Tom's Dwarfs - Slayers! (202pts)

Ooh - month two! And a second shot at writing this all out, as for some reason this post didn't save first time round. *weeps

However, fortunately, this month sees me paint the unit I've been looking forward to the most: SLAYERS, and I don't mind looking at them all again!

Here they are:

This dude with the massive axe was a little odd, as his face was not as detailed as the others. He's also got an enviable forearm girth... This chap on the left has his top tied by the sleeves around his waist, which I thought was a really nice touch...

Throbbin Death Eye here pictured on the left is one of the dwarf Lords of Legend. He makes a good slayer, although it does seem as if he's been shot with an arrow to the beard. Someone obviously will have to pay.

The dude on the right is just very, very upset.

I loved painting the large guy on the right. He's probably my favourite of the bunch. The left oine...not so much.

Kimril Giant Slayer is a dwarf hungry for giants, and also a L:ord of Legend whereas this guy on the right has just seen it all and perfected the 1000 yard stare...

Another slayer - on the left, and a butt naked one on the right. Thankfully he has a modesty cloth.... Most likely he could also do with some tattoos, but I'm not brave enough just yet!

Another very, very upset dwarf. He might be upset because I dropped him on the floor and chipped the paint off his nose... The dude on the right looks like someone at some point chopped off Kimril's mohawk. Who know?

Here's a shot of the similar sculpts all together:

And a glorious shot of them all!

I've also been painting other non-slayer type figures. 

Most notably this wizarding Gnome (painted for this challenge, but also painted for the facebook Middlehammer groups monthly painting challenge). Challenge. Lots of challenges.

On a magical theme, I also painted up this dwarf wizard:

He was in amongst a bunch of figures at my LFGS, and was sold at the princely sum of 50p.

He completes* my collection of Citadel wizards - here he is amongst them all:

This collection of models is very special to me, as it represents a turning point in my painting. I didn't lose any enthusiasm for painting them when I was in the middle of painting them (which so often happens). They painted up relatively quickly (just over an hour or so each), and they photographed really well! I'm very proud of them, and they're usually the first thing I'll show others if they ever ask me what I do for a hobby (yet to happen).

Also, I have found that dwarfs like treasure.

Here's some treasure:

Looking at this treasure, it seems the big pile could do with some grass or something to soften the edges...

Also, I have found that they have a great love for food

Here's some food:

The spit roast will be a stand in for The Meat, cooked by the Chef who is part of the Goblobber crew. Hopefully they'll make an appearance in March, as they're on the painting table at the moment...

Talking about painting, A few friends of mine have just recently started back into Blood Bowl, and they're painting some teams up for the first time since they were kids (so like...25yrs ago). I joined them, and was surprised at how my own painting habits have changed.

My friends set up was exactly how I used to paint as a kid. Lots of super tiny brushes, a desklamp and dining room light, a tiny jam jar and a big palette. To me, now, this feels all wrong.

I usually use three largish looking brushes, a massive pickled gerkin jar for washing them in, and greaseproof paper as a palette. I don't use a wet palette, (but I most likely would if I was painting one model to a mush higher standard). I use the greaseproof paper over and over, so it's really stiff from paint.  The bigger water jar lets me easily thoroughly wash my brushes. 

Actually, here's a pic of my brushes:

The first one is my CHAMPION. It's a Rosemary and Co #1. I do everything with it. Base, wash, layer and details. Eyes and everything. Much love.

The second is my metal paint and small drybrush brush. I think it's a WAMP detail brush.

The last one is a super cheap synthetic for large, textured surfaces, or larger drybrushing

Next month I'll take a pic of my painting station - it's probably not the usual set up. But then again, it's what works for me. Aaaanyhow - more on that next month.

Aaaaand, talking of next month, I'll most likely be painting up a unit of Warriors and a war engine of some kind. I'll also probably paint a few EXTRAS too.

I took a pic of some more extras that I might paint along the way. Here they are:

Keen eyes will see I've already painted some of the treasure up... 

I put them on this months White Dwarf, as a kind of datestamp. No pre-painted models here please!

Look at that cannon! It's one I never found as a kid, but saw in the battle reports at the time. As a heads up, it's still available from Foundry but DOES NOT come with an axle to fix the wheels to.

Props to Jaeckel for pointing this out in his blog Jaeckel Alone. (If you've not seen his dwarfs you need to stop, search it out and go look at them. Actually....here's a link. Click it!)

So, wrapping up!

January saw:

Crossbowmen 130points

Bolt Thrower 54points

Warriors 33points

Pony

February sees:

Slayers  202points

Treasure

Food

Pony handler

Gnome

Wizard

I note that I neglected to show the pony handler. I'll rectify that now:

See - I've added some string to act as a rope. I'd like to take them off this base, and create a vignette. Most likely it'll be a skeleton rising up behind the handler and startling the horse. It would make for a nice memorial piece, as Iannick's (founder of the OWAC) army has skeletons in.

Here's a pic of all the counted, painted models so far!

And look at that there, in the top right hand corner. That there is my kitchen table. To create this shot, I have angled some A4 paper on some of my priming spray cans (Hycote plastic primer - grey, available from The Range), arranged models on it. Then I've awkwardly angled my daylight lamp at it with one hand whilst taking a pic on my phone with the other.

Anyhow, jobs a good un (or good enough at least!)

See you all next month for more Dwarf goodies :)

Laters

*citation needed. I already see some more in amongst the extras pile....