Topic: A Painting Blog for my Tilean Campaign

[Padre]

Brigand Riders

Having about a week or so ago finally got my hobby 'mojo' back, I have done some crucial GMing (more is required),  made a new illustrated story, and I am now painting, trying to finish off the last two spirit host bases and make 13 riders to be the newly resurgent Arrabiatti (i.e. 'angry') Brotherhood. Once again I am attempting to get acrylics to paint the style I have always painted in using enamels. I am a stubborn guy.

Background
These are an organised force of brigands, with a popular tradition of fighting for justice, supposedly lending aid to good causes and against cruel enemies, yet at the same time robbing and plundering to enrich themselves, and to live. They were until recently, and perhaps still are, led by a mysterious Morr-worshipping wizard called Lord Totto, and took part in the first battle of Ebino allied with the (then living) Duchess Maria. Since their magical mauling there (I believe Lord Totto was wounded) they have been quiet, certainly not reappearing in the campaign stories, but that does not mean they have not been active. I reckon they have been recruiting, an easy enough task when the north of Tilea has been ravaged by ogres and vampires, and many a young man has been displaced and exiled from his home. They are selective I reckon, however, and so take only the most able.

I noticed in their first appearance in the battle report I had mentioned they were known as the 'Shadowy Brotherhood' - I had been assuming they were secretive, cunning fellows, like Robin Hood's Merry men. I did not want them dressed in Lincoln green to blend with the foliage like Hood's band, but instead dark colours to blend with the shadows during their crepuscular activities!

I used Perry plastics and metals, for their Tilean look.

Here is the fallen damsel Perette (in her new mounted form) who may be encountering these men soon! I will at least try to get her hair the correct colour. Next to her is my favourite of the plastics. Remember I like 'em to be in suitable poses for conversational stories, not waving their weapons around.



I have put dark cloaks (from a Fireforge sprue I think) on half of the figures. Perette is from a very obscure range by a manufacturer I forget.

Here are the other plastics, all WIP ...



There is a standard bearer and a musician in there. I managed to get one to look like he is just about to knock his arrow.

The metals I like more as they suit the theme better ...



I managed to squeeze  cloaks onto some of these too.

I seem to have missed one out of the photos. Ah well, I'll put him up when he is done. Now back to painting.

[Von Zorn]

These are excellent additions, Padre. I like the mounted version of Perette, and the horsemen look great. Those Perry medieval plastics are so versatile, I just wish they were a tad chunkier, but on the tabletop it's not really noticeable. My upcoming Estalian nobility are Perry Mounted Men at Arms from the WoTR plastics range.

An angry Brotherhood sounds scary and troubling! I have a feeling there's going to be an awesome new story involving a certain woman's flight from a certain rat infested city, and her finding or being found by this brotherhood?

[Padre]

I had no idea you had precognitive abilities! I suppose you don't use them when formulating your strategies so that there is a level playing field! That's lovely of you!

I have been wanting these guys to make a reappearance ever since they fled through the city gates at the first battle of Ebino. The really ancient figures I used in that game were no good for stories though so I put them on the back burner (for years).

The real Renaissance Arrabiati (Angry Ones) was a movement in opposition to the Florentine Savonarola. In the campaign world I had a Savonarola type (Sagrannalo) in the background ([in] 2350, inspired by his successes and growing ever more manic with old age, Sagrannalo declared the ‘Holiest War’, intending to utilise his new army of Trantio to cleanse the other princely states of Tilea of corruption.) But I had the Arrabbiati not opposing him, but further north opposing various tyrants. You have to mix it up. Although the player's decisions and orders do that very, very well!

[Padre]

A lot more work done last night and today, but my favourite development is this banner. I didn't paint it, instead I searched for Renaissance Italian flags for inspiration, hoping to find something that could work for a proud band of brigands. Google sent me various ways until I got to page of Croatian flags. I saw this and it seemed perfect - the right sort of image and from a RW region neighbouring Italy, from which mercenaries did travel to RW Italy (aka 'stradiots' from the Balkans).



I reckon this has to be a good banner for a shadowy brotherhood of 'angry' men? Yes?

[Gankom]

Looking great Padre!

[Sharkbelly]

Agreed. I love the banner!

[Von Zorn]

This might be a stupid question, but how do you make your banners? I have to make a load for my forces. It looks great, by the way, I love the wolf! Well painted!

[Padre]

I'm cheap. I don't mind admitting it.

1. Google image search using various terms and hone in on whatever I like.
2. Copy and paste the image into MS Paint
3. Do whatever is needed (copying, pasting, reversing and moving usually) to make it into strip showing both sides of the flag
4. Paste it onto MS Word and work out (comparing the screen page to an A4 sheet) what size I'll need, sometimes I waste ink to save time and just paste it several times, dragging from the corner to do several sized versions which I can choose between on the printout.
5. Print and cut out with some excess paper left.
6. Fold with a light source behind to line it up, then apply 'Prittstick' type glue and glue, leaving a space at the folded side for the pole to go through - sometimes I stick a file through to ensure the space will be available, just prodding one side then the other.
7. Cut more precisely. Again I might proddle with the file to make sure the pole end doesn't stick together yet
8. Mount on pole/spear/lance and press the glue the last bit (the hole still has some glue in there, see?) Sometimes the gap has to be quite large if the pole has some sort of crest on it.
9. Mix a colour to match and dab along the flag's edge (I used to use felt tips) to hide the white cut edges of the paper.
10. Bend it in an interesting manner as if blowing in the wind. (I'd like to try some 'hanging limp' flags one day, but I'm too much of a man right now.)

