Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: Ensign Madcap on December 03, 2012, 08:55:41 PM
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I'm continually inspired and blown away by the imagination and paint jobs displayed here on LAF, and thought it was about time I showed you chaps some of my old collection. I haven't done a great deal of painting for about 10 years or so, but now my oldest son (aged 10, hmmm there is some connection there) is getting into painting minis I have dug out a few of my old armies to look at.
I painted this army over 20 years ago, and the paintjobs are beginning to show their age now (as is the Humbrol varnish, yellowing away). I never finished all the figures to complete the army, and will probably get around to that some day. I draw a lot of inspiration from album covers, and At the Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson, one of my favourite sleeves and records, is written for the fantasy gamer, with loads of fungus inspired lyrics about Pattern Jugglers, Fire Witches, Moon children etc. o_o. It ties in nicely with Mick_in_Switzerland's work on a Toyah figure, as Toyah is married to Robert Fripp of King Crimson.
I would be interested to know what you guys think about rebasing, repainting etc, and then completing the cast by adding some of the characters in the songs.
First up some of the units of Orange Goblins (Minifigs Tunnel Elves and the odd Rafm figure)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4976.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4977.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4978.jpg)
I'll just see if this lot upload ok (being a novice at picture posting) and then stick some more photos up in the next day or so.
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Great! Nice to see old school with a PJ. I collect old lead myself but am a very slow painter.....
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As these uploaded ok. I will post the rest of the army here and now, more Orange Goblins first
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4980.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4982.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4983.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4984.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4985.jpg)
Some People of the Pine (Minifigs Silver Rose Knights in fircone like armour)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4986.jpg)
The Purple Piper's freakshow (Minifigs again, I love this old range of bizarre beasties)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4987.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4988.jpg)
The Firewitches, summoned by the tolling of a cracked brass bell
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4990.jpg)
Moonchildren Cavalry, wonderful Rodney Matthews type cavalry and horses again from Minifigs. There seem to be 2 styles of horses here, one with more more barding than the other.
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4991.jpg)
Artillery, to cast the Crimson King's likeness at the enemy (old Atlantic catapults with Irregular artillerygoblins
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4994.jpg)
Orange Goblin sleeping quarters
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4995.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4996.jpg)
The keeper of the City Gates and his deafonator
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4997.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4998.jpg)
Seige Tower. The arms are lowered on arrival at the walls
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM4999.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM5000.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM5001.jpg)
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM5002.jpg)
and finally some of the Crimson Kings fanatics
(http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/ad173/Cwichelm/COURT%20OF%20THE%20CRIMSON%20KING/HPIM5004.jpg)
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You've got some VERY COOL minis there...the cavalry in particular. The pieces have a certain surrealistic quality to them which appeals to moi...I'm a surrealist sort of Old Guy. Keep 'em coming!
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This is really impressive..! Somewhat surreal, as Monsier Nala has said. The concistantly bizarre figures and imagery really make this work :) Good job! I love the siege tower!
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Lovely - I really like the cavalry too, and the orange goblins, and the siege tower and the...
Well all of it really - its like a cross between something from Alice in Wonderland, Narnia and goodness knows what else 8)
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Awesome.
I don't think you need to repaint.
Not sure what you could add to the range now - most modern sculpts are not as esoteric as the old Minifigs range although there are some Empire of the Petal Throne that might fit in.
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Wonderful! It needs no changes it's a thing of its time and is better for it.
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:-*
I have a tub of tunnel elves that I have been aching to paint up, including the horses- very Rodney Matthews!
This is really inspiring stuff! True fantasy!
How about making some Red King air balloons?
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Regarding repainting and fixing up...
A soft nylon house paintbrush can take off the dust, a fresh spray of gloss varnish, followed by matte spray may help pop the colors back.
Failing that, I would then look at using really transparent glazes of windsor & newton inks thinned with matt medium (citadels one is, surprisingly, the best for this) to enrich any faded colors and give a bit of contrast and depth.
Other then that an edge highlight or two and a little love on the bases and your gilding that lilly!
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Amazing! :o An inspirational army- thanks for posting mate.
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Regarding repainting and fixing up...
A soft nylon house paintbrush can take off the dust, a fresh spray of gloss varnish, followed by matte spray may help pop the colors back.
Failing that, I would then look at using really transparent glazes of windsor & newton inks thinned with matt medium (citadels one is, surprisingly, the best for this) to enrich any faded colors and give a bit of contrast and depth.
Other then that an edge highlight or two and a little love on the bases and your gilding that lilly!
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Wow that's some seriously fun and funky stuff.
Very different, I love it of course. :-* :D
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Somewhere deep in the lead mountain I think I might still have some of those figures.
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I love and I mean love this army, do not rebase, do not repaint; it is perfect as is (though I would suggest what king said about a new coat of varnish). This is everything I love about old lead/sculpts nothing can touch these sculpt today. I am especially impressed with all the freehand on the shields, bravo!
All I can say is keep posting everything you have ever painted; I for one want to see it all.
