Today I finally completed the flocking and tuft-work on this model – the largest model I’ve painted to date. This model is another of the Large Reaper Bones models, and one that actually dwarfs even the Mighty Goremaw and Mudgullet (as you’ll see in a couple of days). It’s from Reaper’s Bones IV Kickstarter, and doesn’t appear to be on sale on Reaper’s site, though it shares a name with a much smaller ent/treeman model. It’s obviously based on an Ent from Lord of the Rings/Middle-Earth, or more copyright-acceptably, a Treeman (as imaginatively described by GW), or a Treant (as described by Dungeons and Dragons, and every other fantasy IP who followed their lead, including EverQuest, Warcraft and an endless list of others…)
You can see why it took aseveral days just for the flocking and tufts, though! Especially in midwinter here, so temperatures aren’t the most awesome for fast drying. So the model has been sitting in front of a radiator for most of the past few days as well.
I finished the final touches of paint on this sucker yesterday (eyes and fungus growth) but the rest was already done before the end of the month. It did take a good four days to get all of the layers of flock and tufts onto the model, with a lot of PVA and even a bit of superglue, so I finished doing that a few hours ago. I think that due to it being done before July 3rd, I can count this as the last painted model I’m submitting for Ann’s Miniatures of Magnitude Challenge for May & June.
Having just typed that, though – I’ve also got another pair of D&D models that I hadn’t had a chance to post up yet. They’re from the Temple of Elemental Evil game, and even though I finished painting them more than a week ago, I wanted to finish posting the ones I’d finished painting from the Drizzt game first before moving to post the Elemental Evil models. So they got bumped, and then I started finishing these large Bones models and the Aquila. So two more posts for Ann – one for the ToEE models, and then a round-up for her challenge. Then I can get back to posting the final models I finished in June. Of which there are at least 4.
Since it’s July, I’m going to call it one for my own Jewel of July Challenge as well.
Sadly, this massive model didn’t fit properly into my makeshift light box. Well, it fit, technically speaking, but it was too big for my simple background or for my standard little mini-tripod that I use, so I had to use a full-sized tripod, an extra sheet of printed background, and take the pics from quite a bit further back and higher up than usual.
Yeah, I know. A scale should would have been great. Unfortunately, this thing is just SO large and unweildy that it was just a nightmare to photograph. And the hunched-over posture that it holds doesn’t help at all, either. There’s some sense of scale in the round-up pics I just took alongside these, so you’ll get an idea in about 48 hours from whrn this post goes up. As far as gaming goes, I had thoughts of using it in a LotR game, but it’s just SO ridiculously big that it’s actually pretty impractical. I think it’s going to make its way into a glass cabinet, and that will be that for this one. Though Age of Sigmar does have quite the large model fetish…
But you know what? It’s finished. And I’m happy about that. So it’s a win.
Azazel's Bitz Box. 
Excellent work mate, all the extra work with the tufts and grasses were totally worth it. Will keep this for reference when I finally get around to casting my Treeman
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Dave – that’s quite the compliment! John (below) thinks it should count as a Scenery Challenge model as well.. 😉
LikeLike
This is utterly amazing. I love all of the textures, the colors, and all the little details. Everything about it just works and I can totally imagine this big guy lumbering around in the forest. Excellent work! 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cheers, IM! So glad you like it! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think it’s great! 🙂 So much going on! You could always enter it into Dave’s July/August scenery challenge as well! 😉
LikeLiked by 3 people
Hahah thanks John. It could work as an immobile scenic object just like a regular vehicle, I guess! 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
That might just about be the coolest treant I’ve seen. Really digging his moss beard!
Not sure why, but I have such a problem desaturating my browns. You’ve got a really nice bark tone going here.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cheers, Fredrik – I know what you mean about desaturating the browns as well – it’s always tricky since so many of the paints are so rich. I used a couple of Vallejo Model Colour browns as my core paints for this – sadly, the printed names have worn off the labels over the years, so I can’t even twll you which ones I used – which is going to suck when I need to replace them!
The mixer tones for the highlights were Vallejo Bonewhite, VMC Sky Grey, and just regular white, to keep the desaturated and dry look to the colours.
LikeLike
That is great- Best use of flocking on an Ent/ Treeman that I’ve seen. Really adds to his bulk and solidity.
Cheers,
Pete.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thanks Pete – that’s very high praise. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Looks good, and I’m looking forward to a comparison shot!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cheers, Dave. I have a few posts queued up now, so I believe that one is set for late tonight.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Beautiful piece! Love the tuft and flocking work, really brings the model to life.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Mikko. It was a bit of guesswork to know when to stop adding the stuff, but it seems to have worked out.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yet another stunning bit of work mate! your going to have to careful handling him in the tabletop! (I imagine he’s going to be a bugger to dust too).
Cheers Roger.
LikeLiked by 3 people
You’re not wrong, Roger. I imagine its going to have to spend a lot more time in a cabinet than anywhere near a gaming tabletop, though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Superb stuff mate, I love what you’ve done with him – I find that great big beasties can lack a bit of character sometimes, but your additions really add to the character on this big fella!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Alex. It’s a nice model (though impractical) but it really does need some embellishments for the whole “ent” thing to work a little better.
LikeLiked by 2 people
He’s HUUUUUUUGE! Love it mate, well done.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks IRO – a relief to get this one done and out of the way. Now it’s in the way somewhere else!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Haha.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That looks superb. Somehow the addition of different textures with the various bits of flock really adds to the illusion of reality on the treeman. Great work.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Argent. I really wanted to give it enough different textures and colours to look interesting but not so many that it was overdone. Lots of pauses once I added some more with the “do I stop here?” question over and over..
LikeLike
Well mate I don’t use the word Awesome very often ,only when I am awe struck and that what I was when I saw this amazing creature, well done mate I know what you mean about drying at this time of the year as I have had the same problem with the water on the Swamp!, bloody winter!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Pat – that’s super kind of you to say, especially given the amazing dioramas and scenes that you’re always setting up. I’m really wishing we could fast forward to the end of this year – both for summer and everything else going on!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m certainly with you there mate , especially with these new restrictions!
LikeLike
Fantastic… Everything else has already been said!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheers mate – much appreciated.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🤟Excellent work mate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you 🙂
LikeLike
Really, really nice work on this guy. This probably won’t surprise you but I love ents and I feel that other than the Treebeard model, GW has never really done right by the ents in MESBG. This guy really is impressive and I can see why he took so long to finish. For a Reaper sculpt, the level of detail looks pretty darn good and as others have said, the flocking is magnificent and makes him look very lifelike. Absolutely sensational work and something to be very proud of! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheers Kuribo. I agree with you. The official not-treebeard ent is okay, but could have been so much better, especially if it were a modular kit. Mossbeard here is great, but it really way too impractical to use in games unfortunately. It’s also a bit too unwieldy (and prone to paint rub) to be a “proper display” model to go all-out on, at least of the kind that you’re painting right now in Draz.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know what you mean, mate. The new ent models GW is putting out soonish are certainly higher quality but are not modular and look to me like they will take some time to really paint so there is a real tradeoff there, I’d say.
LikeLike
Pingback: Miniatures of Magnitude Painting Challenge Round-up | Ann's Immaterium
The face is really well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks mate!
LikeLiked by 1 person