http://urbanfuture.blog.co.uk/

Snow for Bases

2007-12-07T01:01:56+01:00

5 parts Baking Powder
5 parts Woodland Scenics Water Effects
5 parts Water
0.5 part white paint

Recorded to ensure continuity

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Webbing for Street Gang

2007-07-05T00:45:58+02:00

Recorded to ensure future additions to the gang colour match:

Brown Leather

1) Under coat Black
2) GW Desert Yellow
3) GW Brown Ink

Green Webbing

1) Under coat Black
2) GW Catachan Green
3) Drybrush 25% GW Green Camo/25% GW Catachan Green/25% Vallejo Grey Green/25% GW Kommando Khaki

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Camouflage Patterns for Street Gang

2007-07-01T00:32:50+02:00

Recorded to ensure future additions to the gang colour match:

Snow Camo:

1. Black undercoat
2. Vallejo Grey Green base coat
3. Black detail
4. White detail

Green Camo:

1. Black undercoat
2. GW Camo Green base coat
3. GW Dark Flesh spots
4. GW Catchan Green spots
5. GW Desert Yellow Larger Spots

Cheers, Craig

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Denims for Street Gang

2007-06-28T00:26:34+02:00

Recorded to ensure future additions to the gang colour match:

1. Black Undercoat
2. GW Regal Blue
3. 50% GW Enchanted Blue, 50% GW Shadow Grey drybrush
4. GW Shadow Grey drybrush

Cheers, Craig

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Flesh Tones for Street Gang

2007-06-26T00:31:09+02:00

I ve just started painting my latest street gang which consist of a mixture of Em-4 miniatures, some copplestones and some TAG. I always struggle with flesh tones, but have played around and got a fairly good result with this combination:

1. Black undercoat
2. Vallejo Basic skin tone
3. Wash 20% Vermin Brown, 20% Bronzed flesh, 20% Basic skin tone, 40% water
4. Highlight Vallejo Light skin
5. Wash 20% Kommano Khaki, 20% Graveyard Earth, 10% Scorched Brown, 50% Water.

Pics to follow shortly.

Cheers, Craig

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Its been a long time.....

2007-05-31T20:16:58+02:00

It's been a hugely long time since the last update due to work and family commitments, but the good news is that my OU Degree finishes for the summer in 2 weeks, and I have got loads of updates to post. I ve written a complete add on for Combat Zone which covers rules for Squats (Scifi Dwarves) in near a future settings (I was getting fed up with waiting for GW to resurrect them!), the 1st part of the squat biker gang is finished (complete with some conversions and some very sexy Bob Ollley Scrunts) and Ive got a ton of new buildings and scenery I'm working on which will be ready to show you soon. I'm also about to embark on a couple of new sculpts/conversions; a squat dog handler and a Squat Druid.

So for a taster, heres a low res pic of some of the Squat biker gang, ready for action.....in scenery shots to follow in about a fortnight.

Cheers, Craig

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Another Conversion for the Squat Street Gang

2007-03-02T23:15:24+01:00

Click for closeups.....

I wanted to have a Radio Op to accompany my squat street gang so I created one from bits and greenstuff. It's mainly an an old GW model with a different GW arm (left) from my bitz box and a new one modelled (right) from greenstuff. The phone shaped handet is also a greenstuff creation made from 2 small balls that have been slightly squashed. The radio pack is a connector ripped from an old pc with a curly lead between pack and handset being made from thin wire. The aerial is also wire and the SMG on his left side is from Hasselfree miniatures, attached with a piece of wire over his shoulder to represent a sling.

Another one to be painted in leather and denim!!

Cheers, Craig

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UrbanFuture Model Shop

2007-02-09T00:15:46+01:00

I ve been selling these on Ebay for a little while along with a few other models, miniatures & accesories suitable for conversions such as weapons and heads. The new UrbanFuture website is imminent and will include "a proper shop" selling all manner of modelling bits and miniature accesories, in the meantime you can contact me by emailing craig@urban-future.co.uk

Cheers, Craig

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Greenleaf Chemicals Ruined Offices Finished

2007-02-05T00:18:27+01:00

Click for closeups....

Finally the Greenleaf Chemicals ruined offies are finished!!! I set out to build a very distressed building using some new techniques such as weathering using washes and pastels and I'm very pleased with the results. I think the best bits are the rusted girders, made from snapped plastic cutlery handles and a rusted paint finish using layers of black, boltgun, red and orange.

The unpainted shell can be seen here: http://urbanfuture.blog.co.uk/2007/01/01/work_in_progress_of_new_ruin~1500840

Next up work starts on the garage and oil tank shown below...

