This superbly
detailed 28mm model of The Masked Bandit comes from code Mex1 by “Boot Hill
Miniatures” and is the second of my submissions for the Mo’vember 2014
challenge Dick Garrison is running over on his blog “Rantings From Under The
Wargames Table”. The figure is actually accompanied by a mounted version of ‘Zorro’
and forms part of the manufacturer’s rather extensive ‘Alta California’ range.
Despite the fact that the vast majority of the figure was black it actually
took a considerable amount of time to paint due to the almost overwhelming
amount of detail on the bandit’s sculpt. Numerous metallic areas such as the Californio
nobleman’s spurs, girdle, scabbard, hat and boots were picked out with “Citadel”
Boltgun Metal” and then washed with Badab Black. Whilst Don Diego de la Vega’s
sword was given an additional drybrush of Boltgun Metal along the length of its
blade. The face took a devilish amount of effort to ‘get right’ and a one stage
I was all for simply painting in the ‘whites of his eyes’ and making do with
that. However I was eventually able to ‘draw in’ a line of “Vallejo” Heavy Skintone
within the mask’s eye-slits and was them with “Citadel” Ogryn Flesh.
I also
considered at one stage breaking up the sheer monotony of the black by aging ‘Zorro’
with some flecks of grey in his moustache and pointed beard. I have also seen several
very nicely painted versions of the model with both a swirling red cape and
scarlet mask; similar to Douglas Fairbanks’ cinematic version of the character.
For once however I thought I’d leave well enough alone, and go with the
all-black ‘in his prime’ bandit.
If you’re interested in taking part in Mo’vember then please either leave a comment and link below, or visit Dick Garrison’s excellent blog here: http://rantingsfromunderthewargamestable.wordpress.com
Meanwhile I am still working through the
numerous painting phases needed to finish these two Freedom Fighters by “Crooked
Dice Game Design Studio”. They’ve been joined on my painting table by another of the company’s “7TV”
pulp science fiction sculpts, Tweedy Mattison. I was going to ‘hold off’ on
this figure and the rest of their ‘not Eleventh Doctor Who’ range for “The Fifth Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge” but as “Titan Comics”
have just started publishing a monthly series of comics depicting the Matt
Smith incarnation of the Timelord, and the miniature was already based,
prepared and primed, I couldn’t resist but start painting him.
If you’re interested in reading “Doctor Who: The
Eleventh Doctor” by “Titan Comics” then my review of its first issue can be
found here:
These five models are from code PHP05 Doc Thompson and his Fabulous
Four by “Pulp Figures”, and are part of a modest number of miniatures which
have recently arrived across the Pond from the superbly talented sculptor Bob
Murch. I’m hoping to paint up a vast number of these personality figures,
alongside numerous henchmen and villains as part of the Analogue Hobbies
Painting Challenge. As a result I’ll be preparing and basing, and then posting,
a vast array of these 28mm metal beauties over the next few weeks in
anticipation of the 5th December start date.
That really is a very good figure of Zorro. I didn't even know it existed so many thanks for sharing. I look forward to seeing your not-Doctor Who figure finished. As for your pulp figures by Bob Murch, if I was into this era I think I'd want ALL of his range. He really is that good!
ReplyDeleteThanks Vampifan. I only stumbled across "Boot Hill Miniatures" myself by chance whilst trying to find the "Reaper" Zorro model. They really do produce a stunning array of zorro/alamo minis. As for Bob's stuff, well I'm a huge Doc Savage/Shadow fan, especially as their old pulp fiction stories are being made into audios these days. I'd love to own them all too but was a bit worried about the airfreight from Canada so just got a few packets from across his range for now. If I can get them painted though...
DeleteI always find painting figures wearing predominately black really difficult; the shading and highlights are often difficult, but you've done a great job here.
ReplyDeleteThanks Michael. I was really tempted with this one to break it up with some Douglas Fairbanks red, but in the end stuck to how I remember him.
DeleteNice job dude!
ReplyDeleteI always used to paint off a black undercoat but now I find using a white undercoat gives me much more satisfying results.
