Sunday 6 November 2016

Halloween - chipping done right

Motivation comes in many forms.

I often experience long periods where I honestly CBA to go sit at the workbench. I'll start a new model once in a while, but it's clear I enjoy building and painting more than actually finishing a model that last 5%. (I now have 6 models sitting on the 95% complete shelf, and at least 2 more that I've given up on altogether)

This Halloween, I wanted to go as a Slipknot member. You know, that band where they are always masked?

I took my black overalls and brushed some Slipknot logo's on it, but - cheap bastard I am - I refuse to pay $50 for a mask, so I tried making something myself, from a $2 hockeymask.

It basically gave me a good excuse to "brush" up my airbrush skills, and - particularly - to experiment with AK heavy chipping fluid. I'm glad to say it turned out wonderfully.


I sprayed Vallejo Metal Color (dark Aluminium) on top of a light coat of Heavy Chipping, waited a few hours and made it wet again. I didn't need to be careful and used a stiff brush, toothbrush and even a toothpick.


Afterwards, I gave it a few washes with black and brown oils for some subtle details (that aren't easily captured on picture)


If I count all the layers, there's

  • black primer
  • German Grey
  • 2 x matte varnish (to protect from scratching later)
  • Chipping Fluid
  • Dark Aluminium
  • Matte varnish
  • Oil wash (Starship Filth and Flesh Shadow)

The Slipknot-disguise was meant to be used for the entire workday only, but I reused the mask for the afterwork-party to go as a killer-clown version of the Mad Hatter, since the theme of the evening was (m)Alice in Wonderland.


My colleague's (dead) rabbit-mask was inspired on a photo and built from scratch in 12 hours. Some people got mad skillz.

No comments:

Post a Comment