Dunkeldorf characters and new horizons

So after painting a classic ogre and bear for a friend, I thought I could finally finish these three guys I meant to paint for another friend !

You might remember the excellent kickstarter from Dunkeldorf earlier this year, well I was lucky enough to get a review package loaded with nice stuff ! The kickstarter aimed at providing players with all the NPC's and civilians any good Role Player might want to encounter (or maybe you do wan to play them after all ^^). Being well into warhammer RPG, mordheim and that sort of stuff, this looked awesome, just check :

The lightbearers - Pilgrims and colonists

Now this feels odd. It's been a month I hadn't painted nor blogged anything, one month out, vanished. It wasn't exactly wasted of course but painting is a bit of a metronome for me so it felt weird getting back. Weird and pretty hard actually.

I've had the idea of this little group for quite a while but had always postponed them for more flamboyant projects or model required for games and events. But here they are.

Fatally deviated Nicola...

Ok, Long shot for this one, you folks might remember the side scrolling game of Advanced Heroquest I played in Ireland some time ago... you don't ? Aw come on ! Here you go.

The game was played with my friend Paul and GMed by master Crooks.

We had plenty of models to paint for this game as well as for the Frostgrave campaign we would have later that week.

Baggage critter from Blind Beggar Miniatures

  

Along with the scaly mutant from last post, I got this wonderful little creature full of character. I honestly don't know what its name is but I love it.

Its one of those sculpts you don't think about at first but which is essential to give a bit more depth to a setting or to the characters next to it.

the Interplanetary Merchant - when you're surrounded by talent

Every now and then, despite the fact you think you know them well, your friends can amaze you. I suppose that's part of why they're your friends in the first place but see, it still so very nice to be lifted up by such people.

You might already be aware of Theottovonbismark's Bizaza Guards and many of his other projects, well lately I had the chance to get my hands on Jon/Axiom's very first full sculpt.

I invite you to have a look at his Blogpost for the full story behind it HERE. 

Pack Mootant - Mule of the Wastelands

OK, I kow I've been posting quite a lot lately but today's a bit peculiar. It's been 2 days I'm stuck at home with a bloody headache and nausea. Bless paracetamol and a stupid stubbornness that won't allow me to end a day without at least one small achievement. I've decided to paint what felt like an easy model.

The doctor is in ! - Mad doctor for 40k

OK, I've been working on a project lately which has proven to take more time and energy than anticipated so I've decided to treat myself with a candy model just for fun.

See, I often read about hobby burn outs but it seems to me that generally doesn't come from a lack of pleasure more than anything. Just to break the monotony of working on many models at once, getting a stand alone out just for fun makes you complete something which is the kind of rewarding feeling that fuels me at least.

So while you'll have to wait a bit for this bigger project, here's what I decided to do.

Not all traders are rogue...

Late post this week (not that I have a given day to post really) to show a model I had almost finished (everything but the scarf actually) for some time now.

The conversion has also been sitting on the table for quite a while and with the recent hype about Abdul Goldberg; I had th eperfect occasion to add this guy to the group of models I was painting (I tend to paint in batches because I'm a firm believer of Taylorism applied to painting).

Dorf civilians !

Alright folks, hope you're all doing well, here's a bunch of models I've just finished this morning and thought you might want to see. You might remember I painted some of Geoff's Evild dorfs earlier, well, I had the chance to get my hands on some new bits from Oakbound.
Those new models are actually a whole range of bits for you to assemble and make the dorfs of your choice !

The underhive baller

Hey all !

Another model done and like many of teh last, it's a Colony 87 one from the first wave released last year. I've been quite balanced as to how to paint this one, it's nearly been an ash waste nomad, a desert trader or even a humble merchant but nothing was exactly capturing my attention. When I got back to the model to start it as a stand alone, things got a bit clearer !

Colony 87 Adviser and completetion of Wave 2 !

I'm pretty sure many of you like that thrill of achievement when painting models. For me it's all about those finishing touches, correcting a detail, painting the base rim or adding the grass tuft. Those moments really fuel me with a great feeling of satisfaction so when those happen at the end of a warband or army, they taste even better ! This time I got an extra kick out of this model for completing the whole Wave 2 of the coming Colony 87 models by Jon/Axiom !

You'll be accustomed now to seeing the great sketches from Will Beck (above) and how the sculpt from Michael Anderson is close to it.

Colony 87 Priestess

That's 5 out of 6 now ! The new model for the coming Colony87 range by Jon/Axiom is a priestess, We've explored many types of characters so far so after those who work and those who study, here are those who pray (we already have plenty of those who fight).

Sketch by Will Beck

Priestesses are a concept we find in plenty of iconic sci-fi settings, think about the Bene-Gesserit in Dune or the Shabda-Ouds in the Metabarons, they're a sort of equivalent of the sorceress of fantasy but with a cosmic dimension !

