Stephen Lea Sheppard
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stephenls.bsky.social
Stephen Lea Sheppard
@stephenls.bsky.social
160 followers 160 following 370 posts
"Harris" on Freaks & Geeks; "Dudley" in The Royal Tenenbaums. (Why is one "on" a TV show but "in" a movie?) Developed/wrote/edited various White Wolf/Onyx Path Tabletop RPG books. No one special now. @SLSheppard on Twitter. He/him
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stephenls.bsky.social
So I painted some Kingdom Death minis. I pretty much just followed Sorastro’s YouTube tutorial. Not entirely happy with how they turned out, but I think they’re the best I can do for now. I plan to come back and strip and repaint them eventually but not until I’ve gotten a lot better.
The four starting survivor miniatures from the board game Kingdom Death: Monster, viewed from the front. From right to left: Zachary, with lantern held low and stone shard raised to strike; Lucy, with lantern raised and stone shard held back; Allister, standing straight with lantern and stone shard lowered, and Ezra, with with lantern held low and stone shard raises defensively. They stand on bases representing the plain of upward-facing stone faces in which the game is set. All wear white loincloths, and black ink cakes their eyes. Zachary has brown hair; Lucy, black; Allister, grey-white; and Ezra, red. They are painted with strong object source lighting, the yellow light of their lanterns illuminating the areas of the models they’re closest to while areas further away fall into blue-purple shadows. The models are placed on a green gridded work mat atop a desk with drawers full of hobby materials visible in the background. Each model is the approximate size of a Lego minifig. The paint job is not immaculate; the gradients are marred by occasional visible brush stroke, some of the object-source lighting is imperfectly applied, and the application of the ink around their eyes is kind of wonky. The four starting survivor miniatures from the board game Kingdom Death: Monster, viewed from the left. From right to left: Zachary, with lantern held low and stone shard raised to strike; Lucy, with lantern raised and stone shard held back; Allister, standing straight with lantern and stone shard lowered, and Ezra, with with lantern held low and stone shard raises defensively. They stand on bases representing the plain of upward-facing stone faces in which the game is set. All wear white loincloths, and black ink cakes their eyes. Zachary has brown hair; Lucy, black; Allister, grey-white; and Ezra, red. They are painted with strong object source lighting, the yellow light of their lanterns illuminating the areas of the models they’re closest to while areas further away fall into blue-purple shadows. The models are placed on a green gridded work mat atop a desk with drawers full of hobby materials visible in the background. Each model is the approximate size of a Lego minifig. The paint job is not immaculate; the gradients are marred by occasional visible brush stroke, some of the object-source lighting is imperfectly applied, and the application of the ink around their eyes is kind of wonky. The four starting survivor miniatures from the board game Kingdom Death: Monster, viewed from the rear. From right to left: Zachary, with lantern held low and stone shard raised to strike; Lucy, with lantern raised and stone shard held back; Allister, standing straight with lantern and stone shard lowered, and Ezra, with with lantern held low and stone shard raises defensively. They stand on bases representing the plain of upward-facing stone faces in which the game is set. All wear white loincloths, and black ink cakes their eyes. Zachary has brown hair; Lucy, black; Allister, grey-white; and Ezra, red. They are painted with strong object source lighting, the yellow light of their lanterns illuminating the areas of the models they’re closest to while areas further away fall into blue-purple shadows. The models are placed on a green gridded work mat atop a desk with drawers full of hobby materials visible in the background. Each model is the approximate size of a Lego minifig. The paint job is not immaculate; the gradients are marred by occasional visible brush stroke, some of the object-source lighting is imperfectly applied, and the application of the ink around their eyes is kind of wonky. The four starting survivor miniatures from the board game Kingdom Death: Monster, viewed from the right. From right to left: Zachary, with lantern held low and stone shard raised to strike; Lucy, with lantern raised and stone shard held back; Allister, standing straight with lantern and stone shard lowered, and Ezra, with with lantern held low and stone shard raises defensively. They stand on bases representing the plain of upward-facing stone faces in which the game is set. All wear white loincloths, and black ink cakes their eyes. Zachary has brown hair; Lucy, black; Allister, grey-white; and Ezra, red. They are painted with strong object source lighting, the yellow light of their lanterns illuminating the areas of the models they’re closest to while areas further away fall into blue-purple shadows. The models are placed on a green gridded work mat atop a desk with drawers full of hobby materials visible in the background. Each model is the approximate size of a Lego minifig. The paint job is not immaculate; the gradients are marred by occasional visible brush stroke, some of the object-source lighting is imperfectly applied, and the application of the ink around their eyes is kind of wonky.
June 23, 2025 at 7:41 PM
stephenls.bsky.social
A discord screenshot with a pink generic discord icon and the username scribbled out in red, consisting of two discord messages. The first one, dated “Yesterday at 10:30 PM,” reads “Just finished watching Solo Leveling S1 and am I the only one who was expecting Smough to show up there? Because that was definitely Ornstein.” The second, dated thirty-eight minutes later as “Yesterday at 10:51 PM” reads “On there he is.” The second message is spoiler-masked, as is remainder of the first message beginning with “am I the”.
