Years - and I do mean years, I might have been in college - ago I acquired this Wargames Foundry santa claus. It was part of some promotional deal or other. I can't really remember. Anyway, like most slightly impulsive purchases he has languished in a box for a decade. Then, while thinking about what I could do for a Christmas posting this year I found him again. This, I decided would be my Christmas project.
I agonised over the paint scheme. My head said that St Nicklaus that our own Father Christmas is based upon was all in green robes. Green boughs being the symbol of the solstice festival. But thanks to the marketing of one of the biggest drinks companies in the world, Father Christmas will forever be red. It just looks wrong now to do it any other way. So I compromised, green for the inner linings of the hood and cloak and a nice deep red for the outer robes. The white fur, by the way, is base coated in Ungor Flesh and then highlighted in white, gives that hide under fur look. All the toys were painted ludicrous bright colours and then it was time to present Santa Claus on a nice base:
The foundation of the base is a couple of layers of cork boulders, slate chips and modelling sand. This is painted and flocked with static grass as usual. I wanted a bit more height to the base so I needed a tree. A bare, snowy tree to be precise. Enter, stage left, my usual dodge for bare scale trees. Roots. Using small dried roots I carefully glued tiny branchlets to the trunk and gradually builtup a convincing structure. Then I washed the whole thing with thinned canopy glue (strong pva that dries completely clear). Finally I glued it in place and then started playing with a brand new toy. Secret Weapon Miniatures' Crushed Glass snow scenics. This is very, very cool stuff. Not safe in any way shape or form. If you are twelve stick to the snow flock for gawds sake. Last thing I need is knowing that someone cut away their corneas because they got glass in their eye on my recommendation. Secret Weapon have a great tutorial on their site and I shall leave you to examine that at your leisure. Suffice to say it really, really looks like snow and ice and I am loving the effect. I added a few stretched-sprue icicles (use spare flying bases, heat and then stretch them out and cut them up) to the tree to hammer home the "it's a bit nippy out" message.
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| Mulder, ever hopeful. |
So all that remains to be said is being articulated by Mulder up there. Merry Christmas one and all from Mrs PVP and I. Soon it will be time to submit myself to the tender scrutiny of Judge Mulder and see how I did on my New Years resolutions (I sneaked a look, it's not good). Until then, stay safe and well.
TTFN
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