Saturday 22 November 2014

Scavengers!



Just some of the many positive 'by-products' that I have encountered whilst blogging, are the sharing of ideas and the reading of reviews on different products by like minded souls.  I am happy to admit that a good many of my hobby related purchases are as a direct result of what I see and read on the many splendid weblogs that I enjoy following.  This, then, is a direct result of two separate posts and I can't thank enough the individuals concerned for their inspiration. 


It all started when I read a fabulous set of battle reports by Kobayachimaru, of  'Chroniques du fort Bastiani' fame, entitled 'Song of Blades and Heroes: Prehistoric War'.  As the cavemen and women battled across the board for superiority and food, I became transfixed by the quality of the terrain which included, of all things,  a Triceratops corpse!  Kobayachimaru was kind enough to let me know where he had got it from and a little web based research saw me successfully track down a UK supplier.  This 'CollectA' Stegosaurus Corpse is from the same range*and is just perfect as an objective marker or as a bit of additional colour for all those Dinosaur themed games that I've yet to play.
*I have the Triceratops as well!


I wasn't planning on doing much with it until I read another post, this time from Mike C of 'Mike's Random Wargame Meanderings' regarding some 'Little Pests' that he had painted up.  These little pests were in fact Compsognathus from the 'The Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company' and were just what was needed to add another dimension to my beleaguered Stegosaurus.  On the matter of bases this particularly fine example was again from the ever reliable 'Warbases' and was actually one of their vehicle bases (155 x 75mm), but the irregular pattern was just what was needed for the more organic feel I was after.


The basing is just the usual mix of pumice gel, gravel and larger stones with the addition of some plastic fish tank plants and the mica flakes.  Having painted the Compsognathus, I couldn't decide what to do with the corpse - to paint or not?  The overall pre-painted effect was actually quite good, so in the end I settled for a little dry brushing and some work on the bite marks before lashings of gore was applied.  A wonderful piece of nonsense, great fun to work on and all because of a couple of chance posts by two splendid chaps - you've got to love this hobby!


81 comments:

  1. Absolutely stonkingly stunning Michael. Just a staggeringly superb piece of painting and composition. Love it to bits!!! You also hit the nail right on the head about 'this blogging lark'. The inspiration I get from the blogs I follow and the people who care to comment is enormous and takes me down all sorts of avenues I would never have considered otherwise. It's just a great fun hobby :-)

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    1. Thank you Blaxkleric, we are so lucky to have such a creative and supportive corner of the blogosphere.

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  2. Everything you do for this project makes me wish that I was doing it! Brilliant work mate. Real eye candy.

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    1. Clint you are such a wonderfully supportive contributor, thank you.

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  3. That is quite an excellent piece of Sir M, love the shading on the fins/scales/horn plates or whatever they are!

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    1. Thank you Ray, but I had a great piece of plastic to work with.

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  4. Most excellent! Thanks for sharing this nice scenic piece and it even comes pre-painted what's not too like. Although your extra work really makes it stand out even more!

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    1. Thank you, they are such a great asset to the collection and, as you say, already paited! ;)

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  5. Oh that's delicious. I love it. Great painting, absolutely top notch.

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    1. Thank you so much Herbert, greatly appreciated.

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  6. Outstanding work Michael. The composition on this is excellent, tells a real story. The base is beautifully crafted as well. I love the variety of foliage you used on this piece.

    My Dino will be up before months end-I promist.

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    1. Thank you Anne, I think every type of tuft I own is on that base. :D Looking forward to seeing the O'Leary saurus.

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  7. Fantastic - such detailing. Your paintwork really brings it all together and wows.

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  8. Excellent job, bloody and realistic, beautiful details!

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    1. Thank you Phil, you've got to love a bit of gore on your dinosaur corpse. ;)

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  9. Now that's awesome! This corpse will add so much flavour to your dinosaur games. The Compsognathi are the final touch to such an exquisite vignette.

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    1. Thank you so much, great fun and all because of seeing what was going on on other good peoples' blogs.

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  10. Very nice work on the diorama Michael. If you've got any of the little blighters left over, I'm sure they could find a place with your Blood Bowl team

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    1. Now funny you should mention it Tamsin, but there are a few more of the pesky blighters running around the table - but they are so quick that the chances of tracking them down long enough to strap on the armour are pretty slim!

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    2. Maybe as chittering supporters? Or for hoovering up discarded snacks? :)

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    3. Now you're talking - perhaps I need to build a dugout next!

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  11. Bravo, once again! I'd be happy to produce one vignette like this a year and you're able to do it with shocking and spectacular regularity!

    "The Big Bite chases off the Little Nibblers."

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    1. "The Big Bite chases off the Little Nibblers." - brilliant and thank you for the kind words MOnty.

