Elise the Witch - Better Late Than Never

Fifteen days after Halloween, I finally have my Halloween project finished.  I would like to use my normal excuse of real life stuff getting in the way but unfortunately the delay was mostly due to a very stubborn color - orange.  Oh, and maybe just a bit of that other stuff like, you know, work and such.

 

I finished Elise rather quickly since the color selection was fairly simple.  Hat, shirt, thong, stockings, and boots are all that covers the little witch.  But when it came to the pumpkin, I hit a stumbling block.   I really had not used orange before except to help highlight reds but since I basecoated with a light brown, I didn't think I'd encounter any issues.  Boy was I ever wrong!  I must have repainted that bloody pumpkin seven or eight times without ever getting results I was happy with.  Finally I simply gave up and let it be as is and came to the conclusion that I hate using orange....even more so than reds and yellows.  I think from now on, I will do whatever I can to avoid using that blasted color.

Is it just me and my poor painting skills or does anyone else have issues with orange?

Anyway, other than orange getting the better of me, Elise the Witch (Reaper 65015) was fun to paint.  I was drawn to the sexy seductive bearing of Elise over the more traditional Halloween witch and waited for the months to pass by after buying her so that she could find herself in the painting queue just in time for the spooky month.  I knew she would be a striking miniature when completed due to the simplicity of the sculpt.  And with her so scantily clad, I also knew I would be given the opportunity to work on my flesh tones (an area where I really need to improve).
 

The only problem I had with the miniature itself was that a portion of the right side of her face was degraded and somewhat missing.  I wish I had known before I started painting but the defect was hidden by the shadow of the form and camouflaged by the black primer.  Until I put on the basecoat on her face, I was unaware of the issue.  No worries though.  I now have an excuse to purchase another Elise and maybe conquer the dreaded orange pumpkin.

Trying to Find Legends of the Old West

The title of this post says it all.  I am trying to track down a copy of Warhammer Historical Legends of the Old West but I am having ZERO luck. 

Does anyone know how to find a copy in the States?  Actually, a copy anywhere would be acceptable. 

Also, I see that the title is sold out and/or out of print on the Warhammer Historical website.  Does anyone know if GW plans to reprint the book?

A huge thanks in advance for anyone that can help me on this matter.

A Halloween Witch - Dragon Magazine Style

Happy Halloween everyone.  It's probably my favorite holiday of the year...a chance to dress up in a silly costume and act like a kid again, no matter how old we really are.

To help celebrate the night of ghosts, ghouls, and goblins, I've been working on a few witch miniatures.  Unfortunately they are not quite finished yet (despite my best efforts) but photos will be coming soon.  But I didn't want to strike out on a Halloween themed post so I thought I'd throw up a photo of one of my favorite Dragon Magazine issues.

 

The issue is number 114 from October of 1986.  The cover features a scantily clad female witch perched atop a positively evil looking stone monument.  Actually, "skyclad" or nude would be a better description since the only article of clothing is a sheer robe or cape.  The painting for the cover was done by David Martin and titled "Spirit of the Night."  I think his quote from the magazine in describing his work perfectly translates the image to words:  "In a shower of moonlight, a lone figure kneels in supplication to the image of a god worshiped long ago.  Aroused, the elemental nightwind rises up, phoenix-like, from the ashes of the dead city.  It carries the smells of the forest, invisible, yet potent as a prayer in the silence."  Indeed!

Let's see, October of 1986...that would make me around fifteen years old.  No wonder I liked the cover so much.  But in all honesty, I have very fond memories of the cover, not only because I had a mostly nude female on the cover of my favorite magazine but also due to the painting itself.  The "cool" colors used to cover most of the canvas makes me think of a chilly autumn night while the full moon definitely portrays a late October evening.  As I mentioned in my last entry, autumn is a special time for me and anything that reminds me of that time of year is bound to fall into favor.  And maybe it's the use of an old broken statue to represent an ancient being or something else entirely, but the painting simply screams AD&D to me.

The articles inside were just as good as the cover.  (Yes!  I do read it for the articles!  Ha!)  To go along with the Halloween theme, a wonderful rewrite of the Witch NPC class served as the centerpiece while a small section entitled "Grave Encounters" offered several tables to help generate inhabitants of cemeteries, graveyards, and crypts.  I also particularly enjoyed the Elven Cavalier article on page 26.

Although I rank this as one of my top ten Dragon Magazine covers ever, not every subscriber and reader was happy with the issue.  In fact, number 114 caused quite a scandal.  The cover reignited a debate about the depiction of females in the game and in artwork and one reader went as far as to call it "soft-core pornography."  I wonder how many subscriptions were cancelled after that issue?  I also wonder how many new subscriptions were ordered?  After all, a cover like Mr. Martin's could be considered cutting edge at the time.

Though certainly not the intent of this post, I can't help but wonder where the gaming community stands now on such issues as scantily clad females on covers or their general depiction in gaming.  Do you have an opinion?  Is it acceptable in today's media or are females being done an injustice?  I'd like to know what you think......

Legends of the Fall - part 1

Although a few more months will have to pass before we get any relief from the tropical heat and humidity in the Florida Keys, the calendar indicates that autumn has definitely arrived.  And with the arrival of fall, thoughts of adventure in mythical lands begin to fill my head.  Perhaps this call to adventure comes from the fact that beginning in every September, I reread The Lord of the Rings (this will be my 27th rereading) and get caught up in Tolkien's ability to stir the soul to wander. Or maybe it's nothing more than some residual trait from childhood camping trips.  Whatever the case, the spell has been laid upon me and I think it's even more potent this year since I'm also in the process of rereading the original Dragonlance trilogy, which certainly has a link to the autumn season.

Unfortunately, I live on an island and can't go tramping through the woods and mountains so the adventure must take place in my head and imagination.  And when that happens, another hobby project tends to form.  Such is the case with Legends of the Fall.

The plan for this project is simple.  I'm in the process of creating a fantasy adventuring party in miniature (the first member of which can be seen above).  I envision a well-balanced group of five to eight adventurers representing most of the common fantasy RPG class archetypes.  After painting, they will all be based with a autumn foliage/terrain theme to tie the group together visually and satisfy my current fall-based need for adventure.  More than likely they will all receive some kind of background and back story that will reflect the sculpt of the miniature and connect each individual with the group as well.