January 20, 2025 at 12:11 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
January 11, 2025 at 12:03 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
And it looks like these guys are done, minus the final varnish phase which will have to wait until the metallic wax and streaking grime fully cure. The one on the far right was my initial test model and the rest are the five subsequent tests. I think I’ve found a scheme I can execute consistently.
Six Horus Heresy Mechanicum Adsecularis Tech-Thralls lined up on a self-healing cutting mat, painted in the bone, steel, and glowing red lenses color scheme of Xana II / House Malinax.
November 8, 2024 at 3:02 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
The other nice thing about eating an orange almost every day is eventually you get really good at peeling and separating them and you can have nice Mandarin-orange-like separated segments without having to cut them up into those awful wedges that get juice all over your fingers.
Uncut, neatly separated orange segments in a white bowl, on a desk otherwise somewhat cluttered with miniature painting materials.
November 7, 2024 at 10:07 PM
stephenls.bsky.social
I’m painting 30k tech thralls!
A tech-thrall (cyber-zombie) for The Horus Heresy Mechanicum faction, painted in the black steel and bone with burning red lenses color scheme of Xana II / House Malinax, viewed from the front. A tech-thrall (cyber-zombie) for The Horus Heresy Mechanicum faction, painted in the black steel and bone with burning red lenses color scheme of Xana II / House Malinax, viewed from the right. A tech-thrall (cyber-zombie) for The Horus Heresy Mechanicum faction, painted in the black steel and bone with burning red lenses color scheme of Xana II / House Malinax, viewed from the rear. A tech-thrall (cyber-zombie) for The Horus Heresy Mechanicum faction, painted in the black steel and bone with burning red lenses color scheme of Xana II / House Malinax, viewed from the left.
November 6, 2024 at 10:11 PM
stephenls.bsky.social
I painted a borbmarine.
A Space Marine Heavy Intercessor painted in all black as a member of the Raven Guard chapter, with blue trim on the right pauldron and the numeral 2 on the left knee. The base is made (somewhat badly) to look like it’s covered in embers using bright yellow and orange pigments. Viewed from the front. A Space Marine Heavy Intercessor painted in all black as a member of the Raven Guard chapter, with blue trim on the right pauldron and the numeral 2 on the left knee. The base is made (somewhat badly) to look like it’s covered in embers using bright yellow and orange pigments. Viewed from the right. A Space Marine Heavy Intercessor painted in all black as a member of the Raven Guard chapter, with blue trim on the right pauldron and the numeral 2 on the left knee. The base is made (somewhat badly) to look like it’s covered in embers using bright yellow and orange pigments. Viewed from the rear. A Space Marine Heavy Intercessor painted in all black as a member of the Raven Guard chapter, with blue trim on the right pauldron and the numeral 2 on the left knee. The base is made (somewhat badly) to look like it’s covered in embers using bright yellow and orange pigments. Viewed from the left.
September 27, 2024 at 6:00 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
I am painting a borbmarine.
Space Marine Heavy Intercessor model painted as a member of the Raven Guard chapter, viewed from the front. Incomplete, but with basic black layers and transfers applied. Space Marine Heavy Intercessor model painted as a member of the Raven Guard chapter, viewed from the right. Incomplete, but with basic black layers and transfers applied. Space Marine Heavy Intercessor model painted as a member of the Raven Guard chapter, viewed from the back. Incomplete, but with basic black layers and transfers applied. Space Marine Heavy Intercessor model painted as a member of the Raven Guard chapter, viewed from the left. Incomplete, but with basic black layers and transfers applied.
September 16, 2024 at 6:13 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
Edited an entry in my parcel delivery app to be more accurate.
February 11, 2024 at 9:26 PM
stephenls.bsky.social
Admittedly the base isn’t done. I have one more sprue of Space Marine infantry to do from the LI starter box I’ve been saving ‘till last; I’ll do this thing’s base at the same time I do theirs.
Closeup of the right wing of a Legions Imperialis Space Marine Thunderhawk painted in Raven Guard colors. Closeup of the rear engines of a Legions Imperialis Space Marine Thunderhawk painted in Raven Guard colors. Closeup of the rear underside of a Legions Imperialis Space Marine Thunderhawk painted in Raven Guard colors. Closeup of the front underside of a Legions Imperialis Space Marine Thunderhawk painted in Raven Guard colors.
January 23, 2024 at 8:24 PM
stephenls.bsky.social
(Mostly) finished my Thunderhawk. The one remaining thing I want to do—heat distortion of the metallic weathering on the leading edges—will have to wait until I can practice on drop pods or Xiphons or something.
