Fantasy Hero 22

Started a few years back after a conversation at Claymore by the Dixon Miniatures stand these Ninja are finally complete and can join the rest of their clan. 

The trouble with these figures is there is not a lot to paint.  You would think that all black is the easiest colour scheme to paint, however, aside with achieving a good tonal representation of black; it is the little details that really make these figures work. 

Without adding in really mad colours to lift the black hopefully the small details on bags, ropes and weapons will provide enough to highlight that there is more to painting black than actually painting black. 

Hope that was of interest to you and there will be more completed figures in the near future. 

Cheers for now

Fantasy Hero 12

The last of the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge VIII entries below including some Alternative Armies Ghouls and Dixon Miniatures Ninja. 

Achieving a good tone on the tone black is to say the least a sod and often ends up requiring knocking back the high lights with a black wash or similar. Sort of seems counter productive to highlight then darken the same highlight; yet the finished results are often worth the effort.

Back to the brushes soon after a brief break post challenge and returning to the Ninja to complete the remaining four. 

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 156

So the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge has finished for another year and 76 hobbyists have put down their brushes for a while. 

Below are the finished figures and models for this years challenge totalling 306 points just 6 points more than the Challenge Target for the year. Overall a 2% increase in productivity.

Personal favourite for this year's challenge goes to the Pz MKIII shown top left below. 

The Undead Hordes can rest uneasily for a few more aeons although there will be some small additions in the coming months. 

The Lead Mountain thrives in preparation for next year's challenge with the addition of some of Aly Morrison's DL2 Hobgoblins and a random Undead figure in 25/28mm. More on these to follow in the near future too. Some of the unfinished items in the background too.

A beginning is a very difficult time and as one challenge ends so another begins, this one being to maintain a good motivation for painting post challenge. 

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 149

The first work in progress pictures for 2018 - taken in 2017 - with a variety of periods and scales been shown.

Above a retro Citadel figure posing as an Evil fighter, so far the armour has been base coated and washed with strong tone. Further washes and edging to follow.

The solitary elf moves closer to completion with only the accessories to paint and maybe a little tonal wash on the face to deepen the colour round the eyes.

The first four stands of the additional twelve for the Undead Hordes of the Things army painted last challenge. Four more are shown further down the page in their base colour.

A unit of six peltasts for Basic Impetus and its big brother. The figures have been undercoated in Army Painter's barbarian flesh as a trial for this period. So far pleased with the results.

Eight Ninja from Dixon Miniatures to be added to those painted several challenges back.

The skeletons as mentioned above.

Fifteen days to the entry deadline for the Challenge, hoping to have a few different items for that date if not before. 

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 146

Some pictures of the preparation that has been ongoing over the last few weeks for the Painting Challenge

The chaos before and after a dust and tidy up. A solitary elf stands central on the painting table waiting to be finished during the early days of the Challenge.

Below are some of the figures that have been prepped for the challenge and the running list is below

• 10 28mm Retro Chaos Warriors from Citadel circa 1982-4
• 8 28mm Ninjas from Dixon Miniatures
• 48 15mm Skeletons from Alternative Armies
• 6 28mm Peltasts from Foundry - not shown
• 36 28mm Trojans from Redoubt

The figures above that show colour rather than undercoat have been re-base coated to fit with the rules of the Challenge.

To finish here is some nostalgia from Marillion

Great song,  not so sure about the flaming suit though Fish..... clearly clothes in the late eighties were worse than I remember.

Cheers for now

Rounding up 2013

As 2013 draws to a close in sunny Scotland its a time to reflect before the Hogmanay celebrations start. The year started with the 3rd Painting challenge and progressed  from there.  A new Impetus army has been started and hopefully early next year will see the finish of another one. Several warbands have been completed and a few others started.

In summary the total of figures finished is detailed below:

• 28mm Infantry - 88 figures
• 28mm Cavalry - 6 figures
• 28mm Chariot - 1 set
• 28mm Elephant - 1 set
• 20mm Infantry - 6 figures
• 20mm Vehicles - 4
• 15mm Vehicles - 17

Overall not a bad tally and hopefully something that will be improved on next year. 

Cheers for now

And Now for Something Completely Different 10

The next completed batch of Ninja from Dixon Miniatures for Songs of Blades and Heroes. There are nine here taking the group total to fifteen. This should be more than enough for any Samurai or Ronin that are willing to take the challenge.

The promised work in progress pictures of the Mycenaean Spearmen will actually be the finished item. If you have been following the progress of the 3rd Analogue Painting Challenge then you will have already seen them in there incomplete state - that is not fully based.

Cheers for now

And Now for Something Completely Different 9

Here are the first of the Ninja for use in Songs of Blades and Heroes. The figures are from Dixon Miniatures range and still require to be varnished. Nice figures with good character if a little on the small side and surprisingly quick to paint. Can't think why though...

There are more of these to follow which will be added as an entry to the Analogue Hobbies Painting Competition when completed.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 44

Made a good start on the next point's worth for the Viking SAGA warband. The figures are as usual from Gripping Beast's range of Vikings and will be individually based for SAGA and sabot based for Impetus. The central figure is from Gripping Beasts Rus range for that bit of variety and character.

The figures below are so very near to completion that they could just as easily have only been undercoated. The top picture is of a points worth of Hirdmen for SAGA and below them the first of the Ninja for Songs of Blades and Heroes. 

Its worth noting that the Hirdmen and Ninja shown here had been started prior to the painting competition at Analogue Hobbies starting, so will not be included in any entries for Curt's competition.

Both of these groups of figures will be finished in the next couple of nights allowing some major effort to be spent on entries for the competition.

Cheers for now

And Now for Something Completely Different 8

As a part of the Analogue Hobbies painting competition, each painter has to paint a figure for the organiser. This year Curt has selected Ronin, so here is the entry from here:

The figure is a 25mm Samurai from Dixon Miniatures, that came along with the Ninja that are currenly being painted for Songs of Blades and Heroes. In comparison to many other 25mm figures it is small, but what it lacks in stature it makes up for in character and movement. That katana does look like it is about to start being used.

The foliage on the base was picked to compliment the colours of the tunic and belt.

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 43

Christmas and New Year have both come and gone; normality and routine return to everyday life and the painting table is revisited for the first time in a while. In a flurry of brushes the Mycenaean swordsmen are completed and are now just waiting basing, final picture to follow shortly.

The painting table has many items on it including a Hirdman  unit for SAGA and the original six Ninja for Songs of Blades and Heroes. These items will be finished over the next few weeks as last night saw a start to entries for the Analogue Hobbies 3rd Annual Painting Competition. The pictures below show some of the progress made and the variety of items being painted

More Ninja from Dixon Miniatures for Songs of Blades and Heroes.

Peltasts from Foundry for Impetus as Mercenary Peltasts for the Spartans and other planned armies.

Exdromoi from Gorgon Studio to be used as Skiritai in the Spartan Impetus army.

One of the 47 Ronin for Curt who is organising the competition. The figure is from Dixon Miniatures and will be next to be completed so there is something to add to the competition alongside the casualty markers completed during the holiday period.

Lastly, there are some SHQ SS Artillery figures to help complete the several pieces of artillery and anti-tank weaponary for the SS in Disposable Heroes. The guns have been started sometime ago.

Not much really, is there? These aside the main thrust of the painting for the competition will centre around Ancient Greece, being mainly for Impetus in bases of either Mycenaeans or Spartans. Oh and lets not forget some Vikings so SAGA can grace the table in 2013. Looking forward to it all...

Lastly, a warm welcome to:

• HK

Hope that you find something of interest here.

Cheers for now