As the title of the project suggests, each miniature will be an experienced adventurer and rather legendary in their chosen class.  The sculpts that I choose will have to reflect that trait both in the overall demeanor of the figure along with the equipment and weapons carried.  While painting these minis should be fun, I think the process of picking the individual models to represent the different classes will be one of the best aspects.  I will not limit myself to any one range or brand, so the sky is the limit.  I also plan on seeking suggestions from readers and guests on how to fill those roles and hope to find myself considering models that I would never have found on my own.

As you can see from the photos above and below, the first two slots have already been chosen.  One model has already been completed while the other is waiting for a few more highlights and an appropriate base.

The miniature above is from the Visions in Fantasy line from Dark Sword Miniatures.  Looking through my mountain of unpainted lead, it quickly becomes apparent that I'm a huge fan of DSM and it's only appropriate that a mini from the company fills my first Legend spot.  According to the website, she is titled Female Warrior With Longsword and Shield (DSM7210) but right away I envisioned her as a female paladin. 

The sculpt is quite lovely and exudes an air of strength and leadership while still preserving a feminine aspect.  The color scheme I used was already in my head even before I placed the order - white to symbolize the purity of a paladin with floral shades of pink/purple to emphasize her gender.  I initially thought to give her darker hair however, to create a bit of mystery about her, but a lighter tone fit better with the color of her cloak and the metal of her armor.

Speaking of the armor, I really wanted to go non-metallic but I found the contrast too weak between the robes and the armor.  Plus, to be honest, I'm still learning the whole NMM technique and find myself struggling at times to create realistic effects.  I'm limited to decent looking swords right now and fear that I have some ways to go before I can tackle larger, more complex objects like armor.

As for her background, I only have a name to go along with her class for now.  At some point in the last few years I came across the name Liandra and immediately fell in love with it.  I've used a version of it (Liandrha) in a few other projects and short stories and think the name very appropriate for this character.  I have a few ideas for a surname or epithet, along with a very rough sketch for a background, but those details will have to wait until the next post on the project.

Accompanying Liandrha the paladin in the above photo is my choice for the mage in the group.  With my love of Tolkien, it was very tempting to choose an iconic old wizard with a long beard for the magic-user of the group but I wanted to emphasize the fact that this group of adventurers were a force to be reckoned with and in the prime of their careers.  Also, I think I may have been influenced by visions of Raistlin, the gold-skinned mage from the Dragonlance setting.  I do want to point out however that while he is indeed wearing red robes and has white hair, all resemblance to the much loved/hated character ends there. I have other ideas for this guy once he is finally completed.

The miniature is from Reaper and is called by them, Anirion, Wood Elf Wizard (03491).  The sculpt is very simple but the luxurious flowing robes provides lots of space for shading and highlighting.  Very little of the face can be seen beneath the cowl of his hood but that adds to the air of mystery about him.  I will have more photos of the mage as soon as I finish the final highlight coat and base him.


The next step for me is to chose the cleric/healer of the group.  For this choice I would like to seek some suggestions from you, good readers.  I'm open to any company and gender but the sculpt should be in the 28mm range and reflect a higher level character.  I'm very much looking forward to the possible suggestions and thank participants in advance for the help.

Optivisor - Answering My Own Question

A while back I was doing a bit of research and considering purchasing an Optivisor to help with painting my miniatures.  In doing so, I solicited advice from other painters who use an Optivisor, and though I received several emails stating interest in also purchasing one, actual advice or reviews from current users were lacking.  Well, I did a little more research and purchased one a few weeks ago.  And now that I've had some time to get used to the added magnification and its effect on my painting, I thought I would post a review to help others who may be considering a similar purchase.

 

A #2 Optivisor

There are several different styles of Optivisors on the market (and other companies make similar devices).  Some are lighted while others have additional attachments, etc...  I really didn't need anything special so I decided to go with the basic model.  The one I purchased consists of a comfortable headband adjustable to any size via a rotating knob on the back and a swivel mounted visor containing the lenses that is easily moved out of the way for normal painting.  Despite a good amount of time on the internet researching the appropriate magnification for painting miniatures, I was unable to find a solid answer.  So basically I just made a slightly educated guess and ordered a model with 1.5 times magnification.  Other flavors include magnification that goes from 1.5 to over 3 times normal size.  My eyes are still in very good shape though and I only needed a bit of help for the tiny details that grace today's intricate models, so I went with the lower power visor.

The Optivisor in action on a Halloween WIP

I have not tried any of the higher power lenses so my review may be biased, but I am quite happy with the purchase.  With the aid of the Optivisor, I've noticed an increase in the detail on my minis and the ability to place paint in the smallest of areas.  I'm also able to make less of a mess when I need to outline or freehand.  The additional magnification has also helped me avoid finding flaws in the metal AFTER I've primed and base coated.  I absolutely hate having to go back and file or fill a spot after I've already started painting.  Note:  I hate prepping miniatures anyhow.  I wish they came ready to paint!

A word of warning though.  Until you get used to the additional magnification, be very careful with brush placement.  I had several accidents where I thought the brush was further from the model than it actually was and ended up putting a blob of paint in random spots.  After a few days of use however, those little incidents vanished.

A privateer WIP seen at 1.5 times magnification

Though the focal length listed for the #2 model is listed at 20", I find that measurement difficult to believe.  Through careful measurements, I've found that the miniatures come into focus around 6 inches from the lens and begin to blur when moved closer than 3 inches.  Now I'm not an optometrist and do not know what other factors may effect focal length, but these are the numbers that work for me.  It's fortunate that the numbers are what they are since that is about where I hold my miniatures when I paint anyhow.

Another WIP seen through the lens

I was concerned about the comfort of wearing the visor while painting but I've adjusted quite easily.  Since I do not use the magnification the entire time I'm painting, I have had no issues with eye strain. I do leave the visor on my head though and just flip the lenses out of the way when not in use.  At first I would get little headaches from the pressure of the headband but either they have loosened a bit or I've simply become used to it because I no longer even feel the unit on my head.

So in conclusion, I'm quite happy with my purchase.  Though I'm certainly not the best painter out there (or even close), I've been able to take my miniatures up a notch with a fairly inexpensive investment and that is always a good thing.  It would be nice to try some of the higher power models though, just to see what they are like, but for now I'll make do with these.  After using them for some time now, I feel good about recommending this particular model to other miniatures painters.  But remember, however, that depending on your eye sight, your mileage may vary.

