Sunday 14 February 2016

"The Largest And Most Vicious Of The Big Cats Around Frostgrave..."

"They have no fear of humans and will attack if they are hungry or feel threatened."
This 28mm metal model of a Snow Leopard is made by “North Star Military Figures” and can be bought together with an Ice Toad as code FGV301 from their “Frostgrave” range. As I originally planned to paint the “big cat” with the black and cream rosettes depicted on the blister’s packaging illustration artwork I initially undercoated the “dangerous hunter” with some “Vallejo” White and washed it with the transparent acrylic Pale Grey. I then dry-brushed the animal with more White before trying my hand at its markings.

Disappointingly I found my skill with the fine brush somewhat lacking, and after a couple of failed attempts elected to simply give my Snow Leopard a slightly discoloured fur coat by dabbing some watered-down “Citadel” Rakarth Flesh over the top of it using a face blusher pad. This rather simple painting technique allowed the Base paint to blend in with the beast’s undercoat and leave its underbelly and inner legs an untouched white.
Hydro-Man WIPs - The criminal still needs lots of increasingly light blue layers to be dry-brushed 
Having finished painting another of the "random encounters" documented within the "Frostgrave" Bestiary, I have managed to undercoat and start dry-brushing a wonderfully large "Horrorclix" sculpt of the Reaper of Souls which was kindly gifted to me by Bryan of "Vampifan's World Of The Undead" fame. This model of Death, complete with enormous scythe, genuinely towers over his 40mm circular base and will hopefully make many a 'guest appearance' on my "Zombicide" tabletop as an alternative Abomination. 

With just two weeks until the Nautical Themed Round of the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge I have begun work on a "Heroclix" figure of Hydro-Man. This pre-painted model of Morris Bench is predominantly comprised of clear blue plastic. But as I wanted to try and highlight the wave crests found upon his watery limbs, I have painted the entire miniature with an initial coat of "Vallejo" Turquoise, washed it with "Citadel" Asurmen Blue" and started to try and build up the super-villain's liquid layers.
007 WIPs - It's early days yet for both Bond and Blofelt
Finally I have received my latest order from "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", amongst which were both a cracking pulp secret agent and dastardly criminal mastermind. Perhaps unsurprisingly I plan to paint these two models as James (Sean Connery) Bond and Ernst (Donald Pleasance) Blofeld; with the characterful sculpts immediately leaping to the top of my painting queue as a result.

In addition they have helped galvanise me into starting to paint the first of my Nazi Henchmen, as my proposed 'brown shirt' colour scheme for the Fuhrer's goose-stepping goons perfectly matches that of the global criminal organisation's leader.

36 comments:

  1. The cat is too cute in thay scheme to be a Leopard. Tho I do think it'll be a good way to lure man-prey closer in order to pounce!

    love those Bond figs! Just can't justify picking those type sculpts up when I'd have no gaming use for them. ...

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    1. Thanks Dai :-) Obviously I'll be using James for some "7TV2" gaming in the future... Although a Batman/Bond team-up will certainly be on the cards in the future once I've got him painted ;-)

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  2. The feline looks excellent to me, even if it came by a circuitous approach. :)

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    1. Cheers PulpCitizen. I'm very happy with the compromise :-)

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  3. Very nice dude the big cat looks great! Nice to see some 7TV2e stuff creeping into the paint queue.

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    1. Thanks Simon. There's always room for "7TV2" creep in my books!!

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  4. Excellent....though I'm trying to ignore the brilliant 7TV2 figs as they make it that much harder not to cave in and buy that lovely, shiny big box...

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    1. Cheers Gordon. There's an awful lot of fun to be hand within the "7TV2" box that's for sure. And the new line-up of minis looks great imho.

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  5. I'm looking hard at those Bond figs mate, having just started 7TV I'm looking for factions... They look fab!

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    1. Thanks Andy. Be nice if I tempted you for change ;-)

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  6. I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat! For what it is worth, I'm struggling to see how the Snow Leopard could be bettered.

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    1. Cheers Michael. If nothing else the model has given me a chance to see how well a face blusher works blending in different paints with one another, and I think its worked very well.

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  7. Due to its lack of spots, I'd call your big cat an albino snow leopard. I think it looks great and it has been expertly sculpted.
    I'm really into 7TV2e right now and recently placed a huge order for more of their lovely figures (detectives, police constables and criminals). I don't really have a need for the James Bond and Blofeld figures but I'll probably end up buying them anyway simply because they are far too cool to ignore!

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    1. Many thanks Bryan and I'm delighted to see you embracing "7TV2" with such gusto. Hopefully one of your wonderful BatReps focusing on your collection will be posted at some point. I don't plan on posting "Act two" of mine until next Friday as I have some more 'old' friends of the Doctor ready for Tuesday evening...

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  8. I totally agree that painting markings on big cats (or small cats for that matter) is a right pain, and as at some point I hope to do a "green tiger" I empathise with you on this one. Still he looks nice enough to me.

