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Sometimes you summon something from the abyss. Sometimes it's not happy about being interrupted. I'd actually been wanting to tackle this naughty, naughty boy (yes, I'm sure it's a boy--and there were a couple of discarded shots that would offer evidence). I started several weeks ago, then hit a wall. I didn't want to make him green. I really didn't. I considered red, I considered purple (like my Rauthuros), I considered golden brown...and ended up back at green. I really wanted to do red. It must have been a holdover from the Thing in the Well when the red didn't pan out. I also seem to be on a drybrushing kick. It just seems to work on such big models. So, what did I do? The base scales are Forest Green, Grass Green, and Jade Green. The armor plates are Pure Black, Black Green, and Forest Green. I do that fairly often when I can spot other colors that seem to lead into other triads. I'm assuming Reaper does it purposefully. Where the 'Lasher gets hairy it is Muddy Brown, Earth Brown, Leather Brown, and Tanned Leather. I knew I wanted somewhat creepy flesh, so it flesh started off as Tanned Highlight and (through drybrushing) was worked up through Fair Shadow and Fair Skin. It's not that pale flesh is creepy (looks in mirror), but so much of it and being bare? I think it's a little unsettling. I wish I'd been a little braver and tried to do a little blue on the snout for a mandrill-esque look. The scales on the underside of the tail are the Olive Skin Shadow, Olive Skin, and Olive Skin Highlight. I was hoping that the olive tones would bridge between the scales and flesh. The spines and thagomizer are Stained Ivory, Yellowed Bone, and Creamy Ivory. The horns are Dirty Bone, Graveyard Bone, and Splintered Bone. The teeth are the last "bone" triad Bone Shadow, Aged Bone, and Polished Bone. The mouth and tongue started at Pure Black and were hit with Dark Elf Shadow, Dark Elf Skin, and Dark Elf Highlight. Which brings us to the eyes. One head started at Fire Red, Phoenix Red, and Fire Orange. I wanted some continuity (like with the armor plates), so for the other head went with Fire Orange, Marigold Yellow, and Sun Yellow. I'm actually a little proud of the eyes. The base was the easiest portion of this guy. I've continued my tradition of Chocolate Cherry, Burnt Sienna, and Terra Cotta for the rocks. The ground was Dark Brown, Golden Brown, and Khaki. The result was less striking than I would have liked, but live and learn: Start darker or finish lighter. I felt like doing several things with the bubbling muck. I thought about red (BLOOD), mud (BORING), and decided on...silver! Well, it's meant to be evocative of bubbling mercury. It seemed like a nice way of saying "this place is toxic." Well, it's done now. And any mini you can walk away from is a good one. Or maybe that's something else... Unlike the Thing in the Well, I don't think I'd paint another one under normal circumstances. The seams are everywhere and obvious. I also had a great deal of difficulty gluing everything. It just wouldn't stick. I tried to pin the hooves to the base, and the arms to the torso, and didn't have an easy go of those steps, either. I'm wondering if that had something to do with the motivational wall I hit. I mean, he was glued and cured and fell off the table...and broke apart. Time to reglue the regluing of the reglued bits. He was also so heavy (and the bottom of the base is hollowed) that I couldn't get good contact points to keep him from sliding around on my tea bottle cap (about 2" wide). Instead, he would slide slowly around when held at an angle--which means I was constantly grabbing the base and rubbing some of the paint off the base when I repositioned him. I guess I need something to clamp the base down. There were hurdles, true, and those hurdles took a little effort to get over. But just a little. Those with more experience pinning and green stuffing probably wouldn't have even noticed. It just happened to hit me at the wrong time. I'd rate the overall experience a "C-" (not great, but not unbearable). And he is still a kick-butt figure! Thanks for stopping by!

I started Rimeblast a couple weeks ago. She's the first thing I've painted in some time. It won't be anything special (I've got to learn how to up my game one of these days), but it's a start. This won't be a real in-depth thread, just the "end of the night" update after a painting session. Well, that was where I started. I knew that the "white" dragon wouldn't be white. It's not the way things are in the world where Rimeblast dwells. But, this is the Ocean Colors triad (specifically Deep Ocean), which isn't just blue enough. So, after a couple weeks of unhappy-back-of-the-mind pondering I pull out the paints again. This is where I am now. This is better. This is Sky Blue with little bits of Deep Ocean peaking through. I'm "OK" with that. It gives some variation so she's not (quite) all the same shade. I'm thinking I'm going to take a heavy drybrush of Frosty Blue, and then a lighter drybrush of Ghost White, or even Sparkling Snow, to finish the scales. The scutes (belly scales) have received a coat of Foggy Grey which is, I've discovered, very close to the shade of Vallejo grey primer already on it. I'll likely be using Pure White and Sparkling Snow to finish those up--assuming I don't go back and redo them in Rainy Grey. I'm afraid the countershading will be a little too "bright" if I leave them at "Foggy." I'm still not sure where I'm going to take the spinal ridge, crest, and wings. The bones/supports in the wings bug me a bit. I keep thinking that there should only be three or four support "fingers" (like a bat), and there a lot more there. Pardon me while I over-analyze fantasy creature morphology. Thanks for dropping by!

Hey all, First time posting. I was wondering what minis you all use for ancient dragons. I was looking at the Pathfinder deep ancient red dragon and it's never less than 500 on eBay. So I figured I'd check out unpainted ones from reaper. Which dragon do you think would work as an ancient red dragon in size? Thanks

While I really like the arch-angel min with its sleek draconic musculature, this one is the mini that made me squee. I was super excited when I saw this one. I mean, the little shredders are super fun minis already, but a gargantuan based on them is such a great idea. I mean, he's super huge, and still mostly mouth! I was super excited that I had the change to paint him up.

Well, I finally did it. I painted a dragon. I've got T'raukzul and Stormwing both coming from the Kickstarter, and a Deathsleet and a Blightfang here still waiting for me to be brave enough to apply paint to them. I feel more confident about that now that I've done Ebonwrath. It's a pretty traditional color scheme, I know. I don't have a light box or anything fancy. Just my phone. Hence the crappy photos. I'd like to base him sometime. I'm thinking the wetlands from Secret Weapon. Put him in a swamp. I need more resources though. And I'd need to practice on something smaller to make sure I don't muck it up. Anyway, c&c welcome!

Been meaning to work on this for a few years. Amsco brand had this cool spider with a bag of webs with armored and spiky looking legs. With a few more pointy bits, I think it will make a passable if small "Plated Spider" gatherer.wizards.com/Handlers/Image.ashx?multiverseid=26661&type=card

Next time you are opening up a can of food, or when buying canned goods, measure the lid, There is a good chance it will be 3" or 4" across. To get that lid ready to be a base for a big miniature, you'll probably just need a hand held can opener. Then wash the can lid and file down any left over burs of metal if there are any, You'll have a nice durable metal base for your big minis. Magnet ready too in case you want to be able to swap bases for various rulesets. This does not generally work with pull ring type cans, so you might have to change your brands if you get the fancy cans.