Some Teams I'm Working On
 

Here's a quick pic of what will be mostly "repro" teams that I am working on.

The Browns will just be 11 players...same with the Bengals.
The Chiefs will be O and D all-time players...22 or so with a few Buzzball in the mix.
The Giants will be O and D of last years SB champs...with a few FF.net figures in there for "special" players.
The far right team will eventually be throwback Cowboys...probably just 11 players...but I might throw in some FF.net players and make it a set of 22.

So far...everything is hand painted. Going to pick up a lighted magnifier this weekend...hope it will help me from making mistakes that I only see after I take pics!!!

Good Start
 

Lookin' good! thmbsp$

Yeah baby, with painting like that, who needs decals???? thmbsp$ drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ ppls$

great start
 

great start to some good looking teams....I know you said this before, but what is the giants blue you are using??

Very nice, clean and crisp!! Well done
Mike

Model Masters Acryl French Blue

I am heading to Michaels or JoAnns today to see if I can find a similar color that's cheaper...I'll let you know what I see.

One more pic...
 

This will be Mike Webster from my 75th Anniversary Steelers in the throwback unis...early stages here...

Super Clean
 

Very nice work - can't wait to see completed.

Thanks!

I am thinking blackshoes for these guys...yes?!!??

I am going to do two sets...all with FF.net figures.

One with customized poses for each figure, and one with the stock poses for each figure (35 players EACH team).

I am either going to sell the second set or give them to a friend...depending on whether or not he wants the throwback team or not.

perfection
 

man thats great work!!!the lines are perfect,cant wait see the rest.

Coming To Life
 

It's a beautiful thing seeing figures come to life.

Maurice

The Electric Coach

great stuff, really like the Steelers 75th aniverasry uniform

Here's a little more...
 

The late Dwight White.

This fig is all paint except for the Steeler logo and the facemask...I just thought I would give painting the numbers and name a try.

Thank goodness for decals...

A little something...
 

I am working on...waiting for my "Apoxie Sculpt" (thanks 5-13 Studios!!) to take this guy to a new level!!!

I think someone might be able to guess who this will be...

He will be a Steeler...
He will NOT be a ball carrier...

Ok...
 

I'll end all of the suspense...:rtfl:

I took some liberties with the right arm and brought it out away from his body...

great stuff! as far as your hand painted name and numbers go, i think that they are great! i love the hand painted look. you're really close to being spot-on with the font spacing and thickness, a couple of more figures and i think that you would have it.thmbsp$

ol' joe is looking pretty mean, pun intended.mgngcrz

Thanks...those compliments mean a lot coming from someone with your obvious talent and skill!! thmbsp$

I have found that one of the most difficult parts of painting the small details (like those names and numbers) is keeping the paint at the correct amount and consistency. I try to keep just the right amount on the brush, but it seems to dry very quickly.

The two other things I need to do are get a magnifier/viewer and improve my lighting situation. I paint in my office, usually later at night...and sometimes it's like I am in a cave! The desk lamp I use is not bad but with my current set-up, I have too many shadows.

Holmes???
 

Where Is #63(Arrow Head) Ernie Holmes??

Holmes
 

Don't worry...I didn't forget "Fats"! :)

Dwight is pictured with LC and Joe Greene (Miggle/Tudor figs) as part of a 12 man set I am selling.

That "new" Joe, along with Ernie, Dwight and LC will all be part of my 75th Anniversary throwback uniform team that I am working on now.

any updates
 

any updates to the projects in the first pics??

Page 1 Pics
 

I hope to have some updates soon.

I am concentrating on some figs for the contest right now...one of which I plan to be a Giant (if I get enough time to finish him)...

Put the TEAMS on hold...
 

To get these guys ready...

I'll be on vacation from July 26th thru August 2/3rd, so I have to get my contest entries in SOON...

...added a pic of the "workbench"...well, the organizer that holds what I am usually working on...those white figs in front are customized (most of them) FF.net guys that will become my throwback Steelers...

Dude...
 

Love yr work--you really take the time to make em come to lifethmbsp$

Nice work!
 

Look forward to seeing what you do with the custom guys with the putty there.

Very cool stuff you got going. One question...can Hines Ward play? Just curious as to his balance on that pole (especially using a TTC).

I've found the best base for unbalanced figures are Pro Line fast rookies (with tweaked prongs) because these prongs are long and thin and soft and can carry just about any figure. IMO, the second best base for unbalanced figures would be the Pro Line strong rookies.

Good Stuff
 

Hey Guy U Are 2BAD!!!For Real.

Thanks all!

