Friday 15 January 2016

A Barrel of Laughs!

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly why the 'Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge' has proved to be so successful.  With this been my fourth year of contributing I have seen its exponential growth to the current roster of eighty eight, showcasing an incredibly diverse array of talent, styles and miniatures all combining to form a formidable hobby showcase.  The congeniality of our host, Curtis Campbell Esq. must certainly be identified as a contributing factor to the success of the venture, as to the hugely encouraging and supportive nature of my fellow challengers.  For me, however, the thematic nature of the challenge also proves important and this year’s, celebrating risk takers, daredevils and gamblers, is no exception.
Carlisle Graham rapid shooting daredevil
As in previous Challenges, we are asked to provide a small memento in the form of a single 28mm figure characterised as a risk-taker, daredevil or gambler and this started the old grey matter cogitating.  I can’t tell you why or how, but one morning I awoke with the germ of an idea that saw my ‘fee’ come to fruition.  The spirit of human endeavour seems to breed risk takers, people that have undertaken Herculean tasks simply because they are there to do so.  The annals of our very existence are littered with such feats, but my attention fell on one particular group of thrill seekers – those brave souls that looked to conquer the Niagara Falls!

Given this natural phenomenon’s proximity to the fine nation that is Canada, home of our beloved benefactor in this annual painting challenge, this seemed to good an opportunity to pass up. The list of those that have tried to tame the falls is impressive with the likes of Annie Taylor, the first person to conquer the falls in a barrel back in 1901 or Englishman Charles G. Stephens who equipped his wooden barrel with an anvil for ballast, an ingenious idea but not wholly practical – only Charles’ right arm was discovered after his attempt!

With the die cast, it was just a matter of locating a miniature that would suffice and as luck would have it ‘Hasslefree Miniatures’ had just what I was after – ‘Gambler Kev’.  Although listed as 28mm this delightfully quirky sculpt is small, perhaps more suited to representing a very short man or a teenage boy with a shaved head.  As a result, I felt I needed to add a little extra and stumbled across a rather splendid tutorial for splashing water effects.  So without any further ado let me present my homage to those risk takers, daredevils and gamblers who have tried, with differing levels of success, to tame the mighty Niagara.
Now back to finishing of my entry for the latest bonus round entitled 'Epic Fail'!

68 comments:

  1. :) Haha... really funny mini !

    Greate painted and the water effect turned out very good !

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  2. This was a cracking entry Michael, and is one of my fave minis of the AHPC. It just smacks of your wonderful enthusiasm for the hobby :-)

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    1. Thank you Simon, that is an incredibly kind thing to say.

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  3. Again a really nice piece of work with a lot of thought put into the modelling of it.

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    1. Thank you Fred, I was really pleased with how it turned out.

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  4. impressive little minature - nicely done.

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  5. Very funny and original, wonderfully painted!

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  6. A proper barrel of laughs and like everything you do mate so very well conceived and executed.

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  7. Very cool water effects, Michael. I still recall visiting Niagara Falls as a kid and being enthralled by the displays of barrels and such used by those daredevils.

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    1. Thank you Dean, it would certainly be a place that I would like to visit one day.

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  8. Brilliant, he's so very close to having an equipment malfunction. Love the splash effect, is there ever a day that you aren't inspired?

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    1. Certainly going to catch a cold if he is not careful! Thank you Monty.

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  9. Great fun piece; rather difficult not to laugh at it!

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    1. Thank you Joe, that was what I was hoping for.

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  10. Lol thats brilliant! lovely piece!

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  11. A tribute to splendid insulation... :) Very funny mini!! Cheers!

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  12. He's a cracker and the water effect is great. must get some of that

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    1. Thank you Martin, I was surprised how easy and effective the water was.

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  13. Wonderfully executed Michael - a different version of the same thing would work for the Epic Fail round too :-)

    I did enjoy visiting the falls last summer and hearing about all the different daredevils that have done some rather 'interesting' things there. However, we were told that first person to go over in a barrel in 1901 was a school teacher on her 63rd birthday - clearly her students drove her to it!

    http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-barrel-ride-down-niagara-falls

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    1. Thank you Paul, they certainly were an intrepid bunch and a poignant reminder that the search for fame and fortune is nothing new.

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  14. Splendid. A great entry, Michael. The water effects are top notch.

    One suspects he hopes the barrel will stave off the effects of hypothermia.

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    1. Thank you Mr. Finch, I think he might also be worried about splinters too!

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  15. That was an excellent entry, Mr Awdry - well played, Sir!

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  16. That was an excellent entry, Mr Awdry - well played, Sir!

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  17. Once again a creative and excellent job...love the idea and the water effect Michael!

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    1. Thank you Phil, I can't take credit for the water but I was grateful to find the tutorial.

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  18. A risk taker indeed. But probably not the full biscuit.

    Your work is outstanding though.

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    1. Thank you Clint, I doubt he is going to do it twice!

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  19. How very clever and well executed.

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  20. Another simply superb entry! Brilliant!

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  21. Only you could come up with something like this, Michael. Watching different people's interpretations of the bonus rounds is part of the fun of watching the A HTC and you always seem to come up with something unique and amazing. Wonderful work!

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    1. Thank you so much Jez, I am never going to paint enough to trouble the front runners in the challenge, but I do like to have fun with the theme rounds.

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  22. A splendid piece of modelling and painting, very nice indeed!

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  23. Hola Amigo
    Que mini mas curiosa si señor y simpática,conseguido el efecto agua
    un saludo

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    1. Thank you J.D. I was really pleased with the water effect and how easy it was.

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  24. Brilliant! I do hope the real Kev gets to read your description of him.:)

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  25. A wonderful entry Sir M, love the water effect.

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  26. Goodness me! This piece is simply brilliant and humorous too. And the splashing water tutorial you found was a real gem too.

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  27. Great choice of subject for the daredevil :) Certainly stands out from the others and really got me laughing

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  28. That is a lovely water effect. Having visited the Falls I can only say that anyone who wanted to ride over them must have been literally madder than a barrel of monkeys (pun intended)!

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  29. From crazy stunts come jolly good topics.Like this one full of artwork and spiffy fun. Beano Boy

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