Monthly Archives: July 2018

Heresy Miniatures Valkyrie – Heidi Sigrsdotter (Jewel of July ’18, The Temple of Morikun Painting Competition)

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Heresy Miniatures Valkyrie - Heidi Sigrsdotter

This statuesque lass represents two things – firstly, my own participation for Morikun’s Competition celebrating the 1,000,000th visit to The Temple of Morikun blog. As well as (obviously) another Jewel of July for my own painting challenge. Now I’m not usually one for painting competitions these days. I have actually won a couple in the (distant) past, but the quality of competition these days is through the roof – and I’m rather pragmatic about painting competitions. If I don’t think I have a chance of winning, I don’t bother entering. I’m also realistic. I ain’t winning no Golden Demon or Crystal Brush. And so I don’t enter competitions. And I’m perfectly okay with all of that.

Heresy Miniatures Valkyrie - Heidi Sigrsdotter

Morikun’s one is a little different, in that there are roughly one billion prizes, so rather than feeling like it’s unpossible, it is actually quite possible to win some small thing. And with that, it feels more relaxed, more like a painting challenge – and as any reader of this blog knows, I’m definitely up for a painting challenge. There are other very cool challenges and competitions out there right now, with some bloody amazing work towards them, but I don’t feel that I have the time for complex kitbashes and conversions right now or anytime soon, so my participation in those is limited to just enjoying the posts and photos that they’re composed of.

Heresy Miniatures Valkyrie - Heidi Sigrsdotter

A bit annoying that the highlights and shading on the red of the cape haven’t turned out fully in the photos, but such is life. Anyway, the theme of Morikun’s competition is that of Ms. Morikun, represented by a feminine figure. I can get behind that, though I’d personally be dedicating my own model more towards Marouda, but like is like. Anyway, the best figures I could find for my oan aesthetic were some of my unpainted metal Adepta Sororitas, or a Shieldmaiden/Valkyrie. I went through my stash of Norsewomen, and decided to go big, picking out this model, Valkyrie – Heidi Sigrsdotter from Heresy Miniatures that I picked up with my last order to Andy.

Heresy Miniatures Valkyrie - Heidi Sigrsdotter

The colour scheme was something that developed pretty much organically, with no planning – I just went entirely by “feel” on this one. My only real concern was to ensure that the colours were in keeping with my actual viking models. The very “Thor” colour scheme was simply how it all turned out, which I noticed about 3/4 of the way through the model. Given the nature of the model, this was fine by me.

Heresy Miniatures Valkyrie - Heidi Sigrsdotter

One small painted change from the intent of the original sculpt I (sort of) made, was the upper chest. I genuinely thought that the breastplate continued up to under the model’s neck, where the cloak’s neck chain is. It wasn’t until partway through painting when I realised that it was meant to be a kind of comic book superheroine cleavage. So naturally I left it in the metallic colours I’d painted it in to represent armour. She doesn’t need a spear under the collarbone!

Heresy Miniatures Valkyrie - Heidi Sigrsdotter

So here we are – my submission to the Temple of Morikun and also another Jewel of July. July ends in a few hours, but the next couple of posts will be the remaining figures I finished over the final weekend in July, plus anything I manage to complete tonight before midnight.

Mithril Miniatures – Fimbrethil, Entwife (Jewel of July ’18, The Temple of Morikun Painting Competition)

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Mithril Miniatures - Fimbrethil, Entwife

Fimbrethil had been missing since Sauron’s forces destroyed the gardens of the Entwives during the Second Age. At the time of the War of the Ring, Treebeard had not seen his beloved Fimbrethil for over three millennia.

I have a thing for Ents (hence my Avatar) and was drawn to this miniature because it is a female Ent and I think she looks quite cool and rather pretty.
I started the base coat back in 2010 and have since then worked on the flesh/wood tone on and off. I wanted to go for a light wood colour, her hair and flowers contrast nicely against the light wood. I am really happy with how the skin tone turned out the highlights especially on the face. I remember Azazel recommending that I read a painting guide/tutorial in a very old white dwarf on how to highlight/paint a face.

Mithril Miniatures - Fimbrethil, Entwife

I wanted to go for a red/yellow/orange autumn leaf colour for the hair, and lavender type colouring for the flowers and stems. The fine details made me nervous to paint and gave me an actual headache especially the flowers in her hair, I use a magnifying desk lamp to see/enlarge the detail. I was too scared of loading the brush so ended up using/putting too little paint on the brush, oh well better to be over cautious than be ham handed.

Mithril Miniatures - Fimbrethil, Entwife

The big motivator/push to get this miniature finally done was when Azazel mentioned a ‘competition’ and ‘prizes’ at The Temple of Morikun and I jumped on board. Although I did think of working on her for the ‘Fembrurary’ challenge earlier this year.

Mithril Miniatures - Fimbrethil, Entwife

Before this last week the model was just the skin. I have completed the rest over the last week or so.

Paint List:

Hair: Base Colour: is Citadel Troll Slayer Orange, highlight: Reaper Miniatures Golden Yellow. Wash: Citadel Baal Red

Bunch of Flowers: Base: The Army Painter Warpaints Alien purple.  Highlighting: Zombicide Toxic Boils. Wash: Purple Tone Ink Wash (Quickshade) The Army Painter.

Flowers in Hair: Base: Ultramarine Blue Game Colour. Highlight: Glacier Blue Game Colour.

The Skin Tone was done with browns and greys it was such a long time ago I can’t recall the exact paints. I remember it took me ages to do, the highlighting and shading. I think it put me off getting the rest of the model done. I think I need to take a lesson from Azazel’s book, it’s better to get a model to good enough and finished instead of trying to be a perfectionist and not get anything finished.

For the base, clay cat litter rocks for the stones and real twigs for the twigs/log. I picked out some light moss and some white and yellow flowers.

Mithril Miniatures - Fimbrethil, Entwife

This model is now out of production but can still be purchased from Mithril Miniatures. They have 38 still available when I last checked. Azazel told me that he bought this miniature back in the 80’s (before we had met) to use in Bloodbowl.

I am very happy that Azazel let me paint her, I think she looks beautiful. What do you think? She’s a bit heavy on the flower power, but I think she can get away with it.

Hopefully the next project wont take me 10 years to finish! I think admiring this one in the display cabinet should be motivation enough to get another model done. Maybe you guys can help me pick out my next project?