Colony 87 Botanist

Dr. C.R Beachcomber, Egregious Professor of Cruel and Unusual Botany

I guess it will come as a habit now,  here's another model from the coming Colony 87 range by Jon/Axiom. After the recordist last time, here's another character from the scientific field. Take a look at the splendid sketch by Will Beck :

Like the other models of the range, it's been sculpted by Michael Anderson and it's an absolute pleasure to paint. Painting a lot of models from a single sculptor really helps understand how he approaches things. I've always been familiar with the work of Jes Goodwin and have got used to Bob Olley's unique style these last few years but getting to work on Michael's work is proving just as pleasant. It's great to have model that bear the touch of their creator. Though I full y get the need for coherence in a model line, I do miss a little personnal touch in some modern productions. Here, you have something with a bit more soul. As always on the models from Michael, the face is absolutely great.

Colony 87 Recordist

Alright, here's another painted model from the excellent Colony 87 by Jon/Axiom that's coming our way in Febuary ! After having dealt with the working forces, let's have a go at those who study ! This model like the ones before was designed by Will beck (see sketch below) and sculpted by Michael Anderson.

I think this model is really cool as you can find plenty of uses for that kind of scientific/searcher/ administrative kind. I like that he's equipped with all sorts of devices for which you have absolutely no idea what the possible use might be ! The only device that might make sense is actually the recording device in his hands ! He probably needs the headlight to explore archives and old libraries, who knows !

Boyz n the scrapyard - Colony 87 Junker

After the mechanic from a couple of posts ago, let me introduce to the 2nd model from the 2nd wave of the colony87 range from Jon/Axiom. This model, like the previous one is based on sketches from Will Beck and sculpted by Michael Anderson. Like the previous models, this one will come in handy to represent a junker or rogue mechanic.

You can see below the model is very faithful to the sketch and I find nice to have models with a different bulk in this range. His broad chest and large head really give you the sense he's not here for fun...

Giiirls just wanna have... work ? - Colony 87 Mechanic

Today's is a special model... what's so special about it ? Well this model hasn't been released yet ! You might remember the Colony87 range run by Jon/Axiom and the splendid miniatures released in the Colony87 Kickstarter last year ? Well, there's another wave due for Febuary and this model is part of it. I've been kindly given the opportunity to paint those in advance and I have to say it's both an honour and a pleasure to be able to get my brushes on those !

Variations on a theme : Pilots for warhammer 40000

Today's is a symbolic post since it's my 200th ! I'm making progress for my model to celebrate the 200th follower of this blog (model has just been primed) so celebrations are all going well !

I'd like to come back on a bunch of models I painted in a rush for my Rogue Trader game at Octogône, 

I wanted to have a bunch of pilots as they make nice supporting models and good potential NPCs in games. I used them as objectives in our game and it was nice to see players interact with them !

The intersting part about this group is the model selection I think. I'm not very selective about models I paint in general, my fancy often goes to older models because I enjoy painting them more than I enjoy painting modern ones but I find nice ones everywhere, whatever the maker and whatever the age. SO I thought it would be fun to paint 3 versions of a same concept but with very different models to see  :

- If painting alone can tie different styles

- which kind of models I like most

BORACHORKS !

You may remember I once wrote I needed a drunk for my 40k games, well I actually meant I needed drunkS because let's be honest, while being drink alone has got to be the saddest thing ever, being drunk in good company can lead you to... well unexpected levels of stupidity or fun (sometimes both mixed).

After getting my hands on a couple of nice old models I thought the occasion was too good not to expand my very little collection of civilians for Rogue Trader.

The 3 models on the right are part of the Orc villager set by Trish Morrison while he one on the left is a madboy by Bob Olley. As you can se both ranges are full of character and are just perfect to make NPCs in games. I could actually get plenty more drunken orcs if I needed...

Flesh for... - Rogue Trader Civilians

As my friend Willy Idol, would say :

But this is the future right ? Flesh for Rogue trader anyone ? OK, time for silly puns is past...

To give some company to my space metalhead, I thought I'd populate the streets of my rogue trader games with more civilians and unarmed characters just to add depth to it. They will probably be quite useful for story purposes in games I expect to play.

So here they are :

A pair of hookers to give warmth (and venerial diseases) to the mercenaries, thieves and other space brigands my games can lead me to play. But why hookers? Why another sordid concept after a drunk? Well, in all honesty, things were not planned that way at first...

Space metalhead - Rogue trader civilians

Here he is, my space metalhead ! You right remember that this model was first intended as a space drunk in this post. Well Erny suggested to tie it to one of the other Oldhammer bands and this was a great idea I had to use right away!

This meant I was going to give the Mushrööm Klöwds their first fan model !

Just like any other real proper band, the Mushrööm Klöwds have to tour, and just like for any real proper band touring, fans need Touring dates T-shirts :