A Legions Imperialis Space Marines Thunderhawk, painted in Raven Guard colors, viewed from the left. A Legions Imperialis Space Marines Thunderhawk, painted in Raven Guard colors, viewed from the right. A Legions Imperialis Space Marines Thunderhawk, painted in Raven Guard colors, viewed from the front. A Legions Imperialis Space Marines Thunderhawk, painted in Raven Guard colors, viewed from above.
January 23, 2024 at 8:22 PM
stephenls.bsky.social
More tiny tanks, plus a shot of everything I’ve done so far.
Three Legions Imperialis Predator tanks painted in Raven Guard colors, plus extra turrets, in front of a Lego minifig for scale. Two Legions Imperialis Sicaran tanks painted in Raven Guard colors, plus extra turrets, in front of a Lego minifig for scale. A Legions Imperialis Raven Guard force consisting of three Predators, two Sicarans, five Rhinos, four Contemptor Dreadnoughts, and ten infantry bases, in front of a Lego minifig for scale.
January 11, 2024 at 8:46 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
Done! That puts me up to five and I think finishes my tests
Three Legions Imperialis rhinos painted in the Raven Guard color scheme, viewed from the front. Three Legions Imperialis rhinos painted in the Raven Guard color scheme, viewed from the rear.
January 7, 2024 at 2:50 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
December 31, 2023 at 9:06 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
Not gonna lie, I’m very proud of the freehand laurel on the banner, even if it’s half-covered by a transfer on the final product.

(Still not done; they’re now glossed and the next step is a recess oil wash.)
December 29, 2023 at 7:01 PM
stephenls.bsky.social
I did some heat discoloration on the barrels of my contemptor dreadnought guns for Legions Imperialis.
December 25, 2023 at 7:18 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
They are difficult to photograph.
December 22, 2023 at 7:23 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
A collection of Legion Imperialis minis assembled but not painted, including a Thunderhawk, four Contemptor Dreadnoughts, a Kratos, a Sicaran, a Predator, a Rhino, a Legion Command Squad. The Contemptors and Command Squad are affixed to popsicle sticks with double-sided foam tape. Also in frame is a Lego minifig for scale.
December 13, 2023 at 7:30 PM
stephenls.bsky.social
So very small.
Five new Legions Imperialis Space Marines superglued to a popsicle stick for painting purposes, in front of a Legions Imperialis rhino and a Lego minifig for scale. Each space marine is about 9mm tall, and they appear tiny next to the 42mm tall minifig.
December 7, 2023 at 7:37 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
They’re very small.
A new photo of two 8mm scale Legions Imperialis rhino tanks (unpainted) in front of a Lego minifig for scale. One has a tiny space marine peeking out of a hatch, using a cupola-mounted multi-melta. The tanks do not come up to the Lego minifig’s waist.
December 7, 2023 at 4:42 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
Fully assembled screamer-unaliver.
September 30, 2023 at 6:23 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
Seven years later….
September 6, 2023 at 5:37 PM
stephenls.bsky.social
Today’s work. Not sure what the next step on these guys will be; I don’t want to move on to oils until I’m sure I’m done with acrylics, but I don’t know whether I want to touch up the hyperphase blade gradients with brush work or not.
Three Necron Ophydian Destroyers and three Necron Skorpekh Destroyers, plus two Plasmacytes, for Warhammer 40K, set on a hobby mat. They’ve been airbrushed steel-bronze from the front and steel-purple from the back, and their hyperphase blades have been airbrushed with an as yet incomplete gradient from black to fluorescent green. Their chests and faces have been airbrushed with a less vibrant green, simulating green light cast upwards from below. They are visibly unfinished, with a lack of definition in the recesses and airbrush overspray visible on their bases.
August 7, 2023 at 8:07 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
Tonight’s work. They’re not done but I’m not doing anything else with them until the oil wash is finished curing, so they get to sit on the shelf for a couple of weeks.
Six Necron Scarab Swarms set on a hobby mat, viewed from a high angle. They’ve been airbrushed with a gradient of silver-gold to silver-violet metal front-to-back, and the orbs in the center of their bodies have been airbrushed to appear glowing bright green. The ground underneath each scarab has also been airbrushed with a green glow, but many of those glowing spots have been misplaced, reducing the effectiveness of the illusion that the scarabs are projecting green light downwards.
August 6, 2023 at 5:08 AM
stephenls.bsky.social
Here’s what the oil paint experiment looked like; I added a dot of yellow to the low-hanging wire under the gun, to make it look brighter and better contextualize then glow on the ground. And then I undid it because I didn’t like the way it shifts the color profile toward yellow.
A Necron Warrior for Warhammer 40k, armed with a Gauss Reaper, set on a hobby mat on a desk. The cord hanging below the gun has had a bright yellow dot of oil paint added to its lowest point and then feathered out, making the color gradient on the cord appear pronouncedly more yellow than green.
August 6, 2023 at 5:07 AM