Talk Like A Pirate Day - Pirate Project Update

I had hoped to get this posted last night in honor of Talk Like A Pirate Day but real life got in the way as it always seems to do.  However, when you live in the Florida Keys, one can hear pirate speak almost every day so in that respect, I'm right on time.

Though my posting frequency has been lower than normal lately, I have not been idle by any means on the hobby front.  In fact, it's due to the focus I've placed on my hobby projects lately that has left little time for blogging.  I'll try to get a general update posted in the very near future to showcase some of the other undertakings, but for now I want to concentrate on the pirate project.

Port Largo is coming along nicely.  I've been able to shape the terrain boards to my liking and add a bit of elevation here and there.  Since the first part of the campaign will take place mostly in town, I will be adding two boards behind the existing ones to showcase more of the island.  Once the crews manage to gain access to larger ships, the back boards can be removed to give more room for ship maneuvering.

Overhead view of Port Largo

In the view below, one can see the general layout of the town proper.  The docks are now apparent though the actual piers are still under construction.  Several of the buildings are starting to take shape as well, with the inn in the foreground to the right.  I've been trying several different techniques to simulate the classical Caribbean building style and have almost settled on a favored solution.  One method that I will no longer employ however is to use spackle over the foamboard to provide texture.  Not only does it take way too long, but it's quite messy and creates rather heavy structures.  The current winner is to use textured spray paint as a primer then apply colors and washes over that layer.

View of the east side of town

Not shown are the barracks, the blacksmith's shop, and several of the lesser homes that will line the street.  They are sitting on the workbench with clamps holding the sides together to allow the glue to dry.  I'm also working on a gallows that will sit seaward of the tower fort at the southernmost point of the island.  Does anyone know where I can find a miniature to represent a hanged pirate?


The ships are coming along nicely as well.  One of the completed smaller vessels can be seen sailing the Caribbean blue waters below while other unstarted ships can be seen sitting at the docks for scale.  Not shown are the two sloops under construction on the work bench right now.  While it will be some time before the crews are ready to take to the high seas, I do want several watercraft available for scenery and possibly for escapes.

Ships along the waterfront of Port Antigua

I took a break from painting the normal inhabitants of Port Antigua to return to the fighting folk.  I've started a new round of soldiers and a few commanders to go along.  A few pirates and privateers are also primed and ready to go.  All of the miniatures below are from the Black Scorpion line of pirates except for the little guy that belongs to Old Glory.  I've become quite a fan of Black Scorpion over the last year and highly  recommend them for their clean lines, interesting poses, and general good looks.

Pirates in progress

Well, that's about it for the pirates for now.  Projects await......

The Ladies of Port Largo - Part 2

Hurricane Irene thankfully spared the Florida Keys (though my thoughts are with family and friends in the Carolinas) with a timely right turn up the East Coast but ventured close enough to scare away all the tourists for most of the week.  With no boat trips to run and unexpected free time on my hands, I've been able to catch up on some long overdue hobby projects and painting.

The denizens and inhabitants of Port Largo remain near the top of the to-do list and they've seen quite a bit of attention lately...especially the ladies that call the port home.  Two more "maidens" have moved out of the painting queue and are now available for game play.  Watch your coins sir for you are about to be parted from them by their not-so-subtle feminine wiles.

Both figures are available from the Reaper Townsfolk collection.  The miniature on the left, called Maggie by the inhabitants of Port Largo, is from the Townsfolk III pack.  She is a local girl, part of the first generation to be born on the island.  Her father was some sailor or buccaneer, or at least that is the story that has been told to her from time to time.  Her mother wanted to be nothing more than a sailor's bedwarmer and was want to disappear now and then with some salty ner-do-well only to reappear with more lines on her face and another babe in her belly.  Four years ago she did not return at all and Maggie found that she did not grieve for her.  Instead, she found work at the inn, first as a serving girl then as...entertainment.

Maggie of Port Antigua

She is amongst the favorites at The Wind and Whistle and has a smile and a wink ready for all who enter.  Though friendly and flirtatious, she does not suffer the unclean.  A large copper pot sits in the corner of her room and the water is changed often....more so when a ship has come to port. It is said you can always tell the man in the street that just left Maggie's arms by his freshly washed look and grin on his face.

All is not well with Maggie however.  She was recently beaten by a mate from Captain Barkley's sloop and some of her saved coin stolen.  If the tales be true, she has taken to hiding a dagger under her pillow and tells the other girls that when His Majesty's warship arrives, she plans to become quite friendly with the crew so as to gain a bit of protection from the sorry lot the Governor has been allowing to walk the streets.

Caroline Walsh, formerly of Charles Towne

Next is a miniature that I call Caroline.  She is from the Townsfolk II package but can also be found in the Village of Kullhaven boxed set.  Unlike Maggie, she is new to Port Largo, having arrived only four months ago with her elderly Grandfather.  It is no secret that they both came from Charles Towne in Carolina from a family with some wealth.  It is said that Willard was sent by his son to help set up trade between the booming island economy and the family business in Charles Towne but that Caroline was whisked away with the elder Willard due to some scandalous behavior on her part.

 

Things have changed for the two in the few short months they have been in Port Largo.  Willard's health is failing quickly and what money the two brought with them is rapidly running out.  Either the family business is not going well back in Charles Towne or the younger Willard has disowned them both.  As for Caroline, she has taken work at The Wind and Whistle to help care for her Grandfather.  As to what that work might be, she has kept to herself and away from the ears of Old Man Willard.

The Ladies of Port Largo - Part 1

While the title of this post may sound like a bad calendar idea or worse yet, something you might find on cable TV late at night, it's actually something much more benign.  My slow but steady painting methodology has been moving right along (at a snail's pace) and another batch is ready to join the action on the gaming table.  Since I have quite a few pirate and naval miniatures already completed, I wanted to start fleshing out the inhabitants of Port Largo and what better place to start than with the tavern --- the place where adventure, intrigue, and more than a few fights always seem to start. 

The first two ladies to grace Port Largo come from Reaper and Black Cat Bases.  Although I very much like both of the sculpts, the character of each could not be more different.  I'm always pleased at how some miniatures, just by the virtue of their sculpts, speak to me and guide my decisions on color scheme and background.  Anyone else ever experience this?

