Goblin Aid

It's in times of the worst circumstances that people come together. Once again our hobby community is showing its mettle when one of its own comes to harm.

For those of you who don't know, Kev Adams is a sculptor of great renown within the industry. He is especially known for his Ork and Goblin masterpieces and has worked for many well known names.
Earlier this week he was stabbed and beaten by three intruders at his home. He is out of hospital and on the road to recovery but is in a bad way.

Geronimo from Fenris Games and Dags from Ainsty Castings are coordinating efforts to raise money to help Kev replace stolen items and get back on his feet. Sculptors from across the industry are creating unique goblin miniatures for the cause, painters are painting and people are generally doing what they can to raise money from auctions.

Anyway, enough of me talking about it. Go over to the Goblin Aid Facebook page and catch up on proceedings for yourself.

Goblin Aid --->

The Morning After…

++++ UPDATED ++++

So the Tale of 3 Painters charity auction finally finished on Saturday evening and I find myself with something of a morning after the morning after feeling.

The self-imposed pressure of painting something to be sold for charity that became so high profile left me burned out once the models were complete. The marketing push kept going and the momentum and exposure had to be maintained until it was all over and the auction ended. Luckily the burn-out didn't last too long and I got back into painting more 'comfortable' things. Yet I didn't feel I could post anything other than charity related news – I didn't want to undermine the momentum of the project. So there is some relief to be gained now that things are settling back to normal. I can post about various stuff again.

Anyway, back to the auction.

I have to admit that I was frustrated when the bidding stopped at £260 midweek last week – In my role as organiser and project perfectionist I wanted to raise as much money as possible. I comforted myself that Ebay etiquette would kick in and there would be a late flurry at auction's end. When I logged on Sunday morning to discover that the total had not moved on I was disappointed. The retail price of the bits we had on offer came to £250, which meant our painting time and effort had resulted in almost no value (I'm being deliberately simplistic in my thinking here) – somebody was getting a real bargain here for sure!

This project has been a rollercoaster from day one and I should have known that fate would not let it end like a damp squib. In a final act suitable for a Hollywood movie the twist at the end lifted my spirits and ensured the happy ending…

It turns out that the mysterious winning bidder was none other than Brian from A Gentleman's Ones blog. B and I started our blogs at the same time back in 2010 and have been great supporters of each others projects ever since. This was highlighted with our Hailed vs Hated collaboration that included the first transatlantic game of email 40k. Had this recent charity project been entitled A Tale of 4 Painters, Brian would undoubtedly have been the additional artist so it was strangely fitting that he should end up winning the auction.

I can walk away from this project feeling happy that the models are going to a good home, that we managed to raise some money for charity and that I made a few new friends and managed to finally meet some 'old' ones. A lot of individuals stepped up to help throughout the course of this project and I will be eternally grateful for their efforts to make this a success.

+++++ UPDATE +++++

Brian has just been in touch and DOUBLED his winning bid!

I'm absolutely stunned by his generosity – I am genuinely overwhelmed – and I'd like to sincerely thank him on behalf of everyone involved in the project for his contribution. It means we have a final total of £520 which is fantastic! Thank you so much.

(I'm struggling to put words in a coherent order, so I'll leave it there.)

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I will be doing a post-project thoughts blog post and video in a couple of weeks time but for now normal service will resume.

Malifaux Charity Auction Ends Tomorrow…

++ Go to ebay and see the auction here ++

With less than 36 hours to go before the Tale of 3 Painters Malifaux charity auction ends I thought I would do one last shout out.

It's been quite a journey and it would be great to see a final winning bid that reflected all the time and effort of the people involved – it is all for charity after all!

My thanks go out to my fellow painters Andy Walker and Michael Awdry, as well as Joey Berry and the Malifools podcast crew. I'd also like to thank anyone out there in the community who blogged, tweeted, podcasted or emailed about the project – your help is appreciated.

I'd also like to thank our supporters who have been very generous with their donations. I'll do a quick recap of the final contents of the auction –

Of course you have the 30ss Hoffman crew comprising of C. Hoffman, Mechanical Attendant, Ryle, The Guardian, The Hunter and The Watcher, all painted to a great standard – believe me, the photos do not do them justice!

You have the character cards in Toploader Ultra Pro card protectors and some plastic 'soulstones'.

Firestorm Games kindly donated a Malifaux Fate Deck and a Rules Manual which the painters all signed, as did Joey Berry.

There are TWO full sets of resin bases – 'Rubble City' (pictured) and Cobblestone – in 30, 40 and 50mm sizes kindly donated by Fenris Games.

SnM Stuff have kindly donated a set of Vallejo Foundation Paints and 5 Kolinsky Sable brushes.

