Finally Finished the Dwarves

Thistlewood -  King Amias' Dwarven Contingent

Joris Dwalinson & the Guild of Sappers and Scouts 

Finally got round finishing the next set of five dwarves to complete the dwarven contingent for Thistlewood. Just the banner to add. I still have another five to complete which I can do in the background. Nearly three quarters of the good forces are now ready. 

Benni & the Pots

Benni the halfling is now underway and this is all of the pots etc. that come with the Viking house. I decided to fill up some of the pots with food and drink. 

Rob

Still Distracted

 But I Did do the Paint Stripper

Still didn't finish the dwarves, so I did some other stuff. 

But I did finish the barmaid and decided to put together the Viking house  (From Renedra at the bargain price of £5) I got at Salute this year. It was really all of the accessories that came with the set that attracted me. They all look very useful for a baggage train. Plus I now plan use the Viking house with the dwarves. 

Benni in all his unpainted glory. Paint stripping is one of those jobs that I am never very keen to do. So a little pile of miniatures usually waits for some time until I can get round to it. After painting the barmaid I thought it would be good to do him too. So tonight was right for paint stripping. Plus it make available a couple of other figures I also want to paint. 

The first of the centaurs started, I need for Thistlewood. I don't think I will do the other two (only three needed) the same way but I will see how this one goes.  The beastman is one of a job lot off of eBay and I found I didn't need to strip the paint off  the others as it acted as a reasonable undercoat. And the horse is from Lord of the Rings. 

Finally put together the 2012 Salute figure. 

Rob 

I Get Distracted and Put Stuff Off

 Halfling Barmaid

Couldn't quite get motivated to finish the latest batch of dwarf sappers so ended up painting a halfling barmaid instead. This was bit of a random choice as I didn't decide to paint her until  I was looking at my shelf of unpainted figures trying not to think about not painting the dwarves. 

I was rushing to finish this figure (who looks much better painted than undercoated) and ended up painting the face twice  because I added the wash too heavily. Of course, I prefer the first effort. 

Still the barrel came out well.

She will join of the halfling baggage train. To keep the troops well stocked in ale. 

Thanks Stuff of Legends for the picture, saves me hunting
in the loft for my copy of the 1986 Citadel Journal

A very nice 80's Citadel C11 Halfling. I also have Benni who needs a dip in the paint stripper. Presumably named after the famous Crossroads character (If you don't get the reference then you are probably too young!) because of his hat. 

Rob 

Bruce the Troll Stomps

 Progress on the First of the Oakbound Trolls

A quick mock up of the rest of the base. As Bruce attempts to stomp on a fairie ring  and a few sprites. 

Rob 

The Sleeping King Returns

 Salute's King Arthur Finished

'Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise King born of all England.'

Thomas Mallory

A really nice Romano-British take on King Arthur by Mark Copplestone for one of the two Salute 2006 figures. He was fun to paint and I think has painted up well thanks to the crisp sculpting and moulding on the figure. 

Clothed in Royal purple

Arthur is beset by Spirits summoned by Morgan Le Fay

WIP - Bruce the Troll

Bruce shows off his moves!

Another one of those figures which I am enjoying painting. Who I have quietly doing a bit here and there. Bruce is now mostly painted. I just need to work a bit more on the detailing and then onto the base. 

He really reminds me of the classic Citadel C20 trolls although sculpted in a completely different style. Just the right mix of funny and scary and doesn't  look like he's have been working out at gym. All odd body portions and a folklore style. With some nice details. I decided that those shoes look like stone which seems a very troll thing to do! So painted as slate. 

Once I finish off Mordred, I think will have a go at the 2012 figure - A Mayan Warchief. Sculpted by the  Jacques-Alexandre Gillois of Miniature Studio. Apparently it's themed on the end of the 13th B'ak'tun of the Mayan Long Count Calendar.

Rob 

A Change of Scenery

 Scenery Board Mark 2

Finished board with sunset sky

Over Christmas, I decided my photographic scenery board needed an upgrade. I wanted where possible to use stuff I already had instead of buying a load of extra stuff (leaving more money for figures!). And I just about had enough pink polystyrene when I chopped it in half. Also found a suitable bit of board lying around in the garage.  I wanted a raised area  at the back to give a couple of levels and to hide the horizon. 

The board chopped and glued. 

First mistake was to use PVA glue to stick the polystyrene to the base board instead of hot melt glue. The PVA glue took over a week to dry even when left in the office and there was still  little bit of glue was still leaking out two weeks later. Rather than have a couple of small hills, I chose to made a cliff face instead to break the horizon. Using broken up corks from wine bottles. Funny we had enough of them left over after Christmas. 

When selecting corks make sure they are made from solid pieces of cork and are not made of little bits of cork glued together. I cut foam back so that cork could sit under the front of the cliff face giving an overhang. I remembered to use the hot melt glue this time.  

After a bit of vigorous filing with a coarse file, the basic shape was formed. Pound shop filler was applied to blend in the over hang for the cliffs and reinforce some of the features. I did think about adding a water feature but this board is smaller than my original board even with the cliff. So I decided against it in order to have enough room for larger groups or battle scenes. 

Time for filler and sanding

After this it was time for lots of coarse sand and PVA (Sorry no photo for this step) and then was painted with a large (cheap) tube of burnt umber from the local hobby shop. Followed by dry brushing in light browns, greys and a bit of green. Finally dark green scenic scatter, grass clumps and small pieces of dyed sponge. 

