WHFB High Elves: Testing Colours

After the Preyton, I was on a bit of a fantasy trip these past two weeks. I finished painting the Vampire Lord I started in April. I then was made aware of Bjorn Stormborn's Skaven and High Elf painting challenge on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the release of the Island of Blood boxset. I decided to take part and decide on a colour scheme for my High Elves.

Pict 915: Prince Althran (WIP)

And here is my attempt at a colour sheme for my Warhammer Fantasy High Elves. I spent quite some time looking at old armybooks and the Uniforms & Heraldry book. I finally decided to go for a Eataine scheme since it will contrast well with my Wood Elves. I also once had a High Elf army with a similar scheme. But that one has been sold for quite some time... For now the scheme looks easy enough, but we'll have to see how masochistic it gets with large white robes.

This miniature of course is the foot model of Prince Althran - the Noble on Griffon from the Island of Blood set. I love the pose with the shield outstreched to parry an incoming blow while readying the sword for the next strike.

I want to see Althran finished by next week for the aforementioned challenge and I hope to try adapting the colour scheme on a different miniature.

Pict 916: Vampire Conversion

As mentioned I also finished painting the Vampire Lord from a while back. Basically only the highlighting was left to do but somehow I found it difficult. But now that she's done I'm pretty happy with the miniature.

Painting a Preyton

I finally got back to swinging the paintbrush and took out a Warhammer Preyton from the drawer of onloved miniatures. I also started to work on the Adult Red Dragon's base, but this seems to be a larger project...

Pict 912: Preyton

Pict 913: Preyton

Getting back into painting always takes me some time. This Preyton languished in a box for quite some time and I never really had a good idea of the colours I wanted to use. But simply starting by throwing some brown tones on the model got me started and the blue wings came naturally as a nod to the chaotic nature of the beast. The base fits my Wood Elf army since the monster was originally planned for a Storm of Magic game that never happened.

Pict 914: Adult Red Dragon Base (WIP)

For the dragon's base, I started with the ground and the stones, using the same technique I used on the stones of the Blacksmith's Workshop. Painting the base, however, I noticed how it's somewhat unlogical. A mound of stones with a wall running through it? A treasure chest sticking out of the stone in the ground? - Oh well, it's not too bad because eventually a big red dragon will take up all the attention!

Big Red Turkey

These past few weeks were not that productive hobbywise once more. But I managed to fill the gaps on two big D&D miniatures: the Adult Red Dragon I showed of last time and a Zombie T-Rex.

Pict 908: Adult Red Dragon (WIP)

I also put in some extra time and primed the Red Dragon. For now he's still of the base to have better access to the underside while painting. But I might just start with the base - I dread painting all of the coins and differentiating them from the ground.

Pict 909: Adult Red Dragon (built)

Pict 910: Adult Red Dragon (built)

And here is an additional picture of the big flying beast before priming and the Tyrannosaurus Zombie at the same stage of having filled in the gaps. I used green stuff for the bigger gaps - especially on the wings since they came in two parts. I filled the smaller gaps with Vallejo Plastic Putty and also used it to smooth out the borders between the resin and the green stuff.

Pict 911:Tyrannosaurus Zombie (built)

Also: the concept of a Zombie T-Rex is simply ridiculous. I love her and have decided to call her Betty (short for Beatrice).

New and old Projects

I did not have that much time for the hobby and did not touch a brush to a model during the past two weeks... But I managed to strip some new and old friends and build a few more models to take up space on my table.

Pict 907: New and old Projects

As you can see my model selection is somewhat eclectic once more: some Warhammer High Elves, one Bretonnian, six more Rohan Royal Guard, Jarlaxle Baenre and of course that montrosityof  a Red Dragons in the background... Next I'll have to get out the green stuff and fill in some gaps. Fortunately the dragon fit together pretty well after some hot baths.

Two weeks of highlighting...

Well, I just spent two weeks highlighting miniatures. But in focusing on just that stage of painting, I managed to finish all the remaining Uruk-hai warriors with pikes as well as the first five Infinity miniatures of the year.

