Reaper Miniatures Cthulhu

HP Lovecraft is my favorite novelist, so when Reaper Miniatures released this figure decades ago I of course picked it up.  He has been in the back of my display case forever, so feeling bad for him I thought he might enjoy a Sunday photo-shoot.  I took his silence on the matter as acquiescence.  

Reaper Miniatures Cthulhu

When I painted him I was only just beginning to start painting miniatures again regularly, after years of not painting a thing.  He turned out ok...nothing special really.  I added some fire effects to add color and interest.  There were no GW washes in existence during this period, so I used my own homemade Reaper Walnut Brown wash.  

I could repaint him to a higher standard today, but in general, unless there is a compelling reason to, I do not repaint figures that I have already done.  I keep them as a testament to my skill level at different periods of my life.  From recollection, I used Reaper Master Series paints, with a lot of drybrushing and some wet blending on the tentacles.  There is more definition on the skin than is shown in the photos...bad lighting....must improve that in future shots.  

He is mounted on a 60mm x 60mm base.  He was a bit big for 50mm and 60mm is perfect for Hordes of the Things (which uses 60mm frontages for all units, with base depth varying according to the unit type).   

Anyway, he makes a good Demon Prince or otherwise unpleasant thing for my opponents to face.  Sadly, like many of my miniatures he does not get a chance to play with others that often.

Reaper Miniature - Kaladrax the Dracolich

 Kaladrax needs no introduction.  He exists, and if you meet him, you will not.  

Reaper Miniatures Kaladrax the Dracolich

I managed to scoop this model up years and years ago, for $25 USD.  A song!  I painted him...but I don't remember how, mainly because I was terrified while doing it.  

"These two fools don't even make a satisfying snack...they are too small!"

Kaladrax has new friends! [aka slaves]

Mortals tremble, for Kaladrax is here. [whimper]

Reaper Miniatures - Young Forest Dragon

 This weekend I managed to bang out a few miniatures, odds and ends I had lying around.  This one in particular was overdue to be completed: a Reaper Miniatures Young Forest Dragon.  

I picked this up for my wife awhile ago, do add to her growing dragon collection.  He was smaller than the usual ones I paint, but no less detailed.

Reaper Miniatures Young Forest Dragon

There were several color choices on the table for this fellow, but in the end I settled on a muted green color, similar to lichen or a forest moss.  

• Vallejo NATO Green Primer
• Vallejo Model Air Black Green
• Vallejo Model Air Camo Green
• Vallejo Model Air Light Camo Green (just a light highlight)
• Reaper Master Series Camo Green for the lower scales.  Highlighted with a mix of Camo Green and Vallejo Dead Flesh.
• Drybrushed Vallejo Model Color Gunship Green, Reaper Master Series Highland Moss and Pale Lichen
• Reaper Master Series Stained Ivory, Yellowed Bone, Creamy Ivory and Vallejo Model Color Ivory for the horns and teeth.  Horns washed in Army Painter Soft Tone.
• Vallejo Old Brown Rose for the Tongue, with the whole mouth then washed GW Crimson Wash and GW Reikshade Flesh.  Then highlighted with Ivory and Pink.
• Eyes received a black lining with Vallejo Model Color Light Yellow for the eye, followed by a dot of black.

Notice I do not use a lot of washes...especially an overall wash.  The effect is usually ruinous to my airbrushing technique.  Washes are only used in selected areas....very sparingly.

I mounted him on a 50mm square base.  This lets him fit a number of small monster roles on the battlefield, or as a large unit filler to infantry on 25mm square bases.  Perhaps a tamed monster?

"Down boy!  Down!"

He was not difficult at all to paint really, and makes a nice addition to my wife's brood.

Reaper Miniatures Wyvern - "Blacksting"

Yesterday I banged off this guy from Reaper Miniatures - Blacksting, a fearsome Wyvern from "The Forest of No Tomorrow" (sounds scary eh?).

Reaper Miniatures Blacksting, Wyvern

This was a very easy model to assemble - two wings, some flex paste for filler....thats it.  I decided upon a forest green scheme:

• Vallejo Russian Green Primer with Vallejo NATO Green Primer as a lighter highlight.
• Vallejo Model Air Camo Black Green basecoat
• Vallejo Model Air Camo Green highlight
• Vallejo Model Air Light Camo Green final lighlight.
• Drybrushed all over with Reaper Master Serise Cats Eye Green, with a final light drybrush of Vallejo Green Sky.
• Claws and Wing Tips Black, highlighted (glazed really) with Vallejo Game Color Imperial Blue and Magic Blue.
• Vallejo Ivory for teeth
• Vallejo Old Rose and Salmon Pink for the tongue.  

This was a quick paint job.  Nothing special.  But I am happy with him.  He is ready to hunt fresh prey.....with Elves being his favorite food.

Reaper Miniatures from 2006

 Going through some old picture files I stumbled upon these photos...painted back in 2006.  These were some of the first miniatures I had painted "properly".  No store bought washes back then....you had to make your own son.  All have since been rebased on 25mm squares....many have been touched up to modern standards.  Heck back then I really did not even do bases.....

Anyway....that was a long time ago...don't judge me!

...and yes...I could not even take a proper photo back then.

Ral Partha Fantasy Armies - Skeletal Ballista

Yesterday I discovered that I  have never photographed by these poor chaps: my Undead artillery battery.  Shame on me.

The kit was easy enough to assemble.  Few mold lines to clean up (almost none).  

Ral Partha Skeletal Ballista

These guys are from Ral Partha Europe.  In the 1990s, Ral Partha was bought by FASA.  They subsequently released new miniatures for the Fantasy Armies Range (originally designed for Chaos Wars, Ral Partha's version of Warhammer).  All of the miniatures released by FASA during this period were 28mm scale, vs the 25mm that was common in the 1970s and 1980s.  The detailing is excellent, however they do not mix well with the older Ral Partha ranges...the models are just too big.  

The skeletons are 28mm.  Nothing flimsy about them.  All my skeletons over the last 20+ years are done the same way: primed ivory, then airbrushed Reaper Masters Yellowed Bone, then given a warm brown wash...these days Anthrax Earthshade.  Its nice not having to make my own washes in these modern times.

The crew is held onto the base with white tac.  If necessary they can be removed to fight in melee or as casualties.  I should probably sand the mold line off their metal bases.....all Ral Partha 28mm Fantasy Armies figures come with metal bases.

They are ready for battle....they are always ready.

Ogre Christmas Freakshow

 Merry Christmas.  I realized this week that I have never posted photos of my whole Ogre army on parade.

The horde contains miniatures from all manufacturers: Ral Partha, Reaper, Otherworld, Citadel, Grenadier and others.  Ogres, Bugbears, Trolls, the list goes on.

Enjoy the freakshow.

Merry Christmas.