A Veritable Cornucopia of Nonsense.....

It has been a frenetic week at work my friends, compounded by an impending week's leave (hurray!) which meant attempting to second-guess anything that might occur whilst I'm off and pre-empt it. Sigh.

Nonetheless I managed to get some work done on some Reaper Bones figures. Now I'm used to the plastic-type material I am enjoying painting these, plus they are uber-cheap.  I suspect those die-hard fantasy figure painters online who spend countless hours on an individual figure, creating a superb work of art, prefer their metal counterparts. To their Michelangelo, I am merely a jobbing painter and decorator as it were, but it keeps me happy, especially if I can turn out a useful item for the collection! When I used to GM on a regular basis I wouldn't want to put a figure on the table that I'd spent three days painting (it might get damaged!) - an item that represented (reasonably well) what the players were facing was more than adequate, and I've stuck to that as my painting maxim ever since. I could, with a lot of effort,  turn out something that made the onlooker go 'Wow', but why would I want to?!

Hasslefree

 

Reaper Bones

 

 

I also received a little order from Battlezone Miniatures this week, just a few figures I liked the look of and fancied painting - I think they are old Grenadier sculpts, but don't quote me. They are very reasonably priced and should be fun to paint up.

 

 

 

 

The Current Wife came up trumps this week with a charity shop purchase designed to gladden my heart - a rectangular ceramic palette to match my chrysanthemum one (who can say 'Chrysanthemum' without thinking of Monty Python?).

 

 

 



I have a number of plastic ones from various sources but they are invariably throwaway items, whilst the ceramic ones always scrub up like new, so are much more environmentally-friendly (if that's your thing).

 

 

 

But wait, what is that sneaking onto the paint table? It looks like....no, it can't be, not another new project??!!

 

Peter Pig English Civil War (of which more later)....

 

And finally.... Some of you may have noticed that my painting music (right) generally changes on a weekly basis. Whilst I don't listen to it exclusively it is usually the one album that is played repeatedly that week. The current one is XII from Barclay James Harvest, an excellent sub-prog band from my younger days. I was fortunate enough to see them live, and very good they were too. If you want to hear the genius of just one of their members (the late lamented Woolly Wolstenholme) then try this from YouTube: Galadriel

 

Best listened to after a couple of hefty merlots, this is the musical equivalent of an angel licking your soul....

And yes, I was extremely careful about the spelling of that last sentence!

I can't think of a nicer way to celebrate my 60th post.

 

 

 

Until next time.......

 

 



 

Fantasy Tavern: Open for business!

So here's The Serpent's Gain finally open for business, ready for customers - adventurers, city guard, rumour-mongers, patrons and ne'er-do-wells:

 

 

and again: 

 

 

 

 And finally - the hard-working staff:

 

 

 

 

 

 



I'm not convinced that the strumpet is actually employed by the inn, but I don't pay the wages so she can stay. Who is she beckoning do you think? Legatus probably, clutching a chilled tankard of pinot gris....

 

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed the black spot on the cleaner's apron (or pinny as my Nan used to call them). She will be sacked straight after the photo-shoot for such a slovenly turnout - that's the maid, not my Nan, who is no longer with us and thus cannot be sacked.

 

Now that's out of my system I can concentrate on some more painting. Until next time.....

 



All Hail the Ale......

I have completed the Reaper Bones bar staff I started last week and so started on the bar that will fill one corner of my RPG inn....



"What can I get you Sir - Ale, ale or ale?"

Quite obviously it's thin balsa on a blue-foam core, with barrels (slightly modified) from ebay, and once painted should be just the job for thirsty adventurers to lean on and discuss the latest rumours......

The Reaper figures were actually very easy to paint, and I'm looking forward to the next batch. These will also be fantasy figures - they are making a change from the usual military stuff as I don't have to adhere to correct uniform details and colours, and can use my imagination a bit!

Paint Table Saturday

My first ever Paint Table Saturday (Excellent idea Sofia!), and its already proved to be an incentive to paint more, so can only be a Good Thing!

Nothing earth-shattering to show though.....

I have started some Reaper Bones figures - here you can see a selection of civilians (for my Fantasy Inn, more of which later), two scorpions ready for some detailing, a purple (blue?!) worm, and a ghost undercoated in Vallejo pale sand. I love painting spirits, ghosts etc. A simple light basecoat and different ink washes and they look great, although I have yet to attempt one of the Bones plastic figures, so we'll see how that pans out....
I am trialling a new way of painting skin tones on the bar staff - seems to be working so far! My general comment on the range is that they are a bit tricky to clean up well, but take paint ok, and look promising.
Eagle-eyed readers will have spotted an Otherworld Miniatures statue/idol and a Warlord M24 Chaffee in the background, which have been undercoated, ready for some attention this week.