I want to share some thoughts about my Explorator Warband in this seperate post.

First of all: it was so much fun creating this warband. It was probably the most fun project I made during my hobby life. But it was also frustrating, rewarding, exhausting and challenging. Just like how a hobby project should be, right?!

When I built Calio Yuss, the Magos you see in the picture above (lower row, middle) I knew I wanted to build an Adeptus Mechanicus warband. Even before I finished the Inquisitor warband. I already started painting the Magos but I was completely unhappy. He had black armour and it didn’t look good at all. So I was frustrated and startet with the Inquisitor warband instead. Sometimes I need to put projects on hold to gain some distance. The right colour/conversion/whatever-idea will strike naturally when the time is right. Then I go back to a project and when it flows I usually don’t stop until it’s finished.

I am a perfectionist. So it’s pretty rare that I’m satisfied with my own work. Especially in the early phase of a project I often think this will never ever look good. Interestingly other artists describing the same. There is this phase and then at some point things start to look okay, then working on it some more and it starts to look actually good. So many times during this project I had these phases. Especially with the units I heavily converted. You have only the picture in your head, no instructions, no artwork. Just the imagination and the bits you have to put in the right place to bring your vision to life.

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I’m always curious of trying new stuff. So I worked with oil washes for the first time. At first I wasn’t convinced but now I love them. A good oil wash can really make the difference. Still so much to learn obviously. But what I already learned: don’t rub too much when removing the wash. I had some horrible experiences with the paint underneath coming completely off to the point where I saw the grey plastic again. Maybe a varnish before applying the oils helps here.

Usually I built every model for a warband or a unit and then I start with the painting. So I did here. Except for the Lady Olynder conversion. Liliah. I wanted her to stand out a bit more. So after the other models were done I started building and painting her. I was about to paint the robe red but went for a cream white. I think it fits with the muted colour palette. But when I look at other artists work I love how everything is dark and dull and then there is like one candy red armour inbetween for example. Oh well, one day I might be brave enough to add a miniature to a group that really pops out. Nevertheless I’m happy with the result and that is what it’s -at least for me- all about. Being happy with your own work and have fun while creating little wonders.

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I hope this was a good read with some slightly interesting insights of creating this project.

Cheers, Philipp