Is 3d Printing the Hobby Messiah?

I've taken a fairly old, haphazard series from here on the blog called Deepthought and transitioned it over to video format on my YouTube Channel. This was my most recent episode, where Hydra and I had some deep thoughts about the possible impacts CAD sculpting and 3D printing are having on the hobby. It's definitely a longer one, so maybe put it on in the background while you're doing some hobbying.

And here are the other episodes that I've recorded in this series:

The Hive Mind Reacts to 10th Edition Trailer

On our most recent Creature Conference Livestream with Hive Fleet Moloch and Hydra, we reviewed the beasties that were showcased in the 10th Edition Teaser Trailer. As this was our first look at a significant number of new Tyranids in a very long time, I was super eager to see what Marco and Simon thought of them.

How are you feeling about the new nids?

Breaking down Tyranid Rumours for 10th Edition

In case you've been living under a rock, Games Workshop has been heavily teasing a massive new Tryanid release with the coming Warhammer 40k 10th Edition. I made the above video breaking down which Tyranids we may be seeing in their first CG teaser trailer.

In case you're not already following me on YouTube, I also made the following videos earlier, relating to rumours for this release, and my reaction to the very first teaser. Here they are in case you find them helpful!

HOW HYPED ARE YOU about the possibility of a proper new Tyranid wave for the first time in roughly a decade??

How To Scupt Tentacles

I've got a fresh new How To Sculpt video for you on one of my most-requested topics: sculpting tentacles!

This was actually posted a few weeks back on my YouTube, so if you're not already subscribed over there, make sure to do so and get notified about all my new videos and streams: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernSynthesist/

How to Sculpt with Nivea and Lubricants

 One of the materials that has really changed the lives of people getting into sculpting with greenstuff is a proper lubricant. If you ask me, that is nivea hand cream, and I haven't looked back since I started using it!

However, people also regularly ask me if you need to wash your models after sculpting using nivea before you prime or paint them. I got so tired of repeating that NO, YOU DO NOT NEED TO WASH YOUR MODELS that I decided to do a little experiment on video to show you how well primer sticks to cured putty that's been lubricated with different materials. Here's hoping you find this helpful!

And this video was actually posted a few months back on my YouTube, so if you're not already subscribed over there, make sure to do so and get notified about all my new videos and streams: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernSynthesist

Building a Lictor Alpha or Lictor Prime (Project Deathleaper)

 The Tyranid Lictor has been a part of my hobby DNA since I started Warhammer 40k back in 1997. In second edition, I ran four of the beasts, each equipped with voltage field biomorphs, and when the Inquis Exterminatus art book was released in 2000, I fell in love with Jes Goodwin's original sketch for the Lictor.

So much so that not only was I determined to convert one of my own to match this artwork, I even felt the need to tell Jes about my plans when I met him for the first time at a Games Day Canada in the early 2000's.

That was my first-ever Tyranid conversion, and the first time I ever tried sculpting on models. I was a bit hamstrung by my materials (greenstuff was expensive and came in small quantities, so I worked with plumbers putty :P ), but I didn't make out horribly!

But that was the last work I ever did on a Tyranid Lictor for nearly two decades! The 3rd edition pewter model failed to inspire me, and though the most recent pewter/finecast edition has grown on me, never so much that I felt the need to model one. In the back of my mind, I always thought I'd get to converting my own Tyranid Lictor one day, and when I did, I'd draw on the amazing sketches from Roberto Cirillo that came out in the interim!

Fast forward to early in 2021, when someone approached me with a commission to make not one but THREE Tyranid Lictors for them, all inspired by the unique Tyranid creature known as Deathleaper.

An Honest Review of Green Stuff World

 

I posted a new video this week in my ongoing SculpTron9000 ridiculous reel series (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyjaTOn1cvVKzrHCX9Y51ijKTcYLv0ZxB), but this one was a bit more serious.

For a long time now I've been frustrated by Green Stuff World's scummy, anti-community business practices, and baffled that so many people still give the company their business. Whenever I mention that I would never shop at Green Stuff World, I invariably get the response "what have you got against Green Stuff World?"

It got kind of tiresome to repeat their litany of transgressions, so I thought about making a video about the whole issue, but the reality is that Tabletop Workshop already made a fantastic video on the topic, though in German (there is subtitles, and it's worth your time to read them!):

Then I realized that my ridiculous SculpTron9000 video format might be a good way to hit the high points of why Green Stuff World is the worst, without retreading the ground TWS had already covered.

It also allowed me to add to the YouTube video description the tags and links for the folks involved in this saga so far.

Anyway, here it is in case you missed it, or in case you weren't aware about just how scummy Green Stuff World is. In the video description, I also note some other sources for greenstuff, and I have no kind of professional relationship with any of them other than having decent service when I've dealt with them.

Have you had challenges sourcing greenstuff where you live? If so, let me know in the comments on this post, and we'll try to find you a better source.

So long, and happy sculpting!

 

Project #DominaNid3: Tyranid Dominatrix scratchbuild is complete!

So it has been a GOOD LONG TIME since I posted my last update on my #DominaNid3 Tyranid Dominatrix project, but I'm happy to report that, after what felt like a very long 2 years of off and on work, the BEAST IS COMPLETE!

Not to worry, little Termagant. I'll keep you safe.

Awww. You little guys think you're in charge of the swarm? That's cute!

As I did with the Dactylis build, I'll post another article a bit later showing the latter half of the build process, but, for now, let's revel in her completion! 

Converting Upright Termagants for the Viridian Stalkers Tyranid Killteam - #StandaGaunts

So just in time for the release of the new edition of Kill Team, I've become completely enamoured with a new take on the humble termagant. Namely: making them stand upright!

This dude was my proof of concept for the idea, and I honestly liked him so much that it wasn't long until he was joined by a friend...

...and then a whole bunch more!

I really liked how this new pose seemed to give your average gaunt more agency and individuality, but I didn't really understand it until a particularly brilliant person on Instagram pointed out the difference.

"Gaunts were kind of white noise in an army before. Not anymore."

Introducing Hive Fleet Angrboda

If you've been following me for any time at all, you may know one key fact about me:

I don't paint.

I love building, converting, sculpting, but when it comes to painting, my hobby fire tends to dry up. I mean, I managed to grind through painting an entire Genestealer Cult force (helped mostly by an airbrush and a deadline), but, given the choice, I'd rather be sculting!

But then Contrast paints came along. And though they're not the be all and end all that the marketing campaign may have had us believe, they're a neat little hack for skipping a couple of boring steps in the painting process. And I firmly believe that they're the reason I've actually painted some Tyranids for the first time in a decade!

It all started with these two warriors, which I converted up to look a little smaller/slighter than your average warrior so that they could be used by my buddy Matt in our introductory game of Shadow War Armageddon (yes, I know that game is older than dust, but I had the rules and had an understanding of it, so we dusted it off when we played our first game in December of 2019):