Pict 903: Uruk-hai Phalanx

Pict 904: Uruk-hai Warriors with Pikes

Man, I'm glad to be done with the Uruk-hai Warriors. And they really look amazing when arranged into a phanlanx like this. With this, my Isengard army is grown to quite a respectable size and I don't have that much more on my wishlist of things to get for it - only a few more warriors with crossbows and propably a second Ballista.
Having now painted a considerable amount of Uruks also is quite good for my numbers and I acually managed to surpass the number of painted models from last year - and it's only mid june! Great success!

Pict 905: Sekban Naval Group

Pict 906: Sekban Naval Group

In between batches of the Uruks, I also got around to finally finish the Sekaban I had started at the start of the year. These are also the first Infinity miniatures of this year (one of my resolutions was to paint all I have... we'll have to see). I really like the style of these models and they might just get me back to painting more Infinity.

A few Grey Wizards and progress on the Uruk-hai Pikemen

I spent these past two weeks mainly on the remaining Uruk-hai Warriors but I managed to sneak some Gandalf miniatures in to save my sanity!

Pict 899: A Gaggle of Gandalfs

Pict 900: Gandalf

Pict 901: Gandalf

First up are the only models I actually finished: The four Gandalfs I still had lying around – and in one fell swoop I doubled the different Gandalf miniatures I painted. I very much enjoyed layering the different greys and give the miniature likenesses of Ian McKellen a good try. Mostly this went well but especially the sculpt on the right with the hat posed some difficulties. And of course there is that plastic Gandalf from the Mines of Moria starter box - pretty much the worst sculpt of Gandalf GW produced. Luckily, I painted him now with the other three so that I actually did it.

Pict 902: Uruk-hai Warriors (WIP)

And here is my progress with the Uruk-hai. I finished the base colours and put down the washes but the punted the issue of starting the highlights. I now will have to break the group up into smaller, more managable chunks because otherwise I'll never get them done.

Legions of Isengard

These past two weeks, I spent some more time with the Legions of Isengard and built and painted a batch of Uruk-Hai Warriors.

Pict 893: Armoured Uruk-Hai

Pict 894: Uruk-Hai Captains (Conversions)

First up are the two commanders I put together to lead the warriors into battle against the Rohirrim. They are both converted – the armoured one is a simple headswap of the Uruk-Captain I painted I february with the Battle Games in Middle-earth conversion sprue supplying the helmeted head. The scout captain is a bit more involved and combines parts from both a cut up Uglúk and a cut up Lurtz that were left over after my Mauhur conversion. Even the head is Uglúk’s – I clipped it of and thought about using an imprint of the official scout captain’s helmet. But after removing most of the hair I liked the remaining top knot and put the head back on resculpting the leather around the shoulders and the back of the head.

Pict 895: Uruk-Hai Captains (Conversions)

Now since the captains wont win Saruman the keys to Edoras alone, I also needed some more warriors. And in fact I managed to paint up twenty Uruk warriors with shields in only one week! That’s not only great news for Saruman but also for my tally that now is back into the green numbers!

Pict 896: Uruk-Hai Warriors

As a big group, the models really hold up quite well considering they are from 18 years ago and some of the first plastics of the range and the individual poses are great for basic warriors. They had some very obtrusive moldlines however and getting the whole posse ready for priming took about a week’s worth of hobby time.

Pict 897: Uruk-Hai Warriors (WIP)

And because painting 22 Uruks at the same time, didn’t break my spirit, here are another 37 Warriors, this time armed with pikes. For now, they are still a bit shiny with only the #metal# applied, but they already make for an imposing phalanx.

The Uruks really are not painted to the highest standard I could achieve. But they do look great as a group and they are predominantly meant to be played with. After finishing the warriors with pikes, I’ll have to get myself a batch of crossbow wielding ones as well. With them, I pretty much have everything, I need to assault Helm’s Deep!

Pict 898: Otherworld Packbearer

And to get a bit of respite from Uruk-Hai, lastly here is the finished Packbearer by Otherworld Miniatures. Once again a beautifully characterful miniature that will be used in D&D or even Rangers of Shadowdeep.