Cheers Bob. These days I go with whatever the main colour is going to be and if I'm struggling to see the detail I'll even give them an appropriately coloured wash. Black is nice and simple though as I don't need to do as much black lining and I find the grime from handling the model as I paint tends to produce a load of highlights anyway. Lazy painting perhaps, but it works for my tabletop standard :-)
DeleteNice looking figures. Looking forward to seeing them painted. The Pulp figures are quite a quirky looking but in a good way.
ReplyDeleteHi Simon. Bob's sculpts certainly have a distinctive look. I think these are some of his older figures and he is updating some of the codes, but I didn't want to wait as I'm a bit obsessed with Doc Savage and his group at the moment :-)
DeleteSimon, that Zorro is really cool looking! Really beautiful work on painting in the face behind the mask, I was thinking of sculpting my catwoman conversion wearing a mask but was scared off by the thought of not being able to paint the face [my model's based on Julie Newmar, from the tv show].
ReplyDeleteHow long did it take for your Pulp Miniature's order to arrive, please? I upgraded to Airmail after reading what you wrote the other week, so, if you would, an idea of time-frame would be useful (as it's got the Mo'vember miniature included in the parcel).
Roy, Bob got in contact with me to say they'd ship within a day or so of ordering (as I think he may cast some to order?) but they were out the door and across the pond in my hands at the end of two weeks. Great service.
DeleteThe only thing I can say about Zorro's mask is I used a brand new 000 brush tip to paint the flesh beneath the mask, and painted the eyes first. It was literally just a slash of flesh on each, then an ink wash and done.
Really looking forward to your Julie Newmar :-)
Cheers.
DeleteI forgot to mention about my paint choice: I'll paint her in black, with the gold accessories I believe she wore. I've also attached a tail to her belt, as I found an image from a tv film where the character sported one and I like the idea.
No worries. Catwoman sounds great and I'm looking forward to seeing your conversion of her.
DeleteThis is a really cool figure and blacks are so hard to paint.
ReplyDeleteThere are a couple of us doing Pulp for the Challenge and it would be nice to have us all corralled into some sort of group. Could we all do some kind of side bet for Pulp? Curt puts those in his sidebar and it could be fun. Something small and non stressful for all of us.
Thanks Anne. Welcome aboard :-) A side bet sounds like a great idea. I was actually thinking of at least doing a team or group per week or something, though that was going to be something more superhero orientated (e.g. the X-Men, Avengers, Alpha Flight, Fantastic Four etc) but perhaps we could do a pulpy version like cops, gangsters, natives? Minimum of four minis per group? Thoughts?
DeleteThat's more painting that I can handle a week as I'm very, very slow. What I was thinking of was a point challenge. Something like whoever achieves the highest amount of points in Pulp over the whole Challenge is the winner. The losers then have to send the winner one Pulp figure they have painted for the Challenge. I know I won't win but I don't mind losing. I just want to have fun.
DeleteSounds like a great idea Anne. Having looked at some of the others' goal totals I'd best pick a pulp figure from my haul to go to the winner now though :-) As you say though it does sound a lot of fun. Are you happy to contact Curt with the suggestion or did you want me to do it?
DeleteExcellent Mo'vemeber posting Simon, and a great choice of figure too, Zorro is one of the classic "Tash" sporting heroes and one of my favourites as a child, actually your entire post is like a trip down memory lane for me as Blakes Seven and the movie version of Doc Savage were also great inspiration to a young me as well, lovely paintjobs by the way.
ReplyDeleteCheers Roger.
Thanks ever so much Roger. I must confess to being rather happy with the way he came out. My only regret is that the figure is a little smaller than the majority of my others, and because of his thick metal base I put him inside a lipped one; as a result he plays havoc with my OCD when on the table alongside my normal round based models. As a result I doubt he'll see much action until I've painted up a few more "Boot Hill Miniatures". I've just had the Doc Savage DVD arrive from the US so these Pulp Figures should be the first ones finished once the Analogue Painting Challenge starts :-)
Delete