Skaven warplock jezzails, Throt the Unclean, Grey Seer and friends finished

Currently there's no great plan when it comes to my painting. I've been picking up random models on my paint station and applying some pigment to them as whim takes me. This results in quite an nice random mix of finished models. Like the clanrats (actually Skaven slaves), warplock jezzails, Throt the Unclean and Grey Seer I finished over the pas few weekends (not to mention Nagash, but that's for a different post). 

Ah the bad old days when clanrats where available in dirt cheap plastic and Skaven Slaves where only available as (expensive) cast metal. 

I have a lot of older Skaven models and most of them where painted between ages 16 and 19. I'm not quite as happy with the paint jobs on them as I was back then. But simply stripping the paint off everything does not feel right. Its fun to be able to pick up older models and see progress. I was rather happy therefore, when I managed to pick up a small lot of classic Skaven a while back. These four Clanrats (originally Skaven slaves) will make nice additions to my horde. I have about 160 plastic Clanrats painted and now (with these four added) there are around 9 metal ones to lead the charge. Maybe one day I'll manage to make a full unit of 40...who knows. 

Throt the Unclean and a friendly new Gey Seer join my horde.

Second in the lot I found a classic Grey Seer and the first iteration of Throt the Unclean. Quite nice finds as I actually own both models with old paint jobs. The Grey Seer gave me a bit of worry when I stripped the previous owner's paint off as the metal underneath was black to dark grey. After priming it turned out to just be discoloration, no detail was lost. If I recall correctly these may well have been cast around the time GW switched from classic pewter to white metal which explains why some models are bright silver and others dull grey (I confess, I an absolute nitwit when it comes to chemistry).

I really enjoy posting these 'my progress over the years' pics (and I'm quite cognizant of the fact I'm probably the only one enjoying these ;). 

Anyway I decided to use the color scheme I picked way back when on both models. I have to add that I had a rather inexplicable love of the Metallic Paint Set back then (and that is most definitely over). I can't find any models that haven't been covered in metallic purple, green and blue (note the 'and' in that sentence). Still it was a lot of fun to sort of match the colors and watch what edge highlights, extra skill and a lot of toning down for contrast in strategic places can accomplish. I also switched out the space wolf blue for white fur. That just does not work.

Two versions of Throt. I did rebase the one on the left some time back to use him on an AoS battlefield. 

Throt the Unclean, the mutant three armed monster breeder from Clan Moulder makes a re-entry in spectacular extra color. I spent a lot of extra time working on his face. Especially the warpstone insert where his left eye should be. On the old model I painted it black as the lore back then implied (at least to me) that warpstone was black. I like the glowing green iteration better.

This is the difference between drybrushing and edge highlighting. 

A fun detail to work on was his cloak. I still can't believe how much better his new cloak looks with the edge highlights instead of the old drybrush. I also tried a glazing technique, painting the cloak in a way lighter blue color and then toning it down by a few thin layers of wash. It makes a change from my usual 'flood 'm with wash' approach. 

Another couple of models missing from my collection join the fray.

The last two models to finally be finished this weekend where these second generation warplock jezzails. I bought them last year as my traditional birthday gift of Skaven (from me to me). I remember hating these chunky models when they were released. I bought the older ones (and actually got a discount as they were being phased out (of the old days of phone ordering your models). Owning the latest and the earliest version of the venerable warplock jezzail, the completionist in me felt the gap in my collection. I fixed that. To be honest they where a lot of fun to paint. One of the nice things about older models (on average) is that they have markedly less buckles, pouches, skulls and other knick-nacks on their person. This speeds up your paint time. Having said that. These specific models where positively covered in pouches and knick-nacks, exceptions prove the rule (so to speak). 

All three generations of warplock jezzails side by side.

Let's finish off with a traditional side by side. From left to right (with a small update thanks to the Skaven Collector's Guide). An original 1989 Warplock Jezzail (Jezzalachis Team) by Jes Goodwin, the second generation (1994) Jezzail Team by Colin Dixon and the latest (2002) Jezzail by Games Workshop (sculptor unknown). I still like the original model the best. The 2nd generation is too chunky for my taste and the Skaven on the latest one are too slim. Then again the model on the left was one of the triggers for a lifelong Skaven obsession, so I may be a bit prejudiced there.