Dijit's Fantasy Project

[Kitsune]

The forest floor looks amazing!

[dijit]

Thanks again.
Good idea with the varnish Dave. I'd been wondering how best to protect it without leaving the effect of the glossy white all over it.
The original idea was to have each tree based on a 25/30mm washer which I'd then model roots, etc on. However the damn things kept falling off no matter what sort of glue I used. So they got sort of ditched, might try it again on one or two of them see if epoxy glue will work when PVA, Superglue, glue gun and Uho didn't. I'd also like to add a woodsman's cottage and a few other terrain pieces like a chaos tree or some weird trees inspired by Deafnala's fantastic trees.
Duncan

[abhorsen950]

Really super project! I love all the miniatures so far and the board is excellent, keep it coming! I'm glued to this thread!

[Doomhippie]

Lovely project! And I agree that your board looks absolutely stunning. So it's just old leaves, ey? How did you manage to cut them up into the right size? Some kind of machine?

[Andrew May]

I'd been wondering about using real leaves myself recently and now I wonder no more!
Wonderful work, I even really like the "trees" the effect isn't even diminished by the lack of roots or branches. 

[Delaney]

How about a screw holding on a washer, then put a magnet into the floor?

[Zaheer]

Brilliant board, would love to use it!

The original idea was to have each tree based on a 25/30mm washer which I'd then model roots, etc on. However the damn things kept falling off no matter what sort of glue I used.

I've based my trees on 2p coins. What i did was scratch up the coin, then used a hot glue gun to stick my stick (...) to it. After i used bits of hot glue to make rough roots which can be tarted up with flock or miliput or whatever. They seem fairly secure. I did try epoxy, but it took so long for the glue to dry that nine times out of ten they all fell off the coins. YMMV!

[doctor_ocks]

Thanks sharing the pics!

Brilliant board, would love to use it!

I've based my trees on 2p coins. What i did was scratch up the coin, then used a hot glue gun to stick my stick (...) to it. After i used bits of hot glue to make rough roots which can be tarted up with flock or miliput or whatever. They seem fairly secure. I did try epoxy, but it took so long for the glue to dry that nine times out of ten they all fell off the coins. YMMV!

Hot glue is what I was going to suggest too. Careful though, that stuff is like napalm.

[dijit]

The thought was first to try magnets to hold the washers, but when the washers wouldn't stick I sort of gave up that idea, but am quite pleased with what I came up with. I'm going to give it another shot and hope sculpting roots,etc on might help it work better. I think the biggest problem with the magnets idea is that because the 'trees' are so tall and you're having to put your hand amongst them to move minis, you knock them, which unless the base is very stable means you can start singing 'I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok'.

I've got a couple of orcs painted which I'll post tomorrow once I've got some pictures of them.
Duncan

[Spooktalker]

Looks fantastic! My first instinct was, "Man, no way!"    I've had a dream to make an "under the forest canopy" board for about 5 years and in the last four months I've really been making it happen... I'm at a similar point now as yours... can't believe someone beat me to the punch to show something like this off though!    I was so looking forward to turning people's minds around with this idea. I'm so slow to show pics by the time I get around to sharing pics I'm on to something completely other project. Oh well, mine is different enough, although one of the types of trees I've got start with a base just like these trees. The worn out phrase "great minds think alike" is all I can come up with.  

[dijit]

That sounds fantastic! I'll look forwards to seeing pictures of your board, post them quick so we can see how you've done it.

EDIT:
Well here's the first of the orcs painted:


Gone for more natural colours than the typically greens I think it makes them look meaner. More orcs are on the way plus a troll. Besides that I've started sculpting a few new heads on to the goblin cavalry that arrived the other week, so I don't end up with 3 of the same little guy like the one shown on the first page.

[DeafNala]

VERY COOL on a number of points. After many years of dong the Goblins & Orcs in green, I too am going for a different approach. Your skin tones are an excellent change. I also like the well kept look to their armor & weapons...a race that is devoted to war should be expected to maintain their tools. The setting for the photos, as always, is a lovely enhancement to the minis. VERY WELL DONE!

[dijit]

Well it's been a while since I made an update, but this project hasn't died, rather I've had a few bits unfinished that've now been finished. First up a small band of 5 orcs ready to go raiding (sorry about the bad picture):


And to use a great LoTR quote 'They've got a troll' (a truly awful model, but now at least it's done, trying to work out what was what was pretty difficult):


And they've enlisted the help of a goblin tracker and his dog:


Mean while a Dryad of the Long Forest has joined the forces of the Celts:

[DeafNala]

The new additions are really VERY NICELY DONE! I LOVE the Goblin Tracker & his fuzzy sidekick. AND they all look TERRIFIC in their woodland setting.

[Thantsants]

Still bowled over by that woodland! 

Nice work on the Orcs - got a burgeoning Hobgoblin warband on the backburner myself so I can also get in on the brown skin bandwagon, while staying true to my green skinned orcses! 

The Goblin tracker and his dog look like fun - who takes who for a walk?