25mm Ral Partha (Iron Wind Metals) - Scarecrows

Shoot, I just realized I have at least two others from this former Ral Partha set of Scarecrows, These two came in an Iron Wind Metals blister pack and I hadn't connected that they were from the original RP range. Had I known, I would have done them all at the same time. 

Instead, these were painted at the same time I did the Wargames Foundry Animated Scarecrows. A misapplied zenithal highlight nearly ruined these too but I corrected as best I could from the slap chop debacle that ensued. 

Everyone know Khaby Lame? He's the TikToker who effortlessly simplifies those over complicated life hack videos from other creators. Anyway, I think he'd appreciate my glowy eyes attempt here. Simply a bright red cavity, followed by a smaller orange dot in the middle finalized by a yellow pin point. I've watched all these air brush guys put in glows and reflected light for OSL techniques, but sometimes a simple three layer sequence works out just fine. The black, hollow eyes were bugging me and needed some dark magic. 

Formally, this is the "Scarecrow with Hooked Polearm" at left and of course, "Scarecrow with Scythe Raised" on the right. Both sculpted by Dave Summers.

These will be sub-bosses of some kind for the more rank and file scarecrow figures.

 As always, thanks for looking - questions, comments and followers are welcome and encouraged! I'm doing more and more on Facebook so follow my page there too! https://www.facebook.com/One-of-My-Men-Became-Restless-100659928063858

28mm Ral Partha Crucible - Boogey Men

These have been online for a long time (June 2004) exclusively at www.coolminiornot.com but they really belong here.

Thanks for looking - questions, comments and followers are welcome and encouraged! I'm doing more and more on Facebook so follow my page there too! https://www.facebook.com/One-of-My-Men-Became-Restless-100659928063858

25mm Ral Partha Bucks & Boar

More food markers for a ravenous French army, or subjects of a scenario that potentially ends badly for a desperate foraging party.

Imagine hungrily chasing a deer into the woods only to encounter a band of very angry partisans, or maybe a sotnia of Cossacks?

I've been stalling on the French because of lack of cornetists in greatcoat for this voltigeur compangie I'm building. They are all primed and ready to go, but I'm really averse to giving them drums. I may have to model other parts of the battalion and circle back.

In any case, thanks for looking. Questions, comments and followers are welcome and encouraged.

25mm Ral Partha, Three Bears & More

Three bears from Ral Partha. The middle sized one (at right) I learned after I finished is supposed to be a black bear and it does look a bit different than the other two. Too late now - I don't often revisit that kind of thing. I do like the Foundry ones slightly better, but I don't really need any more. These are either food markers or something to menace the stragglers (to go along with the wolves) for the 1812 Retreat game I'm building.

Building in the back is a pre-painted, and very dusty, Russian Izba from Pegasus Hobbies. To the side is an unfinished segment from the 4Ground set of Weathered Wood Picket Fences - more on those later as I complete them.

In the fore are lengths of palisade fencing from Renendra connected and affixed to lengths of strip basing - also from Renendra.

I made four such lengths of these - all made with one pack. They each run exactly 1 foot plus a quarter inch gap on either side. I probably should make something to denote a broken section.

I really can't abide too many short pieces because the joins and gaps are so unseemly. Same attitude with roads - hate little 6 inch segments all run together - just looks terrible.

All of these manufacturers mentioned above are excellent with eminently useful pieces.

 Thanks all for looking - questions, comments, followers are welcome and encouraged!

Haunted Woods

All told there are 38 pieces here. I can't do a huge table with this but there's enough to suggest plenty of hostile scenery for any outdoor themed horror setting. I would have done some shots of it all together but I have the 1812 snow table up and just don't have the space at present. The subject of a future update undoubtedly. Let's begin ...

Just finished these this morning: (L-R): Reaper Halloween Tree, RAFM Demon Tree, Ral Partha Demonic Tree Man

Black undercoated, heavy Americana Raw Umber liberally applied. Then dry-brushed with Folk Art Mushroom with increasing amounts of Ceramcoat Quaker Gray.   

Reaper Halloween Tree detail

Dotting in the owl eyes with a Micro-Art Pen ...terrible experience trying to drop it directly in the center.

RAFM Demon Tree detail. I like this one a lot - the eyes are REALLY recessed but I tried to get the red glowing eyes effect like the Reaper one.

Ral Partha Demonic Tree Man - like the RAFM one, the eyes were quite set back and black hollows didn't make much sense to me. The belly missed all my dry-brushing efforts but I can live with it.

I actually don't know the manufacturer of these. These were a part of a set I picked up at one of the HMGS cons several years back. Any help?

They came with these ...

... and these.

Flipped.

The next set from Armorcast were finished many years ago. A good number of these seem to be discontinued.

(Same as above, different angle) Twigs and cork rocks. I wanted to keep a significant space for figures around these particular ones. I think I've caught a more natural arrangement in my efforts this week than these old ones but a discernible lack of improvement over the years would be upsetting.

CD bases

Same as above but another angle

Eight of these but hey, seen four you've seen them all.

Same as above - different angle

Finally, here's five of the 10 Woodland Scenics "Dead Trees". Again, Seen five, you've seen them all.

Bah, I forgot I have two sets of these to do to round it all out.

Thanks for looking. Questions, comments, and followers are welcome and encouraged. If anyone can identify that set in the middle of this update, please let me know in the comments.

25mm Ral Partha Frantisek Markov

I s'pose he could be Mr. Hyde but that's not quite right. Here's the official history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frantisek_Markov

Extra bold on the red silk lining. Micron Pen eyes ...

Base detail - again this is a motif I've committed to on over a hundred figures so far ...

Egads! Glossy bits remain! And for other reasons I hate the back shot - all those folds is just overkill and I did just a middling job on it.

I have a thing for these old school miniatures  ...

Thanks for looking - Questions, comments and followers are welcome and encouraged!

25mm Ral Partha Zombies

These have been posted elsewhere but I want to freshen up the page a bit. Lots of new stuff coming, Victorian Londoners, Napoleonics and more - but for now, some rotten old zombies figs ...

Chris Fitzpatrick of Crocodile Games sculpted these ages ago and they are just great. He did a modern set too I have around unpainted somewheres.

The blue background made these a little "cooler" than they appear under normal lighting.

Questions and comments welcome!

25mm Ral Partha Ravenloft Ratik Umbel

One more for the masses ... though Ral Partha calls him "Ratik Ubel"

Experimental mud technique which may or may not be my method here on out. Applied too much to the back of the legs though ..