Challenge 2021 - Quarter 1
This is my first collected challenge post since 2020, and to be honest, its not what I expected. I'm trying to give myself the same patience I try to give others, and applying radical kindness to myself and my miniatures practice. In the beginning, I'd set out to sculpt a model a week; that was an unrealistic expectation. Instead, I accomplished a number of models that I'm not actually going to count yet. The projects state the number of finished models, and you're welcome to do the arithmatic, but I've decided its not important to me this year to rack up a high score. Instead, I invite you to enjoy these peeks into little worlds, and just enjoy the atmosphere.
Eleven Horsehead Revellers - sculpted last year in the fever delight of my first gnome period, I wrapped these friends up after receiving a second wind conjured by my kisckstarter rewards from OSM's going back gnome campaign.
One Weirdo, commissioned by the Instagrammer formerly known as ThousandCitrus - This fellow began life as a Russian warning illustration for high voltage. While his pose reads as professing, I assure you that the image I worked from looked very much like the Babadook rehersing a modern dance routine (I've since misplaced the file, please forgive me.)
Eight New Odds-And-Ends Turnip Friends - a batch of bastards for the Maris Pipers, half of who've been dug up by some surly sappers. My thoughts are that the Potatomen are buried when they die, so that they may seed and sprout into a second life of service to their toffs. I particularly liked the helmets I gave the ranged infantrymen as they're taken mostly from Bloodbowl Rotters and seemed like they'd throw off the balance of the wearer in such a way that they too would seem to stumble and shamble like their reborn countrymen.
Toff and Toadies for the Maris Pipers - I have not cobbled together the mythology of my heroes, and so I'm afraid there's not much to say beyond the following. These were all rebased and touched up since the last time anyone'd seen them, the original two are still some of my favorite friends, so hats off to them. I feel a little badly for the Master Blaster fellas (left) since they began life with a rapier that snapped off a week after conversion, but I like to think we made peace by the end of the process.
Toff and Toadies for the Sons of the Mandrake - I really like the Toffs for these armies, but since this was a collaborative effort between me and my partner Isaac, I'm particularly fond of the lizard bearing leader and the odd way it pokes off the lip of the base. They've been a sculptor and a caster before and we had a really great conversation about composition while tinkering with this little diorama, and so its now a piece loaded with good energy.
4 Avenging Apists - Now here are some conversions I'm pretty pleased with. Fireforge Games makes a plastic peasant rabble kit that was gamechanging for me; multipose civilians of multiple gender expressions that were perfect for some medival beekeeper minis. I used some hooded heads and made little basket bottom patterns to give them some protection, and used resin sprues as beehives to be held by some of the bolder beekeepers. The bees were kind of a strange bit, where I took some armature wire to make the swarm shapes, and covered it in liquid greenstuff and sand to show how the hives are active combatants. I think they look such that I could use this unit for close combat or ranged attacks depending on the scenario, which is useful flexibility for whichever army ends up fielding them.
Sappers of the Maris Pipers - Remember those unearthed soldiers from before? These are the grim folk who dig them up when the time is right and the men are on the march. Most of these models are getting a second or third life now, and hopefully this will be their forever home. I think a lot about the life models might have after their owners dont need them anymore, so I hope when these clowns move along, they'll land in good hands. None of them are unconverted, but perhaps their bits will be salvagable when I'm done with them, or appreciated for what they are.
Four Mole-Dwarves - The only Mercenaries left in the Cyst who still take gold for their loyalty. Rumors pass around the campfire about why their helmets are shaped so strangely... and have so few holes. These guys were a treat to convert, and kinda felt like addressing the siren call of ratmen from space, or finally sculpting myself some Hrud. As is, I'm absolutely over the moon with them, so kudos to these little guys for making it out of the queue.
pre-basing with warm light
One Underhive Scum - This month I'm running a painting competition on Instagram for the gamestore I work at, and after putting out all the rules and prompts, I got the itch to paint along with all the contestents. Obviously I wont be submitting this fella, but my categories were a bit more freeform than folks were used to (green, toast, and bright,) and so I figured I'd submit myself to the challenge that I gave the community. If you want to check out the actual submissions, search the tag #pandypaints2021 and check out some stellar work from some of Boston's local hobbyists.
Anything not pictured above is still considered a WIP, and hopefully I'll be able to share them in the next one. Stay safe and be generous with eachother.
-Ben
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