Thursday, 12 November 2009

November Update

It's been a busy month so far with work progressing on a commission to build some 28mm buildings which are now nearing completion. In researching different techniques I came across illustrations by Emmanuel Nouaillier, who produces some fantastic examples of French 1940's - 1950's style buildings, for more information GOOGLE Emmanuel Nouaillier or try this link to Military Modelling;
http://www.militarymodelling.com/news/article.asp?a=4083


I have just received this Dwarf Napoleon miniature from Scibor Miniatures, see;
http://www.sciborminiatures.com/


I intend adding it to my Flintloque Dwarf collection. The miniature is 28mm tall (foot to top of bicorne) and came with a very well cast resin base, but I plan on mounting it on to a 2p coin, I'll keep the Blog updated as to progress and other activity

Tony

Tuesday, 10 November 2009

HELLBOY - On-line painting article part five

Part Five is all about painting the coat! A base colour of watered-down Games Workshop Snakebite Leather, then layered up through pure Snakebite Leather and highlights of Snakebite Leather and White - all understated and no washes. The collar was painted GW Scorched Brown and Bestial Brown. In the words of the great Mike Mignola "Hellboy looks better with a coat".





Tony

Monday, 9 November 2009

The Rarest Tin

I have uploaded an additional photo of my Karl Lagerfilled (LE011) miniature.

The figure is 'stock' with no modifications and is mounted on to a UK 2p coin (as are nearly all of my Flintloque miniatures). The uniform colours are dark, bottle green with black facings and white detailing. I painted the beer stein in the same colours as one that my Mother-in-Law has, with foaming beer spilling out of the top.

Karl is the leader of a similarly uniformed group of seven Dwarf revelers from my Flintloque collection.

Tony

Sunday, 8 November 2009

IPMS Model Show, Telford

I have just returned from the IPMS Model Show at the International Conference Centre, Telford. A two day exhibition and without doubt the very best model exhibition in the UK (possibly in the world - yes it is that good!) This is the fourth year I have attended, but the first time for a Sunday visit, I usually attend on the first day - a Saturday.

Photo One - Shows the second exhibition hall.

Photo Two and Three - The first or main exhibition hall, photographed from the centre showing both views to the right and left.


Photo Four - The competition area, held in a separate hall.

Photo Five and Six - A Belgium exhibition showing true 'scratch building'.


Photo Seven - A Victorian Science Fiction flying machine with a fully modelled interior.

Photo Eight - A beautifully modelled and painted piece, showing a battle in the ice.

Photo Nine - Included because I am just in awe of the level of detail in this model, just breathtaking.

Photo Ten - The winning entry in the Fantasy painting competition. A 54mm Woodland Sprite or Dryad.

Photo Eleven - A bust of Banastre Tarleton.

Photo Twelve - The new 54mm Victrix British.

Photo Thirteen - A HUGE Spectrum Angel Interceptor - it must be over three feet long, the models in the background are 1/72nd.

Photo Fourteen - Warhammer 40K diorama.

Photo Fifteen - A 1/72nd scale Ironclad, included for inspiration.

Photo Sixteen - A resin War of the Worlds Martian Walker.

Photo Seventeen - A scratch built 1/35th scale Sci Fi Anime tank diorama.

Photo Eighteen - There were a lot of 'what if' or Special Interest groups, I particularly liked this subject and colour scheme.

Photo Nineteen - A 1/120th scale Moon Landing, modelled from a V2 rocket on a fantastic display base.

Photo Twenty - Another 'what if' subject - there were loads of these, but this gives a feel for what was modelled.

Photo Twenty-one - included just for the size of this huge Russian jet and display - it really was huge and dominated the display!

Photo Twenty-two - There were hundreds of such display pieces, this one was one of the better painted.

Photo Twenty-three - another display piece that caught my eye.

Having remembered to take my digital camera and take photos, here are just a tiny fraction of the thousands of exhibits, but these few were some that I found of interest, I hope you do too.

