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Miniatures Adventure => Age of Myths, Gods and Empires => Topic started by: Neldoreth on August 13, 2012, 08:28:51 PM

Title: Xerxes' Persians - a project (first unit COMPLETE Sep 17, 2012)
Post by: Neldoreth on August 13, 2012, 08:28:51 PM: This one is going to take me a long time because I'm painting slower than ever these days, and I have a lot to paint... but I might as well kick it off! Here is the first archer in a unit of spear-fronted archers that will make up a unit of about 20 ancient Persians.

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/1_archerC.jpg)

Stay tuned for more later this week or early next!

Thanks
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Helen on August 13, 2012, 09:40:54 PM: Very nice brushwork. I've a few Persians I wish to paint, but still have colour issues.

Looking forward in seeing more of your work.

Cheers,

Helen
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Blackwolf on August 13, 2012, 09:41:24 PM: My goodness!!! Lovely work,looking forward to the rest ;)
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: greatescapegames on August 14, 2012, 03:27:40 PM: Keep up the posting, I'd love to see how the project develops long term.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Neldoreth on August 16, 2012, 03:08:25 AM: Thanks for the positive feedback guys, greatly appreciated!

Another archer comes together, now only about 17 more to go before the first unit is done! lol

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/1_archerB.jpg)

Thanks again,
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: mikedemana on August 16, 2012, 05:13:34 AM: As always, your work is inspiring! Will this be for a Kings of War army, or is this painting for pleasure?

Mike Demana
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Prof.Witchheimer on August 16, 2012, 07:44:58 AM: lovely painting, nice choice of colors!
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Groove51 on August 16, 2012, 08:32:15 AM: They look very nice! :D
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Neldoreth on August 21, 2012, 04:55:06 PM: Quote from: mikedemana on August 16, 2012, 05:13:34 AM
As always, your work is inspiring! Will this be for a Kings of War army, or is this painting for pleasure?

Mike Demana

Thanks Mike! Right on both counts! The plan is indeed to build this into a Kings of War army, but to go slow enough so that it doesn't become tedious!

I like the unit-base scheme that Kings of War supports... I always liked dioramas the best... But I guess it would be much more *cool* if I could create a unit that looked great both as a unit, and broken out into skirmishers.... Oh well, maybe for next time :)

Thanks again,
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Neldoreth on August 21, 2012, 05:07:49 PM: Another archer ready for the war! I stuck closely to all the popular images of early immortals for this one... So many stripes! At least they're easier than fiddly little details :)

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/1_archerA.jpg)

Thanks
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: oldskoolrebel on August 21, 2012, 05:11:20 PM: Fantastic work, I love the stripes! Although I've got a feeling that you may hate them by the end of the project!

Who manufactures these guys?

Cheers
Andy
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: greatescapegames on August 22, 2012, 04:47:26 PM: Wargames Factory.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: oldskoolrebel on August 23, 2012, 03:43:00 PM: Quote from: greatescapegames on August 22, 2012, 04:47:26 PM
Wargames Factory.

Cheers for the info. It's hard to believe that these are Wargames Factory miniatures; after all the negative reviews that I've heard of them.

Cheers
Andy
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Neldoreth on August 23, 2012, 04:44:34 PM: Quote from: oldskoolrebel on August 23, 2012, 03:43:00 PM
Cheers for the info. It's hard to believe that these are Wargames Factory miniatures; after all the negative reviews that I've heard of them.

Cheers
Andy

In all honesty I never really understood why there were all of those negative reviews. Most the the Wargames Factory figs are pretty good I think, certainly not too much worse that other manufacturers. Along from the first set of Romans and the later sets, I think that these Persians are some of the best from WF.

And also, these figs were 20cents US a piece, nothing beats that price!

Thanks
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Stecal on August 24, 2012, 03:10:10 PM: Those are rather nice.

I am getting that bad feeling that I may have to start yet another project. Horde armies always seem to attract me.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Ryan on August 25, 2012, 07:03:28 PM: Beautiful paint jobs! :o
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Mason on August 25, 2012, 11:33:09 PM: These look lovely.
Something about all those loud colours suggests pyjamas to me.
Very well-painted pyjamas!
:-* :-* :-*
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Neldoreth on August 26, 2012, 12:37:07 AM: Thanks for the kind words guys! I know what you're saying about Pajamas, but loose fitting light clothes makes for easier living under the Persian sun!

I just finished the first of the shield bearers, but I'm going to wait to show the shields until the whole unit is done! Here's a teaser of the clothing and face:

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/1_shieldBearerC.jpg)

Thanks,
n
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Elbows on August 26, 2012, 02:03:42 AM: Good looking stuff! Wargames Factory is very hit or miss (actually out of all of their sets, perhaps 2-3 are really quite awful, the rest being pretty darn good, particularly for the money!).

I was going to do a Persian army a couple years back, never got around to it.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Ryan on August 26, 2012, 08:06:46 AM: Do you mind if I ask which colours you use for the skin tones? I always have trouble getting the right look for Easterners from that part of the world!!! Even though we have thousands of them living in Birmingham, and so plenty of opportunity to study them, I can never translate it onto miniatures!!! :( :(
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Neldoreth on August 27, 2012, 06:45:46 PM: I agree with you Elbows; I don't like the Vikings as much as Gripping Beast's offerings... But most of their stuff I like quite a bit.

@ Ryan. Actually, around this time Persians hadn't mixed all that much with Arabs and so were quite light skinned. It's possible the the Greeks would have been darker even during that time. But I paint my figures with "on campaign" skin tones, meaning they've been out in the sun long enough to be bloody-well tanned! My Romans, medievals, and even ancient British get a similar skin tone...

