Recently, I was reading one of Alex’ posts over at Leadbaloony where he noted that he was going to try and paint up something for Deadcember. (Though nothing in months for these challenges anymore.. sniff 😢). Anyway, I decided to see what Deadcember actually was. Or is. I mean, I can guess, but it’s always good to have a proper look around. It seems to be predominantly a weightlifting thing, where weight enthusiasts do a lot of deadlifting …but a few google ranks down, also a painting challenge that has run for several years, though I couldn’t really find a central “hub” for it, despite a few blogs participating over the last couple of years along with mentions/threads over on Lead Adventure and the Oldhammer forums.
Hooray! Exclaimed Hellblade the Skellington.
So simple then, from what I saw. Paint some undead. As it happened most conveniently, I had this skellington on my desk. Known as “Hellblade”, and originally one of the five interchangeable crew from the classic metal Undead Chariot. He had been sitting around, part painted and unloved for some time. Years in fact. I know I rebased him a few years ago, and there had been some repainting involved. So yesterday I re-repainted his bone cloaks into the red of the current Undead Army, did all of the necessary highlighting to his bones and black robes, and then hit the shield with some freehanding, and he was done. So after an hour or two, easy as that, a model that had sat around ignored for literally years was done. This is why I started doing these challenges, and also why I’ll try to tack on anyone else’s challenges that I happen to see that aren’t those “start-to-finish” ones that just leave me with more half-painted figures.
So, with Mister Hellblade the Skellington done, I looked around the table for something else that was achievable. The Flesh Golem was there. That bloody Flesh Golem from the Castle Ravenloft D&D boardgame that Marouda, Pyro and Orez played through back in 2012-3 or so, which is why I’ve (badly) sculpted flagstones onto his base. Yeah, he’s been sitting around for a long time, too. Mediocre story short, I also knuckled down and got him completed as well. Done.
This isn’t the last of 2018’s models to show. There’s still a couple more to go, but they shall have to hit the page in the opening days of next year!
And on that note, as it’s getting to the business end of New Year’s Evening here, I wish you all the best for the remains of 2018, and the best for 2019. I’ll see you on the other side!
Azazel's Bitz Box. 
I totally forgot about all these minis, we have all 3 of those dungeon crawler D&D games and they have some wicked models in those. I’ve painted almost non of my board game minis. I should set aside some time to trying to make an impact on those. This Golem looks really great and makes me want to try and get some work done on them
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Yeah, I’ve now painted most (I think) of the Ravenloft models, sans the PCs, which I thought were pretty sub-par. I still need to get the big Dracolich finished after so many years. Maybe I can add him to the January Centrepiece targets…
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Great work on the classic skeleton, the flesh golem is the star for me, with all the bruised flesh tones and attention to detail
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Thanks Dave. It’s a pretty nice model. Surprisingly nice, to be quite honest, but the larger scale does help the PVC a lot.
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With the time zones I’m conscious that I may just scrape this comment into 2018 where you are. A nice pair of minis here, both with a story, but the golem is grimly awesome indeed!
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Yep – you got it into the last 90 minutes! He was a nightmare to get done, but now he’s complete, I’m quite happy with him!
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I like the skeleton but really like the Flesh Golem.
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Cheers mate. He was always a nice looking model, but hard for me to finish – so very happy he’s now off the painting desk! (thanks, Deadcember!)
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I like the flagstones on the base, actually. Good stright-edged flagging is difficult to pull off with round bases, but your non-right-angled pattern makes it work a treat.
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I was going to say. I thought that came out really nicely.
The Skellie looks really cheerful. If I had one, and an Undead BB team, I’d be very tempted to swap out its sword and shield for pom-poms and use it as a chearleader!
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I just ordered the new BB team last month, too! Hopefully it turns up soon!
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Thank you. I just painted it onto the other Ravenloft models, but that wasn’t going to fly on a base as large as this one. The game tiles have this same style of almost-random flagstones on them, so that’s what I was trying to ape here.
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Brilliant mate, love the skellibob, and that Golem is brilliant! Sorry for being a bit lame with your challenges dude – the Wolf Time has had me in its jaws for much of the year, and this will continue well into next. I think Not-Gash qualifies for you December challange though, so I’d be delighted if I can submit him 🙂
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I’ll gladly add him in Alex. You could squeeze a lot of your other stuff in through the various monthly caveats if you liked and they have any chance of helping you motivate. Orktober, Squads, minor heroes and whatnot! 🙂
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Looks great mate. Have set myself the aim of coming up with some different comments for 2019! 😉
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Cheers mate! Thanks for the feedback!
Cheers mate! Thanks for the feedback!
Cheers mate! Thanks for the feedback!
Cheers mate! Thanks for the feedback!
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Very cool- love the skin sloughing off the arm on the golem.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Thanks Pete – he’s definitely a nice sculpt!
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I have the pre-painted version of the Flesh Golem. Your’ is rather more impressive! I think I’ll have to get mine out and do some extra work on it.
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I’ve never seen the prepaint! A wash (or better yet, a dip in the… the dip) does some amazing things with/to some of those prepaints.
http://chicagoskirmish.blogspot.com/2012/01/with-liberty-and-brush-dipping-for-all.html
Can’t find the article I wanted that had prepaints, but this one gives the gist of it.
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Golem is suitably menacing, and the skeleton looks like a happy undead guy! Happy New Year!
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Thank you Mark – and hope yours was – and is – also a good one!
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I really like your flesh golem, especially all the staples and the steel band around his head. I’m painting a Reaper version right now that is similar. The detail isn’t as robust but I still wouldn’t give him a hard time if I caught him poking around in my trash can. Know what I mean?
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Thanks Kenny. There are a lot of hidden details in this sculpt as I found. Is the Reaper version this guy?
https://azazelx.com/2018/08/19/reaper-bones-77169-flesh-golem/
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Yep, that’s him! I’ve only done one, since that’s all they had at the shop. I did the sutures in black and washed him in blue so he would have that fashionable oxygen depleted look. He hasn’t made it into a game yet, but there are going to be some very sad yokels when he does.
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It’s not a bad model at all. I can only assume I have three because it was in the first Bones KS, where I may have …over-indulged in those early, heady days of KS campaigns.
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Very nice. Funny, at first pic I liked the Golem better. But after noting the freehand on the shield, I’m going with the Skeleton. Probably doesn’t help that he was ‘stuck in the shadow’ of the golem in the first pic. I also really like the flagstone base on the golem. Probably one of my favorite parts.
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Thanks! Though I do have to admit that my own favourite parts of both of them are the fact that they’re now finished and off my painting desk! 😉
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Lol!
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Beautiful work! I heartily admire the attention to detail on both of these. The skull on the shield is wonderful, but also the details in the muscles on the left arm of the flesh golem are fantastic.
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