Wednesday, 18 February 2015

From MartinC - The Iron Hand of Mars (65 points)

Earlier in the Challenge I found some long forgotten Dwarf Legionaries which I loved. I found some more at Black Tree Design and purchased these 12. However BTD have had some logistic issues due to sales and flu, so they took 6 weeks to come. They arrived last weekend, with an apology, and are great, will definitely go back to buy more from them.

These are the Iron Hand of Mars (maybe it should Odin, named after the Lindsey Davis book about the hen-pecked Roman detective Marcu Didius Falco.

I've really got my new painting style moving forward now. Grey primer, much thinner paints and several coats. Still need to improve the technique as paints are often too thin, too thick or the washes just looked blocked but at least they look smoother and more detailed. Practice practice practice.

Bases are painted with thinned down PVA and poster paint, dipped in beach sand and then sealed with thinned down PVA, standard stuff for you lot but pretty new for me.



The next figure is from Hasslefree, also came on Saturday as part of my bonus submission purchase - I got 4 pacels on Saturday and it's not my birthday until Thursday. Recently there has been a conversation between Curt and Tamsin regarding 1/2 nekid women as opposed the muscle bound space marines on display. So her she is, an unusually buff, half nekid dwarf berserker(ess?, ix?, ice?). What is the feminine of besrerker, is there one, should there be one?





Side boob!
Is love and kisses the obligatory sign off to Curt now?


From Curt:

Only if you mean it. :)

Great work Martin - it's been wonderful to watch your progress with the brush over the past few months. I'm both delighted and humbled to have the Challenge serve as a catalyst for a hobbyist's work. 

I'm always a bit surprised when I see these Dwarven Roman Legionaries. I really shouldn't be as the stout little buggers are in sci-fi as well (or, well, they were - poor old Stunties). 

The Berserktrix is fabulous. I quite like her side-stubble (and, yes, the side boobs as well). Nonetheless, I think you need to give her some wicked woad tattoos and a few stripes down her trousers to make her completely badass.

Finally, I see that you've bashed through your second points target of 2K - congratulations!! Now, keep up the steam to 2500, I know you can do it.

Well done Martin!

Posted by MartinC at 1:26 pm
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29 comments:

  1. MartinC18 February 2015 at 13:33

    Cheers Curt. Dwarf legionaries seems logical to me. The Romans were an army of footslogging engineers with artillery. Sounds like Dwarfs to me.
    Tried to do woad on the berserktrix but it looked she'd fallen in the paint pot. She's not varnished yet so maybe i'll try again.

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    1. TamsinP18 February 2015 at 14:14

      If you do try the woad again, maybe you should use some images of punks for inspiration? The "A"narchist symbol would look good I think :)

      Delete
  2. TamsinP18 February 2015 at 14:13

    And she's a punk! Cool beans! :)

    Nice work all round. I remember reading that the Romans were a tad on the vertically-challenged side and here's proof! ;)

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    1. MartinC18 February 2015 at 14:22

      Cheers, the punk idea is inspired, especially as I'm a survivor of the punk wars in the 1970s. Feel the need for the Damned now.

      Delete
    2. Unknown18 February 2015 at 14:54

      In the 70's Punk was great. What passes for punk today is rubbish. God, I'm old :0)

      Delete
    3. MartinC18 February 2015 at 15:07

      ditto, ditto and ditto;)

      Delete
    4. TamsinP18 February 2015 at 18:10

      Martin - guess which band is on my T-shirt in that profile pic? Yup, The Damned! Pic was taken outside their start of tour gig in Southampton in 2008. Mind you, just two of the original line-up these days - Cappy and Mr V.

      Delete
    5. TamsinP18 February 2015 at 18:22

      by the way, I've got a feeling..

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqp8ME_2wMo

      Delete
    6. david bromley18 February 2015 at 20:30

      British punk is 'okay', but I prefer The Ramones! ;)

      Delete
    7. MartinC19 February 2015 at 02:45

      Bet the Damned were great Tamsin, New Rose - ah
      Ramones great but Stiff little Fingers, Undertones, the Clash and Billy Bragg are the things that rocked my world. Used to work with the bassist out of Jilted John, he was my old works transport manager.
      Best guy at the moment is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQMVHhxTtLc

      Delete
    8. MartinC19 February 2015 at 02:47

      Also tattoo'd the berserkatrix last night. OK but the Anarchy symbol didn't work out fab. Try again tonight

      Delete
  3. Chasseur18 February 2015 at 14:30

    Ha I painted up dozens of these for a wargaming buddy many years ago. Had completely forgotten about them. Nice work!

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    Replies
    1. MartinC18 February 2015 at 15:10

      cheers. haven't played fantasy for years, the magic used to do my pods in. But a Dwarf Roman army would be cool

      Delete
  4. Unknown18 February 2015 at 14:59

    You did a great job on these. Especially on the female. The skin tone is great. Now I'm just being an artist when I say this-the breasts and the abdominal muscles look fantastic.

    I have the same problem with paint constancy. For some reason Vallejo and Citadel paints are much thicker than Reaper paints. And even with a wet palette they seem to dry out quicker. You certainly are getting loads of practice with this Challenge and I do like your painting very much.

    Congrats on reaching 2K!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MartinC18 February 2015 at 15:16

      thanks. My paint collection is mainly Foundry, Vallejo, some 30 year old Citadel and a few randoms. I find them all to be very similar, some really nice colours that are easy to handle and some shockers. Will look into Reaper.
      Mixing and blending is pretty new to me, I used to paint the shades I have but I am finding that they dry out quickly now that I an blending and mixing. Not tried the wet palette yet, still mixing on the lid of my filler pot.
      Never thought I get to 2K, it's about a years painting

      Delete
    2. DaveD18 February 2015 at 17:08

      Hi Martin, try using acrylic flow enhancer, that slows the drying time and allows some blending

      Delete
    3. MartinC18 February 2015 at 17:30

      will do, thanks

      Delete
  5. david bromley18 February 2015 at 20:34

    That is what I call Imperial Dwarves! Nice berserker too! Very good blending!

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    1. MartinC19 February 2015 at 02:41

      Cheers, wasn't sure about the shields but they appear to have worked in a 2-tone style

      Delete
  6. Millsy18 February 2015 at 20:50

    Getting something in 6 *months* from BTD is considered a miracle in some parts. I gave up trying years ago. Having said that, they do make nice stuff and you've done a great job with them!

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    1. MartinC19 February 2015 at 02:40

      Ta.Have had some recent issues with various suppliers. Can cope with delays but need to be kept informed and most are rubbish at it. Hasslefree appear to be best a moment and you get free sweets, Northstar also pretty good but BTW, Wayland Games and 1st Corps have all been ropey in last 6 months

      Delete
  7. Clint19 February 2015 at 02:34

    The romans are so much fun. If only I had a reason to get them.

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    Replies
    1. MartinC19 February 2015 at 02:37

      Just do it. you know you want to

      Delete
    2. Clint19 February 2015 at 02:48

      Yes I know I do. But I am resisting like crazy.

      Delete
    3. MartinC19 February 2015 at 05:14

      Resistance is futile. Maybe you could buy some Borg

      Delete
  8. Ian19 February 2015 at 02:53

    Great stuff, those Dwarf's look real mean

    Ian

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  9. Sean21 February 2015 at 08:29

    Wow! Congrats on blasting through 2K. I think these look good. I too am trying to thin the paint with mixed results. My Zombies had a few issues. Keep up the great work.

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  10. MartinC21 February 2015 at 10:16

    Ta. It is tricky. Biggest problem I have however is changing to grey undercoat. I now have to paint up to the edge.

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