Showing posts with label Citadel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Citadel. Show all posts

Friday, July 30, 2021

Citadel Skeletons and Dodgy Light Boxes

I'd wanted to finish off more skellingtons today but was distracted from the task by watching The Last Samurai. Luckily, I have two fit (mostly) to show off:

ME 72 Dead Man of Dunharrow & C17 Armoured Swordsman

Both of these date to the mid 80's and are both therefore older than I. When I was at Uni, I went through a phase of buying old lead that took my fancy. I'd always been a little smitten with the Dead Man; one of my favourite sculpts from the original LOTR range. The C17 lad less so.

Usually when I go figure hunting on ebay, I will look at what other items the seller has to offer, to make the most out of the usually pricey P&P. I think in this case, I had my heart set on another skeleton, possible a scythe wielder if memory serves. Inevitably I lost that bid but won this fellow. Having painted him, he has grown on me.

ME 72 Dead Man of Dunharrow & C17 Armoured Swordsman


I painted both of these towards the end of 2020; sadly part of a miniscule effort on my part in what was a "perfect" year for painting, horrible though it was. I was rather chuffed with them at the time, being my biggest output in more than a decade of inactivity, but with hindsight, they're a tad messy. I applied a lot of GW technical paints: Ryza Rust, Nihilakh Oxide and Typhus Corrosion to give them an appropriate sense of decay.

C17 Armoured Swordsman

The bone is Skeleton Horde Contrast with a liberal helping of Agrax Earthshade (which is better than the overrated Nuln Oil if any one was to ask). The shields are painted Army Painter Scaly Hide. Choosing a green similar to the verdigris effect you're using was perhaps not the best move but I really like that particular shade. Back in the day it was Snot Green. Is this indicative of my maturity I wonder? 😜

The models could really do with some highlights, a technique that has filled me with dread for 20 years (well, for as long as I even knew there was more to painting than gleefully slapping it on anyway). The bases could do with more colour; I like the idea of contrasting the shambling dead with vibrant spring/summer flowers rather than the more common autumnal and winter themes. Luckily I have a bunch, which will soon decorate the bases of their compatriots when I next post.

On another note, I used a shoddy £7.99 Light Box off of eBay; I think the results speak for themselves. I like the backdrop dioramas some hobbyists use so I'll try and rustle something up, probably some nice ruins, as well as a better light.