Element Games kindly donated an Army Painter Model Tools Set.

KR Multicase kindly sent us TWO carry cases – the Half Width Aluminium (pictured) and the Aquilla 4 – and also an Accessories Case with Tape Measure and Dice.

And finally, Wyrd Games have promised us (to arrive at a later date) some of their new plastic miniatures – The Rail Crew box set (pictured), The Rail Golem and the limited edition Miss Terious.

To see more photos have a look at the original contents post.

++ Go to ebay and see the auction here ++ 

Normal service will finally resume next week, with the exception of a post-auction summary with behind-the-scenes video.

Then I'm away to San Francisco for a couple of weeks, but fear not – there are scheduled posts already waiting to entertain you!

Malifools Interview…

Continuing my marketing push for the Tale of 3 Painters Malifaux charity auction, I was kindly asked to go on the Malifools podcast to have a chat about myself, the project and final auction.

In order to get the podcast out in plenty of time before the auction finished, the interview became the podcast's first 'maliblip' mini-cast. Mind you, I still managed to chat to poor old Jon for 40+ minutes.

So, if you're not fed up of hearing about the project, want to find out what a terrible gaming opponent I am, or how I got started doing this thing of ours have a listen at the link below…

Malifools Broadcasting Network: Maliblip One – When Jon met Dark Templar

Wyrd Donate New Plastics…

++ Go to ebay and see the auction here ++  

Just had an email from Nathan at Wyrd to confirm their donation for our charity auction.

They are sending us the new Rail Crew box set featuring new master Mei Feng, the Rail Golem (which is the largest Malifaux model by some way) and the limited edition Miss Terious, a female Death Marshall!

My thanks go out to Nathan and the Wyrd folks for their kind support!

++ Go to ebay and see the auction here ++ 

Charity Auction – New Goodies

The Malifaux charity auction is going very well so far with a week still to go.

Buoyed by the wargaming community's enthusiasm for the project, Fenris Games have decided to add more resin bases to the auction pot!

Yesterday I received a set of their "Rubble City" bases in 30mm, 40mm and 50mm sizes. I have to say (trying to stay as unbiased as possible) these are absolutely superb and I will have to get some myself – seriously. To see them in their painted glory have a look on their Ebay store.

++ Go to ebay and see the auction here ++ 

Charity Auction Contents & Details…

It's auction time at last!

++ Go to ebay and see the auction here ++

Over the last month you've seen the painting progress of the Hoffman crew than myself and my fellow painters Andy Walker and Michael Awdry posted. I've given updates as supporters have come on board and donated to our final auction and now you get to see what's up for grabs.

First and foremost, if you win the auction, you will get the above C. Hoffman led crew for Malifaux consisting of his starter box plus The Mechanical Attendant and Ryle. That's six models in total, making up a nice 30ss list. The models are set upon resin Cobblestone bases by Fenris Games and are painted to a very high standard. You even get a free penny in the base of The Watcher, used to weigh him down – bonus!

I have also put the crew character cards in Ultra Pro Toploader card protectors and included some plastic gems to use as Soulstones when you play.

Firestorm Games have donated a red Malifaux Fate Deck and a Malifaux Rules Manual which myself and fellow painters have signed, as has Joey Berry!

You now have everything you need to play Malifaux!

Fenris Games have donated a stack of additional Cobblestone resin bases – 30mm, 40mm and 50mm – for when you want to expand the crew, to ensure they all match up.

SnM Stuff have donated a set of Vallejo Game Colour Foundation paints and a set of five Kolinsky Sable brushes with sizes ranging from 0 to 5/0. I used both Vallejo paints and Kolinsky brushes painting the Mechanical Attendant and I have to say I love them. I haven't used these foundation paints but I'm tempted to pick some up myself!

Element Games have donated an Army Painter Model Tools Set, consisting of clippers, pin vice drill, scalpel, file, tweezers and superglue. I'm well impressed with this set!

KR Multicase have donated a Half Width Aluminium transport case in which the models currently reside and in which they will make the trip to their new home. The crew toured Plymouth in this case and it was easy to carry and I was at ease about them being well protected.

They also donated an Aquilla 4 transport case, which will be ideal for additional models. It contains the same foam trays as the Aluminium case and has a shoulder strap for easy carrying.

In addition to that, KR Multicase donated an Accessory Case with a tape measure and dice – not that Malifaux uses dice but they'll make good wound markers! The crew cards currently reside in this case and I noticed that the Rules Manual fits in there perfectly too!

