The 2017 NOCF Raffles!

Another year and another host of wonderful armies and collections and individual models up for grabs! We have had a lot of wonderful people donate their time and talents in order to raise money for the various causes supported by the NOVA Open Charitable Foundation. This is my seventh year involved in some sort of charitable painting effort, and I couldn't be prouder of all those who have joined me along the way. Excellent models from lovely people. 

Over the course of the next two months I'm going to be featuring these armies and calling out these folks. I hope you'll show them, and the charitable causes they have represented, by buying lots of tickets in these raffles. Each of these banners links through to the page to buy tickets : )

• Tickets will be available from the website (novaopenfoundation.org)
• Tickets can vary in price (between $2 and $5), but there is a minimum $10 purchase
• Tickets can be purchased from ANYWHERE in the world
• The winners DO NOT need to be present at the NOVA Open when we draw their names
• The NOCF will ship ANYWHERE in the world

BLOOD BOWL - The Black Gulf Buccaneers are now painted!

It's always a pretty cool moment when you can plonk your painted minis down in front of the camera and record that they are complete. This weekend I was able to do that with my Black Gulf Buccaneers, the third incarnation of my most favorite Blood Bowl team ever (the first was built in 1994, the second in 2002, and now this one). I'm also quite excited that I completed this project in less than four weeks (six if you include the two weeks I was away in Australia, which I don't).

Anyway, here's a look at the individuals who make up the Black Gulf Buccaneers, in numerical order:

1. The Dread Pirate Wesley - Blitzer (and Captain)
2. Gunnar Strongarm - Thrower
3. Francois D'Atant - Catcher
4. Dieter Swiftstep - Catcher

5. Da Anchor - Ogre
6. Geraud Corvus - Lineman
7. Gunther Landsing - Lineman
8. Karl Wulfen - Blitzer

9. Kristoff Zerzaust - Lineman
10. Marten Mecklenberg - Lineman
11. Pierre D'Baronet - Lineman
12. Werner One-Leg - Lineman

13. Guiseppe Veloce - Catcher
14. Black Francis - Lineman
15. Marius Stark - Thrower
16. Gregor Lowenhurz - Blitzer

There has also been a pretty good reaction to my Ogre - Da Anchor - who was pretty simply converted from an Astra Militarum Ogryn. When he's on the pitch, he's all about creating the breakthrough and holding whatever new line I need to hold. In the past he has played a pivotal role in the team.

Additionally, I've asked quite a few times about the way that  painted their black armor (as differentiated from their black trousers). Well here's a quick description:

1. Basecoat with black (in the case GW Chaos Black spray)
2. Highlight with P3 Coal Black (with has a lovely blue/green tint to it.
3. Highlight with an 80:20 mix of P3 Coal Black and VMC Light Grey
4. Highlight with a 60:40 mix of P3 Coal Black and VMC Light Grey

5. Highlight with a 40:60 mix of P3 Coal Black and VMC Light Grey

6. Highlight the very edges with VMC Light Grey
7. Glaze with AP Dark Tone
8. Highlight the very edges with VMC Light Grey

It's a fun method, and great colors to work with.

Cheers
Dave

BLOOD BOWL - The resurrection of the Black Gulf Buccaneers continues!

Just a quick update. I've completed a few more conversions for the Black Gulf Buccaneers (a redux of my 1994 Human Pirate team). Here's a Lineman with his torso twisted and shoulders hunched. He'll look great on the line!

You can't have a Pirate team without a hook hand and wooden leg. This is a reprise of Werner One-Leg, a Lineman who, despite his reduced movement, has scored him fair share of touchdowns!

A Norse Blitzer, Karl Wulfen, returns to take the ball and run with it!

Da Anchor! I originally modeled this guy with an anchor sticking through his helmet, just like the original created 22 years ago. A comment on the Blood Bowl Community FB page got me thinking, so I decided to switch things up for this edition. He is now carrying a more hefty anchor in his right hand. More photos of that once he's painted up : )

And finally, for this batch at least, here's my new version of my old team hero, Francois D'Atant. A head swap and some repositioning go the standard catcher's arms and I've got myself a pretty unique model!

Hope you all enjoy these. Probably no more posts this year. I'm off to Australia for Christmas. See you all in 2017!

Cheers
Dave

GENESTEALER CULT - A photo update and a distraction (BLOOD BOWL).

No video for this update, just some photos. A few people asked that I post the photos of my finished models so far. Well, here is the first squad of Neophyte Hybrids. I have 30 more of these guys to paint, which will take a little while, but won't feel like a chore. The 3rd and 4th generation hybrids are the ones that really draw me to the Genestealer Cult. I'm not sure why, but they do. Perhaps you can speculate in the comments section?

I finished this unit of Aberrants over the Thanksgiving weekend. I like them a lot. The pale/purplish skin works really well with the pale/yellowish carapace. 

And here's a shot of the bad of one of the Aberrants. I got to push my highlights and shadows a bit more with their muscular backs.

Next on the docket is another squad of Neophytes. After I prime the models black, I hit them with a strong white coat of primer from above (about a 45˚ angle). The next step, which you can see in this photo, is where I hit all the armor/carapace with a layer of GW's Seraphim Sepia wash.

I would have had a little more done on these guys if I hadn't been distracted. Last Friday I (like many others, I'm sure) picked up the latest edition of Blood Bowl. In a fit of nostalgia, I have decided to re-create the Human team that I did back in 1994 when BB 3rd edition was released (the edition this one is very closely based on). Meet the Black Gulf Buccaneers! I've had quite a bit of fun converting these models. An arm twist here, a torso twist there, and head swaps galore; these pirates stand ready to take to the nearest Blood Bowl pitch (after a good coat of paint, of course).

I can only hope that Francois D'Atant, one of my catchers, can rise to the same giddy heights that he did back in the days of the Blood Bowl league in GW Newcastle (Australia).