iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Geology is cool…palaeontology is cool…sedimentology is cool (suddenly thinks about a tyrannid fossil bed on a base…….)

Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

There’s definitely a theme going on with my basing right now. Even managed to get a fault in one. Great fun to do and so much to explore!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Thanks! I’m a geologist and keep wanting to get proper rock formations into my bases. Always planned on having him walking on a narrow ridge…wasn’t until I started painting that I realised the ridge echoes his carapace.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Another Mini of the Month? Why not. Tyrannid. Great fun trying odd colours but making the carapace fit the environment… Milliput base.

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Red Five Scale Models @redfivemodels.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

WEDNESDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER All welcome. Come along and discuss all things model making and generally waffle as you build. Ask questions of the hive mind or show us your work in progress. Open to all no matter their experience with the hobby. us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

A Warhammer Mini of the Month. Cryptguard. Not a subject I’d normally go for but it was free, and loved painting it!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Ripley 75mm Finally finished!!! Mostly painted in front of a live studio audience! (For Models for Heroes - it’s all on YouTube) Made the rash decision to paint 2 light sources and I think I got away with it!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Not been around on here, but yes! Sublime!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Thank you! A bit more to do, but enjoying this one.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

More progress on this 75mm Ripley for Models for Heroes YouTube. It was mostly about painting the jumpsuit, lighting one side and keeping the other darker . The end is getting closer.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Cheap per vehicle but force you to buy 2! You need a friend to share…. I have Dragon (still only choice for an M2) and Tamiya (lovely but why the M3A2 I’ll never understand)

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Cheers. I’ve had all 3 in the stash for decades. The Dragon ones were pretty good, but still with issues. These look good but arguably over engineered.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Wow. Andy’s HHQ likes big boxes (and I cannot lie) Ok…there are two complete kits in it, and it does look very, very good. M3 Halftrack still one of my faves thanks to Tamiya and my teenage years.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Went urban sketching today with the beds urban sketchers in Ampthill. I have been lazy (actually, I’ve been doing parkrun) and haven’t been for 3 years. And the group has expanded with over 28 people coming out on a glorious Saturday morning. #art #urbansketch #pencil #pencildrawing #sketch

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

WIP of 75mm Ripley! Episode 7 of this Paint Along series is now up on YouTube. Here, amongst other things, I paint the number 42 onto a 1.2mm square! youtu.be/Jy6LOmSnK_I?...

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Apologies…just don’t check here enough! I was there for the two days, on the Models for Heroes stand in the foyer. I did enter in the Masters Painting class, and got a highly commended, and given output over these last year, I was chuffed! There was an incredible number of amazing pieces there.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Yesterday I was chatting to some friends about the forthcoming Rogue Trooper movie and this gorgeous graphic novel came up by @manmademoon.bsky.social Strange and surprised to hear Madi mentioned on @mrjamesob.bsky.social today!!! So you can all have a photo of this monster book!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Thinking about it, because of what and how I paint, pigment feels more important to me - the contrast and quick paints seem more medium focused.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

I’m still grabbing paints that are decades old! I still buy the odd new paint but only what I genuinely think I need, not because it’s new (Slight lie…I did get some of the Kimera pure pigment paints to try out)

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

I see these AK paints have Warlord Games on the label - so as GW they’re mainly aimed at wargaming minis for quickly getting figures on the tabletop. Like anything, they’re another tool but it’s what you do with them and that takes experimenting

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

I haven’t tried than, but Calvin Tan has incorporated them into his painting process. Games Workshop do a Contrast Medium which is just the contrast paint minus pigment that you can add colour to. I have some but not really worked out how to use it for me. All paint companies have something similar

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

As I understand them, they are equivalent to Games Workshop Contrast paints which are designed to speed up painting of gaming units, hence the “quick” in the AK name. They are thinner than normal and designed almost as a wash to pool in recesses to speed/ease painting over a suitable base colour.

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Reposted by Rob <=> Orb

The Modelling News @themodellingnews.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

A new set of 35th scale US Infantry 29th Infantry Division Set (single or 2 figures) from Alpine Miniatures – the figures, gear & original GIs in our preview... www.themodellingnews.com/2026/04/prev...

