TTCombat Ether Drake

This is the Ether Drake produced by TTCombat and based on the critter of the same name from the 4x strategy game Stellaris by Paradox Interactive. It is a backer reward from a Kickstarter that funded in 2019. The model arrived in 2020, making this my fastest turnaround from backing a Kickstarter to tabletop ready so far.

What do hungry space dragons eat?

I backed the Ether Drake for use in our Star Trek Adventures campaign. Star Trek has a long history of spaceborne creatures showing up to contribute to a particular week's plot. The entity represented by the Ether Drake figure was to be distantly linked to the ones represented by the Parasachnid Warriors from Khurasan Miniatures. I planned to use the same paint scheme for both projects to emphasize that link. The whole idea got shelved along with our group's plans for face to face gaming in 2020.

With some resin projects in the pipeline, I decided to pull the Ether Drake out of storage as a test piece. The vast majority of products I've worked on so far have been metal or plastic. I felt that a relatively small resin product like the Ether Drake would give me some experience before taking on a more ambitious project.

All parts before preparation and assembly.

Preparation
There was a fair amount of work involved before assembly - cutting the parts free and removing flash. All parts were cleaned thoroughly with warm soap and water to remove any manufacturing residue.

Assembly
Some parts - the jaw in particular - were a very snug fit, almost not needing glue. The wings needed some fiddling with before I found the proper fit. There were a couple of tiny gaps, but the first coat of paint covered them up entirely.

I guess space dragons eat whatever they want to.

Spray Priming
I wasn't sure what to use to prime resin, so I decided to take a chance on a product that's been reliable so far - Krylon COLORmaxx Paint + Primer in white. A couple of light coats provided good coverage and it appeared to bond well with the surface. I left the model alone until the paint smell went away entirely to be sure. That took about a week.

Base Coat and Highlighting
Duplicating the paint scheme used for the Parasachnid Warriors, I applied two thin layers of Formula P3 Menoth White Base over the entire model. This is a light tan paint that works well under white and bright colors. To simulate overhead lighting, I brushed on a layer of Formula P3 Morrow White to the upper areas of the model.

Wash
Two layers of Citadel Ogryn Flesh Wash were applied to the entire model with some sections receiving an additional layer as needed. I saw no need for a subtle approach for this step. The red-brown wash produced the desired result, but I'm going to have to find a use for what I have left before it dries up in the bottle - one of the downsides of having out of production products in my collection.

Details
I touched up the teeth with a little more Formula P3 Morrow White. The inside of the mouth and area around the teeth got a couple of layers of Citadel Baal Red. I picked out the multiple eyes with Citadel Chaos Black.

Basing
TTCombat provided a clear flight base with the model.

What do space dragons take for indigestion?

Working on this model gives me more confidence with the other resin products I have in my collection. For now, the Ether Drake has a place in my display case while waiting for a tasty looking starship to snack on.