Cheers, Craig

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Map & Mission V1.2....

2007-02-04T22:12:02+01:00

My Map & Mission generator were so good I'm throwing it all away and starting again!!

All joking aside I am re-building the map and mission generator from scratch as I've learnt a lot of VBA programming over the last couple of months which means I can now make a really interactive mission generator and some nice maps with different graphics dependent on the environment you are fighting in.

Expect it to take a few weeks but it is comming....

Cheers, Craig

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New Models started...'The Tank' and 'The Garage'

2007-01-29T00:46:01+01:00

Click for closeup....

As the Greenleaf Offices project are comming to an end I thought I would start on the gas tank and garage I have been planning for a little while. The garage is a large corner piece of polystyrene I found augmented with some foamcore and corrugated card to make the offices and shutters, and the tank is an odd mixture of a sweetie tube from Xmas a lid from a shaving foam can and a childs fire hydrant from a defunct firemans kit!

My plans are to go with a dirty white and rust look for the tank and grimy concrete for the garage walls. More of this to come in due course....

Cheers, Craig

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Squat gang on foot starts to mass.....

2007-01-20T21:08:14+01:00

Ollies Armies do some great sculpts (Bob Olley is the man who sculpted many of the early GW squats), and these Texan "Scrunts" are no exception (see the whole range at http://www.olleysarmies.co.uk ). These guys along with some recent ebay purchases of Bob's earlier works will make the bulk of my squat street gang. Added a Hasslefree Axe to one as I have some specific axe rules for Squats that I play in Combat Zone. Bases have been augmented by milliput which has had a texture applied ready for painting.

Cheers, Craig

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Bikers converted and ready for painting

2007-01-20T18:58:43+01:00

Click for closeup.....

Well both bikers are finished and ready for sending to http://www.paintedfigs.com for their denim and leather look. Biker 2 was finished by sculpting a new hand from greenstuff and adding a cut down Hasslefree Miniatures Power Axe (great weapons packs for conversions by the way go to http://www.hasslefreeminiatures.co.uk ). As you saw previously new hair had already been added. Biker one was a simple arm build and a pistol made from some thin copper tubing and greenstuff.

Comments very welcome...

Cheers, Craig

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Ruined Offices of Greenleaf Chemicals PLC.....Nearly Finished

2007-01-18T23:56:51+01:00

Click for closeup......

Well my latest ruin, the now delapidated offices of Greenleaf Chemicals PLC, is almost finished. For the first time I tried weathering using pastels over the washes and drybrushes and it seems to have worked pretty well. Just got the washes and weathering to finish on the collapsed roof, touch up some over paints and a few small details like the rusted corrugated metal and some pipework.

If you've got a new model you've built or painted that you would like to have on the blog, send it in and we will add a readers gallery and feature your work.

Cheers, Craig

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Biker 2 Hair Extensions!!

2007-01-15T19:22:13+01:00

Click for closeup.....

Started on the 2nd biker conversion by adding some locks (he was bald previously).....I ask you a greasy biker without long hair !!! I think I'm going to arm this one with a power axe so he can chop at people as he drives into the troops on his hog :-)

Cheers, Craig

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Work in Progress of New Ruin

2007-01-01T13:57:51+01:00

Click for closeup.....

This is going to be a bugger to paint but should look good once finished. Scratchbuilt from foamcore, balsawood, matches, cardboard, plastic cutlery (I kid you not, the handles make great girders), straws, and a broken pen.

Will post more WIP pics once I get cracking. Next step is adding some gravel and grit before some grey base coats on the rubble.

Cheers, Craig

PS Happy New Year!!

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Useful Tutorial on Mold Making

2006-12-31T02:42:02+01:00

http://www.tabletopterrain.com/archives/2006/08/26/656/

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A bit of left over greenstuff......

2006-12-30T22:14:00+01:00

Click for closeup....

I ve been thinking about a few tiny but very nasty worms to inhabit the sewers of the Urban Future city and the other night whilst working on the squat sniper I had some greenstuff left over and started to fiddle about. These are dead easy to make and with the additon of a few fangs might well become the basic worm of our nightmares.

Cheers Craig

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Look what I just got on Ebay to match my Squats

2006-12-30T03:16:30+01:00

Click for closeup.....

Shown without arms (will be inlcuded) these Bob Olley old GW squats are perfect to compliment the militia I am putting together. I reckon these guys may end up going to Sri Lanka wih the troopers for a pro-paint job.....it would be a shame for me to cock them up!

Cheers, Craig

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1st Squat Sculpt Painted and Finished

2006-12-29T18:27:32+01:00

Click for closeup.....

