Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Post-Apocalyptic Tales => Topic started by: War In 15MM on July 23, 2018, 08:59:15 PM
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I began collecting the figures, buildings, terrain, and vehicles for this collection more than a decade ago. It was inspired by the work of a few LAF members who drew my attention to Atomic Café. The actual painting, building, and repurposing of the pieces that have gone into this project began in October 2017 and lasted seven months with lots of “survivors,” vehicles, buildings, zombies, big bugs, toy cactus, and resin and plastic rocks. There’s even a Zamboni. The diorama-style layouts for this collection are presented on two 5 ft. x 7 ft. tables. As some of you may know, my daughter is my photographer. In her real life she is also a wife, a character design artist in the film industry, and seven months ago she became a mother. Thus “life” literally interrupted the photographing and posting of this gallery, but no regrets there. As is the case with all of my galleries, this one is accompanied by a long write-up about the materials that went into its making and some background on how and why the characters in this gallery came to find themselves in a life and death struggle in the desert between LA and Las Vegas. The short version of that background is “they just did.” I’ve posted a few sample pictures from this large photo gallery. I hope those pictures will attract your attention enough to cause you to have a look at the large gallery posted on my vanity website. If you do feel the urge to see more, go to my website, click on Galleries, scroll down the gallery selection (currently about 21 galleries identified by a picture and a word title), click on the picture related to the Post Apoc Gallery and scroll down through the 165 pictures provided. I think they will offer a smile or two or maybe 165… actually I think it’s a pretty enjoyable little moment of crazy. You can find my website at www.warin15mm.com
(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/937/41788493640_77d62fe172_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/26EGXgE)IMG_6720 (https://flic.kr/p/26EGXgE) by Richard Garretson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158632126@N06/), on Flickr
url=https://flic.kr/p/29mj2mf](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/860/43549393162_a85f6612cc_k.jpg)[/url]IMG_6791 (https://flic.kr/p/29mj2mf) by Richard Garretson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158632126@N06/), on Flickr(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/942/29726464528_3d3aecd628_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/MhPUfu)IMG_6885 (https://flic.kr/p/MhPUfu) by Richard Garretson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158632126@N06/), on Flickr(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/838/43549386972_03560f120b_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/29miZvw)IMG_6753 (https://flic.kr/p/29miZvw) by Richard Garretson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158632126@N06/), on Flickr(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/837/43549386282_0dae4da4a3_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/29miZiC)IMG_6856 (https://flic.kr/p/29miZiC) by Richard Garretson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158632126@N06/), on Flickr(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/923/28709083357_ade1e2cbfe_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/KJVygP)IMG_6929 (https://flic.kr/p/KJVygP) by Richard Garretson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158632126@N06/), on Flickr(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/849/43549393592_71a0c8732e_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/29mj2tE)IMG_6982 (https://flic.kr/p/29mj2tE) by Richard Garretson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158632126@N06/), on Flickr
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Gorgeous gorgeous stuff.
:-*
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Great photos.
Now off the your web site to see more.
PS
I am back to the sane world.
What a wonderful, wild ride to the Post Apoc world.
Love it.
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That's brilliant. Everywhere you look there's another cool detail.
Small town 1950s movie America gone utterly insane.
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Agree, very nicely done!
Terry
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This is pure fun and very much appreciated!
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Sinewgrab, Marine0846, Wachaza, Terry and Aquamarine, thanks to all of you for taking the time to write and for the generous comments. It's pretty common for me to add a little note of the crazy to my 28mm collection, but this is the first collection that was a crazy ride from beginning to end. It was a seven month project and pure fun to put together. Currently I'm working on my 15mm/18mm Boxer Rebellion collection (mostly Blue Moon), but when that is done in about eight months, my plan is to return to another off-the-wall 28mm project involving cavemen, dinos, and Dr. Who. Thanks again for writing and the kind words.
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What do you do when you are done with a setup? You can't possibly have a place big enough to leave it as is while you move on!
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I’ve passed over your posts in the past because of the “15mm” part of your forum name - it’s not a scale/size that interests me much.
How glad I am that I overcame my prejudices to look at this thread. Just great in every way and congratulations to your daughter for her photography and, more importantly, becoming a mum.
Now back to wallow in your website a bit more😊😊😊
Doug
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Sinewgrab, you're right that I don't have the space to leave these collections set up. Once the photography is done it's all packed up and put away. All of my galleries/collections are set up on one or two 5 ft. x 7 ft. tables. These are plywood surfaces with wooden rims/frames around the edge. The plywood surfaces are set on folding tables (3 ft. x 6 ft.). The plywood surfaces have frames on the bottom of each surface that fit around the tables so the plywood surfaces are secure. When the photography is done the plywood surfaces are taken off the folding tables and placed against a wall in the garage. The folding tables are folded up and placed against the same wall. Most of my gallery layouts are done on ground cover that consists of indoor-outdoor carpet that I bought years ago. I have it in two colors... green and tan. When not in use they are rolled up and put in individual canvas bags that my wife made for them. Most of the figures go in multi-drawer wooden boxes (I've picked up about 30 of them at the swap meet over the years.) I think that if you go to the Post Apoc Gallery posting on my website the first picture in the gallery shows the table and in the background you can see me and some of the wooden multi-drawer boxes. I'm fortunate to have a 3 car garage, and while I keep three cars in it, there are cabinets along the walls were I store a lot of my miniatures' terrain. I also have a very nice Tuff Shed that I use for storing miniatures (the wooden multi-drawer boxes) and terrain. Anyway, that's how it's done. Probably more than you wanted to know.
