The above display board was built and painted by a man I met at the Tacoma Open who goes by Tater, and it was stunning. He cut and sanded seventy different pencils to make the basalt columns, and inserted some of the beastgrave terrain pieces which were removable for use on the game boards. The water effect on the pool was really well done, and the degree of flocking and vegetation really brought the piece to life while tying in quite well with the basing he applied to the models themselves. And he did it all in under three weeks leading up to the event! This ended up winning the US Open Underworld’s first prize for best painted, and it’s hard to argue with that.

Check out Web Highlights from previous months here

Back in the June roundup,. I talked about how Reddit User TwelveSmallHats was putting together a card flavor text compilation. They have finished. It is glorious.

Honestly a stunning rendition of Domitan’s Stormcoven by Laurent Lethuillier – The Green magic is wicked cool and the degree of highlighting that went into the effect is impressive. The gold pops, the red is crisp, and the whole effect gives the warband the eerie other-worldliness that Stormcast Eternals should have. Phenomenal job.

Comic Book style Grinkrak by Paulr No which really leans into the Jester asethetic. And a goblin with blue skin tones – neat!

The grot hits keep coming with these looncourt gitz by 61painting on Reddit. They’re done in an old school style – they even have goblin green base rims! the brown skin is an interesting look as well

Skittershank’s Clawpack done by Wedrall – I really dig the fleshy pink tails which contrast so sharply with the rest of the dark, muted, almost monochrome black green and grey through the rest of the models. Even the little gutter running mini rat has one! I ended up facing him at the Tacoma Open and they look even better in person. He ended up being nominated for the painting showcase as well. Gracious opponent, excellent taste in pizza, and a solid painter. Too bad LA is so far away from me!

Blue-Grey and Green take on the Headsmen’s Curse by Anthony Agueci

I love Sons of Velmorn, and so does Arnaud Claes who did some cool things with weathering and the undead spirit glow

Steelheart’s Champions in a silver, red, and cream scheme. Check out Severin’s blade… do you think somebody’s about to get Voidcursed?

Farstriders done up as Astral Templars by Christ Winterton. I’m partial to alternate stormhosts (and actually did my Shadespire Steelheart’s in their colors, though not nearly this well). Contrast really works for those shiny boys

u/Dagg3rsB on Reddit posted Ephilim done in a classic Tzeentch Blue/Pink/Purple, but with a great object source lighting from the magic. Excellent combination of both brush painting and airbrushing!

The Dread Pageant by JMLMiniatures. The purple is very smooth!

Magore’s Fiends done in a classic red and brass NMM by Manu Villarroya. Zharkus the Bloodsighted is looking pretty vicious here.

u/Ok-Echidna309 painted up the Looncourt in bright NMM with great color points on the basing – fits the feel of the warband quite well and it’s great to see less represented warbands get the attention they deserve

The Farstriders painted as White Scars Space Marines by u/Torchic_armada – great concept and the execution on the white armor is well done

Drepur’s Wraithcreepers by codejanux2 on Reddit – sweet color fade and the deep teal really hits the ghostly cloak-to-spectral mist thing the nighthaunt model range has going on. Pairs nicely with the brown metal as well

Blonde Blackbowder by Dan (Davey?) Jones. Great work on the leather and cloth textures, and the detail on the eyes is something else. Plus I’m a sucker for stripe-y pirate pants

Grim and Grimy Sons of Velmorn by Robert Graham with some excellent detail on the bases and stellar photography to boot

Incredibly smooth Thorns of the Briar Queen by Angel Sinant at Lithis Mini Studio – Wet blending is a dream here, edge highlights are crisp, and the thorny vines motif on the cloaks is a great touch

The Redcoats are coming! u/EspiKira says Hexbane got that drip and it’s fresh AF. Are we sure the Order of Azyr isn’t really the Spanish Inquisition?

Nicholas Soranzo tried his hand at Ephilim’s Pandaemonium in his second ever paintjob, and pulled off a very interesting shifting blue, purple, and gold effect. It really looks like some sort of Chamon brass statue sorcery. Great effort for such a new painter! “We will watch your career with great interest”. Honestly going to steal elements of this for when I paint up my set.

A cool Ancient European take on the Sons of Velmorn by the Guatemalan Podcast crew at La Voz de Shadespire, which really brings out the whole ‘these guys are from the before times’ vibe. The green bones contrast well with the red gear too, and great conversions. And you can see the Gnarlspirit Pack too, as a treat.

New starter set done up in a Game of Thrones inspired scheme – you can even tell which of the Farstriders is which character from the TV show. And blue tinted skeletons is a take we don’t see that often

Ironsoul put on her helmet and has renamed herself Goldsoul, if this gorgeous NMM by TrollskullTales is anything to go by. Not explicitly Underworlds, but it’s close and the paintjob was too good not to pass along

Skaeth’s Wild Hunt by Mike Kean/Brush Knight Miniature Model Painting – I dig the bright fantasy style, feels very Narnia/Fern Gully to me

Pale King Hobby is a God among Underworlds painters, and his Kindlefinger is gorgeous. and this is what he considers “work in progress”! Check out the Eye of Sauron effect he’s got cooking, and make sure to zoom in for all the glorious detail on the limbs.

Huge diorama bases for the Chosen Axes by u/Green_Panda369 – treasure chests overflowing with coin and jewels. Glad to shorty finally made it to their version of heaven after an Ur-Gold-less eternity in Shadespire

Morgwaeth’s Blade Coven by Łukasz Stocki AKA 2lazycatz_miniatures on Reddit and Instagram – the eyes are sharp, the purple is luscious and the hair is striking in contrast with the rest of the colors. Great to see an underappreciated warband get some love

King Velmorn done in the Cursed City art style by zbzszzzt123. Minimalistic but really does look like the cover!

A very Witch Doctor looking Headkrakka by Lordsnacks93, which is dusty in a good way and bring the character to life. They even picked out the scale points for every diamond on Mr Fangs!

Shadow elf with an oily sheen by MaxMetalansky – the color transitions are neat and a different take on the ‘darkness’ aspect of the shadeborn cloak

I think somebody lost one of the Chosen Axes back in Ulgu and based on how Thunderbolt__ has painted him up, he’s looking real ‘underdark’ these days

High detail on the face of Bryget Axwold by Acctubi – that head is NOT big, so this is some precision burshwork. The green trench coat is stellar too

I recently saw the Barbie movie (pretty solid TBH), and apparently so did Fuirann from the Soulraid. Studio489 can do some pink and purple right – and those pastel orange eyes!

Yet another argument for the next season to be set in the realm of fire as Kriegschneck displays Domitan’s Flamecoven, and I gotta say these are Lit, fam. Great idea, great conversion, great execution.

It must be Chosen Axes month? Quite the dwarven renaissance online recently. Here’s a beautifully highlighted orange and black scheme on a diorama board by u/Novemb3r_

That’s a wrap for the month of July! As always send me what you’ve done or found out in the wild and I’ll be sure to share. Until next time, keep spending that glory!