Nick's 1st Age Project

[nicknorthstar]

I've only got Gondor & Lothlorien that went to print. Darn it, I recall I put loads of work into the Rohan, Saruman and Mordor lists.

[sir_shvantselot]

Thanks for sharing these stories.

[DivisMal]

I've only got Gondor & Lothlorien that went to print. Darn it, I recall I put loads of work into the Rohan, Saruman and Mordor lists.

That’s really a pity! Your thoughts on Saruman would be very interesting!

[nicknorthstar]

I don't want to derail this thread into a WAB lists discussion, so I've scanned the army lists and started a new thread here:

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=140528.0

[Daeothar]

That is a nice real world background story on your Balrog

Funny how oftentimes our ideas on how something must look is determined by the first representation we see of the subject matter.

My Balrog will probably always have wings because my first physical representation of one (or so I interpreted it), was the Gargoyle miniature in the Hero Quest game. I mean; it had a whip and a flaming sword, was huge (the largest monster in the box) and had a monstrous head. Of course teenage me immediately saw it for what it was; a Balrog in disguise.

Only many years later did I realise it was in fact a Bloodthirster by another name. But what is a Bloodthirster but an IP evading Balrog miniature, right?

[tikitang]

Superb idea!

My Balrog will probably always have wings because my first physical representation of one (or so I interpreted it), was the Gargoyle miniature in the Hero Quest game. I mean; it had a whip and a flaming sword, was huge (the largest monster in the box) and had a monstrous head. Of course teenage me immediately saw it for what it was; a Balrog in disguise.

I remember assuming, as a child, that the HeroQuest Gargoyle was a Balrog when I saw the flaming sword and whip!

And really, as you suggest, that's exactly what it is when it comes down to it.

[Plynkes]

Funny how oftentimes our ideas on how something must look is determined by the first representation we see of the subject matter.

That's so true. My first exposure to the idea of Balrogs was the Ralph Bakshi animated film, which I saw at the pictures when I was eight. So for me Balrogs must have huge red wings and a head that looks like it belongs on a lion. 

[tikitang]

My first exposure to the idea of Balrogs was the Ralph Bakshi animated film

Same. I have had a lifelong fascination with Balrogs ever since that moment (though I was too young to see it in the cinema; my parents did, but I saw it on my parents' 1:1 12" TV!)

[DivisMal]

I don't want to derail this thread into a WAB lists discussion, so I've scanned the army lists and started a new thread here:

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=140528.0

Splendid!

[nicknorthstar]

This was my first image of a Balrog, Joan Wyatt's 'A Middle-Earth Album'. Very similar to the Bakshi Balrog. This picture spoilt the book a little bit, 'cus I saw it before I'd read that far in the book  So I was 'wonder when the monster will appear.' I saw the Ral Partha model very soon after (The model above) and again, not dissimilar in style to both illustrations. So yes, that's balrogs for me, wings, naked and lion-esque.

[tikitang]

Wow, I've never heard of or seen that artist before. I must look this up!

[DivisMal]

I don’t want to derail this thread, but I had a similar experience reading LotR, having first seen the cover of Interplay’s LotR CRPG, which, in turn, is a piece of art done by the brothers Hildebrandt.

It would be intriguing to see where our ideas of how a Balrog looks like come from. Sadly the brothers‘s website doesn’t give a date for the picture: https://www.spiderwebart.com/productsd.asp?snob=110521

Edit: I found the following text on an auction site selling the picture:
„ Known world wide for their fantasy and science fiction illustrations, identical twin brothers Greg and Tim Hildebrandt created an abundance of fascinating artwork, most notably their illustration work for J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Hobbit' and 'Lord of the Rings'. "Balrog", originally created in the 1970's for Ballantine Books, is a limited edition giclee on canvas, numbered and hand signed by Greg Hildebrandt! Measures approx. 28" x 21" (image).“
https://www.pristineauction.com/a606303-The-Brothers-Hildebrandt-Balrog-Limited-Edition-28x21-Giclee-on-Canvas

If this is correct, this might be the source for all the bloodthirster, winged lion balrogs.

[tikitang]

Sadly the brothers‘s website doesn’t give a date for the picture

I can tell you: 1977.

[Hobgoblin]

Great project - however long in the making!

This was my first image of a Balrog, Joan Wyatt's 'A Middle-Earth Album'. Very similar to the Bakshi Balrog. This picture spoilt the book a little bit, 'cus I saw it before I'd read that far in the book  So I was 'wonder when the monster will appear.' I saw the Ral Partha model very soon after (The model above) and again, not dissimilar in style to both illustrations. So yes, that's balrogs for me, wings, naked and lion-esque.

That's a really interesting image because it's one of very few winged balrogs to actually fit the description in the text. Something I like about older Middle-earth illustrations and miniatures is that you can see that the artists have gone back to the source rather than relying on other people's interpretations. One example would be the Asgard and Ral Partha not-Isengarders having the S-rune on their helmets; another is this balrog with its mane and wings that can actually be spread from wall to wall in a huge chamber. I love the slab-laying trolls too!

(For what it's worth - i.e. nothing! - I'm a no-winger myself  But the picture I get in my head from reading the text would be almost impossible to replicate in miniature. My favourite balrog illustration is the Ian Miller one in the Tolkien Bestiary, with the wingless John Blanche one - a White Dwarf cover? - close behind. For miniatures, the Ral Partha one ties with classic Citadel Fiend Factory fellow, and those both have wings!)

I had seen some of those Joan Wyatt illustrations a long time ago, but I'd completely forgotten about them. They're lovely.

[Hobgoblin]

Actually, Joan Wyatt's orcs have quite an Oathmark look to them: