Electrifying Powerfists

[@willynebula6193]

Now that you have that drill Sargon, you have no excuses. You know those storm bolters need the finishing touch.

[@joelkurowski9276]

Carl doesn't drill his barrels? Holy Saint Duncan, pray for that sinner.

[@sevenproxies4255]

When drilling into steel, I always use a center punch at work. This stops the drill from slipping across the surface as you go. For a plastic miniature, I'd heat up some wire of the right size and just melt a little dimple into the plastic and use the drill in that dimple. I'm sure it will help preventing the drill from slipping.

[@friendlyfire1264]

This is like blue peter for adults.

[@Inquisitor_Vex]

“Here’s one I made earlier…”

[@yourdogsnews]

That “drill” you have is called a Pin Vice.

[@rustydowd879]

The key to doing "object source lighting" (like the light of the electrical arcs reflecting off the armor) is that ALL the "light sources" affecting your model have to be coherent and make sense. If you have a model with vivid colors, strong contrasts, and edge highlights, all that gives the impression that the character is in sunlight or some equivalent brightly lit environment. If you've ever sparked a lighter or a match outdoors on a sunny day, you will know that the flame (nevermind its refected light) are nearly invisible in strong light. So if you want to paint energy reflecting light off the surfaces of your model, it's best to dial down the brightness and colors, skew the colors blue, etc. of the entire model to give the impression it is in a dimly lit environment where those lesser, reflected lights would pop and be more vivid and visible in real life. The way you played down that refection from the electricity and kept it close to the sources is correct for the overall "lighting" you have at work on that model 👍

[@ge2719]

I think this lightning bolt effect would look even better to use a multi core wire, then have it splay out at different points like a real electrical bolt would do. Rather than one solid arc.

[@GreatWolf1987]

Carl, grab some Tamiya extra thin cement. It is exactly what you need for this. Before you have put any paint on the model (including primer), drill the hole and prepare your wire. When you are ready to place the wire, first put a drop of the Tamiya into the hole, and press the wire into it. The cement actually melts the plastic a little and when dry should seal the wire into the plastic. I use a process like this for wire, ball bearings, chain, etc. Tamiya is an excellent product that makes kitbashing/converting much easier.

[@0KT0BER]

Or his missus' nail polish remover (acetone).

[@xMagnason]

Dark Angel terminators are in the 1st company aka the Deathwing (veterans), they are bone white due to their rememberance to a squad of terminators and not the DA green btw.

[@davidwilliams5248]

Turn the drill backwards to get it started, it's less prone to skating around when you do that. Once you have a bit of a dimple, you can then turn the drill the right way and Bob's your uncle.

[@joelkurowski9276]

Huh. I usually use a pin or needle to impress a mark, I never thought of turning the drill backward. One less tool needed!

[@ge2719]

Also, don't try to pull it back out once you've gone as deep as you want, you have to unscrew it to get it back out. Otherwise you risk snapping the thin bits.

[@maph12]

You can put on a layer of matte varnish if you've already painted. This will allow you to hold the model by the painted bits without risking rubbing paint off.

[@maph12]

Also, if you could find a way to do it, having a fork off the bolts every now and then will also help sell the illusion. I feel like it'd work easier here than on the Noise Marine, but the Noise Marine really looks like he kind of needs it to really sell the effect. If the lightning is connected to the model on both ends, like you've done here, you could try drilling an extra hole for the "fork", shaping the wire so that one end fits into the hole, then the other end connects with one of the bolts you've already got, then try adhering the loose end to the main bolt with green stuff/super glue. I suppose you could try a similar method with the loose ended bolts, like on the Noise marine, but that seems considerably less stable, and much more prone to having the fork fall off.

[@ChimpOnComputer]

This looks so sick man, definitely going to add crazy electric effects on a ton of stuff now.

[@theodoreganymede2095]

You can always practice on the plastic remains of the kit.

[@ge2719]

Yep. And then you can make some bullet hole riddled concrete pillars with rebar sticking out, for adding to bases.

[@andrewoak4126]

God damn, Carl, I know it may look simple, but that looks so impressive. Great job 👏

[@Jakvin013]

When drilling, I usually make a mark with a needle first to avoid slipping.

[@greensun5998]

Don't get pliers get tweezers.

[@rustydowd879]

Your painting has improved so much! Your colors and edge highlights are smokin'!

[@richardbradley2335]

That Noise Marine is stunning.

[@Gokkee]

6/10

[@richardbradley2335]

@@Gokkee Arrrrh !

[@Toxic_0_]

Looks good, Carl. These are the kind of unique finishes that help your models stand out on the table

[@NixxNikoli]

You're a seriously good painter now Carl

[@richardbradley2335]

Also i love your rainbow thumb !...showing your support eh !

[@loltwest9423]

Carl Benjamen, you are an inspiration. Not only would I have never thought of this but the application of this is near universal. I am definitely going to be giving this a try on some models.

[@ephraimwinslow]

The effect would be even better if you painted a matching lightning texture over the electrified surfaces. Almost like an underwater effect (if you get my meaning).

[@user-qn6bw8dk4o]

I wish I had the patience for modeling. I love 40K lore.

[@type2moo]

I have just put together some terminators over new years and I am definitely stealing this, absolutely stunning!

[@armedbrit493]

The bone helemts were the correct call.

[@corellianchris]

Love how you use your thumb for painting, I did the same thing back when I was painting my mini's :D

[@patient_6925]

I drill barrel holes into my necron weapons and used magnets to make it easier to swap out weapons

[@davenorth1265]

Good chap. Drilling is one of those things that gets easier with time. Be it a power fist or a 1200 year old church. Trust me. May be easier to drill the small parts while they are in the sprue. Can lay it on a folded up teatowel

[@Vampyre000]

Great tutor! I’m saving this video and trying this out next time!! Now where did I put those nightlords???

[@VallornDeathblade]

This technique will look amazing on Night Lords since they are supposed to have little flickers of lingtning playing over them.

[@manatoa1]

I recommend using hemostats for handling wire like that. The tips are fine and you can lock the jaws.

[@MrBongie]

Hey, you could try to make it again when the new Noise Marines drop. Hand drill might be more precise since you get the feel how much force you use, but if you got good mounting point of the mini, be it painting handle or some sort of vice you can use power tools.

[@baconsword6069]

This looks amazing, but I would have added the wires in before I painted the mini.

[@kdolo1887]

The lightning effect is much better when connected than wtih the two separate arcs, but well done

[@arnawawidagda7860]

Hmm, maybe have the model packed into a container with playdoh or non oily playing clay would work better? Also, would be even sicker if somebody look into using those fibre lights.

[@Cassandra112]

awesome! some thoughts on techniques. normally for this kind of work.. you'd mount one or the other. a vice to hold the model. or mount the drill, and manually hold the the thing you are pressing into the drill. (electric drill in this case. cant hand crank a drill if its mounted..) vice for the model of course would need to be rubber coated, so as to not damage the model. tweezers can be a mini pliers. (do you call them that in the uk?) scratching the paint. do you not normally coat the paint?

[@tylerfitts8194]

Get a couple pairs of forceps (tiny locking pliers used for surgery) to do the bending, if fingering it proves too difficult. That will be just the thing for such a small operation.

[@scratchbuilt9037]

Solid 6/10. Very nice.

[@MalcadorTheSigilite]

Which chapter is that?

[@ThePonderingoftheorb]

Idk some kind of Dark Angels successor I guess, since nobody accepts them as Dark Angels!

[@MalcadorTheSigilite]

Yeah was a little bit worried as they're usually depicted as bone white. That said your minis your rules. Nicely painted

[@patjreed2]

They look fantastic.

[@bertbargo7162]

Will you paint any battletech minis?

[@Dadsidehobbies]

Next it will be LEDs 😅 Props for not getting them commission painted though. Respect for any dad with time to paint... And play?

[@chrisbingley]

He plays against his son, and uploads photos of the games to Instagram.

[@Dadsidehobbies]

@chrisbingley peak living

[@chrisbingley]

@@Dadsidehobbies Not quite. His son isn't old enough to drink beer. It's not a real game of 40K without beer and pizza. Only a matter of time though.

[@Glenwald]

Great idea

[@two_tier_gary_rumain]

Drill, baby, drill!

[@honieebean]

Wow 😍 love it!

[@MiszAgrippa]

C'mon man, you can't shame us to practice more like this!

[@warsmithkorath5882]

Is that the new terminators or the easy build ones from leviathan ?

[@markdorn8873]

Beautiful work! I'd take a stab at OSL to finish the piece, but, maybe not for this squad as you're trying to complete it, and it would look funny if you did one but not the rest.

[@qwertyrobbo101]

DA Terminators in Green ... 1/10 Carl

[@ShortbusMooner]

Wicked cool.. 😎👍

[@lukecooper6971]

contrast seems to be the key

[@rustydowd879]

There's a perceptual illusion that the farther an image is away from the human eye, the more the contrast increases. So by painting minis with exaggerated contrasts, it tricks the brain into thinking it's not tiny, but just far away, achieving an illusion that makes it feel more real.

[@Defixio.]

Beautiful

[@nickvanachthoven7252]

eewl green dark angel terminators, its just wrong. where are your bone white deathwing terminators? i do however see proper brush testing on your thumb.

[@The_Sisyphean]

Cool. 😎