First up is a serving lass from the Reaper line of Townsfolk.  With her short hair and innocent looking face I simply could not paint her anything other than blonde.  Actually I tried initially.  I wanted all the women of Port Antigua to be more than a bit shady so I painted her hair jet black.  But I quickly changed my mind and reverted to a more open and less threatening color to do the figure justice (that's not to say that dark hair equals dark intentions though...Just for the record, I'm quite fond of brunettes).  With the fair face and hair, the dress had to match so I went with a "country lass" type scheme.

She was fairly easy to paint as all the features on the model were large and bold.  The only problem I encountered was the food that sits on top of the serving platter.  You can't see from the angle of the photo, but there is a bowl of soup and a plate of meats and vegetables resting on top.  I had a devil of a time trying to paint that food.  No matter what I did, all the colors seemed wrong and I must have changed my mind ten times before I found something that worked.  Go ahead and laugh if you like, but really, how often do wargamers have to paint food items?

Next is Catherine, or Cat, or sometimes known as Black Cat.  She's quite a striking sculpt from Black Cat Bases based out of the UK.  I first saw her in the Legends of the High Seas rulebook but no information about the model was provided.  I took to the internet in search of her and had a difficult time of it but finally stumbled upon Black Cat Bases.  If you're interested in finding her yourself, the name above is one I've given her.  She is listed under the Civilians and Townsfolk section and called quite simply "Wench".  Of course, I'll be nice and provide a direct link here.

To me she is a perfect sculpt for a pirate town.  The sculptor has managed to combine beauty, innocence, flirtation, seduction, and danger all in one model.  Well done I say!  I tried to paint her to accentuate some of those features.  The red dress signifies her devilish side while the whale bone corset shows that she is still a lady.  But beware gentlemen of fortune, though she is smiling and flirting, danger is oh so close.  Behind her back she wields a wicked dirk that could easily change a sailor's moment of rapture to one of death.

Three more ladies are very nearly complete with several more in the early stages.  Stay tuned for part 2 in the near future.

More Pirates Completed --- Finally...

As I was lamenting in another post, my painting style lends itself to protracted periods of seemingly endless inactivity.  My own style of batch painting slows down production to almost a standstill, especially when beginning a new batch. While it's more about the journey than the destination for me, seeing completed miniatures leave the painting queue provides both satisfaction and a bit of personal pride.  Those feelings tend to occur few and far between for me lately however.

While my own peculiar take on batch painting has many downfalls, occasionally the benefits start rolling in.  "Batches" of minis all started at the same time also near completion near simultaneously.     Such is the case this week.  I have several pirates and other miniatures all nearing completion together.  I want to share the first two with you.

Captain Hook and Melisande Wavecutter

Both of these piratical miniatures have been in the queue for quite some time.  I have an excuse for one and well, nothing for the other.  I am extremely glad they are both completed and ready for a bit of action in my Legend of the High Seas campaign.

Melisande Wavecutter from Reaper

Ladies first:  Melisande Wavecutter is a miniature from the Reaper "pirates" line.  I emphasize the word "pirate" because Reaper has put a decidedly fantasy twist to their swashbucklers.  Historical accuracy is obviously not their focus.  On some models the fantasy slant is very apparent but it's not so noticeable on Melisande.  Beyond the fact that she is a female and dressed as a captain, only the skulls on her boots belie the trend.

Miss Wavecutter has been in my collection for a very long time and in the painting queue since the first of the year.  I am terrible with female skin tones (especially facial features) and the fear of completely mucking her up has kept her from completion for months.  Sheer desperation finally allowed me to finish her but I'm still not happy with her face.  I simply cannot seem to get the subtle female shading correct no matter how hard I try.  Maybe the purchase of the OptiVisor I ordered will help me achieve better results.

More detail of the hat and coat

Though my meager painting skills did not do her justice, the miniature itself is a beautiful sculpt.  The hat, greatcoat, and the face make the mini stand out for me so I chose colors that would emphasize some of those features.  If I had more time I think I would have removed the skulls from the boots and possibly added a bit of trim around the coat though.  I'm fairly pleased with her overall however and look forward to using her in the next game.  As far as her backstory goes, I'll have to think on that a bit.

Captain Hook from Reaper

 Next up is Captain Hook, also from Reaper Miniatures.  He too suffers from the fantasy element that Reaper has imposed upon their pirate line...mainly in the size of his saber cutlass meatcleaver.  Just as Melisande has lingered in limbo for months, the captain has seen more than his share of time in the painting queue.  So what's his excuse?  I'm not really sure.  Though I'm not at all opposed to the miniature itself (after all, I did purchase it for a reason), I think over time he became one of those rare minis that I simply could not get into.  Perhaps it's the huge weapon or maybe it's the terrible color scheme I chose for him, but whenever I sat down to paint, my eyes would pass over him almost every time in favor of another model to work on.  I finally forced myself to wrestle with the inertia surrounding the good captain and he is now complete.  I wonder how he will fare in the next game of Legends of the High Seas.

I need to work on a good background for this miniature as well.  I really have not thought too much about it but I can assure you that his name will not be Captain Hook.  Arrrr....!!!

I have two other rogues to share as soon as the varnish is finished drying then it's time for the ladies.  Yep, the wenches I've been ignoring forever are nearing completion as well.  My pirates are thirsty and ready to spend some of their ill gotten gains.  Their arrival could not be more appropriate nor appreciated but pirates beware!  These ladies will have a few tricks up their...hmmm....bodices.

OptiVisor

I am thinking about purchasing an OptiVisor for close detail work.  I currently have a magnification lamp on my hobby desk that provides great light and allows me to look at my not-so-handy work but I find it difficult to actually paint while looking through the glass.  The problem is that to get the right focus and magnification, I have to hold the miniature fairly close to the lens.  In doing so, the edge of the lamp often interferes with end of the paint brush and causes my carefully aimed spec of paint to go horribly astray.  Usually this happens when completing facial features and requires an awful lot of work to repair.

So, as I stated above, I am thinking of purchasing a head mounted option.  I am unsure of what power of magnification would be appropriate for painting 28mm miniatures.  Does anyone have an experience with the OptiVisor and if so, what model/magnification would you suggest? 

