Ambush Predator

I know I said it was going to be terrain next. I clearly lied.

Orlygg over on the Realm of Chaos 80s blog was challenging all comers to some speed painting the other day. And as it happens, I've got a skypeboot scheduled for tomorrow, for which Gen. Stylus has selected the lists. He went and included a Chimera, and I have a Reaper model for one. But it wasn't assembled or painted.

Placeholder image, for the truly wishful. Mierce, you'll be the death of my pension yet.

Given that this fight tomorrow is against General Palafox's newly finished High Elves, honour would clearly not stand fielding untouched white resin. Kind of a perfect storm to be confronted with a speed challenge around the same time, really.

Now, I'm not counting the preparation time of gluing it to a resin base, because that took about nine hours over last weekend and was a pain. I have to take back some of what I said about the Reaper plastic stuff. Yes, you can reshape it very easily. But if the water wasn't hot enough, it creeps back to its original form over a few hours. This fellow had a rather twisted base that tore out of the glue while drying and needed redoing.

That 'raised rock' at the front shows you how much twist there was - it ought to be at the same height as the back legs.

Otherwise, though, this took one hour. I used the kitchen wall clock to time it, which has no alarm, so I can't claim to be 100% deadly accurate. But I started at 1055 and downed brushes at 1155, give or take, so job's a good 'un!

I have mixed feelings about the model and my painting. But that's appropriate, it's a very mixed beast.

It's no striking beauty, I know. The eyes are wobbly, it's a bit streaky in places and there's no flock or snow on the base. And if I do another speed challenge, I have to rethink using washes! They don't dry fast enough, so you can't get on with other layers, which made it very smeary. I was actually dabbing at with with tissue at one point, and blowing on it constantly while I did the wings. Hopefully that doesn't count as giving a chimera a blow job.

On which lovely mental image, the Painting Guide:

• Wings - Abaddon Black with Codex Grey layers, then a tiny drybrush of Tyrant Skull. Scab Red, Khorne Red and Wild Rider Red flashes at the edges
• Fur - Zamesi Desert, Agrax Earthshade wash then Kommando Khaki layer and Pallid Wychflesh drybrush
• Goat Head - Codex Grey, Agrax Earthshade Wash, Pallid Wychflesh and White Scar facial details
• Lion Head - Pallid Wychflesh and White Scar over the basecoat of fur
• Dragon Head and Scales - Stegadon Scale Green over Abaddon Black base, then Nightshade wash and Teclis Blue and Etherium Blue drybrushes
• Horns and Claws - Ushabti Bone drybrushed over either XV88 (goat horns) or Kommando Khaki (everything else), White Scar layer to finish
• Scorpion Tail - Rhinox Hide, XV88 and Tau Light Ochre drybrush, Tyrant Skull to finish. Red poison sac as for the wing edges
• Base - Abaddon Black with Eshin and Codex Grey drybrush for rocks, plain old Rhinox Hide watered down a bit for the rest

Hey, man, give me some skin! Like, all the skin off your upper torso. For starters. 

Still, it doesn't scream 'massive rush job' either, for which I'm thankful. No takesie-backsies, after all! Although I will flock it at some point. Probably after it's been shot to death by bolt throwers tomorrow night.