Unfortunately though, it's an odd mix of colours. I start with IWM/Ral Partha Leather. I mixed some burnt umber into it to make it darker and use that as a base for the flesh, then I highlight up with plan IWM/Ral Partha leather, then with leather + one part Ivory, then leather + two parts ivory :) Not all that helpful, I know :)

Thanks guys,
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (new pics Aug 28, 2012)
Post by: Neldoreth on August 28, 2012, 02:57:25 PM: Another shield bearer; I'm starting to put the shield bearers on the unit base!

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/1_shieldBearerD.jpg)

Thanks
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Ryan on August 29, 2012, 06:04:24 PM: Quote from: Neldoreth on August 27, 2012, 06:45:46 PM
I agree with you Elbows; I don't like the Vikings as much as Gripping Beast's offerings... But most of their stuff I like quite a bit.

@ Ryan. Actually, around this time Persians hadn't mixed all that much with Arabs and so were quite light skinned. It's possible the the Greeks would have been darker even during that time. But I paint my figures with "on campaign" skin tones, meaning they've been out in the sun long enough to be bloody-well tanned! My Romans, medievals, and even ancient British get a similar skin tone...

Unfortunately though, it's an odd mix of colours. I start with IWM/Ral Partha Leather. I mixed some burnt umber into it to make it darker and use that as a base for the flesh, then I highlight up with plan IWM/Ral Partha leather, then with leather + one part Ivory, then leather + two parts ivory :) Not all that helpful, I know :)

A little too much work for my liking. I was hoping for a straight from the bottle suggestion! lol lol But I'm not surprised considering how good they look!!! :D :D

Thanks guys,
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project
Post by: Neldoreth on August 30, 2012, 12:58:16 AM: Quote from: Ryan
A little too much work for my liking. I was hoping for a straight from the bottle suggestion! lol lol But I'm not surprised considering how good they look!!! :D :D

Oh, don't get me wrong, I pre-mixed them into bottles ages ago :) I don't mix every time I paint flesh!

thanks
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (new pics Aug 28, 2012)
Post by: verd on August 30, 2012, 10:51:56 AM: That's an exellent work. :-*
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (new pics Aug 28, 2012)
Post by: Neldoreth on August 30, 2012, 05:04:39 PM: Another shield bearer is ready for the unit. Again, I'll show the shield when the unit is ready... Funny though, the shield isn't all that great to be honest, so I'm not sure why I decided to hide it for now :) Anyway, this unit is coming together nicely, so I'll likely be done in the next couple of weeks!

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/1_shieldBearerA.jpg)

Thanks
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (new pics Aug 30, 2012)
Post by: Neldoreth on September 05, 2012, 04:41:24 PM: Now it's back to archers, archers, archers!

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/2_archerD.jpg)

Thanks,
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (new pics Aug 30, 2012)
Post by: Mason on September 06, 2012, 06:15:08 AM: Very nice!
This is going to be a fine looking unit.
:-*
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (new pics Aug 30, 2012)
Post by: Neldoreth on September 07, 2012, 04:54:21 PM: Finished TWO more archers for my Persians. Here's some pictures:

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/2_archerF.jpg)

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/2_archerE.jpg)

Thanks
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (new pics Sept 7, 2012)
Post by: Neldoreth on September 10, 2012, 04:45:13 PM: Two more:

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/2_archerJ.jpg)

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/2_archerK.jpg)

Thanks
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (new pics Sept 7, 2012)
Post by: Za Zjurman on September 10, 2012, 04:46:48 PM: Very nice PJ, keep them coming
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (new pics Sept 10, 2012)
Post by: Neldoreth on September 18, 2012, 05:41:44 AM: I'm finally finished with the first unit! I've got another 60+ more figures to paint, but I'm going to take a break for now I think :) I'll resurrect this thread when I do!

In the mean time, check out more pictures on my site in my Ancient Persian Gallery LINK (http://www.hourofwolves.org/?view=armies&which=ancientPersia&thumbs=1)

(http://www.hourofwolves.org/images/armies/persians28/3_PaviseUnit1_5.jpg)

Thanks
n.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (first unit COMPLETE Sep 17, 2012)
Post by: commissarmoody on September 18, 2012, 08:55:57 AM: vary colorful
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (first unit COMPLETE Sep 17, 2012)
Post by: Mason on September 18, 2012, 12:56:16 PM: :o

Lovely!

Thet look fantastic as a unit and I can see why you wanted to hold on to those shields.
They really add an extra element of dynamism.
Great work!
:-* :-* :-*
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (first unit COMPLETE Sep 17, 2012)
Post by: angstpuppet on September 19, 2012, 07:06:06 PM: Colorful, dynamic, bold, impressive, and well executed. That unit is fantastic. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (first unit COMPLETE Sep 17, 2012)
Post by: Za Zjurman on September 19, 2012, 07:07:22 PM: WOW, just beautiful thank you very very much for sharing :-*
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (first unit COMPLETE Sep 17, 2012)
Post by: verd on September 20, 2012, 01:59:46 PM: Stunning work ;D
Title: Re: Xerxes' Persians - a project (first unit COMPLETE Sep 17, 2012)
Post by: Neldoreth on September 21, 2012, 09:39:11 PM: Thanks guys, I appreciate the kind words. It's likely that I'll be able to motivate myself to get around to the second unit :)

Thanks again,
n.