Doug, I'm really glad that you decided to give my gallery a look. I'm sure that you're not alone in skipping over my work because of the name War In 15mm. When I began painting miniatures more than 40 years ago, my focus was on military/historical collections, and because I love the look of huge armies on the battlefields I went with 15mm. But about 15 years ago I go hooked on the 28s with regard to Pulp/Adventure/Victorian Gothic and crazy stuff like this post apoc collection. I still divide my time between the two. Maybe I should change my posting name from War In 15mm but I've had it for a long time. I was the name I had when my collections were featured in Wargames Soldiers and Strategy in 2009, so it's part of me. When I post a 28mm collection, I always identify it in the title as 28mm, but I'm sure that gets missed by many. As of now I think I have 13 completed 15mm military/historical collections and eight 28mm Pulp/Adventure/Victorian Gothic collections. That division of my painting attention hasn't changed. Having just finished my 28mm post apoc collection, I am now painting a 15mm/18mm Boxer Rebellion collection... that will last until around January at which time I will probably begin another 28mm project. And now we also have the fun of a baby granddaughter. Life is good.
Thanks to both of you for taking the time to write. Richard
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:-* :-*
Beautiful setup. Each vignette has me wondering what just happened before and what's going to happen next.
Love the Zombie Tours. 20ft woman, and the piano player.
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Braz, thanks so much for taking the time to write. I'm really glad you enjoyed the details. I love the little details that from my perspective really add a lot to the fun of it all.
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Really some nice work you have going there! I have checked out some of your gallery and book marked your site so I can look at more of it later, really nice work you have going there as well, I am fixing to start on a modular city street boards for gaming in 15mm, I want to do Modern "What If" wargames, Pulp games, Giant Bugs like the Old "B" rated Black and White Monster movies and Alien Invasion games. Plus P.A. World, and Zombies. Will be watching for more of your work!
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A fabulous set up. I one I have saved so I can have an goggle every now and again for inspiration
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I finally got a chance to spend some time in the gallery, it's been on my LAF 'to do' list.
As always, very, very impressive in terms of scale and inventiveness. Quite a few of the miniatures you have are in my collection as well- as with the Africa gallery, it looks like we have similar tastes! The Plasticville buildings are a wargamer's best friend. I wish my motel set up was as large as yours! I have some of the trailers too, I love the teardrop style camper/trailers in the trailer park, that's such a cool idea. There's also a ton of stuff I wasn't aware of, the Disney 'Cars' sets look really useful.
Little vignettes like the vultures and zombie really seal the deal. I like the insect idea a lot, that really should be a convention game!
Was there a reason why you didn't give the big bugs a bit of paint?
Great job! I'll be back :)
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Thanks to all three of you for taking the time to write, and for the generous comments.
War Monkey, I always like hearing about and seeing interesting projects being done in 15mm. Look forward to seeing how that progresses.
Lowtardog, it's always nice to hear that LAF members find a project of mine worth returning to. Much appreciated.
Dr Mathias, great to hear from you as always. I love the teardrop too... really seemed to help define the sophistication of the trailer park. The Disney "Cars" buildings are wonderful. I used two different "Cars" buildings (Ramones and Luigis) in my Gangster and Stuff Gallery as well. The only issue with repurposing them is that since they are made for cars, they need human doors, but that's not all that tough to do. As you said, Plasticville buildings are great... simple in construction, but lots of variety. The K-Line are fewer in numbers, but essentially the same look. As to the question of the bugs and why didn't I paint them, frankly, I was torn on that question. I probably should have, but there was a part of me that thought it might be a little crazier and funnier looking if I didn't, and that combined with the fact that during my work on this project, our first grandchild was born, and I wanted to spend more time with her and this project had been on the workbench for nearly a year and I wanted to see it in a finished state... all set up. Anyway, unpainted crazier and funnier won out, but I am sure I will go back and paint the bugs in time. Thanks for checking it out.
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Fun stuff for sure man!!...I will check out YOUR website when I get home, as the site is blocked by my work system...but Trust ME...I'll be there!!
