There's a lot of stupid things that come in this hobby of ours. There is. But amongst all of them, there are ideas that made me want to paint an old plastic Battlemasters Ogre rather than one of the many unpainted Jes Goodwin ones I own...
Oh but wait, there must be some kind of explanation, some kind of logic behind all this surely ?
Sort of, yes.
To understand why, we'll have to go back in time a little. I started this hobby back in 1990 by reading (meaning looking at the pictures in) WD and other GW publications (in english, a language I didn't know a word of at the time).
At the time I was painting Revell kits like these :
Of course these kits were way beyond my technical skills (I was 9) but coming from the Lego School of life, I just loved it. I then started to get my hands on some Citadel models so I got my paints out.
My first models were a blister of 3 tzeentch champions and the first two models I started on were those 2 guys (How I regret I stripped them before taking a picture...) :
But I could feel there was more than what my skills allowed me so I left them aside and when the Battlemasters box was released in 1992, my brother and I were like maniacs at the idea of having 100 models in a box. I decided to start working on the ogre because he was the biggest and most badass model I had ever had in hand.
He incidently was the first model I ever finished !
Here's a little comparison since I'm lucky to still have the guy (with the 25 years of dust that he's gained).
Painting wise, I tried to echo as much as I could bear the original PJ so blue shirt, green on the trousers, red belly plate with freehand, black shoes and loads of blood on the mace ! ^^
See below how I used to just draw lines of darker colours with undiluted paint in the recesses to suggest shades ! See the fabulous basing with a Battlemasters base sawn to roughly the size I wanted and with goblin green sand (and railway flock after that).
Only enamels right here, no dilution.
Just to be perfectly honest with you people, I did alter him a tad because some parts were just too shitty.
And just for fun here's a little comparison shot along his buddy Hrothyogg (painted a while ago).
As of now I'm feeling quite good with my brushes, they're just the right fun I need, let's hope it stays this way for a while !
That freehand drawing on the belly armor is impressive mate! Not easy to make somthing nice out of old plastics, but this one is awesome.
ReplyDeleteNever had battlemaster close enough to me to realise how huge these ogres were! Almost same size as the modern plastic ones! Isn't it the same sculpt for Heroquest Ogre expansion ?
The sculpt is quite close actually yes ! I should have taken a pic of the belly plate before weathering because It was quite cool before I hid it under all that mes !
DeleteI found the same Bismark model at a church fete going for about 50p sometime in the mid-90's, it took me hours to put it together! ^^
ReplyDeleteBismark model aha ! I should have sculpted him sideburns !
DeleteWow, niece piece of retrostalgia you have here. I never owned Battlemasters, but theses ogres were definitely amazing.
ReplyDeleteI love the face and beard on this one and his belly plate is very well executed.
And this skin tone of yours is as good as always.
Which one is the one you painted recently?
ReplyDeleteKidding! I always like these nostalgia posts, and where people come from. Just like you I should've took more pictures of my old stuff before stripping them.
I was never into model kits, I love painting but I have little interest for assembling stuff. I'm a big fan of one-piece castings!
The stubble on the Ogre is very nicely done; it's the small details that make figures come to life!
The goblin green base is the clue !
DeleteKits were a gateway, I do prefer one piece models as well !
Absolutely wonderful work on him JB. I have been meaning to get this guy painted as well. You might have provided the kick in the pants that I needed. Also really enjoy the subtle greenstuff work. I will have to give that a try as well. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteHe's an enjoyable guy that can get painted in very little time honestly, you should have fun with him. ^^
DeleteBrilliant mate - both the new effort, and the one your 9 year old self painted up all those years ago! Very cool :-)
ReplyDeleteI was quite happy with it I must say ! I do prefer the new version though. ;)
DeleteWho says you can't polish a turd! :D :p
ReplyDeleteBelly plate is fuckin kick arse mate! Oh, and the belly plate on the left one is kinda alright too :D
I think the first minis I got were the "Warhammer Regiments" box set? The one with sixty placky mono pose guys in it. I was so wrapped when I got it :) I think we all remember our "mini cherry"?