Thanks in advance for the advice. 

Hope for Anglalond

For some time now the men of Rohan have defended the lands from the increasing incursions of Scandinavian invaders.  Their blood has been spilled on foreign soil fighting savage northern heathens when they should be back in the Riddermark protecting their own folk from the forces of Saruman.  But they are an honorable people and refused to leave the field of battle ere reinforcements arrived.

That time is now.....

I've finally gotten my hands on a couple of boxes of Saxon warriors for my Age of Blood games.  I've been playing several scenarios (in between watching massive marathons of Tour de France footage) using my warriors of Rohan to represent the Anglo-Saxons in their struggle to resist the raiding hordes of Norsemen.  While the Rohirrim proved to be an acceptable proxy, the games simply did not feel right without proper models on the table.  That is soon to be rectified however.  Only one more night of cycling before I can get back to painting and hopefully get these brave warriors on the field before the next wave of longships appear on the horizon.

Speaking of the Tour de France, congratulations to Cadel Evans.  Well played Aussie.  Well played indeed.

Batch Painting or My Inability to Complete Miniatures

To most miniature painters, batch painting is an incredibly efficient method of turning out large numbers of miniatures in minimal time.  A favorite of the wargaming crowd, entire units of spearmen or squads of infantrymen can progress from bare metal to tabletop gaming quality in short order using batch painting methods. Painting all similar items of a similar group of miniatures at once saves vast amounts of time and allows for impressive forces to be fielded with minimal effort.

Being more of a collector (or miniature hoarder rather), batch painting means something entirely different to me.  And my personal definition certainly does not include the words efficient, timely, nor any remotely similar verbiage.  Since I rarely paint more than one type of miniature at a time, batch painting to me simply means painting an unrelated group of miniatures (usually comprised of what can fit on my painting desk) during a common period.  For example, my current "batch" is comprised of a motley assortment of pirates, townsfolk, rangers, wizards, wildings, and Cadians.  The paint scheme of each could not be more different nor the assortment less appropriate for batch painting.  But hey, that's how I roll.

My current "batch".

My method of batch painting is incredibly slow and commonly delays a miniature from moving to a completed state for weeks or months at a time - hardly a model for efficiency.  Quite often I'll pick up a miniature with full intentions of finally finishing off the poor lingering half-completed model only to be sidetracked after completing one small detail.  Usually, the process goes something like this:

1. Mix a really great shade to highlight an existing basecoat on a model.
2. Finish said highlight with paint to spare.
3. Notice that the spare paint would make an interesting basecoat on a different part of a different model.
4. Paint new model with spare paint or until the paint is no longer spare.
5. Either the remix paint to complete the unfinished part on the current model or more likely proceed to step 7.
6. Complete the part on the new model then begin with highlights and decide that the new color would look nice on another miniature .  Repeat process starting with step 2.
7. Remember that several miniatures needed flesh highlights.  No need to waste paint though.  Before highlighting minis that are ready, why not bring up a few more models and highlight them all at once?
8. Begin several new miniatures.
9. Ooooh, pretty color.  I wonder what it would look like on that model?
10. Wash, rinse, repeat......

Meanwhile, during this viscous cycle, a miniature that is 99% complete lingers in the painting queue, forlorn and forgotten until another mini needing a similar quick step to finish comes due.  As I write this I am turning my head towards my hobby desk and counting no less than three figures that could be completed in less than a half hour's worth of work.  But why do that when I have about twenty-five other miniatures that I could "batch paint"?

Perhaps this is simply another facet of my Hobby A.D.D. or another defect that has not yet been discovered or documented.  Either way, it's no small wonder that I have loads of unpainted miniatures and numerous unfinished projects that are always just on the horizon.

So is this seemingly incurable ailment specific to me or do others suffer from a similar syndrome?  Am I the only painter with a totally incorrect notion of batch painting?  Please do discuss...

In the meantime.....

Well, May is finally over.  Thank goodness!  It was a tough month for me to say the least.  Business, a busy schedule, and training for a long distance bike race all conspired to keep me away from my miniatures and hobbies for nearly an entire month.  The chaos is beginning to subside however and life is returning to normal. 

With normalcy and free time comes a return to a regular blogging schedule.  In the next few days I'll have another installment of Pirate Profiles and a few new minis to showcase.  And if all goes well, a small sailing dingy will be joining the fleet.

In the meantime........

 

Having a bit of fun with a flintlock and long camera exposures.

April Hobby Matrix

Well, it's that time of the month again when I get to track and ponder the ebb and flow of my gaming hobbies.  It's quite entertaining and educating to watch the rise and fall of each item and to try to comprehend the reason or reasons for the change.  Sometimes the change is due to understandable and reasonable factors such as the "oooh, shiny!" syndrome or simple inspiration from a movie or book (such as the case this month).  Other times games just fall by the wayside until fate smiles upon them and they rise from the carnage to take a place amongst the upper class again.  I think this is the case for most gamers and hobbyists but I seem to be particularly vulnerable to the phenomenon.  

 This month sees several of those old favorites fall further from favor (but never out of mind).  Although I have a unit of High Elves and Bretonians in the queue for major projects, Warhammer Fantasy Battles continues a general decline.  I have sold most of my Empire army on Ebay and only have bits and pieces of others armies hiding in storage.  I cannot even claim that the two units mentioned above will help the fall since each unit is destined for other game systems.  Though I've long thought Peter Jackson did a wonderful job with The Lord of the Rings, his vision of Tolkien's elves never matched mine.  Perhaps it's the underlying Far Eastern theme that seems to drive his view of the culture or something else entirely, but I've always pictured the elves, especially those of the first and second ages, differently.  The mail coats, high helms, and stout spears of WFB High Elves speak to me and fit the image in my head more closely than Mr. Jackson's.  So, a few units of High Elves are destined to become players in a first/second age version of LotR SBG that I'm working on.  As for the Bretonians, they will be used in an upcoming Westeros project as mentioned here.


Most of the roleplaying games remained unchanged except for the Old School catagory, which for me simply means 1st Edition.  Though I have not actually played a game in a long time, my interest in the system is up - most likely due to the time I have spent pouring over some of my old issues of Dragon Magazine and looking at old miniatures.  Just flipping through those old musty pages or opening a box of long stored minis brings back so many fond memories.  


