These three 32mm scale Cheetah Aliens are produced by "Papsikels Miniatures" and can be downloaded for free as part of a six-figure set of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from their "Patreon" subscription November 2022 release - Aliens Verses Skull Hunters 2. Based upon a species of H.R.Giger's infamous deadly xenomorphs, the figures were produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer.
Inspired by a statue of a xenomorph crouched on all fours which H.R. Giger had exhibited at the opening of the Austrian Ars Electronica institute in 2013, the trio of death-dealing extra-terrestrials were undercoated in Doom Death Black by "Duncan Rhodes Two Thin Coats" and dry-brushed with Scorched Earth. I then drowned them all with Oblivion Black Wash to help make their base layer decidedly dark.
I next (re)dry-brushed the models with (more) Scorched Earth, before applying a light highlight of Dust Bowl across all the prominent raised areas. Finally, to help blend all the different browns together, I sploshed Battle Mud Wash all over the trio with great gusto. This left me just needing to 'pick out' all the aliens' metal teeth with a combination of Sir Coates Silver and Oblivion Black Wash, as well as apply a coat of Doom Death Black (and later "Coat D'arms" Gloss Varnish) across their foreheads.
One of the things which did concern me about these particular three sculpts was both the fragility of some of the figures' contact points upon their "Citadel" 60mm oval bases, as well as some large open (and arguably therefore boring) areas on their stands. Resultantly, I snuck a few 3D skulls by "Encounter Terrain" under the odd claw, as well as created the odd 'brain pile'. These were pigmented using White Star, Battle Mud Wash and some "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson.
Alongside these latest submissions to the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC) I have continued to make some progress upon my first batch of Castellans of Dol Guldur by "Games Workshop". Perhaps somewhat naively I had hoped that these predominantly cloaked figures would be a reasonably quick little project (as I own half a dozen of them). But each figure is actually packed full of elaborate detail, whether it be simply their ornate armour, swords, daggers or belt buckles.
Somewhat less fiddly to put a brush-tip to, at least at this early stage, is the resin Spirit Jaguar by "Warlord Games" I recently chose to pigment after randomly selecting it from a set of twelve figure-filled drawers. I'm using the miniature to test out a new technique for bright gold, using a "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade wash and "Vallejo" Silver dry-brush. Currently, things are looking good, even after I realised that I hadn't needed to be meticulously neat with my "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna base coat for the gold armour as I'll be making a mess with my dry-brushing anyway...
Absolutely lovely work on the Aliens mate, they look like they could crawl out of the screen!
Nice progress too on the other miniatures, especially like the spirit jaguar.
Cheers Roger.
Those alien models are superb. They do look a bit spindly and fragile in places, but I guess that is the price for capturing the look of the xenomorphs so well. I like the skulls on the bases too. As You say it adds something extra but it is also quite thematic in my mind. Awesome stuff.
The castellans of Dol Guldur do look great, but I can see what you mean about them too. You have achieved a nice gold on the jaguar already so I can't wait to see the finished result.
Cheetah Aliens look very similar to the Alien in the 3rd film (My fav of the series). Pretty darn cool!
Those Dol Guldur characters are wraiths? Regardless, I like the sculpts and I'm sure even though they are a pain to paint up, they'll look suitably imposing once completed!
The aliens look excellent Simon, as if they came straight out of a movie, if the movie versions had cool head plates ! LOL Nice progress on the other models, you'll get there in the end with all those details.