D&D: Hill Giant

Started this Giant quite some time ago and it was been languishing in a box, then a shelf, back to a box and finally to my work area where I decided it had to be finished no matter what. So here it is.

I posted here a while back about the initial sculpting, such as it is, but I had to do a load more and not with Das and PVA. To create the hands I used GS as I couldn't get the shape well enough with the Das. I think that I could have created a much smoother look if only I had taken a little more time and care to be honest. I feel that the face in general lets it down, but it was a bit of an experiment as it was all sculpted in Das and PVA, so perhaps I am being a little hard n myself.

So using Das and PVA together has worked, sort of, just need to do more practice and keep developing technique as well as patience.

Whatever happens I'll have no problem using him as a giant for Saga, Frostgrave or in my D&D games, on the other hand its not a model I'm proud of or would try to sell.

New Hill, new Method

This is a prototype for a set of hills I will be making soon. They will be constructed from insulation foam. Yes, I was given some so no purchase here.

This one is a bit square, my excuse is that I was experimenting to find out just how it would work and had thought I might place 2 close together to create a larger hill. I'll probably not bother with that.

So the next will be a bit more sculpted and smoothed. I do intend making some without any rocky outcrops too.

Also, very importantly, I wanted to make sure that I wasn't making a hill so steep that models would slip off or down. As it happens I'm happy with the test.

This angle is the only slightly dodgy one, and I know where I went wrong, so shouldn't happen on any of the other hills.

Reclaimed Boulders/Rock Formations

These are part of the remodeling work I have recently embarked upon. I felt that some of the pieces I had made were OK at the time I made them but don't reflect where I am now.

I didn't want to start from the start and make them from scratch yet again, I didn't want to waste all the materials used in the initial construction. Partly because I don't have a lot of money or space and partly to save on the huge impact on the environment these are bound to have, every little counts :-)

These will get used in just about any miniatures based game 30 mm down to 10 mm, Kings of War, D&D, Five Parsecs.

The originals were lathered in PVAcrete and then sculpted with a tool to create the marks. The paint was all cheap acrylic emulsion.  

Expect to see further reclamation projects alongside new builds this year. I discovered loads of pieces that need revamping rather than tossing in my loft.

Home Made War Game Mat

A couple of weeks back I decided to finally have a go at making myself a war games mat. Since it was finished it has been rolled up and left on top of a cupboard to see how well it would do when unraveled.

Its only 3ft by 4ft, sort of thing for playing Saga on. 

I was very much aware that I didn't want to have too much flock on the mat, as it would probably all fall off, so i didn't put too much on. Also I wanted to make sure it looked different from my boards.

I made it to take either to the club or my friend Mick's when we play Saga.

With some terrain on it looks fine to me, may have a go at ironing the reverse at some point as I forgot too when I was making it.

It was made from a heavy painters cloth from EBay, which bought about 4 years ago, yeah I like to work nice and slow... 

The painters cloth, cut up gave me 3 mats 3ft by 4ft and one that I may get a 2ft by 2 ft mat from.

I covered the cloth with a thin layer of decorators caulk with some brown acrylic paint mixed in.

Then I sprinkled and pressed into the caulk a good smattering of flock, dark, medium to bright green.

Then later when it was dried I decided it needed some more flock so added some more with PVA watered down to hold in place.

All in all, this is a mat that will be an experiment and get used until it falls to bits. One thing I must do is secure the one edge that is not hemmed. Will be used next time I play away from home, will review it then.