The deeper mines - painting Mounthaven

There is a timeless joy in painting fantasy dwarves, but when it came time to tackle the new Warcrow Mounthaven infantry, I knew I wanted to push past the traditional glinting steel and bright golden braids. The sculpts themselves possess a rugged, heavy-armored presence that practically begs for a darker, more subterranean story. To capture that subterranean grit, I decided to pull thematic inspiration from classic fantasy archetypes: the grim, ash-skinned Duergar and the tyrannical red-and-bronze aesthetics of Chaos Dwarves. Finding the exact balance …

Myth and Majesty of the State Empire

There is a striking, authoritarian elegance to Yu Jing’s Imperial Service that always makes them a joy to bring to the painting desk. As the judicial and security arm of the StateEmpire, their presence on the tabletop needs to feel both oppressive and deeply rooted in historical prestige. For this force, my goal was to step away from standard sci-fi tropes and lean into a scheme that recalls traditional Chinese aesthetics instead of the more militaristic presence of the Invincible Army. The foundation of the entire army rests on a terracotta color for t…

Into the Woods: Painting Endor’s Tempest Force

There is something iconic about the way the pristine white of the Imperial Stormtrooper Corps clashes against the deep greens and browns of a forest moon. For my latest project, I’ve been working through a Tempest Force themed army, and I really wanted to capture that feeling of a long-term occupation where the environment has started to leave its mark on the gear.   The standard squads were essential to the project, as they provide that visual baseline for the entire Tempest Force. To differentiate the units on the tabletop, I incorporated subtle squad…

Under the Radar: Reimagining the PanOceanian RedEye

There’s something about the standard RedEye silhouette that always felt a bit top-heavy to me. As a faction defined by its cutting-edge technology and sleek designs, I wanted my latest addition to the drone fleet to look a bit more streamlined and unique. The primary goal of this modification was to move the main sensor suite. In the stock kit, the optics sit prominently on top. By flipping the assembly to the underbelly, the drone gains a much sleeker top-down profile, making it look like it’s actually hunting its targets from the skies above. Moving …