Voila, as dyslexic Viola players say.

[Von Zorn]

Handy! Cheers! I think I've always figured I'd struggle to get the sizing right from the screen to the printed page, but I guess it's easier than in my mind - things usually are!

(I'd like to try some 'hanging limp' flags one day, but I'm too much of a man right now.)

 

The day we see one of your units with a draping flag we might now wonder!

[Padre]

Once you've pasted the image on MSWord, just hold a piece of A4 up next to it, and size the screen page to match, then you will see the actual print out size.

[Padre]

Apart from basing, and attaching them to their horses (which I might not do in a permanent fashion, in case I need the horses on their own in a scene) the Arrabiatti are done.

Her is the new, mounted version of the fire wizard Perrette L’Amy, now the commander of what little is left of the Bretonnian Brabanzon mercenary company. She's 'Warlord 2' from Elite wargames and models range, with a magical staff from one of the Frostgrave wizards sets.



Help me here, you acrylics experts. I have been using enamels for 40 years and haven't much of a clue. Is there a way I can make the orb-gem (?) on the top the cane look jewel like?

Here are the command, plastic Perry's Light Cavalry 1450-1500, with an old GW Empire Militia head thrown in





I added cloaks to two of these, as I have done to several of the others, using a Fireforge sprue, I think. I wanted subdued, dark hues to their clothes as they are AKA The Shadowy Brotherhood. (Yeah, rubbish name, I know, so I'll stick with the more common Arrabiatti).

Here are the metal riders (Perry Westernised Stradiots) ...





I like these guys and I think they fit my initial idea for the Arrabiatti slightly better than the Light Horse. I modeled one of them with a flask, which hopefully will become useful in a story ...



Looking at the pic, I think I have some corrective work yet to do on the face. My eyes are rubbish, and I often only spot problems in the photos!

Here are the plastics, with a stray metal on the viewer's far right. I didn't notice when I was photographing them!





Four are just a-riding along, and so great for story pics. One, however, I got clever with, and I used some other Perry arms to have him being a bit more dynamic. I have to get this guy into a story as I really like him.

[Artobans Ghost]

Excellent! All of the above excellent 😺

[warrior577]

So detailed, this is very impressive! Amazing 

[Padre]

RW Year ago (!) the Holy Army of Remas was planning to assault the moated walls of Ebino. They started converting the steam tank into a huge, mobile ramp and began to make a large wheeled petard. So, I began modelling said petard ...





BUT they never finished their engines, because the undead force sallied out and utterly defeated their army.

Time passed, and various bits (mainly the carriage) of the petard went into other projects.

Now, however, Lord Alessio's army of Portomaggiorans and Remans are intending to assault the same city of Ebino, this time with three large, mobile ramps to cross the moat- after which ladders will be used in the normal manner. They also have decided to turn a misfired mortar into a petard, and so the project was picked up again!



New wheels, and room for more pushers.



Roll it up to the gate (over the stone bridge) and BOOM! Gate and portcullis blown to pieces. Hopefully the brave (possibly drunk) petardiers will survive too!

[Midaski]

Brilliant.
 

[Zak]

Dude im really enjoying your stuff on FB.. Especially the diorama shots !! If you have not seen them i would encourage you all to check them out

 

[Padre]

Everything on Facebook is already on this forum. Most of it has been on this forum for years. Colour me confused.

But thanks anyway. It is very good to know you like the images.

This has always been always my first place to post stuff and then the rest has been extra.

[Padre]

Finally completed the second pair of spirit hosts. AoS figures, re-based to make an 8th ed Vampire Counts unit.







I HAVE to learn how to paint the modern way as my attempt to transfer my enamel style to acrylics is proving nightmarishly frustrating! These will do, but I am not really happy with them. Except ... it does mean that now everything I need for the next campaign game is painted.

[Artobans Ghost]

These guys are great! 
We will make you an aos’er yet 😺
(Not)

[Sharkbelly]

Great job! You use them as Spirit Hosts?

[S.O.F]

The daggers do make for excellent Tilean Ghosts

[Padre]

I am weak. After little more than a year trying to replicate my 35 years enamel painting style in acrylics, I have decided to try a more 'modern' method. On Von Zorn's advice, I got myself some Army Painter Quickshade Dark Tone and have just finished the basic block painting of 10 Cairn Wraiths.

I say Cairn Wraiths, but they are some AoS figures I obtained at a bargain price with the crazy bases hacked up so that they fit on 20mm bases, and even rank up.

WIP - here they are ready for the dip! (My first ever attempt at such!)



I may see if I can apply the dip everywhere but NOT on the light blue part, as even I can see it won't work well there. I will just dry brush that with an almost white blue.

I will try it at the weekend. Pray for me to unholy Nagash - may his curse fall upon all the living.

PS: A unit of 10 if these (rare choice, VC) are expensive, I know. But all the regular VC field armies in the campaign have been beat and now the living armies face marching into the spooky heartlands to finish the job off. I want that region to be tough, filled with ghosts and monsters and such as these!

[Padre]

So, my first ever experiment with dip is done. I now have a very points-expensive rare unit of 10 CairnWraiths!

I like them a lot, despite being pretty different to what I have done in the last 35 years of painting. I have plans to use this same technique on a few projects, including a small (ish) regiment of Skaven next.

[Zygmund]

Nice result! (Never done real dipping myself, just soaking with washes.)

-Z

[Padre]

Thanks. I did brush the dip on, and avoided the light blue area because I wanted that to look ethereal, not dirty!