Tesla Bots
So this was a completely unnecessary project.
A week or two ago I was going through my digital model library and I saw these modular robots that have been there since June last year. I know we don't technically need them for Nuka World, already having painted Necrons, but I'm happy to move away from GW models and the associations that go with them, and in this case something closer to modern robots than pure fiction. So this project was an exercise in new techniques, and mostly, speed.
I haven't printed any of the models I have from this company before, though I have models that I intend to use for Raiders, Vets, and ACTers. So I wanted to get an idea for the scale, quality of the prints, and a feel for using their modular kits.
Basic Tesla Bots
These basic robots were a random mix of the available components, and five different torsos, legs and arms. I decided on all basic bots having an identical head, and I picked the best one not used by the other two types of bots. I don't like the goat-leg style legs, but there weren't other options.
These painted up very well, black prime, silver drybrush, red armour plates, green "eyes". I left the rifles 'til last as I couldn't think of a colour, and eventually settled on a green wash with bone drybrush. Not the usual way for shading silver, but worked a treat. I'm particularly happy with my freehand Tesla logos on each shoulder, not perfect, but certainly my best freehand to date.
The Sentinel
Not remotely like the Necron leader, but the "boss" creature in the robot set, so I couldn't see why not. I picked the most armoured head. To be honest I don't like the melee arm, the buzz-saw was the best of a very bad lot.
This painted up as well as the bots (did all eight models together in complete colour batches), the freehand Tesla logo on the chest is the best of the entire lot, and I added chipping to the red armour plates. As with the bots the drybrushed silver was tainted in different places with blues and browns.
I'm particularly happy with the base for this piece. 50mm round I designed it to hold three small magnets on the underside, printed in resin. The crackle paste worked a dream, baking soda and superglue for the dirt. The wire fence is an icon of rural Australia so I wanted a go at recreating it and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. An actual stick from the garden carved into the post and the wire is florist's wire, the barbed wire top strand is made from the same wire, there's quite a few YouTube tutorials that give a good effect.
Scouts
So the Tesla Bots faction needs Scout models, and there was nothing like that in the set. Eventually I had the idea of pre-building the multipart spider in a 3D rendering program, shrinking the scale to fit on a regular base and printing it as one piece. I wasn't sure if it would be able to print at such a reduced size, but it actually worked extremely well. I picked the most cctv-camera style head to hint at the scout function, and used basic claw arms for a total of two different poses. I'm a little bit bothered that apart from the heads they look mirrored, it was a lot of work that could have got the same effect with a mirror command. That these printed at all is an amazing testament to the detail resin prints are capable of.
I'm extremely pleased at the end result of this "gang". There's still room for improvement but great strides have been made in technique and style. The bases are a step forward from the Apo gang, but still not quite where I want them. The various heights and colours of the tufts are going well to looking rural Australia.
One of the main tests of this set was the use of the silver paint, a non-citadel brand, and I think I'm getting the hang of it.
All I have left now is to matt varnish the models, which I am slightly apprehensive of as to how it will effect the silver, but we must find these things out.
As a last note, I am quite happy with the advances in my photography too. I've a tripod and backdrop in addition to the turntable. Lighting is still a challenge, as is scenery.
A week or two ago I was going through my digital model library and I saw these modular robots that have been there since June last year. I know we don't technically need them for Nuka World, already having painted Necrons, but I'm happy to move away from GW models and the associations that go with them, and in this case something closer to modern robots than pure fiction. So this project was an exercise in new techniques, and mostly, speed.
I haven't printed any of the models I have from this company before, though I have models that I intend to use for Raiders, Vets, and ACTers. So I wanted to get an idea for the scale, quality of the prints, and a feel for using their modular kits.
Basic Tesla Bots
These basic robots were a random mix of the available components, and five different torsos, legs and arms. I decided on all basic bots having an identical head, and I picked the best one not used by the other two types of bots. I don't like the goat-leg style legs, but there weren't other options.
These painted up very well, black prime, silver drybrush, red armour plates, green "eyes". I left the rifles 'til last as I couldn't think of a colour, and eventually settled on a green wash with bone drybrush. Not the usual way for shading silver, but worked a treat. I'm particularly happy with my freehand Tesla logos on each shoulder, not perfect, but certainly my best freehand to date.
The Sentinel
Not remotely like the Necron leader, but the "boss" creature in the robot set, so I couldn't see why not. I picked the most armoured head. To be honest I don't like the melee arm, the buzz-saw was the best of a very bad lot.
This painted up as well as the bots (did all eight models together in complete colour batches), the freehand Tesla logo on the chest is the best of the entire lot, and I added chipping to the red armour plates. As with the bots the drybrushed silver was tainted in different places with blues and browns.
I'm particularly happy with the base for this piece. 50mm round I designed it to hold three small magnets on the underside, printed in resin. The crackle paste worked a dream, baking soda and superglue for the dirt. The wire fence is an icon of rural Australia so I wanted a go at recreating it and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. An actual stick from the garden carved into the post and the wire is florist's wire, the barbed wire top strand is made from the same wire, there's quite a few YouTube tutorials that give a good effect.
Scouts
So the Tesla Bots faction needs Scout models, and there was nothing like that in the set. Eventually I had the idea of pre-building the multipart spider in a 3D rendering program, shrinking the scale to fit on a regular base and printing it as one piece. I wasn't sure if it would be able to print at such a reduced size, but it actually worked extremely well. I picked the most cctv-camera style head to hint at the scout function, and used basic claw arms for a total of two different poses. I'm a little bit bothered that apart from the heads they look mirrored, it was a lot of work that could have got the same effect with a mirror command. That these printed at all is an amazing testament to the detail resin prints are capable of.
I'm extremely pleased at the end result of this "gang". There's still room for improvement but great strides have been made in technique and style. The bases are a step forward from the Apo gang, but still not quite where I want them. The various heights and colours of the tufts are going well to looking rural Australia.
One of the main tests of this set was the use of the silver paint, a non-citadel brand, and I think I'm getting the hang of it.
All I have left now is to matt varnish the models, which I am slightly apprehensive of as to how it will effect the silver, but we must find these things out.
As a last note, I am quite happy with the advances in my photography too. I've a tripod and backdrop in addition to the turntable. Lighting is still a challenge, as is scenery.
