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

[Grumpy Gnome]

One thing I have come across with varnishes, not all miniatures and terrain react the same to different varnishes.

I think Dwarven Forge pieces have been the most sensitive but yeah some of the Reaper pieces have gone a bit tacky with one brush on varnish but not another. Which is why we have more than one brand. Where AK Interactive is a problem, Vallejo may work. Where both acrylic varnishes get tacky I also have a Polyurethane varnish to try.

One reason I have not gotten more done is that I have spent a lot of time trying to paint up some factory painted translucent Dwarven Forge “Walls of Flame”. So many iterations of different combinations of paint and varnish and in the end I went back to the original factory work with just a very light drybrush over the heavy handed Factory “over brush”. The least tacky varnish on that was Army Painter gloss. Normally I dislike gloss varnish but on these the gloss accentuates the translucency, making it look almost like amber.

If the d20 swingyness bothers me I will try 2d10.

Van Helsing is very hit and miss. Some episodes are better than others and it can drag on at times with characters going back and forth in exhausting development cycles that are at times inexplicable. Lots of annoyingly bad decisions and foolishness. However, if you have the discipline to persevere some of the characters may grow on you. The show definitely has more to offer than just the main character but it does get into soap opera territory at times.

You do need to watch Loki. Seriously. If you like the MCU you will want to see Loki to understand where they are going with the multiverse.

I am surprised at how much I like Sweet Tooth considering how “on the nose” it is at times with current issues. So many things are addressed beyond the obvious pandemic. Climate change, politics, family values, generational conflict, technology, crime, scientific ethics. It gets a bit preachy at times but never too much to bear (if you catch my pun, bonus points to you).

[CookAndrewB]

Little to add today beyond saying Loki has been one of the better-produced TV series I have seen in a while. The difference between a movie and TV is getting smaller by the day. Loki churned out more than a feature-length worth of footage at nearly the production quality of MCU's summer blockbusters of 2-3 years ago. I'd rather see something like Guardians of the Galaxy in this made-for-TV format as I think it would allow for more linked stories to be told that fold into a larger plot thread. Something serialized would work well for GotG similar to Mandalorian.

[Grumpy Gnome]

I quite agree with you mate.

[Grumpy Gnome]

I managed to get a few things finished. Terrain and some big bats.

https://thegrumpygnome.home.blog/2021/07/24/paying-full-price-or-nearly-anyway/

Opinions?

[2010sunburst]

Those bats are superb.  Truly excellent wing tones.

[BZ]

Thats a really awesome paintjob on those bats!

[Grumpy Gnome]

Thanks for the kind words folks! I have to admit that I am pleased with them.

[CookAndrewB]

Agreed, those bats are wonderful.

Nice to snatch up some DF bits to add to the collection. I imagine there is a fairly steady trade in such things at this point? Also, the HH building is looking good. Can't wait to see the whole lot on the table.

[Grumpy Gnome]

The DF pieces are ones we got quite some time ago but have taken awhile to come up with a paint scheme we liked to standardize our collection. Right now we have a medley of unpainted, factory painted, and painted by others pieces.

Thanks for the kind words. The bats have been some of most complimented painting so far so it feels like a real achievement.

[CookAndrewB]

I feel like once you crack the code on color matching all your DF stuff back to a standard it won't take long to get them matching regardless of the source.

[Chief Lackey Rich]

Very nice.  Still kicking myself for not grabbing a box of those bats in the twenty minutes the FLGS had them.  I think GW sent them a grand total of three boxes of them despite them ordering 24, and as with so many things these days they refuse to even commit to them ever being available to stores again.

[Grumpy Gnome]

GW puts out a lot I do not like aesthetically (too over the top for me but to each their own) however lately there have been a couple things that caught my eye. I am even considering the new kruleboyz and hobgrots..

[CookAndrewB]

I liked the old beaky marines. Past that I haven't cared much for GW. I do think the models are impressive and detailed, but that doesn't suit my painting skill or style. I also don't like the size of them, nor the cost. I'd probably pay good money to get my hands on a sprue of the beakies, but I've no real interest in their modern take on things.

Grumpy enough for you, Rick?

[Chief Lackey Rich]

GW puts out a lot I do not like aesthetically (too over the top for me but to each their own) however lately there have been a couple things that caught my eye. I am even considering the new kruleboyz and hobgrots..

Agreed.  Their figure ranges are very much an example of Sturgeon's Law - mostly dross of no interest to me beyond maybe trading for bits, but they have enough things that catch my eye to make me reluctantly buy things now and then. 

They're probably seeing more business from me than usual of late as a side effect of my attempts to support the local FLGS during the COVID mess - US distributors are getting very, very bad about carrying minis from anyone (especially overseas), so I'm reduced to buying GW for lack of the store having much else to choose from beyond D&D plastics from WizKids.  It's been like pulling teeth just getting North Star and Wargames Atantic stuff into the shop the last year or so.

[Grumpy Gnome]

Hmm, Good point about the increasing size… thanks for reminding me Andrew.

It seems a terrible shame Rich, the Northstar and Wargames Atlantic stuff is so good. I take it that this applies also to Victrix and Fireforge?

The Fireforge Folk Rabble “peasant mob in a box” is also one of those sets that deserves pretty much universal FLGS distribution. Same with Victrix Vikings.

I suppose I used to take for granted the wide spread international availability of models but post-Brexit EU store stock levels has given me a glimpse of what it sounds like you have been experiencing in the States.