If you can visit this particular show, I would recommend that you go next year - a really great day out and a show full of bargains. My own purchases included, magazines, terrain pieces, paints, blades and some new superglue from Filla-Glu, based in Cardiff, see; www.filla-glu.com

Finally on Remembrance Sunday, I can proudly report that the two minute silence was fully observed and when finished, there was a spontaneous round of applause.

Tony

Saturday, 7 November 2009

Crashed Rocketship Terrain Board part six

With the main groundwork painted and hundreds of small stones individually highlighted, I felt that the board was still looking too plain. I first added some dark green railway modelling hedges that were trimmed into 2cms - 3cms clumps or sections and superglued into small holes, then pressed in to the surface with a pair of pliers. These were situated near natural variations in strata and around breaks in the terrain (as I had noted from illustrations in American holiday brochures). Later I mixed up some mid green ground foam and after adding uPVA glue, some flow improver and a drop of distilled water, I scooped it onto one edge of the board in clumps of random foliage. Finally I added some tufts of long grass, which was cut from a broom head, bound with fuse wire and superglued into holes. This group of six photos shows the final effect.






The board edges have been painted black and the whole board (minus the rocketship - which was covered with cling-film) was airbrushed with Matt Varnish.

The terrain board is 2 foot x 2 foot and to give an idea of scale the miniatures are 40mm tall and mounted on to 40mm round bases.

Throughout the construction and painting of this board there was one big question. Should I permanently mount the Rocketship, or have it removable? In the end I compromised and the completed Rocketship is mounted into the board but with the minimum of uPVA glue and the smallest amount of DAS modelling clay. If I ever want to remove it, I believe that I could, whether I will is a different matter altogether!

The board was finished well over a year ago and has, so far only been gamed with once. For me the whole project was about the modelling. I have even thought about selling it, but in the end think this is one board that I will keep as I feel it is just full of character and suits my Flash Gordon collection so well. It is also the heaviest terrain board that I own and the thought of transporting it without damaging it, is quite horrendous.

I would hope to have one more entry in this series - maybe a game report - but don't hold your breath!

Tony

Friday, 6 November 2009

HELLBOY - On-line painting article part four

This illustration of a 54mm Hellboy is the colour guide I will be using. It is taken from the Spanish Magazine GameZone.

The second photo shows the skin tones, in my opinion the most important colour to get right with this particular figure. I used GW Blood Red/Vallejo Scorched Brown over Scorched Brown, then highlighted with Blood Red and finally some (very small) single stroke highlights of Vallejo Hot Orange.

I decided to paint a black vest, as seen in Hellboy II, rather than have a bare chest. I used GW Chaos Black, highlighted with Foundry Charcoal. The trunks and holster are GW Snakebite Leather with some Skull White added for highlights.

At this stage I have 'washed' the red, black and brown with suitable GW Washes, but these have been kept very light and watered-down.

Now that the right hand is attached and painted, the miniature is beginning to 'come together'

Tony

Wednesday, 4 November 2009

Samurai 7

I recently picked up this seven DVD box set called Samurai 7. A Japanese Anime series from 2004, produced by Gonzo and based on the Akira Kurosaw movie Seven Samurai. The series was directed by Toshifumi Takizawa.

There are 26 episodes over the seven discs and I am halfway through the second disc and really enjoying both the story and the fantastic animation.

It should come as no surprise that the re-worked sci-fi setting is based very much on the original Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven movies, recounting the story of a small rice village that is harassed by bandits every harvest time. The bandits are now becoming more demanding and now taking women and children.


The elders decide that to protect the village they must hire Samurai, but with no money they search out a group that will agree to protect the village for a payment of rice.


Three members are sent to the city to recruit the Samurai and the adventure begins. This illustration shows the seven samurai.

So far I would give the series a 7 out of 10 (no pun intended), the animation and story are very good, but the music and particularly the Japanese singing does grate!

Tony