Lost Mine of Phandelver - Wraith

 

Another great looking model from 3D Dungeon Labs- this one is for the wraith representing the deceased wizard controlling the undead in the mine.  I airbrushed this at the same time as the Banshee but instead of giving it a grey wash I used a watered down black wash instead to more closely resemble the picture in the 5e monster manual.  This model also had a scythe which I cut off to look more like a staff as I think an NPC wizard would be carrying a representation of his staff and not a scythe.

This is part of the 3D Dungeon Labs Etsy shop purchase.

Sculpt: Excellent - another awesome and dynamic sculpt

3D Print: Excellent - well done - clean - no issues anywhere

Fitness: Excellent - has the proper base and scale, model matches expectations with the exception that I cut off the scythe - but I didn't downgrade my score because of it - I think the resulting "staff" looks good.

Lost Mine of Phandelver - Nothic

 

Sooo.... this one was a bit of a disappointment - when I was tinkering with the purple Banshee, I also sprayed this one and the reality is that it's just too small of a model to work out with trying to layer on airbrushed highlights.  Maybe when I swap out that finer needle.

Which gets to my next point - this is the Nothic from 3D Dungeon Labs which came in my Lost Mine of Phandelver kit.  Almost all the models get high marks, this one - meh.  It's just too small and doesn't have a lot of great features - it's a baby Nothic.  So here's my analysis...

This is part of the 3D Dungeon Labs Etsy shop purchase.

Sculpt: Good - it's a good sculpt as a baby Nothic - it doesn't knock your socks off as it's just standing there hunched over

3D Print: Excellent - well done - clean - no issues anywhere

Fitness: Average- has the proper base but the scale is off as it should be at least twice the size in width and height - maybe more - a Nothic should fill that medium base.  Also, not a fan of the porcupine look - it's okay, but a bit overdone.

Lost Mine of Phandelver - Banshee

 

This model was another printed up by 3D Dungeon Labs and is a really strong looking model for the Banshee encounter - just overall a great looking model - very impressive. I decided to use this model as a fun learning experiment with the airbrush as I was provided a "bonus" model in my received kit.
(there were actually quite a few "bonus" models which is a super nice touch and a major recommendation for using this Etsy shop for 3d prints)

Both of these models I started the same of spraying the entire model first with a dark color.  Then I went to the 3 o'clock position and twirled it around while spraying the model with a lighter color.  Next I loaded the airbrush with the next highlight color and hit it from the 1 o'clock position.  Finally with the brightest highlight from the 12 o'clock position.

The white banshee I then washed with vallejo's Pale Grey wash which blends in the dithering from the airbrush.  The purple banshee I didn't wash as I think it's still plenty dark (and actually photos a bit darker than it actually is in my hand).

Using an airbrush and a wash is a super quick way to get a model like this on the tabletop.  There's some dithering and I'm not sure how to get away from that.  I did purchase Badger's finest needle but I haven't gotten that out yet - in theory the "dots" it sprays should be smaller and then a tighter spray pattern.  I also need to see if spraying at a higher psi will make a difference.  Something I need to experiment with and figure out.

This is part of the 3D Dungeon Labs Etsy shop purchase.

Sculpt: Excellent - another awesome and dynamic sculpt

3D Print: Excellent - well done - clean - no issues anywhere

Fitness: Excellent - has the proper base and scale, model matches expectations - very well done.

Reaper Miniatures Candleabra (Candelabra) - 77138

 

Yes, it's spelled incorrectly - I wonder if someone should tell Reaper that their website (and I assume packaging) has a spelling error or if they'll just say that's intentional, lmao.  Their website search tags has it spelled correctly.

I needed these for an encounter a while back (yes, used them unpainted, lol) and they've been sitting on my desk since then causing clutter; but I also needed to practice airbrushing metal for a much larger project so I grabbed these as the test subjects.