Cheers buddy.
The first one sure is an important one !
DeleteHe looks like Hrothyogg's older (stupider) brother!! They're a nice looking pair.
ReplyDeleteIt must be immensely satisfying to see how much your painting skills have improved. Great job yet again!
The thought of Hrothyogg being the smart one is a bit terrifying but fun !
DeleteHrothyogg looks really unimpressed! :)
ReplyDeleteHe does, he must be used to his brother showing off !
DeleteYou've come a long way in skills mate. That freehand on his tummy shield is outstanding!
ReplyDeleteI think that for such an old and clumsy sculpt, it's a credit to your own skills that he looks so good. Tossed out my old Battlemasters figs decades ago cos I hated the sculpts.
The belly plate is a little too weathered and it hides the nice stuff I did underneath but it's a common mistake I suppose. ^^
DeleteCheers !
I found 3 BattleMasters sets in the last few years at the Value Village and I just kept the Ogres and the Keep.
ReplyDeleteLove the C23 Goodwin Ogres!
My fave is Skrag, the champion.
Getting the itch again!
cheers...
Man I wish I still had the keep ! The Goodwin ogres are now itching like never so they'll need a scratch I reckon. ^^
DeleteF&%$, man, that's awesome! Not only brings memories, it's an exercise of bringing back to life a true classic. Wow, I think it's most probably the best BattleMasters Ogre I've ever seen!
ReplyDeleteI won't look for others or I might find better ones ;)
DeleteCheers !
My initial reaction was "Surely he has better (Jes Goodwin) Ogres he can paint" but I see your motive and man, you've done a grand job on him. Always nice to see a paint job from the early years too and love the Hrothyogg comparison too - who I cannot remember you doing now.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, my Goodwin ogres all said "WHAT ?" in their case when I picked that guy... the guilt is still here. Hrothyogg was done about 3years ago I think.
DeleteCheers Ed !
Interestingly the pose and look of this model is similar in style to those of the ogres from the Attack of the Ogre Horde expansion for Heroquest. I think they took the idea and concept and modified slightly for Battlemasters.
ReplyDeleteSuperb work as always JB.
They must be variants of one another but I've never seen both next to each other.
DeleteCheers Ashley ;)
Wow… that’s just, an awesome paintjob. It’s a fairly awful sculpt (charming for sure, but still awful), but you really make it look better that it has any right to.
ReplyDeleteIt’s also nice to see where you started out as a painter. Makes me more confident that I might someday become (nearly) as good as you ;-D . Cheers.
I wouldn't say awful, just very limited by the technology at the time. You can find many very good examples actually so I'd say it's just not the kind of sculpt that helps painters much.
DeleteThanks !
Well, maybe ”awful” is too strong a term. “Not doing the painter any favors”, as you put it, is probably more accurate.
DeleteAnd it’s certainly not the worst of the “classic” Citadel plastics. I’m personally going to nominate the Heroquest elf for that dubious honor.
A friend of mine is about to paint it and I have to say I'm equally awed and frightened by this.
DeleteI'm bound to paint the chaos sorceror btw. ;)
Again man ... those skin tones are to die for. Lovely work too on the stubble and stripped pants. O_O :)
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot, the stripes really could have used a little correction here and there to look better. it would have increased the quality with minimal time investment...
DeleteI'm so glad you didn't shy from the freehand work on his belly-guts there. You've done young JB proud with this big guy :D
ReplyDeleteYou taught me to let shame slide on me mec. But I just couldn't resist weathering the shit out of the belly plate to hide the whole thing though...
Delete<3 <3 <3
Love that old snipped up Battlemasters base!
ReplyDeleteThose pre internet days were desperrate weren't they ? ^^
Delete