Random Cleanups And Startups

paklaat June 27, 2022

Working on a lot of different things here and there over the last week or so, bouncing all over the place as usual. Standard operating procedure at Studio 13!

I thought it would be fun to throw in a little homage and really kind of take the story in the Jonny Quest campaign in a totally different direction with these Stark Industries crates - which you saw in yesterday's post.

This this the classic retro design of the logo that I love - the Howard Stark era. Plus I'd gone back and was re-watching the first season of Agent Carter at night so it was easy to get inspired :)

I painted up the camels from the Arab baggage escort from Gripping Beasts and decided I would try something different for the blankets and rugs that the camels were carrying.

I went full on crazy mode and used carpet and curtain images I found on the Internet, printed them out, cut them out, and then went about gluing them on the models. Holy smokes what a task that was! I think the end results turned out amazing, but I'm not quite sure if I'll ever attempt that again!

I used sewing thread to represent the ropes that hold down the all the merchandise. Another incredible pain to do!

I need to add some lead ropes as well, as I think that will really help the overall look. But I have to get the figures painted up first to hold those lead ropes! Those four figures have been primed and the skin already painted on.

I've started on TT Combat's Cargo Ship. I picked this up at Historicon last summer and thought it would be perfect for a pulp adventure - who knows, maybe this could be used on the Quest gang's return back to the states from North Africa?!

It got some bad feedback when someone put up some photos of it on one of the miniatures sites some time ago, but I've got some ideas and feel with these enhancements, and detail work, it can be a pretty solid addition to my scenery collection. Plus I think I only paid $25.00 for it despite it saying $35.00 on the package. I decided to prime it black for the initial build.

I had sent out my Company B Oddball Sherman to be painted by the brilliant Andy Singleton of Volley Fire Painting - http://volleyfirepainting.blogspot.com/

As mentioned in previous posts, the only way I'm going to dig myself out of this lead mountain is to have some commission work done, as I just don't feel like painting is something I'm enjoying right now.

I couldn't be more pleased with the results! Andy did an absolutely fantastic job. The photos just don't do it justice, as the photos Andy initially sent me didn't either, seeing it in person just blew me away!

The color and weathering on this thing is just perfect!

I also sent over the Warlord release of the Kelly's Heroes figures, since I was already sending the tank I figured why not. I told him not to worry about basing the figures so I completed that over the weekend. I need to touch up areas around the bottom of the washers though, that's pretty bad looking at the photos now :(

Again, super pleased with everything! Now the dilemma is going to be do I send over 11 more regular Joes so I can have the entire Kelly platoon represented?! Because I know that I'm not going to be able to recreate the brushwork Andy did.

I did paint up Captain Renault from the Artizan 'not' Casablanca blister to act as chief of Cairo police for the second chapter in the Jonny Quest campaign.

Overall pleased with the results, considering my lack of painting enjoyment currently :)

I finished up the sheep from the Arab escort blister too.

Not sure if I should have went with a round base instead of the square one that it came with though.

I also went back and rebased Mr. Rick Blaine from the Casablanca set on a clear base, as I used this figure for a plot point in the JQ game. I can see me slowly rebasing those initial pulp era figure I did last year onto clear bases going forward. I don't think there are too many really - the only issue may be the Blue Moon figures that are molded right into their bases.

I also grabbed this Plasticville airport and terminal set of Ebay for super cheap that will work perfectly for some pulp era adventures.

Frank over at If It Wasn't For One has the same kit and is off to a smashing start http://ifitwasntforone.blogspot.com/2017/03/behind-scenes-terminal.html. I'm sure I'll end up stealing ideas from him :) Obviously lots to do here, and definitely a project for down the road, but it scales up pretty well as you can see above.

Just to break up the pulp era stuff, I built a couple of Warlord's Spartans that will eventually make their way into a Harryhousen-esque 7th Voyage adventure sometime... before I retire hopefully.