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

An awesome set, and nice to be able to get the exclusive Vallejo paint set figure without buying more paints!!!! (Taesung made some minor changes to the head)

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 28/03/2026

Cheers Greg. I can spend ages pouring over photos searching for something I can do for base work. I found a photo of 5th AD command standing on some grass where M36s had crossed. Perfect. One of the guys even resembled this figure!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Long time since I finished a 1/35 scale figure. Here is an officer from the 5th Armored Division in Germany 1945, an out of the box Tamiya US Scout figure.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

And runners as well. We always slow to a walk and do everything we can not to spook the horses

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Reposted by Rob <=> Orb

Lucy Betteridge-Dyson @lmbd1418.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

And by the way, just because he seems ‘like a nice guy’ or ‘has never been horrible to me’ don’t assume he hasn’t hurt others. I cannot stress enough how rare it is for women to make false allegations of violence or abuse. Believe 👏 women 👏.

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Reposted by Rob <=> Orb

Sandy Wainwright @sandywainwright.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

I’m the subject of a @mrjamesob.bsky.social legendary ‘hook and tease’ ™️🫣 Is this better than the Ray Liotta? It could be?!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

I’m on catchup so not quite there yet but heard this mentioned!!!!!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

When you’re having a conversation on Facebook and a true legend pops into the chat….. Verlinden inspired me as far back as 1978….

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 25/02/2026

It’s a bit of a clunky description… If you do the old stretched sprue trick and cut a plug and taper the end, that’s what I actually had in mind (late night reply) I have the dissolved putty stuff and it’s good but can require multiple applications and sands differently to the surrounding plastic.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

I know you’ve already filled the holes, but a neat trick for future hole filing is to use the sprue from the kit and carve plugs for the holes (pointed so needn’t be exact) then cut flush after they dry. What is good about this method is being the same plastic, it sands in the same way as the kit.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

There is another Space Marine on the way….teeny tiny head! Painted over 90 minutes during a @modelsforheroes.bsky.social session last week.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Been listening to BtB for ages, and intermittently to ICHH especially Executive Disorder - enlightening listening as a Brit. But this was absolutely amazing.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Ohhh Space Wolf!! Another Warhammer Mini of the Month from 2025. Really enjoyed painting a Space Marine again, must do more!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Goremonger A Warhammer 40000 figure. This one grew on me, but with many details became quite a painting task! Really pleased with how he came out.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Details! Goremonger. A mini of the month from Warhammer. Lots of little details on this guy. Standing about 35mm tall.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

I just saw some of the posts on the other place about this….jeez.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

1/35 British Tanker, 1944 Full sculpt, Aves Apoxie Sculpt Inspired by this photo of Trooper George Knight, Military Medal recipient, Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. He’s finished for now. Need to leave him for a bit and review in a week or so. Very chuffed with how he’s turned out.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

If you build it, they will come! Loved your reaction…good luck with the book, hope all is well

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 13/12/2025

I’m holding Alpine figures in my hand as reference for my own sculpting. Gold standard.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

Getting close to the end now. I repositioned the head, and added a shirt collar. Lots of details left now to do, and refining parts and sharpening folds. 1/35 sculpted from scratch.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 08/12/2025

1/35 Scratch built British tanker 1944/45 So this guy progresses nicely. Getting to the point where I need to add details, and I’ll adjust the head angle before sculpting hair and his beret. Want to refine some folds as well.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

Seems the Davis book is listed in the bibliography of the other two!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

There is a massive overlap of colour uniform illustrations and my modelling habits. Plus comics, which themselves are illustrative! Chappell and Kevin Lyles….and Lyles sculpted - once! 1988….wow….nearly finished uni that year - Horan’s Gandamak diorama on the front of MilMod!

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

Delivery of second hand books from Oxfam. Two broad overview classic Osprey books, and an absolute classic nerd tome on British Army uniforms. The German uniform book by Brian L. Davis was the first reference book I ever bought.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

My mate Tom worked there before joining me as a geophysicist. He had the biggest mop top in the history of mop tops. Definitely there in 1989. I think the guy who runs Esquires now was there as well.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

6 months on and I have another update on this dude. Still early days, sculpting wise, and trying some slightly different approaches. So far, I’m liking how he’s looking.

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Rob <=> Orb @orbness.bsky.social · 20/11/2025

Seems kind of impossible to think he’s gone. This was such an amazing album and still utterly brilliant. (Also bought at Bedford Our Price in 1989, but I wasn’t 16) RIP Mani

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