Great stuff
Damien
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Well all of it really - its like a cross between something from Alice in Wonderland, Narnia and goodness knows what else 8)
Robert Fripp would be my guess..............
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More @ Peter Sinfield.
Fun project tho. Wondering why it's the Keeper of the City Gates and not the Keeper of the City Keys tho. But then again, People of the Pine(s) weren't on the album either so no biggie 8)
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Mad genius. 8) :-*
Who wouldn't love a prog rock themed army? Please, please tell me you have a Hawkwind or Gong inspired opposition force as well... ;D
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Applause!
wonderful creations!
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Great army and some very nice hints to the King Crimson LP, I think the overall feel is just brilliant! Very crazy and original!
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Chaps, thanks for your very kind words, they really make me want to get back to the painting table straight away (pity I'm at work). Great thing this forum.
Awesome.
I don't think you need to repaint.
Not sure what you could add to the range now - most modern sculpts are not as esoteric as the old Minifigs range although there are some Empire of the Petal Throne that might fit in.
Happily I have a good few boxes of Minifigs stored up to finish. Up until recently I agree figures have been a bit staid and suited to specific GW armies, but there are some wonderful Froud inspired minis popping up now. I remember Empire of the Petal Throne as a RP game I think. Are there minis available now?
Wonderful! It needs no changes it's a thing of its time and is better for it.
Thanks, Matakishi. I have been ogling your website recently to get back into the swing of things, and I love the Conan stuff especially, also your painted block scenery.
Regarding repainting and fixing up...
A soft nylon house paintbrush can take off the dust, a fresh spray of gloss varnish, followed by matte spray may help pop the colors back.
Failing that, I would then look at using really transparent glazes of windsor & newton inks thinned with matt medium (citadels one is, surprisingly, the best for this) to enrich any faded colors and give a bit of contrast and depth.
Other then that an edge highlight or two and a little love on the bases and your gilding that lilly!
Good ideas , thanks, I may well crack on with this.
I love and I mean love this army, do not rebase, do not repaint; it is perfect as is (though I would suggest what king said about a new coat of varnish). This is everything I love about old lead/sculpts nothing can touch these sculpt today. I am especially impressed with all the freehand on the shields, bravo!
All I can say is keep posting everything you have ever painted; I for one want to see it all.
Aww, shucks... thanks Damien. I have got a couple more armies up my sleeve... will post soon.
Who wouldn't love a prog rock themed army? Please, please tell me you have a Hawkwind or Gong inspired opposition force as well... ;D
Love both those bands (Chronicle of the Black Sword is my favourite Hawkwind album), but I am hatching another army based on a proggish album cover, just working on the centrepiece at the moment, slowly but surely.
How about making some Red King air balloons?
Now that is a great idea...where did I put those ballcocks?
many thanks all.
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Brilliant - this keeps getting better. I'd love to see what you haven't painted! If you have spare Pixies from the Minifigs VFW range please let me know if any are up for trade - I am missing a few (although only collect ones of each type) and have loads of spare stuff if you in for trading. The Lost Minis WIKI is a boon for collecting guides and trips down memory lane. A lot of my pics here;
http://miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=Valley_of_the_Four_Winds (http://miniatures-workshop.com/lostminiswiki/index.php?title=Valley_of_the_Four_Winds)
There is a new range for Empire of the Petal Throne now - lose yourself in this blog;
http://thetekumelproject.blogspot.co.uk/ (http://thetekumelproject.blogspot.co.uk/)
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Wow - far out... I mean, far up! That's a bunch of sky high goblins. They really need to get some doomdivers to get them 8 miles high. Great idea. I love that album.
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Little to add. Perfect fantasy miniatures. It would be great to see them again once some of the dust is gone.
If you have any of those Valley of the Four Winds weirdos kicking around as extras, too, know you've got at least one buyer.
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Fantastic stuff, I too love the Rodney Mathews vibe :-* For yourself and for us get back to painting!
FFF
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Brilliant stuff from the Golden Age ... Keep it coming!
:-*
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Fan-bloody-tastic! ;D
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Just adding my voice to the chorus of adoration for this army. Fabulous stuff.
The Valley of the Four Winds minis were some of the first I ever bought as a kid. They're still some of my favorites. You've painted them and kitted them out so nicely... such a treat for the eyes!
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This is really fantastic. :)
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Brilliant stuff from the Golden Age ... Keep it coming!
:-*
^^^
This.
Absolutely wonderful!
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Thanks for the encouragement, glad you like these old figures....I really think Minifigs produced the best figures ever, and they are such fun to paint too, maybe it's a nostalgia thing, but I have not found anything that floats my boat as much.
Fantastic stuff, I too love the Rodney Mathews vibe :-* For yourself and for us get back to painting!
FFF
Yep, my bedroom was floor to ceiling Rodney Matthews pictures during the eighties, posters and cut up calendars. I recently managed to get a signed copy of Safe and Sound on the Sundial which I have had framed and put up in the mancave... :D
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Wow, what a fantastic army! Amazing stuff - you must be very proud :)
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maybe it's a nostalgia thing, but I have not found anything that floats my boat as much.
