Category Archives: Lord of the Rings

Citadel Uruk-Hai Berserkers: Unit-ed ORC-tober ’18

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What? You thought Orctober was only for GW’s greenskins?

The first unit I’ve managed to complete this month qualifies for both the October Unit painting challenge – Unit-ed October as well as the models I’m painting for “Orctober”. A unit of a dozen citadel Uruk-Hai. These models are basically the same 3 (metal) +1 (plastic) sculpts that I’ve painted in the past.

As such, painting them has pretty much just followed the same template that I used last time. In fact, I took some step-by-step photos of them as I worked my way through this dozen with the thought to putting together a painting guide for them in the future (probably over my Christmas holidays).

These were finished about 2 weeks ago now. I did all of the work on them to completion from black primed in one weekend back at the start of the month. Since then, as you might have noticed – I haven’t been quite as motivated.

Frankly, I still haven’t been feeling it. Sitting on my arse alone and playing Fallout 4 has been much more appealing to me than painting, blogging, dealing with other humans (or Leonard the Cat), photographing models, or even watching wrestling or the forensic shows I usually enjoy.

Here’s the back half of some of the Uruks. I forgot to take a rear view of the other 7, but at least this pic shows you the work on the back of them, and proves I didn’t just paint the front side of the models!

Now, I just need to pull myself away from Fallout 4 long enough to finish another 9 models to hit my monthly minimum of one-per-day. Two almost done. The other seven will be tricky. Do I have some individual crates I can find to cheat my way through this month’s part of my personal pledge?

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?