Wyrd Miniatures, who are responsible for Malifaux, have promised us a Rail Crew box set featuring new master Mei Feng. They are also sending The Rail Golem, which is the largest Malifaux model by some way, and the limited edition Miss Terious. These items will be forwarded on to the lucky winner as soon as they arrive, at no extra cost.

New Goodies!!

Fenris Games have sent us some more bases… 

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So there it is – quite a haul I think you'll agree. The retail price of this little lot comes in at well over £200 and you get everything you need if you're looking to start playing Malifaux or simply to expand your collection. That doesn't even take into account the superb paint job on the models themselves.

To get things started the auction will have an opening price of just 99p!

To have a chance of getting hold of this lovely loot go over to the Ebay page and place a bid.
Remember it's all for Cancer Research UK, so it's going to a good cause.

++ GO AND BID ON THE AUCTION NOW! ++

The Dark Templar Meets The Joey Berry…

++ Go to ebay and see the auction here ++

It was one of those ideas that seemed pure genius at the time. As part of the Tale of 3 Painters auction I would take the finished models down to Plymouth and have a game against the famous Joey Berry. Emails were exchanged and arrangements made. It was a long way to go (for us living in the UK) but it would be a good laugh and help raise awareness about the project.

As the time to leave got closer I thought I could tweak the schedule slightly. Michael, one of my fellow painters, couldn't make it down to Plymouth so, given that he lived (relatively) close to me it would be great to pop in and say hello, thank him in person and let him see the models up close. Andy was also finding it difficult to get time away from work and the week before I left I decided to extend the journey further and 'pop' by Swindon also. This took me no further out of my way than a visit to Michael but the combined visits would almost double my journey time. People said I was mad but it seemed a great opportunity to meet my fellow bloggers.

I left at 9am on Sunday and reached Michael within a couple of hours – the road to Westham (#2 on the map below) being clogged up by tractors and Bradley Wiggins wannabes. Michael was full of enthusiasm and a finer gentleman you will not meet. It was great to catch up, exchange our painting stories and thoughts behind the project and auction to come. I got to see his painting table and a whole host of his models. We took a few photos and then it was time for me to be on my way. I felt very buoyed after that and was looking forward to the rest of my journey.

The next hour proved a little tricky. The road up to the motorway was heavy with traffic and, although I pretty much knew the way, the SatNav wanted me to go further West and a battle of wills ensued. Eventually I gave in to shut her up and before I knew it I was passing Gatwick airport and moving a little faster than 30mph. I arrived in Swindon (#3) pretty much as scheduled and Andy was there to greet me – a very affable chap it has to be said, if somewhat camera shy. I have been trading emails for a long time now, exchanging painting thoughts and comments, so it was great to finally meet him. He has the luxury of a painting ROOM in his house, not to mention display cabinets – I'm very jealous indeed. He is a very talented painter and I was lucky enough to see some of his recent Infinity models that he has on the go. But before I could settle it was time to go again – the road to Plymouth awaited.

Three hours later I arrived at the Premier Inn in Lockyers Quay and flaked out for the remainder of the evening. It was at this point that I received a text message from Joey. The guys at the Giant's Lair (the gaming venue where we were due to play) had decided that they couldn't open up at midday after all and the venue wouldn't be available until 6pm. Given Joey's busy schedule and my long journey home this pretty much derailed any thoughts of having our exhibition game. The fact that arrangements had been in place for several weeks it really hacked me off at first, especially after the long journey and cost involved for me to come down to Plymouth. However, one mug of tea later I had chilled out about it. We made some sketchy alternative plans instead.

Luckily Monday was sunny and Plymouth is a wonderful place to be in the sun. I caught up with Joey at 11.30 and we sat down in a beer garden to chat about the project and have a little interview. She spent a long time filming the models themselves to add as part of her video. The quality of her video camera means you really get to see them in all their glory.

Once that was done she took me on a mini tour of the Barbican area of Plymouth and some very Malifaux-esque streets and cobbled alleyways. We gave Hoffman and the crew a run out so they could stretch their legs and see the sights.

Joey and I grabbed a couple of seats outside a pub – it'd be rude not to in the lovely weather – and had a good old chat about gaming, tournament experiences and models we're painting. I got to pick her brain about how she became the YouTube phenomenon that is The Joey Berry and where she goes from here. She's been swept up in something of a whirlwind since starting with wargaming and, at the risk of sounding over-dramatic, it has changed her life. She is a very genuine individual who is very generous with her time and happy to help out any fellow wargamer if she can – one look at her schedule proves this beyond doubt. She is just as upbeat and friendly in person as she is in her videos and happy to chat all day about gaming.

