These three fine, long, legged birds formed my entry to the opening bonus round of the recent 'VIII Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge'. The round, simple titled Flight, and subsequently retitled Flightless by yours truly,was an unashamed points grab, but in my defence what started out as a quick win developed into something much more involved as I wrestled with achieving the desired effect on the neck and legs.
One of my personal hobby highlights of last year was hosting a game of ‘Congo’ using the rules of the same name by Studio Tomahawk. That encounter was set in the steaming jungles, but there are several scenarios set on the Savannah and what better way to start the preparations that with a…
...a flock of ostriches? A pride of ostriches? Apparently both are acceptable, but another favourite was a wobble of ostriches although I can’t help think that given the original bonus round theme a flight of ostriches would be best!
Excellent to see an unusual mini, and you've nailed it with the legs - they look good enough to eat! Happy Easter! :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Kev, now there's a thought - might need a larger oven though. Happy Easter.
DeleteI really like these
ReplyDeleteThank you Simon.
DeleteLovely figures Michael, I like the one with his head buried in the sand best.
ReplyDeleteCheers Roger.
He is my favourite too Roger, rather echoes my own approach to difficult situations.
DeleteThese look great Michael, lovely
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Andy.
DeleteWonderfully painted and sculpted big birds, Michael! The bare flesh colors are simply amazing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Dean, they certainly took a lot longer than I thought.
DeleteA Wobble of Ostriches - what a wonderful description and very nicely painted they are too.
ReplyDeleteI'm very pleased you have re-joined the Blogging World again, I've come across your Blog on more than one occasion, (well many, many occasions) when I've been searching for different things, notably Witchfinder General but then when I started my blog so I could follow the doin's of a few Bloggers yourself amongst them, you stopped. Bugger I thought, but now you are back so Huzzah I thought.
Look forward to keeping up with you in the future.
Cheers
Thank you so much and welcome aboard - I just love your avatar! It is good to be back, but still slightly wary of demands on my time from elsewhere, but I just love the interaction and sharing of ideas, so will doubtless be picking your brains about those amazing fields that I have just seen on your blog!
DeleteHi Michael the full story of the fields is in a February post - Vagabonds Viking Village.
DeleteVagabond - can you provide a link?
Delete(are the inhabitants of the Viking village Vagabondi?)
The inhabitants are certainly Vagabondi ;) they are Vikings after all.
DeleteI don't feel right about putting a link to my blog on Michaels as this is my first comment here. I know you follow Frank at nickel and dime, I will put it there, I'm sure he won't mind.
Cheers
You would have been more the welcome to put a link here, but I see that you have found each other. ;)
DeleteWow, unusual and very very nice!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Phil!
DeleteExcellent work sir!
ReplyDeleteAs always, thank you Michał.
DeleteStunning work on your wobble Michael, I wonder what other creatures you have lined up for the Savannah ?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Dave and I have to confess there a few more beasties on their way soon.
DeleteLovely work, mind you I couldn't help smiling and thinking about Rod Hull and Emu.
ReplyDeleteThank you Phil, the Parkinson interview still makes me laugh to this day.
DeleteThe one with it´s head in the sand is very funny but you´ve done a really good Job on the other two´s heads.
ReplyDeleteand the pun?
They look very Rhea-listic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhea_(bird)
DeleteNow there is dedication to the cause, when you start adding reference material for the punning! :D Thank you Paul.
DeleteI´ve been reading up on Ostriches. They are the most bizarre birds!!! I knew they can kill People by kicking them but apparently they can kill lions!!! Only thing that can catch them (without having to sneak up as they can outrun most things) is a cheetah. Not only that..their mating and looking after the eggs, thier anatomy, metabolism..odd birds all round.
DeleteNicely done, Michael! My Better Half encountered the beasties when she lived in west Texas. They're rather vicious but quite stupid from her account.
ReplyDeleteThank you A.J. and they certainly look as if they could put up a fight!
DeleteLoving those!
ReplyDeleteThank you Simon. :)
DeleteExcellent work. But no female ones?
ReplyDeleteDamn, now there is a very good point! I may have to invest in another pack.
DeleteGreat renditions of these excellent sculpts, though I really don't like the perpetuaton of the ostrich with its head in the sand and would rather have another upright one.
ReplyDeleteThank you Joe and a good point, he is certainly going to be left behind the others if he is not paying attention to what is going on!
DeleteWhat excellently painted birds. They look fabulous and will surely add some excellent and perhaps comical moments to your games in the Congo.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant....Happy Easter
ReplyDeletestill like them a lot, would like to see them in a game setting!
ReplyDeleteGreat work nice animal
ReplyDeleteThese were excellent Michael! A true ‚flight of fancy‘ in the best possible way too.
ReplyDeleteSmashing birds!
ReplyDeleteAlways wanted to tackle eating an ostrich egg...
They look great! At first I thought recommending that you put a sculpted ostrich egg on one of the bases would be a good idea but I guess it would have been too distracting seeing their size in real life. So they look fine as they are :)
ReplyDeleteVery nice additions. It seems I focus too much on playable figures since I always tend to miss such nice additions that vitalise the table.
ReplyDelete