Bill Ferny's WIP-Iron Hills with Spear Command

BillFerny333 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 23, 2013 1:10 pm

A couple updates on Radagast's sled. I have actually been working on the base concurrent with painting the miniature(s). This thing has a lot of pieces! Some spots would be very difficult to get based after the entire bunny team is down so I will probably get between the bunnies and the sled before I put the other side of the team in. The first shot is a close-up of the spider for no other reason than he was fun to paint. The second is the full monte (except the tree is really tall so you only see a portion of it).

These are Woodland Scenics trees. I love these things, but they have that glossy brown look to them. I ended up painting them with a burnt umber base coat, followed by three successive highlights of mixing burnt umber, brown, and golden brown (not GW paints). Also the root pad bases they come with don't do anything for me. I drill a hole with a pin vice in the base and attach them that way. If I had any skill with sculpting I would sculpt some root pads, alas I am all thumbs.

madfrog2000 · **Joined:** Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:07 am **Posts:** 179

0.o That is amazing!!! Can not wait to see you finish it! Would you be able to get a close up of the plants and stuff at the bottom of the 2nd photo? they look soo.. good!!!!

Ukfreddybear · **Posted:** Sun Jun 23, 2013 7:05 pm

Roots are arguably the easiest thing in the world to sculpt. Roll out a sausage of putty putting more pressure on one end than the other. This will result in a thin point one end and thicker the other. Attach the thick end to the bottom of your tree and hey presto. Instant root. You can make it more realistic by having it change direction as it moves away from the base of the tree and also add a thin branch or two towards the end of the main root stem

BillFerny333 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 23, 2013 8:05 pm

ukfreddybear wrote:

Roots are arguably the easiest thing in the world to sculpt. Roll out a sausage of putty putting more pressure on one end than the other. This will result in a thin point one end and thicker the other. Attach the thick end to the bottom of your tree and hey presto. Instant root. You can make it more realistic by having it change direction as it moves away from the base of the tree and also add a thin branch or two towards the end of the main root stem

Brother, coming from you that is like Einstein saying that quantum string theory is arguably the easiest physics in the world to do. hahaha. However, I will give it a try on my next woodland diorama and see what you think. For this one, I cheated and put underbrush around the bases.

@Madfrog. Attached are a couple close ups of the base.

I just have six more rabbits and the man himself to paint!

Gene Parmesan · **Posted:** Sun Jun 23, 2013 8:15 pm

excellent

Dorthonion · **Posted:** Sun Jun 23, 2013 8:22 pm

I wonder did Einstein every come up to an answer to the question 'How long is a piece of string?'

I like the look of this base - lots and lots of visual interest and depth while the sled remains the focus (focus hocus pocus - well he is a wizard!)
I like gnarly, convoluted roots with lots of moss on them, like in this picture:
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/moss ... lwait.html
You can find lots of inspiration out there. Good luck!

madfrog2000 · **Joined:** Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:07 am **Posts:** 179

How did you make those flowers? they look perfect!

BillFerny333 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 24, 2013 1:54 am

madfrog2000 wrote:

How did you make those flowers? they look perfect!

Yeah I like them a lot, but I didn't make them. I bought them from a company called Scenic Express.

www.scenicexpress.com

They are excellent. You get a strip about 10" long of the flowers, double sided, so about 20" of flowers in total. The idea is to cut off a length and fold them in half. However, I find 1) they are a bit to tall, and 2) its hard to get the fold creased enough to keep them standing upright. So I cut them in half. This way I can also cut them to varying heights to suit my needs. Highly recommend them.

madfrog2000 · **Joined:** Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:07 am **Posts:** 179

Ahh I see thank you for the link

might have to get myself some.

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Mon Jun 24, 2013 12:55 pm

BillFerny333 wrote:

madfrog2000 wrote:

How did you make those flowers? they look perfect!

Yeah I like them a lot, but I didn't make them. I bought them from a company called Scenic Express.

http://www.scenicexpress.com

They are excellent. You get a strip about 10" long of the flowers, double sided, so about 20" of flowers in total. The idea is to cut off a length and fold them in half. However, I find 1) they are a bit to tall, and 2) its hard to get the fold creased enough to keep them standing upright. So I cut them in half. This way I can also cut them to varying heights to suit my needs. Highly recommend them.

The bases look very nice

I also use Scenic Express and so do many of you. They supply a large part of the flocking materials that are repacked for sale for miniature basing maternal.
Madfrog if you really want to make flowers I will dig through some links and post them.The kids played at Flower factory last summer.They made more than I could use in 20 years.

madfrog2000 · **Joined:** Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:07 am **Posts:** 179

@Oldman Willow That would be great thanks. :-D

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Mon Jun 24, 2013 2:12 pm

Some Good How to.

Flock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDTKZegW ... _IxNaCYQIA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jNiiTr8Lq8

saw dust and string Grass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO4Y1r98 ... _IxNaCYQIA

Flowers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gPDenx2v1M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngQl9TIAaoI

Static Grass
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8b32zzFZCI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrffkoNFKL4

BillFerny333 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 26, 2013 5:31 pm

Alright, I finally finished the sled! I am very pleased with the overall turn out. I need to get some better lighting for my pictures. But here they are. I will have more pictures up on my blog sometime soon.

Thanks for looking!

Oldman Willow · **Posted:** Wed Jun 26, 2013 5:35 pm

Very nice

Da Great MC · **Joined:** Wed May 08, 2013 12:49 pm **Posts:** 161

Great work. Congratulations on a job well done !!

Rognarr · **Posted:** Wed Jun 26, 2013 6:58 pm

Wonderful basing, you've made a wonderful composition here! I'd add more contrast to Radgast's beard though. Or is it the light that lets it look plain white?

BillFerny333 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 26, 2013 7:08 pm

Thanks for the compliments!

Rognarr wrote:

Wonderful basing, you've made a wonderful composition here! I'd add more contrast to Radgast's beard though. Or is it the light that lets it look plain white?

Yeah, its the lighting. The base coat is dolphin grey with a mix of golden yellow, about 2:1, followed by three successive highlights with increasing vanilla added to the mix. I was pretty disappointed with how the photo came out all white. Oh well. I am going to try and get some better photos later.

Rognarr · **Posted:** Wed Jun 26, 2013 8:23 pm

BillFerny333 wrote:

Rognarr wrote:

Wonderful basing, you've made a wonderful composition here! I'd add more contrast to Radgast's beard though. Or is it the light that lets it look plain white?

Yeah, its the lighting. The base coat is dolphin grey with a mix of golden yellow, about 2:1, followed by three successive highlights with increasing vanilla added to the mix. I was pretty disappointed with how the photo came out all white. Oh well. I am going to try and get some better photos later.

Glad to hear this and really looking forward to seeing it later maybe.

madfrog2000 · **Joined:** Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:07 am **Posts:** 179

Woah that is awesome dude well done!

Gandlaf the Grey · **Posted:** Thu Jun 27, 2013 8:27 am

Excellent diorama, you do have a knack for displaying your figures to the best potential.
I love the trees, truly realistic.
If anything I think Radagast hair could be shaded more but otherwise superb.

Bill Ferny's WIP-Iron Hills with Spear Command

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