Of course she's had her fair share of negative comments, critics and haters which could easily have killed confidence and desire to continue in a lesser mortal. However, she is a strong character and treats it all now as water off a duck's back. She's bursting with enthusiasm and ideas yet has her feet firmly on the ground – she's definitely doing it for all the right reasons. After spending an afternoon chatting with her, I have to say, I am now a definite fan of Joey and excited to see some of her upcoming and future endeavours come to fruition. Watch this space!

One final check to make sure that the video and sound levels were good then it was time to head back. I took a shorter route home, cutting across country towards London and managed to avoid the rush hour traffic and get home at 8pm.

657 miles in 35 hours –I've met two very talented painters, one YouTube celeb and visited a wonderful part of the country that I haven't seen before. I may not have got my game of Malifaux but it was a very worthwhile trip. Meeting and chatting to these fellow painters and gamers on this trip has given me a boost in energy and passion for our hobby. There are inspiring individuals out there doing wonderful things and their enthusiasm is infectious.

The video interview is now live on Joey's YouTube channel – go and see it here!

Charity Malifaux Crew Complete…

As post number 100 for this year it is only fitting that it be a cracker!

++ Go to ebay and see the auction here ++ 

As you know, just about a month ago A Tale of 3 Painters charity project was started. We managed to finish painting our models in around three weeks and here they are, finally united once again.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow painters, who donated their time, effort and paint to complete this project. I think you will agree that, despite three different people painting two models each in isolation and in their own unique style, the finished miniatures looks remarkably cohesive and are a crew that anyone would be proud to own and game with.

C. Hoffman

C. Hoffman himself is nothing short of wondrous. It's only when you see him in person and realise how small the model is that you can truly understand what a superb job Andy did to maintain the level of detail he has. The fragile nature of the harness made for a tricky job, but the finished model really is the focal point of the crew.

 

The Mechanical Attendant

The Mechanical Attendant, with his bright yellow armour, is a great contrast as Hoffman's totem. The idea of him being a twisted version of C3-PO with a gun has come to life. Despite being a similar size to Hoffman, the model didn't have nearly as much detail and allowed me the opportunity to use an extended range of paints, washes and inks to achieve a yellow that was bright but not garish, in keeping with the world of Malifaux.

Ryle

Ryle (Hoffman's mutated brother) is a great mix of meat and machine. He is also quite a large model, full of details, giving Michael quite a task. Tackling it head on he even added stripes to Ryle's trousers, which is so accurate it's not obvious at first that it is completely freehand. The final result is a character that looks truly tormented and is so wonderfully painted it makes him a must-have in your crew list. The foliage detail on the base adds another dimension to the character, as he stalks his prey through the streets.

The Watcher

The Watcher, flying high above the city, is a bit of an odd one out. The very nature of the character meant he needed to be on a different base from the rest of the crew. With this in mind, elements of plastic ruins were used to build up the base and add height to the model – implying it's battlefield drone-like nature – and the base weighted. Andy has managed to create great contrast between the metallic body of the machine and the leathery texture of its wings.

The Guardian

The Guardian is possibly the tallest model of the crew (excluding The Watcher). He is Hoffman's bodyguard and in my mind represents The Guild completely. With this in mind I went with strong red armour. The fact that he is likely to take more punishment on the battlefield than anyone else is highlighted by the scratches and scrapes on his body and shield. His blue glowing eyes and power cell, which contrasts so much with the red armour, hints at the power and strength within.

The Hunter

The Hunter is another unique model, who is more at home stalking the enemy from the shadows rather than combining with the rest of the crew en mass. Michael has managed to hit the nail on the head with his more metallic approach. He has created a striped effect along the machines body with alternate use of brass and bronze, which also reflects colours in Hoffman's harness. He definitely looks the most aggressive of the machines in the crew. The addition of autumn leaves to the base adds some colour without compromising the tone.

So that's the crew complete!

The crew is travelling to Plymouth this weekend to participate in a game against Joey Berry on Monday. I will be making pitstops in Westham and Swindon to meet up with Michael and Andy, to let them see the final crew in person and to have photos. In addition to Joey's video of the game itself, I hope to add a video diary of the entire trip.

The models will then go up for auction on Wednesday 5th September, together with all the additional goodies donated by our very generous project supporters. I will be going through these additional items in detail before the auction.

Hope you enjoyed our project – if you did please donate. If you want a recap of how we each went about painting our models see the links below.

Now we get to give it all away, which I have to admit is going to be really difficult!!

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As much as we are having fun working on this project, it is for charity. If you enjoy reading about our progress please donate towards our final total – even if it's only £1 – via the donate button at the top of the page or on the Cancer Research UK website directly.

What's A Tale of 3 Painters all about?

Follow Andy's progress here
Follow Michael's progress here
Follow Mike's progress here

Thanks for your support!

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