Finished board with early evening sky

I have ordered a second bag of different coloured flock as the grass needs a bit more mixing up and I will get a couple of dead model trees to help break up the skyline. The statue isn't fixed so I can swap it, I have seen a gibbet which would make a good alternate. I now need to work out how to light and photograph this new board. But overall I think it makes a nice improvement on the mark one board. Now back to the dwarves... 

Trusty mark one board. 

Rob 

A Thief in the Night

ME-82  'The Hobbit' Personalities - Bilbo Baggins (4 of 4)

Almost alone in the wilds!

Now completed this little set with Bilbo painted. It is interesting that this only one of two Bilbo* figures produced during Citadel's 80's Lord of the Rings phase with Bilbo dressed for the battle of the Five armies. I don't think I have seen one from GW current Lord of the Ring range but I assume they must have done one!  

* Just realised there is a second Bilbo figure in the ME-34 Hobbits of the Shire set which I will be painting next (once they have been through the paint stripper).  Compared to five different Frodo models from the same time period. 

Anyway Bilbo was a great figure paint and a nice little break before I move onto the rest of dwarf sapper and rangers.

The whole gang.

Rob

My Top 3 Terry Pratchett Novels

Discworld Choices

In reply to a question, I am posting my favourite Terry Pratchett novels. With over forty novels and many different arcs it can be quite dauting to decide where to start. This is very much a personal choice and there are many other great books by Terry Pratchett.

Lords & Ladies

Published 1992

Any book with Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg can't be bad but Lords and Ladies is my favourite witches story from memory (this may change after I read them all again in order). The witches take on the elves, but these elves very much mad, bad and dangerous to know. Not your friendly wood elf.

Feet of Clay

Published 1996

Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Guard is on the case, and this case is treason.  Not so much of a whodunit but whydunit. Terry at his best using the discworld and as a colourful backdrop to his crime caper.

The Colour of Magic

Published 1983

Or you could just go back to the start with the first Discworld novel and join Rincewind and Twoflowers on their journey across Discworld. There is also a pair of great graphic novels covering the Colour of magic and the sequel the Light Fantastic.

My rather battered copies

Rob 

Mr P's Witches

 Time for Some Equal Rites

I have been a long time fan of Terry Patchett  since I first read the Colour of Magic back in the 80s. In particular I have always liked the Witches, Granny and Nanny. But I have never read all of  Terry's Witches books or in the correct order. So this year is time to correct this serious failing.

You haven't read all of the Witches novels?

A number of helpful people have already sorted out the order  of Mr P.'s witches books. With six books listed in order below.  

Published 1987

Published 1988

Published 1991

Published 1992

Published 1995

Published 1998

I believe all of the covers were painted by Josh Kirby. 

On to the Figures

This reading has inspired a little side project. I had always planned to add a little coven of witches with scenery to the Fae but moved onto the next project(s) before getting round to it. 

But reading Mr. P witches has reminded me to get my own set of Witches and I have started trawling around the internet looking for some suitable figures. There were some official figures at one stage but I remember the costs were quite high. I also half remember a number of figures I quite liked but can't find at the moment. 

Anyway my first finds were a very nice range of witches from Midlam Miniatures  and the first  potential candidates for Granny & Nanny.  Because witches always come in threes, Granny & Nanny will also need a junior witch to boss about.  I already have a cat familiar from Reaper who can be used as Greebo. 

Pictures from Midlam's website

Rob 

Return of the King Under the Mountain

ME-82  'The Hobbit' Personalities - Thorin Oakenshield (3 of 4)

Finished off Thorin this evening. I am pleased with the way he turned out. A really nice figure with great character and clean sculpting.

King under the Mountain

Thorin & Balin emerge from the Lonely Mountain

Still looking for Bilbo

Rob

Dwarven New Year

New Dwarves & Some Old Ones

Beginnings of the Guild of Sappers & Scouts

Slowly working my way through the dwarven contingent  for Thistlewood. Who will be  mixed unit of rangers and sappers. 

As readers of this blog will probably know one my favourite sculptors is Mark Copplestone and this dwarf Warchief is one  of his best.  One of his nineties Grenadier figures.  Fortunately still available through Fornlorn Hope. 

He is such a great character that I think he will have to be an additional  named character for Thistlewood. But because the dwarf contingent leader will now be a named character then the elf contingent will also have to have a named character which means the goblins etc. will also need another named character(s). So another project starts to spin out of control. Maybe I will think about this a bit more...

Jorus Dwalinson - Forge  Captain
of the Guild of Sappers & Scouts

Citadel's Talisman Dwarf

Gary Chalk's Illustration for the Talisman game

I thought I will add a picture of this miniature because I don't think I have included him on my blog before and he is one of my favourite Citadel dwarves and the theme of this post has been a bit dwarf centred. The figure can be a bit fragile because of winged helmet so he will probably have to sit out active service. I know this because I also have a broken one (Who could do with a bit of a revamp!). 

This is one of the figures designed for the Talisman board game characters based on the drawing by Gary Chalk. 

 ME-82  'The Hobbit' Personalities - Thorin Oakenshield (3 of 4)

And finally one more dwarf, now working to finish Thorin. The detail on this figure is really nice and the inks pick the detail very well. 

Rob