The big winners this month are basically the same as in March.  Legends of the High Seas remains strong as does anything remotely related to pirate gaming.  LotR SBG also saw an increase mainly due to the video update Peter Jackson posted on Facebook about The Hobbit (true inspiration) and the fact that I am using my Rohirrim as stand-ins for Saxons and Vikings for the Age of Blood game system.  Speaking of Age of Blood, I'm still very much obsessed with the idea of creating a warband and running a campaign with those rules.  I'm working on proper miniatures for the project but for now, Theoden and his men are doing just fine.


I finally received my preorder of Ambush Alley Force on Force.  I knew this was going to be a big hit with me and so far I am very much impressed with the game system.  I've located many of the miniatures I would like to use/collect (check out these from Black Scorpion) and will be making a fairly large order soon.  I'm also using some of the basic patterns I've used for buildings in the construction of Port Antigua to make Middle Eastern villages so I should be ready to playtest the rules as soon as I get some minis ready.


And finally, anything related to G.R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series is marked for a rapid rise.  I've long loved the gritty and "realistic" books and have been greatly inspired by the new series by HBO.  I've been hard at work painting Westeros related miniatures and preparing for a hybrid campaign that features the RPG game by Green Ronin combined with minor wargaming.  This should be quite fun to play out.


Enough of my chatter.  Here is this month's hobby matrix.  And yes, I've been lazy and I still do not have a proper format.

 
Current Obsession - Age of Blood
Past Obsession - Legends of the High Seas
Looming Obsession - Ambush Alley (Force on Force)


Lord of the Rings SBG = 8+
Warhammer Fantasy = 3-
Warhammer 40K = 5*
Pathfinder RPG = 4*
A Song of Ice and Fire RPG = 9+
Flames of War = 2-
Wings of War = 5-
D&D 4ed = 2*
D&D 3.5 = 3-
D&D old school = 8+
Axis and Allies War at Sea = 5*
Legends of the High Seas =9*
Terrain and Scenery Design = 8*
Miniature Painting (general) = 9+
Lord of the Rings Online = 3*
Pirates of the Burning Sea = 2-
Pirates of the Spanish Main = 6+
Pirates of the Spanish Main RPG = 7+
Ambush Alley = 7+
Age of Blood = 8+

(The scale is 1-10 with one being the lowest on the current interest scale and ten being the highest.  "-" indicates a negative trend and "+" indicates a positive while "*" signifies no change from the previous month.)

More Pirates Flock to Port Largo

Rumor has spread throughout the West Indies that Port Largo has become a bit of a pirate haven, second only to Nassau in the Bahamas.  While not openly welcomed, seadogs, buccaneers, privateers, and pirates know that for a price, anything can be bought or sold there as long as the Governor gets his share.  Those "on the account" walk the streets and frequent the taverns and brothels on the island with no fear of capture while their cargo and coin continues to enrich the residents. 

I've managed to finish up five more pirates and soon they too will join their brethren in Port Largo for my Legends of the High Seas project.  Over the next few days I plan to profile each of these unsavory characters and send dispatches to other Governors and captains so that they may be on the lookout for these wretches of the sea.

There and Back Again - Let it Begin

I just watched the first video blog from Peter Jackson on the filming of The Hobbit.  Watching him walk around familiar sets and talking about the new movie has set my imagination soaring.  That wonderful feeling I had over ten years ago when I started following and waiting for The Fellowship of the Ring is back again and I couldn't be happier.  In an age of social media and sharing, Mr. Jackson is spot on with his decision to keep the fans updated directly from the source and to whet our appetites with tantalizing tidbits of scenery, costumes, and props.

For gamers and hobbyists like myself, the updates can serve an additional purpose.... inspiration.  Those fond memories of the halcyon days of LotR have returned with just one teaser video.  Additional updates are sure to have a profound effect on the direction of my gaming/hobby interests.

How about you?

On the Horizon for April

The fact that I am late with this monthly feature is indicative of the month thus far.  Business is still brisk and I have had precious few moments for hobbies and blogging.  But as the saying goes, better late than never.  However, by the time I get this posted, half the month will have come and gone and my plans, ambitious even for a full month, will be neigh on impossible to reach.  Oh well...Ad Astra Per Aspera.

Looming work ahead.

First up for this month's projects is my miniature queue.  Though I did get quite a bit of painting completed last month, little if any change was to be noticed in the paint rack.  Many miniatures received my attention but few were completed and thus remained in the rack.  This month is different however.  Although there are several familiar faces in the photo below, I was able to complete several others and move new projects into the queue.

The full painting queue.

Finally some changes in the queue...

The painting rack.

From left to right top to bottom:  Saruman 1 and 2, which are in the exact same state as last month, followed by Strider from The Three Hunters blister.  Since I primed him for the Gesso post I might as well paint him up to join the plethora of other Striders in my collection.  The barkeep next to him is from Reaper's Townsfolk collection.  John Snow from Dark Sword Miniatures is next.  My collection of GRRM minis have been sitting around for quite some time but with the excitement of the looming series on HBO, I definitely foresee more action on this front. Christina the Devout from Reaper rounds out the first row.  I have had her for almost four years now and cannot seem to get started.  She's a great sculpt but inspiration for painting Christina is lacking.  If I do not get to the miniature this month I may take her out of the queue and come back to her later.

On the next row is the poor Cadian test model that has only manged to get a basecoat of flesh and boots. Once again the month of the Cadians has come and gone with little to no progress.  Instead of March of the Cadians, I may find myself looking at November of the Cadians...not quite as catchy is it?   Cyndria Stormcaller from Reaper got a little love last month with some basecoating.  She's certainly not my favorite sculpt but I only have a few female pirates in my collection thus far and would like to get her painted up.  Speaking of favorite sculpts, the next in line from Dark Sword certainly ranks highly with me.  The Young Hedge Knight looks quite striking and clever in his light armor and cloak.  I'm not sure how GRRM would feel about the bow on the back of a knight but the addition is fine with me.  He will make a great miniature to represent a RP character.  Next is a Wilding, also from the Game of Thrones line.  He was added this month to the queue not only due to the general ASoIaF frenzy but also to represent a dark age warrior in a project inspired by these posts over at The Man Cave.  The Governor of Port Antigua (from Black Scorpion) has received a bascoat for his soon to be gold greatcoat and tricorn.  I plan on doing something special with his waistcoat...perhaps a brocade pattern or something similar.  Melisande Wavecutter from Reaper is last on the row.  And yes, for those of you that follow this monthly update, she has not been touched at all.  I'm torn about what to do with the hat so she sits and waits for me to decide

The five minis not mounted yet are Waiting for Shadamehr from the DSM Larry Elmore collection, a male ranger also from DSM, and three unprimed pirate captains from Old Glory.  They will move to painting mounts as soon as I get some dull coat on a few completed miniatures and free up their mounts.