There is a style to them that is... well, it seems to thrive on the relative lack of details compared to modern bling encrusted minis. The lack of intricate detail leaves them a bit mysterious/open-ended... as do the names for many of them, that allude to unfamiliar factions and realms. I look at them and they fire up my imagination with their open potential.
Kind of like how my favorite toys as a kid were not tied to any particular movie or TV show... so I felt free to create whatever personality I wanted for them.
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These look great! I would really love it if Minifigs re-vamped that old line to modern standards! Or gave permission for someone to do it...
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There is a style to them that is... well, it seems to thrive on the relative lack of details compared to modern bling encrusted minis. The lack of intricate detail leaves them a bit mysterious/open-ended... as do the names for many of them, that allude to unfamiliar factions and realms. I look at them and they fire up my imagination with their open potential.
Kind of like how my favorite toys as a kid were not tied to any particular movie or TV show... so I felt free to create whatever personality I wanted for them.
Spot on Simlasa, Rudolph Steiner said something very similar about children's toys, the lack of detail or expression, allowing the player to be more creative and imaginative. The standardisation of GW's armies and everyone following in their wake has taken the fantasy out of fantasy gaming.
These look great! I would really love it if Minifigs re-vamped that old line to modern standards! Or gave permission for someone to do it...
I have been hassling them for years to redo these figures, and the few they have re-released seem to be rather overpriced. If only they would sell the moulds to someone else... me for instance ;)
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Amazing army & wonderful theme. I had no idea they ever made figs like this.
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I would really love it if Minifigs re-vamped that old line to modern standards!
Which modern standards would you want them re-vamped to? I suspect any re-sculpting would be as likely to take away from their charm as add to it.
But having those lines available again at reasonable prices... I'd like them but I wonder if they'd sell enough to make it worth the effort.
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The problem is that the molds are sure to be shot and masters probably long gone, so you'd be making new molds from old figures.
I'd like to see the Knights re-sculpted with the same armour and shields - just nice, crisp new figures.
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First let me start by saying that I am a huge King Crimson fan. Secondly, I love what you've done with the place! Great to see this level of work done and even better that you used KC covers for inspiration!
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Mike
Absolutely mind blowing army! This is soo creative and filled with great ideas. I didn't know the minifigs range at the time but you have created a wonderfully original army. There is definitely a Rodger Matthews look to your chaps. By the way what are the very Matthewesque mounted figures and hoses?
best wishes
Alan
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There is definitely a Rodger Matthews look to your chaps. By the way what are the very Matthewesque mounted figures and hoses?
Thanks, the mounted chaps are High Elves from the Minifigs Aureola Rococo range, which had Tunnel elves (the short green chaps in my army), barbarians and some rather pert Amazons among others. They were a wonderful range of original fantasy figures and I am sure these elves were based on Rodney Matthews' art, the horses certainly are his style (which is why I painted them blue rather than a horsey colour). If they rereleased these at a reasonable price I would buy loads more.
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Amazing looking army.
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Ensign Madcap (did you laugh when you did this?!)
Love this - I always felt that Court of the Crimson Kings really called out to me as a fantasy fan.I love how you have taken the concepts from the album and developed them. All I could think of that it seemed to lack was a Black Queen to chant the funeral march - or did I just miss her?
I seem to recall the People of the Pines from Moorcock's Second Chronicles of Corum. Now the Fhoi Myore would make a breathtaking fantasy army too!
Wonderful - thanks for sharing!
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Ensign Madcap (did you laugh when you did this?!)
Love this - I always felt that Court of the Crimson Kings really called out to me as a fantasy fan.I love how you have taken the concepts from the album and developed them. All I could think of that it seemed to lack was a Black Queen to chant the funeral march - or did I just miss her?
I seem to recall the People of the Pines from Moorcock's Second Chronicles of Corum. Now the Fhoi Myore would make a breathtaking fantasy army too!
Wonderful - thanks for sharing!
Thanks, I never finished all the characters in the song, but hope to one day including the black queen et al. Yep the People of the Pines were from a Moorcock book, but I thought they fitted well into this army as a vassal unit to the Crimson King.
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The whole second chronicles of Corum has a great feel great feel to it for gaming. More than the first chronicles, IMO. Just need to resist the urge to find some Ghoolegh huntsmen...
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Wonderful stuff.
The tunnel elves were the first figures i ever bought. 1978 or 1979 i think.
Rodney Mathews posters of Elric on a dragon and the ice ship on the wall.
The ice ship is something i am still planning to do as a wargame.
Thanks for posting.
I think i will get out the handfull of tunnel elves that i still have and repaint them.
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I have just come across this thread - simply phantasmagorical. I love the way you have themed all of the figures into one cohesive whole. Looking forward to seeing more of your prog rock themed armies.
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wow freaky
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Well all of it really - its like a cross between something from Alice in Wonderland, Narnia and goodness knows what else 8)
The bigheaded things under the large hands look like they have come from Spirited Away