I touched Infinity and I liked it! PT 1: First Miniature

Operation Icestorm appears to be gaining a significant amount of momentum across independent stores in the UK, as this is the first pop-up gaming boxed set that Corvus Belli have put together that's really breached the public eye and its a cracker. I've got it and I can already tell you its miniatures are incredible. The game I've yet to have time to play with a new baby. Icestorm.

I'd been viewing the gorgeous mini's that Infinity puts out for years and had been hearing great things about its play style and balanced nature, this, coupled with the admirable focus of the Company on the player and consumer both really made me want in. 

Hacking fliers and dropships sounds great fun, and the terrain emphasis of Infinity really does match my preference in battlefields, which is far too cluttered to be healthy.

So I opted to go halves with my good friend Bave and take one set of the troops each. I happily took the Nomads as a faction for the awesomeness of the Grenzer, and the slightly higher emphasis on the estoteric and funky. 

The game itself looks fantastic fun to play too, whereby everything is reacted to and the involvement of the players is much greater in the others turn. Download the rules, have a read, and then play! Great ethos!

As I've been rather busy with the new baby, and a house purchase, the availability to paint has been rather small, but last night I got a four hour window in which to pick up my brush and give painting a go. This was the first.

*Sigh* better photos Mark better photos!

Aside from the relatively patchy undercoat which gave rise to the imperfections in the surface texture (don't ever spray paint something when its wet outside kids) 

I was really happy with four hours work to get this guy painted and at least back into the swing of things. I tried to be careful and compartmentalise the painting stages so this was pretty much boots, undergarment, metallics, flesh and then done. At any point stopping wouldn't have thrown me unduly.

I spent quite a while getting the blend on the fabric as defined as I could and I think (compared to the Grenzer above) I could have used even bolder colours. The metallic-blue sheen to portions of his armour and the gun I also am a fan of but needs a lot of work still 

The tone is far too 40k and not enough Infinity as well. Compared to a GW miniature I would implore that you try several new techniques to try and get the miniature really popping and coming to life.

Just up the stakes slightly.

For example on a 40k Marine I would push for simple line highlighting along the gun. Here, I’ve attempted to do a little line highlighting and then attempted to blend it slightly with the rest of the weapon for a more unified feel. I’ve still got to work this technique out with repetition but if you look here, this is a heavy article for blending but it’s a goodie, http://forum.reapermini.com/index.php?/topic/32050-how-to-blend-by-olliekickflip/

Why not try a gentle glow? Whereas before you might try a glaze and a dot of colour, why not push it so that you have a little OSL from those parts of the miniature that would have some light emanating. I added this to the figure with a little effort and will be upping the light when I get the chance.

This is good for that.

http://eyeoferror.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/painting-osl-weapons-effects-in-5-easy.html

Metallic sheens? Surprisingly Infinity being future means these aren’t your standard gunmetal at all. Future remember, future. For the first time, I added a tiny amount of blue to the metallic used in the armour of the plates on this guy’s chest, to add to the esoteric and otherworldliness that it hopefully conveys. 

All of this was completed with only GW paints, and old ones at that!. When possible I'll add some detail to the base, probably still sticking with my snow theme as well.

In other news, I finished the Rapier and got playful with my scenery, more to follow.