A motley collection of miniatures stand in front of the painting rack and await my attention.  From left to right, top to bottom:  Another pirate captain from Old Glory starts out the top row.  I have yet to paint a single pirate from the Old Glory collection and I am anxious to see the results.  Some painters/gamers love their sculpts while others find them lacking.  I wonder what side of the debate I will land on?  Alidee the Bandit from Reaper is next in line.  She is the first of yet another new project where I plan to select and paint  miniatures to represent the individual members of my LotRO Kinship.  This particular mini will be the miniature version of Myriade Hawkes, our favorite burglar.  The next three minis are all from Reaper's Townsfolk line and will represent some of the less than respectable ladies in Port Antigua in my Legends of the High Seas project.  Another female rounds out the row - Terezinya from Reaper.   I really like her pose but dislike the numerous skulls on her outfit.  I really do not want to worry with a conversion right now (minor as it would be) so I will paint her as is.  Down the road I may purchase another copy and spend the time to remove the features in question.

On the next row is Kurff the Swift from Reaper followed by a pirate with a musket from Black Scorpion.  I have only made little progress on the next mini from Black Cat bases.  Once completed she will join the other strumpets of Port Antigua but beware, she is not so simple as she seems.  Hidden behind the back of that lowered bodice is a sharp dagger.  Next is another female from the Townsfolk range though she is not quite as sketchy as the other lasses.  Autumn Bronzeleaf from Reaper is the last figure on the row and has only received a flesh basecoat at this point.

The last mounted row begins with Klaus Copperthumb and Anirion, both from Reaper.  Since Raistlin miniatures are difficult to find and expensive to obtain, I think Anirion will serve as a proxy Dragonlance mage.  Another pirate from Black Scorpion is next.  Yes, I realize the upper half looks like a statue.  He was/is a test subject for an upcoming experiment and tutorial on graybrushing.  Mason Thornwarden and Ilsa Darkstep are both from Reaper and sport only basecoats, except for the ranger's cloak which is approaching the final highlighting stage.  Finally, below the mounted minis are four Brits awaiting primer for the LotHS project.  They will join these fellows and help man the garrison in Port Antigua.

Unless you're living under a rock, I'm sure any reader is aware of HBO's upcoming adaptation of G.R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.  I have watched all the trailers and the first fifteen minutes of episode one and am quite pleased with the results.  It seems HBO is willing to remain true to the books (and why not - the books are great as is) and in doing so, renewed my love for Westeros.  To celebrate the upcoming series I am in the process of turning a box of Bretonnians into knights of Westeros.

I am planning on painting the Bretonnians to match some of the great houses of Westeros for an upcoming project that combines roleplaying and small skirmish wargaming.  The idea struck me when I noticed the antlers adorning the helm of one of the mounted knights.  While Robert Baratheon in the books is both fat and a drunkard, at the time he won the throne he was a mighty warrior and in my mind would have looked much like the miniature below.  I have ideas for most of the others but first things first....I have to find where I hid all the shields.  Yikes!

As mentioned above, I have been thinking of starting a dark age miniature campaign and project.  To help in the scenery department I have been building a few more structures for LotR and Age of Blood.  Since Rohan architecture and culture can fit quite nicely with a dark age theme I feel I'm getting a good deal here with my scenery. 

Is this simple home in Engla-lond or Rohan?

Finally, while speaking of LotR, I've pulled my nearly complete Rangers of Gondor out of the darkness and onto a shelf.  I started them several years ago but for some reason never finished.  See the pattern here?  With just a bit of highlighting here and there these guys will be ready to go in short order however.  And with their completion I may actually catch up to where I meant to be this year with my completed miniature count.

Rangers of Gondor await painting orders.

Well, there it is.  My plans for what is left of April.  Is the goal attainable?  I don't know...probably not.  But would goals be as interesting if they were set so low that they were always met?  Plus, just posting what I would like to accomplish at the start of every month is a huge motivating factor.

Do any of you do something similar to help organize your hobby plans?  If so, do you find that the plans help or hinder your projects?

A Great Map for a Great Cause

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings.  I owe most of my love for fantasy, and gaming by extension, to Professor Tolkien and his works.  Though my hobbies cover a rather large gamut of interests, LotR seems to be the binding agent between those areas or at least the old lovable stand-by that is always there waiting for me when other pursuits turn boring and dull.  I am always on the lookout for great sites on the subject as well as collectibles.  Not long ago, I found both.

Recently the fellows over at TheDunedain.net and Middle-earth Network have introduced the all new Dunedain Radio.  Featuring LotR inspired music, news, and chats, the internet radio station launched on Friday March 25th and has been open in my browser almost constantly since then.  Though there seems to be a few hiccups here and there (what new endeavor does not have them?), I am very pleased with the content and format and wish Dunedain Radio continued success.

If you are a fan of Tolkien and Middle-earth, you may want to consider making a small donation.  Charity and giving always feels good, but when you receive a gift in return for something you planned to do anyhow, well it's almost like a hobbit going to a birthday party and coming home with a present.  And that's exactly what is happening now at Dunedain Radio.  If you donate $20 - $26 (depending on where you live), those fine folks will send you a mathom worth keeping --- The Map of the Dwarves.

My map.  The wrinkles are due to the mailman's ineptness.

I received my copy a few days ago and as you can see above, it is truly a wonderful work of art.  The colors and lines are quite crisp and clear even though the parchment paper used gives the feeling of age and weight when held.  According to the website, the map was created as a special commission by the artist Daniel Govar and is only available to supporters of Dunedain Radio.  The map itself is obviously inspired by Thror's Map in The Hobbit.  And though the wording is the same, dare I say that the artwork is much better than the original? (Please forgive me Professor Tolkien).  I also want to point out that the map is quite large - 17 by 22 inches in fact.  I failed to include an object for scale in the photo above but the size would definitely be suitable for framing or gracing a position of honor in a gaming room.