About Hines...Honestly, I am not sure...but he DEFINITELY CAN'T play on the base he has now...prongs have been cut...it was made just for show.

I would say he probably needs to be lowered a little to be able to play.

One more pic...
 

Franco, Hines, Joe and Michael (hopefully) will all be heading to the convention. Webster is staying home (he has some issues I can't get cleaned up in time).

Joe looks a little rough right now...but Franco looked the same way when I was starting to paint and detail him.

I love this part of the hobby.

looking good!
 

Ah, Lance Alworth!!! Great stuff!

Getting closer...
 

Got to get these guys done by Thursday so I can send them...

Just small stuff and clean-up to go...well gotta do the decals too...

I eased up on the coffee today because I knew I was gonna give those Giants pants stripes a try tonight!!! ;)

I decided I am going to clearcoat Ward, Harris, Greene and Strahan. I have never been a big fan of the clear gloss look, but Webby turned out OK (clearcoat wise) so I am giving the rest a coat when they are done.

Nice
 

Looking good.thmbsp$

nice progression
 

i like how you are progressing on these figures.
drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ thmbsp$ thmbsp$ thmbsp$ thmbsp$

You do your teams a little fifferent than I would do them. I usually put on the facemask and chinstrips AFTER all the decals and painting are finished.

You have them on before you are complete...does it make a difference to you to do it that way... and why.....

K-LO

Facemasks
 

Actually, only the last pic has a facemask (Strahan) glued on. In the other pics I was just test fitting them. thmbsp$

I usually do a painted chinstrap, so I do that and the helmet/face painting and then glue on the mask.

Creating Contest figs...mostly fun...
 

Preparing my figs for the contest was 90% fun...the last 10% was a rush job for me.

We were scheduled to leave for vacation on Saturday morning (July 26th) but on Wednesday our car (that we drove down in) started showng an indicator light that means "transmission problem".

So Thursday night at the local machanic, they are unable to determine if there is a serious problem or not and said "it's probably fine"...but I don't want to be 700 miles from home with a blown tranny so I make a trip to the dealer (car is out of warranty) on Friday for special diagnostic tests.

Turns out that a tempature sensor in the tranny was faulty...so $200 (not $2000 or $3000 like I had feared) later, I am feeling much better....BUT the time I had planned to finish up my figs on Friday (day off from work) was gone.

I ended up rushing through the last detail steps and getting a clearcoat on the guys (Green and Strahan) just in time for them to dry and then send in the mail before we left.

When they were done, I was pretty happy with them...but there were things I wanted to change/fix/add that I just couldn't do in time.

I'll have to tackle that when they come back.

I guess the good part is the car made the 1600 mile round trip without a problem!!!

Awsome! Love the Franco and Joe Greene. In the one picture there is something pink you put on the figures. What is it and what the purpose? Thanks. Where in Pittsburgh do you live? I live New Cstle. An hour north.

Teams
 

Now that's a steady hand...nice work so far.
The end result should display case stuff.
A tip of the hat to you!
Larue

Pink stuff...
 

That is actually Testors Model Master Acryl Warm Flesh (I think that's the right color) paint...

I have some that is very thick...it works well for addiing size/shape in areas where putty or other additives might be too tough to easily shape and size. IT also works as a decent filler for little areas where you want to have a smoother texture...

When I paint actual arms and faces with it...I just add a little water.

In the pic below, the red circles are areas that were built up with the Testors paint and the blue rectangles are where I used Apoxie Sculpt.

BTW...Strahan is actually and Excalibur figure...with arms from a FF.net guy and he was cut at the waiste and made a little taller (some of the Excalibur figs seem short to me compared to the Tudor/Miggle and FF.net guys).

Just a couple of pics...
 

...of the fellas before they were sent to Ohio.

I always try to paint as much as I can...so all helmet stripes (except Joe) , leg/sock stripes, chinstraps, shoes and gloves were hand painted. When it comes to helmet logos, shoulder stripes and names/numbers, I rely on decals.

BTW...because of my previously mentioned car troubles, I never made it to the store to get some good "turf" for my player platforms. What you see on 3 of the platforms is parsley...:o

A try at LT...
 

Saw this pic and decided to see what I could do with an old Tudor figure.

This is just the rough pose...he needs some sizing and shaping...I needed to make him a little more vertical in order to get him on the platform with any kind of decent balance...

Of course I know that making him from an old Chiefs figure must be some kind of serious breech of edicate in both Charger and Chief lands!!! :rolleyes:

Gorgious work!!!!!!
 

I absolutely love your style. Keep up the awesome work.drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ drl$$ ppls$ ppls$ ppls$ ppls$ ppls$ ppls$