Paint Table Saturday 25th

I've moved my participation in Sofie's Paint Table Saturday over to this blog as I've been painting figures for my LOTR games. So as you can see here I've been painting up some shadows & specters for the Witch King's army. From right to left you'll find a Mantic plastic ghoul (he'll be an orc specter), 2 I-Kore undead from their Celtos range (again specters), GW king of the dead, Reaper shadow and a plastic black rider from some cheap LOTR board game I got off ebay.

This is Sunday you say? Yes I was painting yesterday but I forgot to take pictures. I finished my Shadow yesterday first Witchking figure to be completed!

This was my first time using static grass but hey at least it doesn't look like it's squatting on a pile of crap like it did before.

You can learn more about Sophie's Paint Table Saturday on here blog http://sofies-paint-blog.blogspot.com

LOTR SBG 2014 New World Campaign

A group of LOTR SBG enthusiasts in Denver Co. USA have been running a "world campaign" using the Middle Earth map. They set up a youtube channel to chronicle their efforts. For some reason blogger isn't allowing me to capture their last video their relaunch of the world campaign but you can watch it here.

Shadowfax passes into the West

Blanco the stunning horse who portrayed Shadowfax the king of horses in the Lord of the Rings movies passed away on Sunday April 6th 2014. He has now passed into memory like the Elf horses of old. If you wish a full account of his passing you can find it here.

On The Table

 

Here is a quick look at this week's hobby progress. I've finished the Shadow, next will be to finish off the base with flock & stuff. I considered adding eyes inside the hood, but I like it best as is. Next Sunday it will be finished.

 The orcs still need a lot of work.

A Poor Showing

I began painting this lovely Reaper figure as a shadow to use in my LOTR games in 2008? That was when I took up the painting hobby again from a 18 year hiatus. And let me tell you I had forgot so much during those years I allowed my skills to degenerate. I had begun painting miniatures in high school with Grenadier figures for AD & D; they were so primitive compared to today's standard, continued on with Warhammer figures through college and beyond. Then for various reasons I stopped. Look at this poor excuse of a paint job couldn't even do black properly! My converted orcs are no better as you can see in these photos.

The only thing I managed to do years ago was base all my LOTR figures on magnetic bases. As you can see with this Christmas biscuit tin of orcs.

Fortunately I began painting again last year with much better results and new techniques as can be see on my other blog http://fiendsinwaistcoats.blogspot.com/

I'm still actively posting on fiends in Waistcoats but I've wanted to revive my long over due LOTR project which I will Chronicle here every Sunday. So expect a new post here every Sunday. I hope to have the repainted Reaper Shadow finished next week. Here is a preview of the new painting.

BattleBoards UK

Here is a advertising video for BattleBoards. BattleBoards is one of the very few professional gaming terrain board makers in the world. They have made numerous gaming/display boards for manufactures and clubs to be exhibited at Salute in London. They have recently begun posting videos of their work on youtube.  The link to BattleBoards is here. 

Here is the first video of his Mordor project, he doesn't have any of the others up unfortunately. You can see that he has been classically trained as a sculptor and uses materials I haven't seen used since I worked in movies a long time ago. Please note that fiberglass is very dangerous to one's health so don't muck about with it unless you know what you're doing. I'm not please with the "little Major" character but I'm happy to say he abandons him in later videos.

Though I'm not a fan of any of the fantasy football games out there this next video illustrates proper mold making techniques. very nicely.

Sorry trying to post too quickly. This video illustrates brushing on the first layer of silicone to make sure you get the details and reduce air bubbles. The blue stuff is silicone. Next he layers plaster on top of the dried silicone mold to form a base for it to rest on when he pours the resin in. Notice he also brushes on the first resin layer.

A Begining

 

I’ve been a long time miniatures gamer and fan of Lord of the Rings I’ve been collecting the GW LOTR figures since they first came out in 2001 in conjunction with the first LOTR film. I enjoy the game and have played a number of games after a new years clean up I’ve discovered that I have 50+ figures earmarked for my LOTR project yet not a single one is painted! Some are partially painted from back in 2009, others primed, most simply glued to bases. And to top it off I have boxes and blisters of miniatures I’ve never even opened! This in essence is the reason for this blog, to chronicle my LOTR projects. 

Box sets from 2001 Fellowship of the Ring and 2002 The Two Towers.

Unopened blisters from 2001onwards plus an OOP Heritage LOTR figure and a Mithril blister.

 

Heritage and Mithril blisters.

In addition to to hobby projects I'll be including some articles on the lore of the Lord of the Rings and the Anglo-Saxon heroic literature which so influenced its creator.