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| "Go and have your lovely beans on toast." |
This 35mm-tall "pewter" model of the Ninth Doctor as played by Christopher Eccleston, is produced by “Warlord Games” and forms part of the five-miniature strong "Ninth Doctor And Companions" boxed set. Deciding "to leave the role after just one series", the Lancashire-born actor "was voted Most Popular Actor at the 2005 National Television Awards for his portrayal of the Doctor", and made his debut as the travelling Time Lord in the March 2005 BBC television story "Rose".
Initially primed using some "Vallejo" Black Surface Primer, the Gallifreyan's shoes, trousers and leather jacket were subsequently painted in Black, and dry-brushed with Heavy Charcoal. In order to break up the time traveller's monotonous colour scheme, I then re-painted his shoes Black, and washed his trousers with some "Citadel" Nuln Oil. The figure's half-hidden top was 'picked out' using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and more "Citadel" Nuln Oil.
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| The Master confronts the Ninth, Tenth and Twelfth Doctor, as well as K-9 |
I used watered-down "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone and "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade for Doctor Who's skin, as well as "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna with some "Citadel" Nuln Oil for his hair. Finally, having managed to 'highlight' his sonic screwdriver using some Ironbreaker, I dabbed the electronic device's head with a small splodge of "Vallejo" Dead White and shaded it using "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade.
Disconcertingly, for such a relatively straightforward miniature, this particular sculpt was somewhat time-consuming due to my desire to try and desperately avoid giving it a pair of doe-like eyes. As a result I kept slowly cutting into the "Vallejo" Black surrounding his eyeballs with Heavy Skintone until I was convinced I could get no closer without spoiling the outline. In addition, whilst protecting the model with "Coat d'arms" Gloss Varnish I discovered that despite using a 'proper primer' for a change, part of the paint on the figure's left arm completely came away; necessitating my having to re-pigment that particular area.
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| The Master WIPs - Roger Delgado, Derek Jacobi and Anthony Ainley |
Sticking with Time Lords, I've recently purchased the "Big Finish" audio drama boxed set "Only The Good" which stars Derek Jacobi as The War Master. These "four brand-new full-cast adventures featuring the Master’s exploits in the Time War" have perhaps unsurprisingly inspired me to dig out my previously started "Warlord Games" model of Professor Yana, and get to work on the sculpt's waistcoat.
In addition, I have begun doing a little more work to two of the renegade time traveller's earlier incarnations, as played by Roger Delgado and Anthony Ainley. Both of these figures come from the "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" expansion set "I Am The Master", and having been primed using some "Vallejo" Black Surface Primer, have had their all-black costumes dry-brushed with Heavy Charcoal.
Awesome job on the ninth Doctor. You can beat a good audio book for inspiration. The Redwall ones are excellent.
ReplyDeleteThanks Simon. I totally agree about audio books. I plan to get some "Redwall" in at some point. But currently have a bit of a "Doctor Who" backlog :-)
DeleteThe Doc looks spot on Simon.
ReplyDeleteShamefully have yet to hear any of the Who audio dramas...
Cheers Dai. That’s terrible news about the “Big Finish” audios though. There’s a few free ones on their website these days if you take a visit :-)
DeleteNice work on a whole bunch of Time Lords Simon, and the "confrontation" scene looks ace! :-)
ReplyDeleteBad news about the paint lifting - what was the "proper primer"?
Thanks Greg. I was using “Vallejo” Surface Primer Black, so not sure what went wrong, as its meant to bond to the mini. But as I applied the gloss with a brush it simply lifted the paint off on the lower arm - very annoying.
DeleteThe Doctor tuned out really well Simon, primer lifting is normally a problem with the surface underneath, be it a release agent, even finger grease, you can clean metal models the same as resin to avoid this.
ReplyDeleteThe masters are progressing well
Thanks Dave. Tbh I rarely wash my resin, let alone my metal minis [blush].
DeleteRather than using expensive model primer, try using car primer, you can get black, grey and white easily, it's a lot cheaper and I find works a lot better
DeleteTo be fair, the primer is cheap as chips on Ebay, Dave, and rather than get any more I'll simply go back to my usual method of undercoating the mini with its main colour :-)
DeleteWhilst I do like how you've painted the 9th Doctor, I must confess that I was never a big fan of Christopher Eccleston's Doctor. His departure after just one series came as no surprise and thankfully paved the way for David Tennant, my all-time favourite Doctor. I wish you well in painting all those Masters. I must admit that it was a challenge for me to get Professor Yana's face right.