By donating to Dunedain Radio, you are not only supporting a great LotR news and entertainment site, but helping the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan as well.  I was pleased to discover that a portion of all donations will go to a relief charity called Hands on Tokyo.  It may not be much but remember that every little bit counts.

As the title says, this is a great map for a great cause (two great causes actually!).  Check out the site and the radio station and give a little if you can.  I did and I am very happy with the return.

Priming with Gesso - The Answer to Humidity

For those readers who live in the latitudes where winter has not yet relinquished its icy grip, I must warn that you may not like the preamble to this post.  I am preparing to complain about the fact that I live on a beautiful island surrounded by clear tropical waters teeming with wondrous marine life and colorful coral reefs.  I am also going to take issue with the fact that while most of the northern hemisphere was battling one snow storm after another, I had to deal with temperatures that rarely dropped below seventy-five degrees and probably less than eight days of rain since "winter" officially started.  Yep...I am going to complain.

Home sweet home.

Now that  I have so many readers angry with me it might be a good time to explain.  I really do live in paradise but paradise comes with a price (figuratively and literally - but I will deal with the figurative side this post).  You see, when you are surrounded by all this warm Gulf Stream water, it may moderate your winters but it also brings almost constant humidity.  The winter and spring months (our dry season) are a bit better but even then we experience higher than average humidity levels.  And during the wet season (May through November) it can be almost unbearable.  Just walking outside will soak your shirt and create a sheen of water on your skin.

What does this little meteorological and geographical lesson have to do with hobbies?  Well, if you live in such a place and count miniature painting as one of your hobbies then the short answer to the above question is - everything.  We all know that the actual painting of the miniature is only one step to producing a finished product and one of the most important of these steps is priming.  And spray priming in humidity is one sure way to ruin a miniature in the very first stage.

Bring up the subject of priming at a convention or in a hobby forum and a debate will automatically ensue about which method is the best or which product provides the best results.  I certainly do not know enough about the properties of chemicals and I have not tried enough different brands to get involved in such a debate, but what I can offer is a suggestion for those of  you who may need to prime miniatures indoors due to conditions such as mine, or for some other reason.

I started priming with Gesso about a year ago after ruining several miniatures trying to spray primer in humid conditions.  Batch after batch would dry with that dusty gritty look so often caused by priming in high humidity.  The obvious solution was to avoid spray primers on all but the driest of days (a rarity indeed) and work inside instead.  Not having the space for a proper spray booth, the only option was to prime by brush painting.  I tried several brush-on products but all seemed too thin and runny and required several coats to get the job done.  Even then, I felt that the coverage was poor and prone to flaking with minimal handling.  I was at wits end until a fellow gamer (who happened to be an artist) suggested using Gesso.

A few varieties of Gesso.

Gesso is used by artists to prepare their canvases for paints.  It acts both as a sealer and smoother and will keep paints from soaking into the weave of the canvas.  Gesso is traditionally white but grays and blacks are also readily available.  It's composed of a filler and a pigment and depending on the ratio between the two, comes in student and professional grades.  I really can't tell the difference and I am not even sure which type I use.  One fact that users may want to note is that some brands are considered a carcinogen while others are not.  Unfortunately, the brand I prefer is under the former category so I am extra careful to keep it off my skin when using it.  Gesso is available in most art stores and in some larger department stores.

Since switching to Gesso, I have had zero problems with humidity or coverage.  The stuff dries quickly and shrinks down to show even the most minute detail.  Though the painting surface becomes incredibly smooth and silky (I love applying paint to a newly Gesso-primed model) the primer provides more than enough "teeth" for acrylic paints to take.

When I first tried Gesso I was a bit concerned due to the thickness of the particular brand I chose.  However, my fears were soon put to rest.  Though it goes on quite thick, you can almost see the material shrink as it begins to dry.  Any details obscured during the priming process quickly regain shape with no loss.  Chainmaile, hair, and heraldic designs dry perfectly visible.

The one problem I did have in the beginning was lack of coverage but that was due to my concerns about obscuring details.  Gesso looked so thick in the container that I felt the need to thin it down.  Then when painting I was still afraid of loosing detail so I painted on only very thin coats.  When this stuff dries, it really shrinks and I found many spots on the model bare after drying.  I finally decided to give an unthinned coat a try and immediately gained better results.  Eventually I began to paint straight out of the pot and really gob it on knowing that the Gesso would shrink down to give me the proper coverage.

A thick gob on the face will dry skin tight.

Since some of you may be unwilling to believe that it's OK to simply slap it on, I took a few models for test subjects.  You can see below how thick the Gesso was applied and the end results.  The only place I'm a bit more careful is in very deep crevices such as where hoods overshadow a face or hollow spaces such as holes in between arms or on weapons.  Otherwise, I think the process is almost foolproof.... even for an amateur like myself.

My three test subjects.  From left to right:  Strider (from the Three Hunters blister) from Games Workshop, a pirate from Black Scorpion, and Anirion, Wood Elf Wizard from Reaper.

Strider will be the first test model.

 I applied the Gesso quite heavily on Strider's packs without fear of loosing details.

Only a few small areas need touching up.

Next up is the pirate.

Notice how thick the Gesso is on the pistol, cutlass, and chest areas.

Now notice how detailed those same areas are on the miniature.  No loss of detail and only a few areas to re-prime.


Now it's the wizard's turn.

Anirion gets a fairly thick coat...including his face.  It seems counter-intuitive, but sometimes more is better.

Anirion is now dry with only a few areas to touch up.  Either I missed these small areas or I did not apply the Gesso thick enough and when it dried/shrank, parts of the metal was exposed.


I am very happy with the results of priming with Gesso and if you have been considering using it, I do not think you will be disappointed.  It goes on smoothly, provides great adhesion and coverage, is cheaper (overall) than name brand hobby primers (GW, etc...) and allows priming to be completed inside.  The only downside is that priming an entire army would certainly be more time consuming than spraying but then again, I tend not to paint large armies and even if I did, I would only end up repairing all the models after spraying anyhow.  Your mileage may vary but I cannot recommend Gesso enough.

Are there other techniques out there that would solve the problem of priming in high humidity?  I would love to hear your comments and suggestions.



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