The Grumpy Gnome‘s Fantasy Projects Blog (latest update on page 61)

[Mister Frau Blucher]

The tree bases look much better. Good job on the fallen leaves. Be interested to see a picture with it beside the Dwarven Forge Dreadhollow stuff. Does it blend in better, now?

And, yeah, that color combination on the dice looks great!

[Grumpy Gnome]

I think it blends in better but it may need more work.

More information can be found on the longest blog post I have written so far. Numerous photos with comparisons and observations, including some detail painting I have done.

https://thegrumpygnome.home.blog/2021/02/25/dwarven-forged/

As always feedback is encouraged.

[CookAndrewB]

It looks like it could use some lightning up. The DF stuff has a higher contrast between the highlights and recesses. By comparison, I think the GW piece looks monotone. I'd just try hitting it with some lighter dry brush highlights to see if you can pull the two items closer, visually.

[Grumpy Gnome]

Yeah, that makes sense.

Getting the drybrushing on it just right has been more challenging than I expected.

I suggested to my wife that she may want to add some brown dirt patches to break it up as well but I think it is the edge of the forest base that is the real problem.

Perhaps paint it brown and wash it the same as the bases for the figures?

[CookAndrewB]

I would imagine painting the edge brown would cause it to stand out more. If it were me, I'd probably opt for getting the right color for dry brushing, and then sponge painting the edge, or stippling with a brush to bring the dry brushed color down the sides to help blend it. Since it appears like the edges are pretty flat, I would think a minimal amount of being careful would be needed and the process should go quickly once you find the right colors to blend it all together.

In regards to painting some browns on the base, I can see that the DF pieces have a little bit of dirt showing, but then I think you get back to a second color matching issue (perhaps).

I found this topic on the DF forums that talked about matching unpainted DF pieces to the factory-painted bits. I suppose this would help to tie other pieces in as well.
https://www.dwarvenforge.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11356

[Grumpy Gnome]

I like that stippling idea. I have experimented with using some foam to stipple paint before with mixed results but yeah, that could work.

And thanks for the link, I will go have a look now.

[BeneathALeadMountain]

     Excellent haul Rick! I think they look great and love the versatility (but can’t even consider them with the existing lead mountain in its current state- I often have to re-explain why I need 6 mighty fortresses to my wife). Your wife is right to be disheartened at the mould lines - it’s just plain lazy by the creators and could have been easily dealt with before painting but will now be a hassle. Are DF contactable? Could you get them to divulge a list of colours used? If not the best way to match the pieces (using the stippling suggested by CookAndrewB) would be to add colour to both pieces to get uniformity across them both. More work though
     I like that Fallout board and it reminds me of a childhood gaming board my dad made for me. It looked like a multi-storey car park with the ground floor and three levels above. They stacked with corner columns and had stairs and lifts cut into them. It was for the forerunner to Necromunda which was called Confrontation and published in White Dwarf. It was very versatile and got a lot of use (mainly solo) before it’s sad unintentional abandonment in a house move.

Keep up the great work,
BALM

[Grumpy Gnome]

DF have their own brand of paints but I think there is a chart somewhere online that I have seen giving comparisons from their colors to other brands. There are also numerous posts, photos and videos online to help with color matching unpainted DF pieces to the factory paint. It was all a little overwhelming when I was researching it.

It really comes down to balancing demands on my free time.

House moves are a nightmare, I loathe them.

Thanks for the kind words and continuing encouragement.

[CookAndrewB]

Good luck with the house move, Rick.

I did notice some "this paint = DF paint" types of equivalents when I was looking around. Mostly this came in the form of video tutorials rather than any useful conversion charts, but I can respect that DF is trying to keep their paint proprietary.

[Grumpy Gnome]

Thanks for the luck, I will take what I can get, but I am not moving... I was just empathizing with BALM and his house move caused loss!

[CookAndrewB]

Oh... I'm a bit slow on the uptake these days. Big work project. I feel like it is making me dumber by the minute.

[Grumpy Gnome]

No stress mate. I know the feeling.

[Grumpy Gnome]

Our latest progress report...

https://thegrumpygnome.home.blog/2021/03/05/some-of-this-some-of-that/

As always we would love to hear your thoughts!

[Mister Frau Blucher]

Hey, buddy,

I think I'll put a few comments on your blog, too, but wanted to say here that the orcs look really nice.

The DF stuff looks OK, too, though the difference in the base green does still give it kind of a patchwork appearance. That's probably just me, though. Your long post on DF had me thinking about doing the same. But while your enthusiasm has been building, mine has been fading. Not for the pieces I have, but for their direction. I do like the people and I'm glad they seem to be doing well, and I don't like to be negative.

I'd be interested in knowing how your Wildlands pieces do during an actual game. Particularly the banks, which blend the trerrain to the mat well but still seem to be a bit of un-useable space? Maybe that's just me and my unbased 25mm dudes!     

[Grumpy Gnome]

Fair point about those sloped banks being tipping hazards! I had not considered that. You are right, we need some games on the terrain to experience things like that. I was just writing about the stepped Minecraft look of the mountain pieces and that it may impact the look, it helps avoid tipping hazards. There always seems to be a balancing act, pardon the pun, of gameplay versus simulation.