As usual it's taken a few weeks but I have finally finished painting and basing "Morben" my 1st ever attempt at a green sculpt (pics above). The next green, a Squat Sniper is already on it's way, however I have learnt a few lessons from this first effort, & I am hoping to loose the chubby arms and overly thick clothes by using greenstuff rather than milliput ......will post wen finished.

Cheers, Craig

Comments

Paints on Corporate troops for record

2006-12-29T00:45:34+01:00

Click for closeup.....

I am about to send 16 of these Future Wars Troopers off to PaintedFigs in Sri Lanka for a pro-paint job, knocked the one shown above out as a reference for them so the colours are right.

Flesh - Vallejo basic skin tone, Bronzed Flesh Wash, Vallejo Light Flesh Highlights.

Boots - Chaos Black, 50% Chaos Black 50% Codex Grey Highlights

Trousers - Graveyard Earth, Scorched Brown Wash,50% Graveyard Earth 50% Kommando Khaki Highlights.

Shirts - Shadow Grey, Regal Blue & Chaos Black Wash, 50% Space Wolves 50% Shadow Grey Highlights

Armour & Helmet - Chaos Black, 50% Chaos Black 50% Codex Grey Highlights

Weapons - Chaos Black, light drybrush Boltgun Metal, wooden grips/stock Scorched Brown

Comp Term - Codex Grey, Chaos Black Wash, Fortress Grey Highlights.

Comments

Painting tip #1

2006-12-05T00:45:37+01:00

Sometimes it can be tricky to know what new colour scheme to give your latest troops or gangs, to make them distinctive but not garish.

Make a simple outline of a man in your preffered paint package, and then you can try different combinations of paint without all the hassle of painting your minis. As you can see above, I wasnt sure whether to go with GW Shadow Grey or Scab Red for my new troops tunics. Having tried out both I think the Shadow Grey is more suited to an Urban environment and will be using that. This is a very simple outline but you can, given time, include webbing, overlayed clothes and other detail.

Cheers, Craig.

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New modelling tutorial comming

2006-12-04T22:51:20+01:00

I ve just finished knocking up this sandbag position, made from a little milliput some corrugated card and an old blister pack from some miniatures. A full tutorial will follow, but I am sure you get the basics from looking at the pic. To be painted when milliput has cured.

Cheers, Craig

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Quick and Easy Camo

2006-12-01T22:14:35+01:00

I thought I would add this quick tutorial regarding painting generic camo. Its a simple 4 step process; I use this on many models and it works fine.

Step 1. Base coat in Black, then cover with Vallejo English uniform.

Step 2. Next cover with blotches of GW Kommando Khaki

Step 3. Mainly in the blotches of Kommando Khaki now add blotches of GW Green Camo, with a few areas overlapping into the English Uniform

Step 4. Finally add blotches of GW Catachan Green, this should be the dominant colour of the scheme, but leave some of the other colours showing

The finished camo design can be seen on the newly sculpted "Morben" by clicking on this link:

http://urbanfuture.blog.co.uk/2006/12/29/1stt_squat_sculpt_painted_and_finished~1491453

Cheers, Craig

Comments

Finished 1st Sculpt: "Morben"

2006-11-29T22:51:40+01:00

As you can see the 1st green is finished, and I ve settled upon the name "Morben"; a name which I found using an online Dwarven name generator http://grey-starr.ca/Tools/random-male-dwarf-name.htm . The final stages of the sculpt were simply removing from the old base, adding a pair of boots, a new base and a few creases scratched into the surface of the clothes to try and give it a little more lived in look. The creases are very white and obvious at the momment but once painted they'll look fine.

Well for a first sculpt I'm pretty pleased with the results considering it taken just 10 days or so, including a couple of days away due to work. I'm certainly going to have a crack at a few more sculpts (particulalrly the squats) as it allows you to get exactly what you want in terms of character and pose. It's really no more tricky than doing a good paint job, it just takes plenty of patience.

In hindsight the arms a probably a little long and a little too rounded, and the jacket a bit bulky....but hey for a first sculpt Im happy

Things I've learnt in the process:

1) Milliput is a bitch for detail, going to try proper greenstuff next time.

2) Walk away when you're eyes are tired, you'll make mistake.

3) Make the weapon and then add it to the model (I made the axe handle stuck it on and then tried to add the axe head ....duh!!)

4) Use plenty of water to smooth the milliput, use an old small paintbrush loaded with water and go round and round in circles to smooth the clay.

5) Read plenty on the web first, and make photos/drawings of the pose you want before starting. Invest in a small manaquin if need be (12" manequin is just £5.00 at Hobbycarft at the mo).

