Sunday, 5 October 2014

Off to a shuffling start.

Zomtober 2014 - post#1


And we're off!  My first entry for this year's Zomtober event saw these fine Victorian undead casts hit the painting table.  There are part of the 'Empire of the Dead' range from 'Westwind Productions' and were bought so long ago that I can't remember when!  Although they come in a boxed set of ten, I had decided that I would only ever manage to get five done, but as the days rolled by this has become a paltry three!  I was reading a post by Herbert West's over at 'Critical Failure' where he eloquently described getting back into painting:

Some things never leave you. Drybrushing, for example: it doesn't matter how long it's been since your last session, once you've got it, you've got it. It annoys me that you have to learn brush control all over again; it's like the fine motor control has slipped out of your muscle memory.
I couldn't agree more Herbert!  (If you get a chance do pop over to Herbert's blog, he likes Victorian soldiery and dinosaurs too!)  Still by the end, I was getting what I wanted and with the final application of gore a multitude of mistakes were duly disguised!  I just love these poses and although they required a bit of cleaning up they were certainly worth it. 


I've assembled quite an eclectic bunch for this year's soiree into all things undead and whilst, I'm relatively confident about getting next week's entry completed in time I'm not so sure how things will pan out from there on in, still it should be fun trying.


Finally, having already mentioned Herbert's 'Critical Failure' I would also like to shout out one more fine weblog that I've stumbled across recently and that's 'Mike's Random Wargame Meanderings'.  Mike has some wonderful ideas on show including, you've guessed it, dinosaurs! 

71 comments:

  1. Nice. I really like how you've painted them, just the right amount of gore (I never know how much to use).
    Going to check out the other blogs. T.y. for the links.
    Roy

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Roy, not sure you can ever have too much gore with zombies. ;)

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  2. Replies
    1. Thank you Phil, they were great fun to start the month with.

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  3. Great work on those EotD zeds. Kudos. :)

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  4. Brilliant job Michael yes I know exactly how you feel when you have a long break. I try and do a bit every week if not more just to keep in practice

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    1. Thank you Simon, I think that's the trick, get some paint on something every evening just to keep the momentum going.

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  5. Well done - checking out the blogs.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Andrew, hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

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  6. I thought there was no way to improve zombies. Then I saw a zombie in a top hat.

    FMB

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    Replies
    1. It's certainly a good look for the undead. :)

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  7. Lovely job Michael.
    I couldn't agree more about the loss of fine motor skills, it's like starting from scratch.
    Bloody annoying really.

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    1. Thank you Bob and you're spot on there, still fun to have time set aside for painting again.

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  8. Well done, Michael. Each one of them full of character.

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    Replies
    1. They were certainly wonderful sculpts and that always makes the paining more enjoyable, thank you Dean.

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  9. They are horribly good Michael. Superb painting, basing and sculpts.

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    1. Thank you Pat, I should have said that the bases from Fenris games and just helped to add to the character of the pieces.

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  10. Stunning work. I really like what you have done with this bunch...very motley.

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    1. Thank you Rob, just wished I had time to finish the rest.

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  11. Gorgeous work Michael. I like these sculpts, lots of character and not your run of the mill zeds.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Anne, so much fun this set and I hope to get the others done at some point, possibly next year?

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  12. Luvly work Guv! They look like they are off on a 'jolly holiday'. You Sir a true 'screever'.

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    1. Thank you Mark, I just love the chap with the flat cap, who I'm convinced is dancing.

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  13. They look a shambling excellent Michael!

    Christopher

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  14. Very nice - a trio with character and looking if they are a zombie dance troop.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you my good man, that chap in the flat cap is definitely off to the dance!

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  15. Great work as usual. Much like an old pot of paint once you get it shaken up and going again it works just as well. Thanks for the blog recommendation too.

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    1. Thank you Brian, these were just what I needed to get myself shaken into action again.

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  16. Z-Disease is the respecter of no man. You can't buy yourself out of shambling with money.

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    Replies
    1. The disease was totally indiscriminate - class was not a cure! Sounds a bit like a political mantra. ;)

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  17. Wonderfully ghastly! I'd run from them.

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  18. Dandy zombies are great and usually more civilized when eating brains, or is it only rumors?

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    Replies
    1. I've head it said myself Cedric, a better class of monster. ;)

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  19. Very cool indeed. A great start to Zomtober.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Finch, loved your underwater zed too.

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  20. Those are indeed nice posed Michael. Having taken the day off tomorrow to recover from the convention, I hope to get my Zombies up for Zomtober too...gosh, first weekend & I'm already behind.

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    1. Thank you Terry, you still have time to get the first one in.

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  21. Great work as alway Michael .
    Cheers .

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  22. Replies
    1. Thank you Toni, that is greatly appreciated.

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  23. I am loving the first zombie, looks like he is about to break out into a Dick Van Dyke style cockney jig. Great paint job as always Michael, and thanks for the recommendation.

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    1. Thank you Mike and I couldn't agree more about the one with his flat cap - priceless pose. As for the shout out you are more than welcome, I've been meaning to do it for a while now, but got unnecessarily distracted.

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  24. They look great Michael, love what you're done with the faces!

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    1. Thank you, I was a bit worried when I started to clean them up that I was obliteration some of the detail, but fortunately the gore managed to cover up any mistakes.

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  25. Hola Amigo
    Madre mía que buenos
    me encantan como los as dejado
    un saludo

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    Replies
    1. That is really kind of you to say so J.D., thank you.

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  26. Great looking figures, not the sort of chaps you would like to meet in a dark alley.

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    1. Thank you and I couldn't agree more - definitely worth crossing the street to avoid.

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  27. Those are gruesome and brilliant Michael!

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    1. Thank you so much Francis, great to hear from you.

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  28. Very nice the gore certainly helps make the figures

    Ian

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    1. Thank you Ian, surely you can't have zombies without some gore?

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  29. Great result on those Zs. Excellent. Love the gore.
    cheers

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, that Tamiya clear red certainly comes in handy at this time of year!

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  30. Very nice work Michael, and good to see you back in the hobby again, I trust the enforced break went as hoped for.
    I do like this set of figures, it was certainly on my wants list... but I have drifted off from EotD for the current time period - no doubt I'll pick these up at some point in the future...

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    1. Thank you Scott and great to hear from you. Having the break certainly helped me get things underway at school, but there will always be something else to do I'm afraid.

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  31. Lovely work on some stonking figures. AND it's nice to see you back!

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  32. Those zombies look really awesome! ^_^ They kinda seem like they are dancing though ... or is it just me? XD

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