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  12. Fantastic work as always, Michael. The blood really is realistic. Thanks for the tip about Mike C's blog too. Best, Dean

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  13. Great Departed Dinos Michael, that's ace!

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    1. Thank you Phil, a great piece to work on though.

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  14. Having ventured to Awdry Towers this morning, I actually saw this wonderful piece of work in the flesh as it were. It is even more spectacular when you can actually get up close and personal. As always Michael, well done.

    Pip pip

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    1. Thank you my good man, but when you saw it the copse was still warm! :D

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  15. Quite a nice vignette you have modeled here, Michael. From tiny corpse munchers to huge flesh consumer, the pictured scene speaks loudly of a successful day of hunting and dining in days of long ago.

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    1. Thank you Jay, the big feller is certainly holding all the aces.

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  16. Amazing diorama! The gore effect works very nicely! And the tiny dinos on their way to a buffer .)

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    1. Thank you, the little chaps really help to sell the scene, a great addition to the collection.

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  17. Bloody awesome work sir, in every sense.

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    1. Thank you Millsy, but all I could think of when putting it together was a rare steak! :D

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  18. Simply stunning work Michael!

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  19. Very nice indeed. Now when will see them in game?

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    1. Now there's a question! I've got a couple of dino hunting rule sets, but I never seem to focus on anything for long enough to get a game organised.

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  20. Absolutely awesome terrain, Michael.

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  21. Mr Awdry, this is splendid work. As an old dinosaur enthusiast from way back, I can only marvel at your unflagging support for Dinovember!

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    1. Thank you kind Sir, everything is better with dinosaurs!

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  22. The Lost world really lives in your heart Michael dinos really get your creativity going. This is a wonderful piece you need to do a lost world set up with your dead dinos and big game hunters.

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    1. Thank you Robert and I really must try to organise that - it would be great fun. I need some more jungle plants first though.

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  23. Hola Amigo
    En una palabra MAGNIFICO
    Una gran escena cargada de movimiento
    un saludo

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  24. That is lovely, not sure that the right word to describe the scene but great painting skills there. Michael just how did you manage to get the blood well so bloody looking?

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    1. Thank you so much Pete. The secret with the blood was to repaint the wound first using a lighter palette of pinks and flesh colours. When dried the magic ingredient is a little pot of Tamiya clear red - wonderful stuff.

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    2. Thanks there Michael I will give that a go as the effect is truly stunning and realistic.

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  25. Fantastic scenery Michael! Your gore is particularly good.

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    1. Thank you Bob, I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

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  26. absolutely great, the corpse seems real!
    bye

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    1. Thank you Luca, the Tamiya paint is wonderful for blood effects.

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  27. Excellent work Michael! You have a very good eye for the details! That base is awesome!

    Greetings
    Peter

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    1. Thank you Peter, sometimes the imagination takes over and I just have to act on it.

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  28. Gruesome and very nicely done Michael! The basing is really a treat.

    Christopher

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    1. Thank you Christopher, it was great fun to work on too.

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  29. Very nice piece and I love those little 'cute' critters!

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    1. Thank you Scott, cute they be, but the things were also very fiddly. Looking at the photographs, I can see a that I missed an awful lot when prepping them.

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  30. Stunning work on the dead dino :)

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    1. Thank you, he died to give me hours of enjoyment. ;)

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  31. Excellent piece of art, Michael !
    The composition of the scene is great and I love all the little details you included.

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    1. Thank you so much Stefan, the only draw back is that these things do take a lot of hobby time.

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  33. Ah man that is stunning Michael! Hope you don't mind if I liberate one of those dino corpses from suffering in a shop it's whole life?

    That is properly inspirational stuff.

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    1. Please be my guest, I got my from Everything Dinosaur, but be warned so much to see! http://www.everythingdinosaur.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=corpse

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    2. Added the triceratops to my basket then started drooling. This could end really badly!

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    3. I did warn you! :D I now have a six foot inflatable T-Rex in my office at school - the children love it!

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    4. I didn't get out unscathed but I did get out without too much damage being done. That was a close one. Only a small parcel in the post . . .

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  34. Very cool! On the project, the end result, the manner of how it came to be, everything! Great job Michael!

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    1. Thank you so much Mr. Lee, it was great fun to put together.

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  35. I wanted to let you know that you've a post up on my blogroll that when clicked on shows "post does not exist"

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    1. Thanks Anne, I was tinkering around with a 'Challenge' post, but got completely distracted and pressed the wrong button! That said keep your eyes peeled for an announcement regarding a prize draw very soon!

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  36. Another fantastic addition to your collection Michael!

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  37. Just stunning work and now I'm off to look at the pests. I have a roleplaying use for those LOL so the blogging just keeps on giving

    Ian

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  38. Oh wow ... this is beyond impressive. It's fantastic. Great work Michael, especially on the scales on your Stegasaurus.

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