ReplyDeleteCheers Bryan. I recall how very well I thought you did the War Master's eyes on that mini; whose sculpt universally seems to have been somewhat panned for its soft facial details. I'll certainly be returning to your post for some ideas when it comes time to do his eyes :-)
DeleteNice looking Dr, the saturnine master Roger Delgado is the one I think of as the master,I look forward to seeing him finished.
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks Iain. I'll push Delgado up my painting queue to see if I can do him justice :-)
DeleteThe eyes are usually a problem, too big and they look daft and too small and you don't see them, always a difficult balance.
ReplyDeleteAt least the 9th Doctor gave you a reprieve.
They're all looking good but my preference is the 10th just because the blue and browns are working well together.
Cheers Vagabond. I prefer the more colourful Doctor costumes too - though I don't plan on doing the Fifth Doctor's red leg piping or the Sixth Doctor's tartan :-)
DeleteNice work as always, to buck the trend I happened to like Chris Ecclestone’s rendition! He also makes an excellent dark elf...
ReplyDeleteThanks Andy. I always thought Eccleston would have done better if he'd done another season or two, as the show was rather still finding its feet with his stories - "Boom Town" proving especially awful, imho.
DeleteAnother nice bunch of Dr Who minis. I like all the stuff shown. I get where you are coming from with the eyes. I like to do proper eyes as well but sometimes minis are so narrow and detailed it doesn't always work. Good job on yours though. Reading fiction or listening to audio dramas for certain genres is a great way of finding motivation, so I am not surprised you have dug out certain minis from your collection. Don't start watching Dads Army is all I can say!
ReplyDeleteCheers Undercoat. Funnily enough I do actually own some "Dad's Army" audio shows. I look forward to you coming around for another painting session soon ;-)
DeleteFabulous job Simon.
ReplyDeleteThanks Michael.
DeleteReally nice work on the Doctor, it does look like the Eccleston, I quite like him in most things (just not as the Doctor), and he seems a really nice modest chap too.
ReplyDeleteHaven't listened to any audio stories for ages (the Colin Baker ones on Iplayer were the last I think. I tend to paint in silence these days (well apart from the cats snoring in the background, that is!).
I gone a bit DW myself this week, must be infectious!
Cheers Roger.
Cheers Roger. I've seen and commented upon your stunning Sarah Jane and Jo Grant :-)
DeleteJust one series ? It does seem lik e the tenure of the more 'modern' doctors (ie the ones I dont know) is getting much shorter.
ReplyDeleteIntersting scilpt , if a little bland, (not your painting btw), but could also have uses elsewhere.
Thanks Joe. I too would have liked to have seen more of the Ninth Doctor... but hopefully I can stage my own tabletop battles now this mini is painted.
DeleteFrom what I can gather, Christopher Ecclestone's tenure as the Ninth Doctor ended due to conflicts with the showrunners. I thought he made a good Doctor and would have liked to see his incarnation of the Doctor developed further.
ReplyDeleteAs we will soon see a new showrunner and incarnation of the Doctor, it should be interesting to see how the show progresses.
I see that the Sontarans have been released now. Will these be gracing your painting table soon?
Hi Jez. Yes... I think Eccleston himself recently discussed that he fell-out with the producers within the first 3-month recording block - hence his decision to quit at the end of the first season.
DeleteHaving visited the “Doctor Who” set whilst it was filming locally a couple of months ago, there seems to be a real energy for the new series to succeed and break new ground. I’m just hoping for lots of excellent new monsters and minis :-)
I’m just waiting for “Warlord Games” to send me some Sontarans and then they’ll be straight onto the painting table. Hopefully they’ll arrive soon, as the Autons are soon to be released, and I want a few of them too!! ;-)
Excellent work! (though still too glossy, if you ask me - but no-one ever does and it's not as if I care really anyway. Oh, what's the point... :-) )
ReplyDeleteCheers Hugh... I think? ;-)
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