The Consequences of Multitasking and Some Weathering Tutorials

Sometimes during the painting process, you're so swept up in your progress that you lose track of what you're doing.  When that happens, stuff like this often happens:

My right had was reaching for my next paint, and my left was trying to close the last pot of paint one handed.  Suddenly, the bottle under my left hand slipped and spilled some paint over my workstation, and my hand came crashing down on the plastic model I was painting.  Both legs snapped just above the ankles, the staff snapped off the base (I had glued it down to give it another point of contact), and something took a bite out of my ring finger.

Sigh.

Well, the model is now in intensive care, and we'll see how the repairs go.  My finger is fine... there's nothing toxic or germ infested on a typical painting station, is there?  And only a small amount of paint spattered around my work area.  Serves me right for rushing things... this isn't the first time I've had one of those lids slip while one-handing it, but I've never hurt myself and my models doing it before.  I still prefer them to droppers most of the time though.

I'll be back with the continuation of the GottaCon coverage soon, and I'm thinking of throwing up a review of my new Optivisor (lots of pros and cons with this thing).  If you want to see anything else on the blog, please don't hesitate to ask!

Also, check out this neat blog entry from AK Interactive (makers of some interesting weathering products).  Ever wonder what a heavily weathered Warhammer 40,000 Dark Eldar flyer would look like when done by a military modeller?

http://ak-interactive.blogspot.ca/2013/02/the-magic-is-inside-bottle.html

That reminds me, they did an article earlier on a Flames of War tank.  Amazing job for such a teeny tiny model:

http://ak-interactive.blogspot.ca/2012/09/a-small-project_21.html
http://ak-interactive.blogspot.ca/2012/09/a-very-small-project-part-ii.html
http://ak-interactive.blogspot.ca/2012/10/a-very-small-project-part-iii.html

Looks like the military modelling community is really starting to take notice of the hardcore gamers.  They have a few tricks to teach us, although in this case I'm sure it's not entirely altruistic in nature (tap a brand new market and make more money?  I'm sure they know what they're doing).  Just so you guys know, you don't have to use any specific brand of dedicated modelling washes and weathering products... Monsieur Fontaine has some excellent tutorials on how to accomplish much the same effects with more mundane materials:

http://www.akaranseth.com/category/blog/tutorials

Although if you want to support a really cool miniature modelling supplies company, check out these tutorials on using Secret Weapon Miniatures products:

http://www.secretweaponminiatures.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=3&zenid=bb3a0bdb01b8585dd5e9fb9b3ab0e03c

Anyway, I hope you're inspired a bit by the above.  Anything to get your creative juices flowing and get your brushes flying.  Just remember to close your paints with both hands before moving on to your next one...