniques a go – otherwise you won’t learn anything!
From that point on, it was matter of applying some final highlights and glazes, and putting the thing together. Finishing touches were a bit of Tamiya Clear Red in the gashes to try and get a wet, gory effect.001

In terms of the base for the model, I used a plain 60mm round base which I’ve added some spare parts from the Cities of Death kits along with some Pegasus bricks, and some Army Painter tufts. I did have a taller flying stand, which I probably hovered up by accident at some stage, but I like the effect that the shorter flying base has given. – skimming along very low to the ground. I think it seems a bit more sinister that way…
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Our resident explosives expert Gaz Holmes somehow managed to slip Chirpa’s SCGT leash and found time to slap some paint on this Lizardman Skink Shaman. A man of few words, Gaz told me that he tackled this colourful miniature as a welcome break from the dark grimy Undead armies he’s been beasting through for SCGT of late with the intention of mastering the knack of highlighting from one colour to another and taming that strangest of beasts ‘Yellow’.b515beb7de1f8405339f7fd578fcab7a
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You may have seen Sketchy Adam’s beautifully painted Raptor army in one of our recent Corehammer Armies articles. He’s pretty much done with that now and has used the Single Figure challenge to kickstart his Pre-heresy Space Wolves.fb54843d6c84e8768e6d72e547c221c5

This awesome looking Forgeworld Dreadnought is a joy to behold for a SW fan like myself. Adam says “This was attempt to fuse together a lot of the techniques I’d been using on some of my vehicles and serves as a perfect opportunity to get my Space Wolves started.” I believe the autocannon arm is a conversion made from an old GI Joe heavy weapon!

IMAG0878[1]Paul boldly decided to tackle this knock-off Fulgrim, and by all accounts he’s done a bang up job on the Primarch of the Emperors Children. Here’s what he had to say about it:

‘While the model was a pain to assemble, and had to be painted in sections then pinned together, painting-wise, it was really enjoyable. The detail on the model insane, and so was a real challenge in places, especially the armour but as it stands I think it’s come together nicely. Only bits to add are the Iron hands legion markings to the dead marines and a spot of weathering powders here and there.’IMAG0879[1]

That’s all the entrants for March. I think everyones demonstrated an insane level of skill and creativity with their entries and I couldn’t pick a winner so we’ll leave it open for our readers to decide who the champion is this month, pop a comment in the box below and tell us what you think!

8 thoughts on “Corehammer Single Figure Challenge

    • Adams contemptor for me, shits next level and represents the subject matter of the 13th perfectly.

  1. Think I’m gonna go with Pauls Fulgrim. watching the progress and the effort does it for me.

  2. Paul’s Fulgrim is sensational, but Tony’s blight drone is so disgusting, Pappa N would be proud.

    Blight Drone for me.

  3. They’re all unbelievable, but the Blight Drone is my vote. Incredible work all round.

  4. Collective well done to all involved. Every miniature here has something different and awesome to offer. For me these are the highlights:
    Fulgrim – the bright golds and the blending on the cloak
    Skink shaman – the contrasts between the blues and the greens really pop
    Space Wolf dreadnought – the source lighting and the rich crimson trim
    Nurgle giant – love the flesh tones – grim!!
    High elf – really crisp and sharp paintwork

    Can’t wait for next moth

  5. They all look killer! A tight contest, for sure.
    I gotta go with the Skink Priest, the yellows and greens are vibrant and the skin looks mottled. Cool stuff.

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