Alright, but dogs CAN look up!

There I was, looking through some really cases that I hadn't opened in quite some while (you know how it is) and found a model languishing in there that I had all but forgotten about.

Yep, it's Ed! Waaay back in - oh dear god, 2013 - I painted Hasslefree mini's "totally not Shaun of Shaun of the Dead" and I started his "totally not Ed" friend too. Then one thing or another happened and he got put in a case for transport/storage/some reason. The other day I found I found him and discovered that the mighty quantity of work required to finish him was... a spade, a hat and his shoes... WHY DID I NOT JUST FINISH IT AT THE TIME? Sheesh. So I took a half hour and finished him off.

I've finally realised what the pleasure I get at doing these Cathode Ray Conquerer type miniatures is. It's not an expectation of ever really using them, it's a kind of cosplay. I like trying to match the scheme from the movie (which is why the shape of the spade caused me pain ;) ). With Ed, he's mostly the beige T-shirt with "I've Got Wood" on it - expand the image, it's there - and some jean shorts. Quickest way to get sculpted trousers to look like blue jeans not just blue trousers? Add the orange stitching and raised seam. It's barely visible in photos but it gives the correct impression. You'll notice I'm not giving too many colour details on this... it was three years ago, gimme a break...

Details help with this sort of project. This Ed is less a single moment from the film but a bit of a montage of his character, the "bench" cap from the electro sequence (yeah, I tried the 90's Bench logo and then just left a suggestion of red), the mobile phone (added a suggestion of buttons and screen) and the spade. I used weathering pigments damped down with odourless turps to give bulk to the dirt. It's little things like all of that and the tiny red swooshes on his trainers that help finish a miniature cosplay project like this. Lots of fun, and now I have the dynamic duo for both Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Cornetto?

So what's the oldest model you haven't finished hanging around? I don't mean abandoned projects, I mean something you actually want finished but for some reason is hanging around unloved. As you might have guessed from this post I am working on a slow assembly/conversion project at the moment (which is so shiny and indeed so chrome) so little breaks to finish old stuff is a nice treat. More shinies soon.

TTFN

You've got red on you...

Arr me hearties, happy Friday to one and all. Well, as usual with the start of a new project the first few days consisit of assembly, fixing problems, removing mold lines and the like before mass base coating. Given that this would be far, far more boring to read about than to do I haven't shared any pictures of it! Instead, I'm going to show you all a model I've been itching to share but haven't been able to until now! (Because it is being entered in a WAMP contest and you have to post it in the competition gallery before it is shown anywhere else).

For those who aren't immediately familiar with this chap, this is Simon Pegg as Shaun from Shaun of the Dead. Again, this is a model with no real purpose in gaming (though I'm sure I'll find one eventually!) that I'm drawn to painting. I'm calling the series Cathode Ray Conquerers and you'll find more TV and movie-land characters under that tag. He is a Hasslefree miniatures sculpt and another corker: HFA052 Dynamic Ray. I've also got an "Ed" model converted to have a spade ready for some paint to join him. Oddly enough, this is the second time I've painted one of Hasslefree's Simon Pegg look-alikes (PC Nick Angel being the last one) that I've painted. Kinda hoping that there will be a third model in the Cornetto Trilogy...

First, I've got to say, this sculpt is brilliant, the pose; the weight distribution; the likeness; all are fantastic. But now to painting! Unusually for me I started from a white undercoat - as I knew the cricket bat, the flesh and the white shirt would all be happier for it! When you are trying to replicate a specific colour scheme for a project like this, reference material is all important. For things like face and hair colouring almost any still from the films will do, but it is often trickier to get a full length shot. So here is my top tip: action figures. These days almost every film (that would merit induction into the Cathode Ray Conquerers) gets collectable action figures, meticulously researched and nicely photographed. Like this one!

They really are a godsend for reference material. I toyed with painting him covered with blood but decided in the end (largely due to the pose of the Ed model) to set him in the garden right before the first zombie kill. If anyone knows of a "Mary" zombie let me know and I'll totally diorama this up!

Painting started with everything that wasn't white getting basecoated and shaded! Sadly, I didn't make notes on the paint colours used for everything and I painted him a few weeks ago so I can't really give full details. I can say that the shirt was painted with my new favourite white technique. A solid basecoat of Ceramite White is shaded with Val Pale Wash which is a very thin, sort of Fortress Grey colour. You can then very easily rehighlight and be left with a very clean, very straightforward white. Now to try doing those pesky Napoleonic British webbing straps again...

Little details like bothering to paint a watch face make a big difference in this sort of work. He's so simple a colour scheme that all you can really do is get the shades right and pick out small details to make him stand out. So, there y'go, one Shaun, very much not of the Dead. I'll stick Ed up when I get him finished. If you happen to be a WAMP member come on down and rate him would you? I'd quite like to win this one! There'll be Flecktarn Guard up soon so until then

TTFN