Monday, 29 October 2012

Cannibals






We might need a bit of a spoiler alert here!  Regular visitors to '28mm Victorian Warfare' will no doubt be aware of my self indulgent habit of seeking out and painting miniatures that, in some way, have a connection to one's most recently finished literary companion.  So with Robert Edric's, 'The Book of the Heathen' safely back on the bookshelf the search was on for something to represent the story.  If truth be told, I had been looking for an excuse to purchase some of these wonderful 'Hollywood' style Cannibals from 'North Star Military Figures' for some time.

This post is made up of two packs, the 'Jungle Cannibals in Ritual Masks' and the 'Cannibal King'.  Both packs contain wonderfully sculpted and detailed miniatures, that really were incredibly good fun to paint up.  How accurately they depict the tribes of the Congo in the 19th century is open for debate, but they certain work for any sort of campaigning game sent in this era.  Tempted as I was to really go to town with the masks, in the end I went with a much more organic palette once again hoping to tie the miniatures together with the touches of red.  




Things were not looking good for our heroine...


A huge distraction, but sometimes that is exactly what is needed to keep the enthusiasm going!  More Boxer Rebellion on the work bench and the possibility of something to celebrate ‘All Hallows’ Eve’, if I get a wiggle on.


50 comments:

  1. They look marvellous mate. I really love the masks full of character.

    Must resist Must Resist

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    1. Thank you kind Sir, they really are tempting though!

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  2. I have to say these guys look amazing. You've gathered quite a diverse selection of models recently – rather jealous – and they're all looking fantastic.

    We need to get this man gaming with these amazing models!!

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    1. Thank you Mike and yes I am painfully aware of my lack of gaming activity; I am making a wonderful collection of rules though!

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  3. Your miniatures are excellent! The masks and the King are painted perfectly!
    Panagiotis.

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    1. Thank you very much, that is very kind of you.

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  4. Michael

    Lovely stuff - you're heroine looks like she walked off of the cover from a pulp fiction novel. I recently read Tim Jeal's "Explorers of the NIle" which is a thumping good history book.

    Cheers
    PD

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    1. Peter that is very kind and I shall be certainly adding that title to the reading list, many thanks.

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  5. Excellent work, Michael. I particularly like the woven shields.

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    1. Thank you Curt, they were a delight to work with.

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  6. Good God man, you've done a splendid job on these figures! The skin tones are perfect as is the highlighting on the musculature on the back.

    You're love of the eclectic gives us all a fun experience when we visit your page Michael,

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    1. Thank you Anne, these miniatures were a wonderful respite from the recent 'older' miniatures that I've been working on. I just seem to be incapable of focussing on one period for any length of time! ;)

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  7. Rather fine - they are stunners Michael.

    now where is the big cooking pot? - you coudl use blinky lights as the fire , and then you would need water for the pot- come on you know you want too.. :-)

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    1. Oh Dave you swine, now that has really got me thinking!

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    2. he ,, he...in voice of muttley...

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  8. Really top notch work there sir. The skin tone is amazing.

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  9. This figure is too beauty , i like
    GreatJ ob and great paint

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  10. However historically correct they may be, you´ve done a fine bit of brusjwork on them
    Judging by the evidence at his feet and his stature, it appears the chief gets to eat the main parts of the captives
    Cheers
    paul

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  11. Oh those are very fun minis! I like those a lot.
    Also I think this is some of your finest brush-work,very well done- dark skin agrees with you.

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  12. Ooooh, good ones. A bit scary though (that's the point isn't it), but look like fun sculpts to paint!

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  13. Wonderful figures! Unusual and...disturbing! A great work!

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  14. Just brilliant work there. The skin tones as has been said before are excellent and I am glad you did not go heavier on the masks as they are perfect as is

    Ian

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  15. Beautifully done Michael, you have aced the skin tones.
    I feel the need to rush to the fair Damsel's aid!

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  16. I wouldn't want to fall in their hands.... :-/
    But, now that I come to think about it, if they're painted by you Michael, I reckon that it would be for a good cause. :-)
    Needless to say that they look fantastic! :-)

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  17. Also, what a nice approach of reviving the letters and the words of the books through some exceptionally painted figures as the ones you paint Michael. :)

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  18. just perfect ! very impressive figures and well painted!

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  19. They are wonderful Michael. Lovely skintones and the masks look brilliant. Top draw Old Boy

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  20. Really great painted figures. Nice depth of color in the flesh painting.

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  21. Why don't they have this kind of figures in 1/72 scale? They would fit wonderfull with my colonial ones.

    Excellent paintjob on these Andrew!

    Greetings
    Peter
    http://peterscave.blogspot.be/

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  22. Reminds me of the Flanders and Swan song "The Reluctant Cannibal":

    'Seated one day at the tom-tom, I heard a welcome shout from the kitchens: “Come and get it!”

    Roast leg of insurance salesman.

    A chorus of yums ran round the table. Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum.... Except for Junior, who pushed away his shell, got up from his log, and said, “I don't want any part of it.”

    What? Why not?

    I don't eat people (etc.)' http://www.thurb.com/humour/cannibal.htm

    Brilliant work as usual, Michael!

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  23. The North Star cannibals are based on the Azande of the Congo who were often referred to as the Niam-niam by the Europeans, which was a Sudanese (Dinka) word for "great eaters" as the Azande were reputed to be cannibals.

    Certainly the loin cloths of the masked chaps are the same as the Azande birch bark clothing. The Azande did have masks not dissimilar to this and your colour scheme is pretty spot on!

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  24. Very well done and those masks are just brilliant!

    Christopher

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  25. Fantastic, Michael. They look terrific - particularly the Masked figures. They're brilliant. Perfectly at home in Darkest Africa...or a fin de siecle trendy Paris Salon!

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  26. really nice!!

    god job



    http://napoleonic-spain.blogspot.com.es

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  27. Great looking sculpts, superbly painted and based. The flesh tones on that big belly looks brill.

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  28. Stuuning!

    Really love the skin tones... reminds me of the 54th Mass. (Coloured) I pinted for the ACW a decade ago (although they showed less skin ;-) ).

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  29. Wonderful figs mate - I too think the skin tones are just fantastic. You've really nailed the cinematic feel of these guys and the peril they pose.

    Now to get a great big pot to fit that young lassie!

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  30. Fantastic figs, fantastic painting - awesome stuff!

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  31. Those have come up well... having figures which are fun to paint makes all the difference.

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  32. Wow - these are fantastic. Excellent work as usual. Best, Dean

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  33. Really like these figs, very tempted to supplement my tribesmen with some

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