The Soviet project!

  Waaaaaay back in June, I had a good buddy ask me to do a commission job for him.  He's a big fan of the game Bolt Action but was finding time to paint his armies very difficult.  I happily took the project, especially for a good friend who's been burned by commission painters in the past.  He tossed me a couple coins and sent me the army box.

  As you know if you've followed me, I enjoy doing contract painting work.  Usually it's for D&D models.  But every once in while, I also get some other games going.  In this case, I was working on Warlord Games products, which are COMPLETELY different quality and style than the GW models I'm used to working with and even the Reaper models I've started to delve into.  The models are much smaller and thinner, with significantly less detail.  But this is how real life works- there's not 'trinkets' floating all over every soldier and character and little in the way of tech-y stuff.  And after working with the samurai for Test of Honour (which I never posted about, apparently), I was a bit worried.  I'm so used to the 'Eavy Metal standards and Citadel system that these models were going to be interesting.

  So I did what any new project manager would do- I chose to use this as an opportunity to learn some new skills.  I had received an airbrush kit from my sis-in-law for Christmas and it seemed like a good project to use this on.  After all, that army box came with over 60 infantry!  I also wanted to go with some directional highlighting since these were such small models.  Most importantly, though, was making sure to stick to a generally historically-accurate scheme and not going super-cartoony in style like GW and D&D miniatures typically use.  This was going to be interesting.


  I should note that it took me four months to get this army completed.  In reality, I spent almost a week cleaning and building the models, then a couple of days playing with the airbrush, and then another six days doing basecoats and highlights.  All in all, I could have finished this job in two weeks, but I took many weeks-long breaks.  Most of it was due to laziness (hey- it's summer and the kids are home and I wanted to spend time with them, okay!?!), but some of it was due to other priorities.  But I have to admit that there was no reason for this to have taken so long.  Unlike my buddy's previous hires, I at least finished the project.  Small consolation for the immense guilt I feel.

  Beyond that, let's look at a bunch of pics.  I've already been wordy enough for this post, so just scroll down and enjoy the progress.

After the building and initial basecoat of English Uniform

Oh no!  I grabbed the glossy version of the wash!  Rookie mistake...

All the colors I used across the whole army as I start work on the weapons teams...

Guess I have to be consistent- glossy wash it is!

The best example of the directional highlighting on the uniform colors.

Finished with the basic work, so now for the finishing stuff...

Never put iconography on this tank because, well, it's hard!!!  Well, by hand, anyway...

After painting Bobby G, I LOVE painting fire!

A little basing and DONE!

 
  And there we go!  A totally finished 1000 point army for the Soviets ready to invade Germany from the east and whoop some Nazi rear!  Now my buddy has to get his Germans painted.  And his Americans.  If he's happy enough, maybe he'll send those to me to paint as well...

  Oh, and that's army number two (of four) painted for the year!!!  Now maybe I can get back to my Word Bearers...

  Let me know what you think below and, as always, Happy Hobbying!