    Hydro man looks like he'll be cool once finished, as does that reaper, However I have a bone to pick with you over Herocliker's as thanks to you and Jez going on about blue rat games, I have now put in an order for some more Marvel types, so much for "No fig's till April".

    Those crooked dice figs are nice, but I can definitely see a scenario where Ernst is trying to rule the world by controlling it's production of pies!!

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Cheers Roger. I'm very happy with the cat tbh and delighted with how the blending worked out - expect it to appear on many more minis in the future.

      Sorry to see your Resolution wilting at such an early point in the year ;-) Surely you haven;t finished painting all those marvellous "Heroclix" minis you bought last year already? Have you managed to get a Controller to use as Ram Man?

      The "Crooked Dice" minis are great and I really need to get painting a load before their next batch of releases later this month. Hopefully Bond and 'Pieman' will get the ball rolling for me :-)

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  9. P.S. perhaps you should have saved a couple of these figs and we could have done a "white cat month".

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. I'm eagerly waiting for your big Green Cat Roger ;-)

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    2. No I haven't come near to painting the ones I already own (your fault too I hasten to add, I've got to blame someone), but yes I was a controller that I really needed, but the other nine only added 50p to the postage and the dearest one was only 79p (justify me please!!).

      You'll have to wait for the cat I'm afraid, as though I know where he's coming from I haven't ordered him yet.

      Cheers Roger.

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    3. I don't think you can really blame me for that huge "Heroclix" haul of yours from last year Roger. All I did was suggest Professor Xavier as a possible starting place for Doom Patrol's leader. Your desire for some of the best plastic superhero minis on the market did the rest :-P

      And very glad of your buy I was to, otherwise I wouldn't be gaming with Rasputin (amongst others) would I? :-)

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  10. Not my favourite "big cat" sculpt, he does look overly cuddly imo and they are a pain to paint too.
    The Bond figures are good, especially the man himself.

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    1. I was actually hoping to buy a few of these critters in order to paint them up as a pride or some such, Joe. But as they're not sold separately I gave up on the idea - my OCD meaning I can only use "North Star Military Figures" for "Frostgrave". having settled upon the blushing pad technique though I didn't think it too hard to paint. Although you're quite correct in that the Bond figures are far better, and hopefully I'll be able to do them justice.

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    2. Blue rat have a couple of "Beast boy" fig's one as a cheetah and one as a tiger(and it's green, don't tell Jez) that would make nice snow beasties.And under a pound each.

      Cheers Roger.

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    3. Yeah, like I didn't already know. Might be a little small as Battle cat though, unless you're planning on photographing him further away...

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    4. I did think of those Roger, as well as some of the "Pulp Figures" and "Copplestone Castings" I own. But for now I'm going to stick to the "North Star Military Figures" and unlike someone I know, try and stick to my New Year's Resolution Ref buying new minis ;-)

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  11. Having painted 'proper' leopard markings on King Leopard, I know exactly how much work is involved and how long it takes, so your white panther is perfectly acceptable.
    And your Hydro Man is one I'll be keeping an eye on.
    However, I think the small package winging it's way to you (as the crow flies, naturally) may displace your Bond figures at the front of your paint queue... ;-)

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    1. Never done a King Leopard, I've "camo" stripes on a King Tiger does that count?

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    2. Thanks Jez. I'm happy enough with the Snow Leopard and wouldn't have been with my meagre efforts at markings. Hydro-Man is an awesome sculpt and simply needs a session of dry-brushing as I slowly add more and more white to the mix before painting his black shirt and flesh etc.

      Very much looking forward to "the small package", so I'll try and paint up as much as I can within my painting queue over the next few days. My Medium Construct and four Aliens are just being based, and I'm concentrating on a "Frostgrave" Templar currently.

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    3. Roger... I'll help you get your coat!!! :-)

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  12. Lovely work Simon! The big cat looks superb, it could always be a snow lioness. Hydroman is a great entry for a nautical theme. Bond and co. are coming along nicely. Lots of CD's figures old and new are on my wish list, they'll make fantastic survivors and characters for ATZ.

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    1. Cheers Bob. "Crooked Dice" certainly do a stunning line of minis and its no surprise to me that Dick Garrison keeps sticking them in to my annual 'Top Ten' models. I don't know if you've seen but "CD" have just re-released a few classic sculpts. May be worth a small purchase?

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  13. I do like the white panther; he (she?) is very effective. And so much 7TV goodness coming along as well!

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    1. Thanks Hugh. I'm certainly pleased with the big cat's final result. Loads of "7TV2" stuff coming your way very soon as its certainly caught my imagination at the moment.

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  14. Looks great, Simon.

    When the Bond villain in the Jodhpurs was released I had a hunch it would soon make an appearance here. Very cool figure. Right up your alley.

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    1. Cheers Finch. I just can't resist all these "Crooked Dice" releases and news that they've a load more coming later this month is making my wallet wince :-)

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