“How far to Hitchin?” (week 34)

So despite the complete lack of faith my fine blogging chums have shown in my ability to refrain from buying more figures this year I will be carrying on with my “roll of the die” posting for the at least the next few weeks. This week’s toss of the coins gave me a couple of heads, so it was out with “Lancelot’s” list and the subsequent roll of the D20 gave me…

Box 1 – (3x 28mm Sci/Fi Women)

Box 28 – (Gilbert the Alien)

Now as I’m sure you will of noticed there are actually only two ladies in the photo (right), this is because the third figure that resided in this draw was the I-core lady that I converted into “Black Scorpion” last year as part of my “Forgotten Heroes” submission, so to make up the numbers I rolled again and purely by chance (I promise you there was no cheating involved) number 28 came up. This box contained a cracking little figure I bought from GZG many years ago of one of my all-time favorite childhood characters “Gilbert the Alien”. So now with a full complement of painting participants I could begin by cleaning up the castings, gluing them to two pence pieces, filing round their bases and giving them a damn good coat of the old matt black.

My first lady needs no introduction as I’m sure you all recognize Lara Croft of “Tomb Raider” fame. This figure is by “Hasslefree”, now in the past I have stated that I’m not the biggest fan of Kev White’s figures and I have to say this one hasn’t enamored to them any further, I got her as a sample back when I was writing for “Valkyrie magazine”. Beautiful as the sculpting is I don’t like the way the arms are posed, and they were an absolute b*gg*r to glue on and kept snapping off while I painted her. Anyway enough moaning, I began her painting by dry-brushing her guns with chainmail, then her shorts were painted earth brown that when mixed with a little coffee formed the highlights too. Then her vest was under coated in aquamarine mixed with a touch of light turquoise, the same colours with the ratios reversed formed the highlight here. Her flesh was undercoated with European flesh, and after her eyes were added highlighted with the same with a bit of pale flesh added. Then her backpack was painted dark grey (and her boots and belts were highlighted at the same time with the same paint), the pack was then highlighted with blue grey. Her hair was undercoated in chocolate brown and then highlighted with some burnt sienna, lastly I added the ribbons holding her pony tail with a little coffee.

Bondage Betty, I think is a “Foundry” figure, though where I got her from I have no idea, anyway I began her painting by dry-brushing her rifle and various zipper fastenings in chainmail, the stock of her rifle was then painted in using chocolate brown and butternut. Then the main body of her cat suit was undercoated in dark red. This was then highlighted in bright red. Her boots, gloves and head cover were re-painted in black before the odd dark grey highlight was added. Then turning to her flesh a base of European flesh was laid down I highlighted this with European flesh mixed with pale flesh, and I added her lips in dark red. That just left her hair to add and this was done in sand and lemon yellow.

Lastly we have Gilbert, what can I say about him, created and voiced by Paul Cornwell this puppet was first introduced on a weekend Kids show called “Get Fresh”, before getting his own show “Gilberts Fridge”, I absolutely loved him, check out the youtube link at the bottom of the page for some clips, and be prepared for some of the most bizarre and surreal children’s television ever made! Anyway getting to the painting and shamrock green was mixed with scenic green to form his base coat and this was then dry-brushed with light green with a touch more shamrock added. Then his lips and nose were added in dark red that was highlighted with bright red. Now it was at this point I stupidly decided that I couldn’t live with the fact that the figure didn’t have his trade mark spikey “Mohawk” so I dug out the green stuff and added it myself. This was then touched up into the green of his body using the same colours as above. And then the spikes were painted in bright blue, bright red or lemon yellow. His eyes were dotted in using more lemon yellow with black pupils (of course). The dots on his skin were then added in Polish crimson and bright red, and his tooth was popped on with a little cream and white. “I think I luv im’ more than I luv me Engelbert Umpadink recards!!”.

All three figures were then given my customary coat of strong-tone Quickshade before they were finished in my usual fashion, lastly they were given a final coat of matt varnish.

“Ah well y’ can alles’ dream” I mean time to roll again….

Cheers Roger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAlHTtR_UPE