Cheers,
Carl
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Sinewgrab, you're right that I don't have the space to leave these collections set up. Once the photography is done it's all packed up and put away. All of my galleries/collections are set up on one or two 5 ft. x 7 ft. tables. These are plywood surfaces with wooden rims/frames around the edge. The plywood surfaces are set on folding tables (3 ft. x 6 ft.). The plywood surfaces have frames on the bottom of each surface that fit around the tables so the plywood surfaces are secure. When the photography is done the plywood surfaces are taken off the folding tables and placed against a wall in the garage. The folding tables are folded up and placed against the same wall. Most of my gallery layouts are done on ground cover that consists of indoor-outdoor carpet that I bought years ago. I have it in two colors... green and tan. When not in use they are rolled up and put in individual canvas bags that my wife made for them. Most of the figures go in multi-drawer wooden boxes (I've picked up about 30 of them at the swap meet over the years.) I think that if you go to the Post Apoc Gallery posting on my website the first picture in the gallery shows the table and in the background you can see me and some of the wooden multi-drawer boxes. I'm fortunate to have a 3 car garage, and while I keep three cars in it, there are cabinets along the walls were I store a lot of my miniatures' terrain. I also have a very nice Tuff Shed that I use for storing miniatures (the wooden multi-drawer boxes) and terrain. Anyway, that's how it's done. Probably more than you wanted to know.
Doug, I'm really glad that you decided to give my gallery a look. I'm sure that you're not alone in skipping over my work because of the name War In 15mm. When I began painting miniatures more than 40 years ago, my focus was on military/historical collections, and because I love the look of huge armies on the battlefields I went with 15mm. But about 15 years ago I go hooked on the 28s with regard to Pulp/Adventure/Victorian Gothic and crazy stuff like this post apoc collection. I still divide my time between the two. Maybe I should change my posting name from War In 15mm but I've had it for a long time. I was the name I had when my collections were featured in Wargames Soldiers and Strategy in 2009, so it's part of me. When I post a 28mm collection, I always identify it in the title as 28mm, but I'm sure that gets missed by many. As of now I think I have 13 completed 15mm military/historical collections and eight 28mm Pulp/Adventure/Victorian Gothic collections. That division of my painting attention hasn't changed. Having just finished my 28mm post apoc collection, I am now painting a 15mm/18mm Boxer Rebellion collection... that will last until around January at which time I will probably begin another 28mm project. And now we also have the fun of a baby granddaughter. Life is good.
Thanks to both of you for taking the time to write. Richard
Hey Richard I just had a daydream fantasy that one day I am on Storage Hunters and all your packed up layouts are revealed in one of those lock-ups and I bid for them and get the lot for $100!
Well, we can dream....congratulations on your daughter becoming a mother and yourself on being a granddad.
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Just looked through the post apoc gallery on your website ...so many good bits but I think the Paradise Estates trailer park and Bert's Diner were the best for me. The figures I liked best were the biker gang riding into town harassing the yellow truck.
Great work as always!
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Carl and vodkafan, thanks to both of you for taking the time to write and the generous comments.
Carl, special thanks for the congrats regarding my granddaughter's birth... she's an absolute delight! Hope you had a chance to check out the full gallery.
vodkafan, this collection, more than most, allowed me to include some crazy, fun stuff... the junkyard and trailer park were a lot of fun, and Bert's burger statue (a swap meet find) is a favorite of mine.
Richard
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The April 2019 issue of Wargames Illustrated is now available, and I am both thrilled and honored by the way my work was presented in that issue. The title of the piece that begins on page 60 is "Purists, Look Away Now." The title arises from the fact that I am not a gamer. I am not dedicated to a single scale... some of my collections are 15mm, and some are 28mm. I move from military/historical collections (my 15s) to Pulp/Adventure/Victorian Gothic (my 28s). The piece looks at both. The first half is on my 28mm Post Apoc, and the second is my 15mm French And Indian War collection. WI has treated me very generously. I'm a happy guy.(https://live.staticflickr.com/7820/46809391024_79863d55de_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2ejon8W)WI378_600 (https://flic.kr/p/2ejon8W) by Richard Garretson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158632126@N06/), on Flickr
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:o
This all looks amazing. I love a good post apocalypse setting.
I'm in the process of slowing building up enough to make a large town ravaged by a zombie apocalypse - I'm gearing up for a large game for Halloween and there's lots of inspiration here.
Thank you for sharing it.
I love the bikes with the flaming wheels - are they a conversion or are they available to purchase from somewhere?
Cheers RK
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RK, glad you enjoyed the gallery, and good luck with your project. The bikes with flaming wheels are old Heroclix. I got them in a bucket of Heroclix figures for 50 cents each and did a little modification. I afraid I don't know what superhero (Marvel/DC) line they are associated with.
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Congrats, that's quite an honor to appear in the magazine!
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RK, glad you enjoyed the gallery, and good luck with your project. The bikes with flaming wheels are old Heroclix. I got them in a bucket of Heroclix figures for 50 cents each and did a little modification. I afraid I don't know what superhero (Marvel/DC) line they are associated with.
Marvel's Ghost Rider.
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Dr Mathias, when I was contacted, it was a wonderful surprise. I have followed Wargames Illustrated since the days of Peter Gilder and his wonderful Sudan collection. The pictures between the covers of that magazine have inspired and informed me for decades so to be included within its pages is something I will treasure. Thanks for your congrats! Richard