Monthly Archives: March 2021

Bad Squiddo Games – Giant Iguana #Monstermarch5 (Shane Hoyle)

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Bad Squiddo Games - Giant Iguana

A quick intro here from Azazel – Marouda has finally deigned to paint a few miniatures this month, so a big thanks to both Ann (“Neglected But Not Forgotten”) and Swordmaster (Monster March 5) for their respective challenges that helped to motivate Marouda to do some model painting again, as well as Kuribo who’s comment on the WIP post from a couple of weeks ago helped to kick her in the arse to get painting. I mean the kind words helped to motivate her.. :p

In this case, it’s a model that I picked up in the Bad Squiddo Shieldmaiden Kickstarter (as an extra) back in 2018. Anyway, over to Marouda:

So anyway it was the current Monster March and the Neglected But Not Forgotten challenges as well as Azazel drawing my attention to Kuribos comment that got me motivated to try painting again. So when Azazel asked “are you going to paint a model?” I said yes, and before I knew it there were 3 models in front of me to get started on. I thought “what is the worst that could happen?”

I must say I have been finding it much easier with several models on the go as while 1 model is drying I can work on the other one so it has been was more efficient and motivating as I was kept busy painting continuously for my invested time rather than waiting for 1 model to dry and then losing interest.

Bad Squiddo Games - Giant Iguana

I am still very much a beginner painter but it has been super helpful for me to have Azazel to demonstrate a painting technique or select the paint that I describe I would like to use. My usual output for painting models has been 1 model every 3 years or so. So completing 3 models over 2 weeks will be an amazing acheivement for me.

Now I am here to talk about the Iguana. I saw this in the Blister on Azazels painting desk a few months ago and stole it for myself to paint as I thought it was small and would be easy to paint. I googled Iguana to look at what colours I would like to use and patterning and decided I wanted mine to be a blue banded Iguana. The bands/stripes were tricky to paint I did a bit of practice before hand on the palette and on paper. Azazel explained I should make the bands pointy on the ends which was a challenge.

Bad Squiddo Games - Giant Iguana, Shieldmaiden

The spines were done black with some bone and contrast paint wash. I was so wrong that a small mini would be easy, things like the toe nails were tricky and painting the red in the mouth was nerve wracking. Note to self next time I will select (I mean steal from Azazel) a much larger model to paint. so when I get to details I wont mess them up because I can actually see properly. I actually have a lamp with a magnifying glass so this guy found himself under there so I could see what the hell I was doing.

As I have been working on 3 models at the same time I found that the larger models I have been painting were a lot more fun to paint. I enjoyed painting the body of the iguana, it was fairly simple scheme using P3 Arcane Blue and thinned Aethermatic Blue contrast paint. Azazel painted the eyes and teeth on it because I could see myself messing this up big time with too much paint and a shaky hand.

I hope you enjoyed this model and my thoughts about painting it. 🙂

Realm of Chaos – Nurgle’s Children 2021 #26, D&D Monster Manual 59: Wizkids WZK73403 D&D Nolzurs Marvelous Miniatures Shambling Mound as Proxy Chaos Spawn #Monstermarch5

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Dungeons and Dragons ,Wizkids WZK73403 D&D Nolzurs Marvelous Miniatures Shambling Mound

Yeah, some of these post titles are getting a little unwieldy. Such are the trials of models that are very much part of two different series I’m painting, I guess. A very simple story for this one – I was ordering some stuff from Amazon a few days ago and a couple of interesting Nolzurs’ models popped up in the little recommendation thing that they use to sell you more stuff, and I ended up adding a couple to my cart, and then a couple more, and then a couple more. Admittedly, a few of them had alrteady been in my “save for later” cart, including this one so it was just a matter of finally pulling the trigger on them.

Dungeons and Dragons ,Wizkids WZK73403 D&D Nolzurs Marvelous Miniatures Shambling Mound

As far as what this monster is supposed to be, it’s basically Swamp Thing, D&D Edition. I guess it’s also another take on Tolkien’s Ents and Huorns, but then, such creatures have been part of pop culture for as long as it’s been a thing, and by extension, folklore and mythology for centuries and millenia….

Dungeons and Dragons ,Wizkids WZK73403 D&D Nolzurs Marvelous Miniatures Shambling Mound

Also admittedly, one of the biggest reasons I grabbed this thing now were the promise of a quick “easy win” for Swordmaster’s Monster March since I knew I could use the challenge as motivation to get the thing painted quickly. So that’s what I’ve done. Painting was done in a rather organic (!) manner, using multiple coats of different contrast paints, regular washes, drybrushing and spot painting, all in many layers. I used Vallejo European Thick Mud paste for the basing rather than my usual sand, thouigh I did paint it in the usual palette so the model would fit in with the other Nurgle (and D&D) models.

In order to give the whole thing a slick, wet-plant-and-mud look, I coated the thing with AK Interactive’s Semi-Gloss Spray Varnish (that stuff is NOT the same as satin – look how bloody shiny it is!) A touch of matte varnish on the rocks, and my first little play with Greenstuff World’s Liquid pigments. More on that stuff as I keep using it and leaning more.

Dungeons and Dragons ,Wizkids WZK73403 D&D Nolzurs Marvelous Miniatures Shambling Mound

A small detachment of Minotaurs Astartes detour from purging the Imperium of the High Lords’ enemies to fight some Chaos scum.

So another quick model to add to my Nurgle forces – or even any potential narrative games set on a Death World. Need to try and paint a ton more poxwalkers, and then maybe some of those new Plaguemarines as well… And by “new”, I mean the current models…

Also a quick shout-out to John of JNV who does love a good carnivorous plant when I manage to get one painted up!

And here’s another pair of my favourite t-shirts for Imperial Rebel Ork‘s t-shirt challenge. After the reaction to the helmets in the other post with t-shirts, I think I might have to finally start photographing some of my collection of geek-crap to show off here.