6) Dont give up, what can seem like a lost cause one minute can quickly change for the better.....the opposite is also true so keep your chin up!)

7) Join the Yahoo sculpting group and search the archives, there's plenty of info on how to do all sorts of detail such as faces and creased clothing.

8) Spend £8.00 and buy a couple of rubber tipped shapers from a craft shop. I started last week with a really nasty plastic scraper and it was too stiff for most things.

9) Take photographs and make notes as you go through the process they make a great reference for the next sculpt.

10) Make several minis at once, I just made one and there is loads of down time whilst you wait for the green to harden...I've since seen a website suggesting you work on 3 minis at once so you can work on one whilst 2 are hardening.

Paint job to follow shortly....and the next member of the Squat Squad....Tungren the Sniper.

Cheer, Craig

Comments

Pistol

2006-11-28T20:45:30+01:00

Made a very simple pistol from milliput, left it to dry overnight and then scratched away to form a suitable shape. Stuck on with a little blob of milliput, and then when cured, formed a hand around the grip with a thumb to one side....very tricky, but looks OK.

As you can see the bottom of the trousers and boots need a complete re-model.....then ther's just a few minor details and the all important paint job. I'm thinking red hoodie, woodland Camo jacket, green trousers and brown leather bags and belt.

Cheers, Craig

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Next Mini....a Squat Sniper

2006-11-28T19:51:14+01:00

As my first miniature is comming to a close I ve started to think about my next civilian squat and I am going to try a prone sniper.

One thing I found with my first mini was getting the pose right was very difficult despite taking photos and making plenty of sketches. To help I managed to buy a very cheap 12" posable anatomical figure from Hobbycraft yesterday (£5 )and have started to play with different poses based on photos I ve found on the web. Im already finding it much easier to envisage the final sculpt.

My intention is to go for a well camouflaged individual with a cloak and hood covering much of his back, so sculpting detail should be limited to his arms and hands and upper torso. Again his head will probably come from one of my many 28mm heads I had sculpted earlier this year, as will his snipers rifle which I had cast in the early summer.

Cheers, Craig

Comments

Weapons for the wee man

2006-11-27T22:56:01+01:00

A slight change of heart. Despite my intention to have him holding a pistol aloft, I thought I would go with something a little different, a 2 piece shoulder launched rocket on his back and an axe in his hand. I'm guessing it's one of those things that once you start making minis they take on a life of their own and you get a feel for what would look right. Perhaps I was worried he would just look like Father Christmas with a Beretta?

Anyway, a 1/16 x 0.14 brass tube makes the axe handle, and a couple of chopped up old weapons make the 2 piece rocket launcher strapped to his back. I had to remove one of the pouches but that seemed a small price to pay. The axe head is on but needs a litle sharpening and curving around the edges.

The right arm looks a bit chubby in the photo, but in real life it seems OK. Some jacket detail, maybe a holster, and a re-modelled base and boots and were done :-) Can't wait to paint him and get him on the table.

No doubt more tommrow, Cheers, Craig

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Coat , beard and baggage started

2006-11-27T02:10:45+01:00

After a few days away I'm back to the squat civilian, and I've started his coat and baggage. I gave him a little bit of a chubby belly as he ws looking a little svelt for a dwarf and then slowly worked a smooth coat on to him which will be detailed later by adding pockets and etching out detail. A simple thin sausage flatted out for a belt and a couple of bags added to the back for detail. Finally I added a beard...which makes him look a bit Santa Clausy . This was about another 2 hours work to get from the last pics to this stage.

Cheers, Craig

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Near Future Weapons Pack

2006-11-24T14:03:37+01:00

Earlier in the year I got a modern weapons pack and a couple of Argentine Commandos cast for use with my Falklands games. The weapons are good for converting existing dull models into unique ones. I ve sold a few sets to other gamers via ebay and the like, and they seem to have been pretty popular.

As a result I'm going to dip my toe into the SciFi arena in a very small way and I'm planning the release of a near future weapons pack for post Christmas. All will be 28mm (same size as Warhammer 40K, Copplestone, EM4 Etc). At present each pack will include:

2 x Bull Pup Blaster with Thermal Imaging Scope
2 x Heavy Pistol
1 x Sniper Rifle
1 x Near Future Battle Axe
2 x Thermal Imaging Binoculars
2 x Demolition Charges

As you can see there is a leaning towards night ops and despite modern technology the Axe is still deadly in a confined space (anyone for tunnels and sewers rules Combat Zone?)

The first bit of artwork is shown above (helps having a wife who works in graphic design who can transform my scrawls into proper images!)

All comments, suggestion for other inclusions very welcome,

Cheers, Craig

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