I sprayed these two candelabras gold with the airbrush and then used a watered down black wash to give it definition.  Then painted the candles white and the flame yellow with red highlights.  Black base and done.

Test complete and I used the same technique for a much larger project I'm looking forward to showing soon.

Kickstarter paint total 177 + 2 Candleabra (Candelabra) = 179

Reaper Miniatures Thain Grimthorn, Dwarf Cleric - 77213

 

okay, so this has a bit of a funny as to how I came about painting this miniature on a Wednesday night before our Thursday night D&D game.  We're just about done with the Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign that came in the Starter Set and the group voted to keep the current characters and roll into another WOTC campaign.  Originally we just used Discord to keep some notes and we didn't really have character backgrounds.  As we were moving forward into a bigger campaign I generated a private website and asked each player to send me a character portrait and a bit of a background that I could publish.  The dwarven cleric, who originally had this super long name that we all chuckled around the table and simultaneously said doc, sent me a picture of Doc from the Disney cartoon and he was in a red suite.  I'm pretty sure he sent it to me as a joke, but I went with it.  Not only did I put it on the website, but I immediately grabbed this dwarven cleric from my Bones pile and set about painting Doc with red coat and armor.

Painting instructions for Dwarf Cleric (used Reaper paints)...

Step 1: I'm using Stynylrez primer on the bones models - just slop it on and cover everything - it works great!
Step 2: Use Dwarven Flesh on face
Step 3: Use Concrete Grey on beard, fringe, and base
Step 4: Use Arctic Grey on beard and fringe as highlights
Step 5: Use Garnet Red on everything else
Step 6: Drybrush Filigree Silver on chainmail
Step 7: Use Pure Black for gloves and boots
Step 8: Use Dwarven Gold for weapons and tablet

Kickstarter paint total 176 + 1 Dwarf Cleric = 177

Reaper Miniatures Female Centaur - 77264

One of my current players has another D&D session were he's playing this centaur creature - he asked if I'd paint it and I figured why not.  Completed this on Friday night from start to finish - my goal was to get the best looking mini I could paint within a few hours.

Painting instructions for Female Centaur (used Reaper paints)...

Step 1: I'm using Stynylrez primer on the bones models - just slop it on and cover everything - it works great!
Step 2: Use Charred Brown on the entire model
Step 3: Use Uniform Brown on the horse skin
Step 4: Use Green Ochre as highlights on horse skin
Step 5: Use Faded Khaki as final highlights on horse skin
(those three colors make up the Reaper triad 9127, 28, 29)
Step 6: Drybrush Stained Ivory on the fur
Step 7: Use Desert Tan on the human skin
Step 8: Use Golden Yellow on hair
Step 9: Use Pale Saffron as highlights on hair
Step 10: Use Garnet Red on spear shaft
Step 11: Use Dwarven Gold on spear point and armor plating
Step 12: Use Pure Black on base
Step 13: Drybrush Concrete Grey on base
Step 14: Drybrush Arctic Grey as highlights on base

D'Artisan Shoppe - WetnDri

I can't recall ever doing a product review but I'm quite pleased with a recent purchase of a wet palette but this also includes a dry (dri) palette.  I came across D'Artisan Shoppe once before on Amazon for some brushes and they were okay but not really my style.  From that initial purchase I occasionally receive product info they send out and I received an advert for their WetnDri palette - I normally just use a paper plate, a folded paper towel, and my own cut out parchment paper that I steal from the kitchen.  It works - but palette was reasonably priced on Amazon so I thought it worth the try - works pretty well!

First - whoever is doing the packaging at the D'Artisan Shoppe is a genius.  The packaging is as good as any coming from Apple, Samsung or Google for a high end electronic product.

The palette comes in this lovely box that when you open, it has this nice Thank You message with a QR code to their website to sign up for more information or to send a message about your product.  Fully opening the package gets you to the palette which has a great strap with their logo holding the three sections together with another note explaining the various features of the palette.  Even the sponge pad has their logo stamped into it...

