This month was another slow month, at least in terms of painting. I got a job! and relocated to Washington just across the Columbia. So I have been very preoccupied. I anticipated that I would be busy so I planned on only getting one model done.
Without further ado, I present Duke Wilhelm of Gusseldorf upon his trusty Opinicus, Rudolf.
Without further ado, I present Duke Wilhelm of Gusseldorf upon his trusty Opinicus, Rudolf.
A little more ado - I sculpted Wilhelm and Rudolf. I wanted Wilhelm to have a real old school vibe so I had pictures of the AD&D bard model from Citadel up to use as a reference. He is a noble so his cloths had to be a tad fancier than the typical fanciness of medieval Germans. Therefore, he has a bigger hat than any of my other models, many layers to his sleaves, and boots with medieval up and downies around the top. I sculpted Wilhelm to have an alternative sword option, but I chose the lance option for him.
Rudolf is an opinicus, which is like an off-brand griffon. The difference being that opinicuses (opinici??) have feline front paws instead of eagle claws. There are lots of griffon models out there, so I wanted mine to be a tad different. The other big consideration was the base size. In old warhammer editions monsters were, almost exclusively, on 40x40mm bases. So, Rudolf here had to fit on a 40x40mm base. From a design standpoint, I also wanted Rudolf to have an old school vibe. A lot of monsters today are rather chonky. The most recent permutation of Karl Franz, for example, appears to be riding a factory farm chicken with cat legs attached at the rear. Older monsters were leaner and ganglier so that's what I went for.
Rudolf is an opinicus, which is like an off-brand griffon. The difference being that opinicuses (opinici??) have feline front paws instead of eagle claws. There are lots of griffon models out there, so I wanted mine to be a tad different. The other big consideration was the base size. In old warhammer editions monsters were, almost exclusively, on 40x40mm bases. So, Rudolf here had to fit on a 40x40mm base. From a design standpoint, I also wanted Rudolf to have an old school vibe. A lot of monsters today are rather chonky. The most recent permutation of Karl Franz, for example, appears to be riding a factory farm chicken with cat legs attached at the rear. Older monsters were leaner and ganglier so that's what I went for.
Griffon ..........................................................................150 pts
Total 255 pts
Really cool! Don't think I've ever seen an Opinicus mini before! (next, Enfields!)
ReplyDeleteThe expression on that Opinicus is so great; very old school. And you've done a great job with the paintbrush!
ReplyDeleteIf you didn't know that wasm't an actual Citadel model c. 1987 then you would be amazed to learn that it wasn't. Really captures that vintage mounted monster vibe, as you say.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much :) Hearing that I was on point with my sculpting is nice to hear.
DeleteThis is superb! The rider has bags of character and an impressive lance!
ReplyDeleteThe star of the show is the Opinicus though. Firstly, credit for not making it a Griffon, and secondly I really like the longer limbed look, dare I say it has Harryhausen vibes with that mad stare and snapping beak?
Absolutely blown away by this - the sculpting and the painting. What I'd give to have a fraction of this ability. Bravo sir !
ReplyDeleteI doff my cap to you sir.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of all your design choices. Big hat & boots for leader, lean & gangly but still fierce monster. It may "only" be one figure but you are once again one-upping the rest of us with your own sculpts and the painting that spiral lance!
ReplyDeleteAlso, all that sculpting work on the detail of the feathers is great. Are these painted originals or have you cast any of them?
DeleteThey have all been cast. Ultimately, all of these model I sculpted will be sold by Old School Miniatures company.
DeleteJust an amazing sculpt and clean paintjob. I love the character of Wilhelm's face. Spot on with the potato nose. Rudolf is awesome, it is comical yet reminds me more of a real angry eagle/hawk than most of the angry griffon faces of miniatures out there, and captures the oldhammer vibe.
ReplyDelete