What’s on the table today?

So what’s on the painting ‘table’ tonight?  Quite a few bases to do, and prepping some projects I’ve meant to get around to for a while.

Another Orc Wizard!

 

Tanks, Tanks, Tanks

 A few years back I made some 1/72 Armourfast tanks for my British/Commonwealth forces.  Armourfast are cheap, come two to a box, but are definitely basic, and at the time I wasn't too impressed with the Shermans in particular (the Cromwells aren't bad).  Since then I've mostly built Italeri or PSC.

That said, I've seen a few build of these kits recently that looked quite nice, so I thought I'd revisit them using some of what I've learned in the intervening years, and I'm very glad I did!  With an all over wash of GW Agrax Earthshade, then a drybrush with VJ Russian Uniform and khaki for edge highlights, plus a few bits of stowage, I think they've brushed up quite nice!

Two Shermans (one Firefly).  Crewman is from the HAT Tank Riders set.  Details are still a little soft, but hatches etc look much better.

The Cromwells.  These are a better kit than the Shermans overall, much better detail on panel lines, rivets etc. and took shading and highlighting very well.  Although still with the Armourfast aversion to including any tools on the mold.  Another HAT crewman, although this one looks a bit like he's been caught short (not good for the gunner or loader!).

Bit of a curate's egg here - a diecast commonwealth 105mm Sherman, treated same as above.  As far as I can tell these were only used by Canadian and Polish forces in Italy.  Ah well, it's another tank, and when I'm playing solo I'll just squint at it!

Stormcrow

 "He had a tall pointed blue hat, a long grey cloak, a silver scarf over which his long white beard hung down below his waist, and immense black boots".

I believe this was a model formerly produced by Grenadier UK, not sure of the sculptor, and clearly based on a certain famous literary character.  

Really pleased with how the shading has worked out on this one, particularly getting a bit of a distinction between the two greys.  I used a lot of drybrushing, gradually a lightly building up the layers, to give a bit of a rough texture to the cloth.  Bottom of the cloak got successive drybrushes with GW Zandri Dust to make it look travel-worn.  

Feather is based on a pheasant - yes I know it was a species technically introduced to England as a game bird, rather than native, but if Tolkien can include tobacco I say 'why not'!

I made a wizard!

A little while back I tried out the old Grenadier Fantasy Warriors rules, but had to commit the terrible crime of using a proxy figure for an Orc Wizard.  Whilst looking around for a suitable model (now found, typically), I decided to make my own using a spare orc with a polearm.  As a friend of mine (hi Matt!) is fond of saying 'how hard could it be'?

Here's the mini, I used.  The blade of the pole-arm had already snapped off, so the plan was to keep the staff, and add some robes to hide the chainmail.

First job was to remove the sword scabbard on the rear. (it didn't need to be a neat job, fortunately).

Greenstuff was then used to build up robes and a hood.  Unfortunately the green stuff I used was quite old, so I had trouble with some lumpy bits and splits, which I tried to disguise with some tears and stitches.

Not great, I'll admit, but it'll do.  I've used Green Stuff before, to add details to the old plastic GW knights, or furs or other details.

Spot of paint covers up the worst of it.

Hunted out an old plastic skeleton head for the top of the staff, and hey presto!

Friar Tuck?

Pretty pleased with this one! A wandering friar, originally by Grenadier UK. Not 100% sure but think the sculptor was Mark Copplestone. It certainly has his hallmarks, nice clean sculpting and style, nicely define details but not 'fussy' (not a skull in sight).

It only took one evening to paint and was an absolute pleasure. Basecoat, wash for shade then couple of levels of highlights seemed to be enough. Basing will follow, I'm just waiting on an order of Mdf bases of various size from Warbases. I also have a bishop and two monks from the same range, which I'm looking forward to, but just trying to decide if I can be bothered to remove them from their metal bases and mount them on some resign flagstone bases.

More Dwarfs

Quick post today. Dashed out a few more quick Nick Lund Dwarfs to join the muster. No undercoat, just a black wash over bare metal and then details painted in. Quick and effective.

Basing will have to wait until my order arrives from Warbases.