He's still got it...

I joined Cool Mini or Not back in the annals of time (2002 to be precise), and back then for me it was a real eye opener into the wider hobby outside of the Games Workshop universe which many of us cut our teeth on. So, I've been a member for a very long time, (not to mention met my better half) and through all that time, the one constant is that the top scores have got progressively more difficult to obtain.

I last had a new miniature in my CMoN top 5 (the number of minis that go to make up your personal rank) back in 2011 (Wolf, my mini which won be Best at Show for Salute), but the others are all 2005-6... a VERY long time ago...!

But today, I noticed a very welcome sight... the Crazy Ivan bust I painted suddenly jumped in the number of votes it received... why? It had made its way onto the top miniatures of the last 7 days! woop woop!

Not only that, but with a score of 9.4 (long may that continue) it inserts itself onto my personal top 5!

So that brings me up to

I've still got it!

Crazy Ivan by Forged Monkey

Forged Monkey is a small mini company by German Miniature Maestro Raffaele Picca (of Massive Voodoo fame), and they produce an eclectic mix of miniatures and busts designed with the painter in mind. I have a number of their busts, and being a big fan of painting flesh tones, this Knucklehead bust really screamed out to me to get painted.

On the suggestion of my mate MrDee I went for a Russian gangster theme... unwittingly following a similar path to Raffa himself... bit of a scary prospect that! Fortunately I didn't realise until I was finished and wanted to see if anyone else had painted him... (Raffa's paint job >>here<<). Actually, before you see the master's work, here's my interpretation:

Each of the tattoos has a specific meaning, some less savoury than others. For example the tattoo on his chest shows a Russian cathedral, where the number of domes shows the number of convictions. The bulls on his back signifies a fight for leadership in the criminal environment.

Better pictures (and an opportunity for members to vote) can be found on Putty & Paint here: http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/4529

Just added this guy to Cool Mini or Not too: http://www.coolminiornot.com/356205

Votey-vote vote-vote :)

Two new pieces for Studio McVey

I can now show two of the commissions I have been working on for Studio McVey (yay!) as they havenow been previewed on their Facebook Page and website... Gilgamesh the ex-pit fighting Bounty Dog and a new version of the classic Vokker Dargu of the Firebrand Rebellion.

Gilgamesh:

Non-butchered pics can be found on Putty & Paint: http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/4483

And Vokker

Who is also up on Putty & Paint: http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/4482

I might have made the photos too large... his face looks all grainy... I dont remember him being like that IRL!

Ax faction strike again... Highland Ranger

This time with a sculpt by Gary Morley (of GW fame), and boy can you tell! It oozes old school Wood Elf but with new school technique. She is a Highland Ranger with her Warhound, and as you can see by the trophy under her foot, they hunt orcs.

As is often the case with Ax faction miniatures they come with an art card, and with this miniature I wanted to try and recreate the artwork in 3D, so I followed the colour scheme and also bit the bullet and attempted the spiral warpaint. Here is the image I was using for reference

I took a little artistic license with the orc head (I do love to give them pink noses for a point of interest), but I kept the base rather organic with tufts of scrubby grass, and the odd rock emerging from the ground. I also sculpted a log onto the base of 'Merry' the Warhound.

Blogger has a tendency to butcher my pics at the moment - I am not sure what I am doing to case that, but I have posted images up on Putty and Paint as well, so if you want to see some better pictures, please head across (and vote if you are a member) to: http://www.puttyandpaint.com/projects/4425

I have also added a montage to Cool Mini or Not: http://www.coolminiornot.com/355010

 I love the flavour text that goes with all the Ax Faction minis:

"Armed with two deadly short swords - carried by her trusted sidekick Warhound, they'll hunt down and destroy the hated green-skins just like any skilled Ranger Pathfinder. Her cloak sports a thistle, antlers and a sporran style pouch, while she sets her foot firmly on a dispatched Orc's head! This is a special miniature in the Ax Faction family as the Warhound is based on 'Merry' - the Ax Faction family dog! Woof!"