Wednesday, 18 April 2018

Seven Days On

(Well six, but nowt's going to change before tomorrow!)
Really not much to "show & tell" this week, the biggest news has got to be the marvelous change in the weather!
Warm and dry for a change, which allowed me to get some bamboo 'planted' in 5mm foamcore bases and taken outside to spray it with matte varnish to remove the bare plastic look.
Excuse the unpainted mini - I don't have any painted samurai to pose for size comparison.
This is the cheap stuff direct from China, sold as "100pcs Bamboo" and as seen in the photo the pack contains two sizes. The taller ones have a wire insert, while the shorter variant is just soft plastic. I think they look just fine for gaming without painting them, but definitely benefit from a waft with the 'anti-shine'

The only other thing I've managed this week is the "Bonsai" tree I'd started in the last post.
The foliage has replaced the horrible plastic 'leaves' supplied, and I've knocked up a sabot base (from a beer mat), but intend making a larger terrain feature for the tree that it will also be able to fit with its round mdf base.

Finally for this post, I've discovered that last weeks 'mystery object'.......
........ is taken from artwork by Simon Bisley ( famous for "ABC Warriors", and "Sláine" amongst other comic characters ).
But I still haven't found out who she is!

There is a game set-up on the table, but I just haven't had chance to play it. The way things are going, I'll be lucky if I get it played before "Hammerhead", but I'll seize any chance I get.

Thanks for visiting, and I can only apologise for the scant offering this time around - my boss has been running me ragged!
Posted by at
Labels:

22 comments:

  1. Michael Awdry18 April 2018 at 19:40

    I do love a bamboo grove, nicely done Sir.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Wargame Addict18 April 2018 at 19:54

      Thanks Michael - there's plenty left in the pack, so I'll be adding more to the collection :-)
      Looking at the photo though, I think I should have added more sand to the basing gloop. I think they need revisiting ;-)

      Delete
  2. Frank O Donnell18 April 2018 at 19:46

    The bamboo's look great, I've been using a wash on my plastic plants but its slow I'll have to try your way :) the tree is a work of art & will make me sad the next time I look at my own :(

    I've added your blog to my blog roll & hope you don't mind me doing so ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Wargame Addict18 April 2018 at 20:00

      Many thanks Frank, I'm just naturally lazy so a quick waft with a rattle-can beats waving a brush about ;-)
      The only problem is that my missus has asthma, so I'm only 'allowed' to spray outdoors!

      Thanks for including my humble blog to your roll :-)

      Delete
  3. Vagabond19 April 2018 at 00:03

    The bamboo is looking good, but I really like the tree, it sort of has a haunted spooky look about it, ideal for Witchfinder General.
    Of course we need a game to show it in the best light.

    Bye the way did you put a wash on the tree truck, it's hard to see on my tablet, it looks well shadowed?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Wargame Addict19 April 2018 at 01:41

      Cheers John, I was determined to get the bamboo groves done today so you could see them. The bases definitely need some more work though ;-)
      I gave the trees a coat of grey etch primer from the cheap shop (I find this the best primer for 'soft plastic'), then gave this one brown and black washes (I used a green instead of black on the previous tree).
      The washes I use on terrain is a homebrew made from cheap acrylic paint and matte medium from "The Works" diluted to taste with distilled water ("Splash! top-up water" from Wilko's) :-)

      I'm desperately in need of a game, but regular 'chores' plus prepping for two long runs (Grangemouth then over to Prestwick this weekend, followed by Bournemouth then down to Dawlish and then up to Liverpool in the middle of next week) has put it on hold :-(

      Delete
    2. Vagabond19 April 2018 at 19:59

      Wow you are certainly doing some travelling. I went to A small fishing village near Grange mouth years ago, can't remember it's name but it was a lovely place.
      Take care

      Delete
    3. The Wargame Addict19 April 2018 at 21:16

      From memory there's a really interesting aircraft museum in the area as well, which strangely links our trip.
      The museum houses the large part of Rudolph Hess' crash landed ME-110, and the RAFA club at Pretwick has a mounted propeller blade from that aircraft in the entrance hall!

      Delete
  4. Dave Stone19 April 2018 at 08:35

    The bamboo and tree look excellent Greg, Simon did some fantastic art in the comics, and nice to see whoever made the piece stuck closely to the art

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Wargame Addict19 April 2018 at 13:32

      Thanks Dave, I just wish I could find out who the character is :-)

      Delete
  5. Anonymous19 April 2018 at 09:07

    I'll just echo what I said in the last post, the tree looks absolutely brilliant! The bamboo is looking promising too, and the varnish is something I'll have to try.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Wargame Addict19 April 2018 at 13:37

      Cheers Roy, I think the trees are unbeatable at the price :-)
      Looking at the bamboo, if it was to be used on a diorama I'd paint it - but for gaming, just knocking back the plastic shine works for me ;-)

      Delete
  6. Vampifan19 April 2018 at 09:28

    Nice work on the trees, Greg. I look forward to seeing them fully painted and finished. I'm pleased you found out that the lovely female was based on a Simon Bisley piece. Sadly, I still don't recognise her.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Wargame Addict19 April 2018 at 13:40

      Many thanks Bryan, though this reply is tinged with a touch of sadness since you were one of my best hopes for identifying whatever her name is ;-)
      Maybe Simon can pull something out of his brown bag.

      Delete
    2. Vampifan19 April 2018 at 14:14

      Good news! I've cracked it. She is called Fallen Angel, the Last Czarnian. She appeared on the front cover of one of the Heavy Metal magazines. If you want to see a stunning statue of her check out this link - http://www.statueforum.com/showthread.php?t=151680

      Delete
    3. The Wargame Addict19 April 2018 at 19:50

      Bryan, you are a STAR! :-)
      Boy that statue you've linked is awesome - certainly makes my 'previously mystery item' pale in comparison ;-)
      Many, many thanks for going the extra mile and solving this - and to reward you for your effort, I'd like to pass "Fallen Angel" on to you if that's OK?

      Delete
    4. Vampifan19 April 2018 at 23:34

      Greg, I'm honestly speechless! Thank you so much. I love Bisley's artwork and I love the figure. You really don't have to give her away to me, especially if you can find a use for her. Otherwise, she will find a good home here, as I will definitely cherish her. I was going to ask you where you got her from as I fancied adding her to my own collection.

      Delete
    5. The Wargame Addict20 April 2018 at 00:19

      My pleasure :-)
      I spotted her more years ago than I care to remember, in a long disappeared comic shop in Mansfield.
      I think she should go to a true fan, and you deserve your prize :-)

      Delete
  7. Colgar619 April 2018 at 11:29

    The tree is excellent (I'm sure I've seen something like this before :-) ), the bamboo is good (the base needs more work, as you say) and I don't care much for the objectified, semi-naked woman.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Wargame Addict19 April 2018 at 13:44

      Thanks Hugh. Obviously, the only reason I need to identify the character is so that I can be accurate in my description when I complain to the manufacturer about the state of undress ;-)

      Delete
  8. Zabadak19 April 2018 at 12:29

    Good looking stand of bamboo; I went for a pack too, but only the ones at full length with wire insert,with the thought I could get two smaller ones of different sizes from each if necessary! (Of course, I haven't got around to basing them up so I'm a bit jealous of yours).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Wargame Addict19 April 2018 at 13:48

      Good thinking Joe, not only will you get more bamboo-for-your-money, but the wire insert makes them MUCH easier to mount to the base :-)
      I know it's just one of those jobs waiting for the Round Tuit to arrive, but rest assured when it does you'll have your groves done in next to no time.

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)