So how did it work...

Well as you would expect - it's science - the moisture from the pad seeps through the parchment paper  into the paint at about the same rate that evaporation occurs which keeps the paint at a pretty constant  to work with while painting your model.  The parchment paper is included and cut to the dimensions of the pad - I think there's 50 pieces which should last me a long time and I could use my own but quite honestly their prices for the pre-cut on Amazon were reasonable and saves me the labor and effort to do it myself.

Some of the other niceties are the various pieces - there's a bottom piece which holds the water, pad, and parchment paper.  Then there's the middle section which has a dozen or so wells for inks or paint you want to mix - I used one of the wells to setup my drybrush with just the right amount of paint.  Finally there's a top piece which works with a paintbrush holder to keep your brushes organized while you paint.  The entire setup is rather nifty.

Here's a picture of the next day after an evening of painting (you can see the primered model in the earlier pictures and the finished model below) - the paint remains decently usable even though I left it all open overnight (probably would be perfect if I put the middle section on the bottom to keep it sealed) because I was done with the model and didn't actually need the paint anymore.

This ends up being the product I didn't know I actually needed - two thumbs way up!

WizKids Spectator and Gazers - WZK73717

 

Looks like it has been awhile since I broke open a WizKids model - I have so many great models but they've taken a backseat to the specific ones I needed for the campaigns I'm running.  Actually, I grabbed this one because the model that came in the Lost Mines set that I purchased off Etsy is a Beholder and not a Spectator (the Beholder is a wicked cool print and I'll work on it another time) and I happened to have this model sitting in a bag of monsters to paint.

This set also comes with a couple of Gazers - I slapped some paint on them as well.

Painting instructions for Spectator (used my Vallejo Game Color)...

Step 1: No need to primer - already done
Step 2: Use Sick Green on body and stalks
Step 3: Use Vallejo Game Wash watered down on body and stalks
Step 4: Use Goblin Green to highlight body and stalks
Step 5: Use Royal Purple on main eye and gums
Step 6: Use Hexed Lichen on mouth and tongue
Step 7: Use Warlord Purple on tongue and as highlights on gums
Step 8: Use Squid Pink on tongue
Step 9: Use Scorpion Green on stalk eyeballs
Step 10: Use Black to carve out the eyeball and base
Step 11: Use Bonewhite to carve out the eyeball and teeth
Step 12: Use Dead White on eyeball and teeth
Step 13: Use Black to place slit in eyeball and stalk eyeballs
Step 14: Drybrush Cold Grey on base
Step 15: Drybrush Stonewall Grey on base

Lost Mine of Phandelver - Bugbear

 

I've really enjoyed painting these monsters printed up by 3D Dungeon Labs, but I think these bugbears are my favorite so far.

It was back to the spray booth with these.  I hit these first with the airbrush of an orange - I did it without a primer and I probably should have used a white primer first.  The sprayed orange was a bit translucent to the gray material underneath and ended up looking like a dingy orange/brown.  I think I ended up spraying two more coats of orange before I was happy.  I then brought them onto desk for a drybrush of Orange Fire.  I then did the leather armor black as a strong contrast against the orange and then Gunmetal Metal on all the spikey bits and the weapons.  I love that a few of these guys have potion bottles on them and I used Livery Green to give it a bit of a pop.  Again, the basing of these is black as I'm going with the design language of the D&D pre-painted figures.

This is part of the 3D Dungeon Labs Etsy shop purchase.

Sculpt: Excellent - this is an awesome sculpt - outstanding - I loved how oversized they are on the base - I believe these guys are one of the biggest critters to still be considered medium - oh, and a couple of them carrying doors for shields - frickin' awesome!

3D Print: Excellent - well done - clean - no issues anywhere

Fitness: Excellent - has the proper base and scale, model matches expectations - very well done.