2013 summary

Well, if the other years weren't very productive, what should we say about 2013?

January:
11 muslim archers from Strelets;
Conclusion of a medieval little dio;
More medieval and napoleonic figures. Working only on one or two figures at the same time was new. I got better painting works than when I painted 20 or more figures...

February:
Went Ancient with Theseus and the Minotaur.

March:
This is a month for trees and maybe camping. And so I did a few trees and tents!
And painted a group of Crusaders from Mars (see last link).
Then I moved to the Napoleonic period for a group of Nassauers...  and back to Medieval times with some Miniart figures;

April:
That log house...

May:
Some more tents for the medieval figures...
Finished the Stargate dio (my 2013 favourite work).
And the Hougoumont defenders kept coming. Here a few british Foot Guards.

June:
More Foot Guards here too...
And a scratch built stone house. Enough, time to go to the beach...

July:
Two figures to remember one of my favourite TV shows (Allô! Allô!). Not as simple as it seemed...
And started with those nasty goblins...

August:
The goblins aren't yet finished, as the bases aren't complete. The painting is so let's say its 80% finished...
The goblins were giving me some work, so I decided to try another scratch built pieces, 3 trebuchets and the figures to go along with them! (finished trebuchets again at this post)

And my modeling year finished that August...
However, I can anounce that I am going back home this January and that means going back to the hobby. Old and new projects are on my mind, lets see what is going to happen...

Goblins update

Latest "moves": green skin (strokes a bit stronger than an usual drybrush) over the previous colour.

 Too green! A mix of skintone and chocolat brown (Citadel Color) over the green. I tried that some of the green remained visible but I don't like the result that much... I think what I had before these 2 steps was better.

Well, it's not over yet...

from all the modelers from all the places...

A friend involved with a community center asked me if I would help with Summer activities for teenagers, suggesting it would be nice to show these kids what I do as modeler. However, the budget is low and it was sugested that an emphasis on recycling would be appreciated.
I warned that I would be at the bottom of any list of "modeling tutors", but as I am the only one available, and I am such a nice guy, I said yes.

Also, the schedule isn't quite the best, as I'll have 4 hours with each group, but on the same day (morning or afternoon). I can't even think on something that needs a rest time before a second fase, like glueing and painting!

Anyway, I am thinking about having an introdution on modeling, wargaming and toy-building with a "do-it-yourself" aproach and using different materials.

I already have ideias - a plan, actually! - but sugestions/tips would be welcome.  

My plan:

1 - show some works / getting them interested (hopefully)

2 - show some of the tools (and advices on how to use)

3 - (finally getting the hands on the stuff) there's no money for a kit for each one, but a box of plastic figures should provide one or two figures each! And I have a few Hong Kong "versions" of WWII figs!
Anyway, that would give them an idea of what it is supposed to do before starting to paint a figure.
I guess I will leave one figure with sprue bits and have another already ready to paint.

4 - After doing whatever we can with the figures, time for scenics. Terrain, trees, constructions, ....

5 - Paper stuff! Junior Soldier site provides everything I need for this.

6 - If there is time yet, I am thinking on a naval wargame with DIY small ships. Living at the countryside helps as it will be easy to get materials for this.

Teseu e o Minotauro

Theseus and the Minotaur...

Estava eu a actualizar informação sobre a época micénica e minóica, quando pelo meio se mete a lenda do Minotauro...
Bem, vamos já ver que figuras há aqui para fazer uma pequena vinheta! Da Antiguidade não tenho muita variedade, Micénicos (gregos) armados até aos dentes e também troianos, Povos do Mar (fossem lá quem fossem) e cavalaria grega (carros de combate da antiguidade). E uma vaca a quem tirei a cabeça e o rabo.
Então, a vaca é da Atlantic - Stampede, o corpo do Minotauro é da HaT - Sea Peoples, Teseu é um condutor de carros grego, com um braço do soldado.

Para que as figuras se vissem, não podia deixar as paredes do labirinto muito altas. Se voltasse a fazer, acho que os deixaria no meio de uma grande câmara...


I was reading a few things about the Mycenaean and Minoan periods when the legend of the Minotaur was mentioned. I knew it already, of course, but this sudden urge to do something about this theme was new! So, what have I got that can be used? Not much, not many cloths on (if any!) to represent, so... Sea Peoples and Greek Cavalry... and a cow from Stampede! The final pose of the Minotaur is not the most impressive, but this soldier was the one I felt could fit better in the role, cutting the less I could! Theseus is the driver of a Greek car, with a borrowed arm from the soldier he should drive.

Making the figures well visible wouldn't be easy if I kept the labyrinth walls tall... thinking about it, I should have represented a big room with them at the center....

 A CD pack box. The vignette is going to be stored here.
Uma caixa de CDs. Vou guardar a vinheta aqui.

The Gate / Entrada para a segurança

My medieval diorama "The Gate". Finished but... not as I would like. :(

Diorama medieval "Entrada para a segurança". Terminado... ou talvez não, porque há uns detalhes que não estão muito bem, mas não havia mais tempo.

Castle Gate II

OK, now it is finished!
Some photos of the process...

Agora é que está terminada!
Algumas fotos do processo...

And the wall section is almost (I hope) done. I'm afraid the result won't be the desired because I have to rush it...

A muralha está quase feita (espero). Receio que o resultado não venha a ser o melhor por estar a fazer tudo muito depressa...

Where the harrow will work.
Onde a grade trabalha.

Castle Gate

Part of a small diorama for a GB at Modelismo na Net. Must hurry, as it ends next Saturday!! :-o
Here's a step-by-step of the gate and the harrow, but it's not finished - the metal parts are next, just after posting this!
Materials: PVC foam, balsa, wire, and the chain was an adornment on a pair of boots...


Parte de um pequeno diorama para um GB no Modelismo na Net. Tenho de apressar-me, que o prazo para a conclusão acaba no Sábado!
Aqui fica um passo-a-passo do portão e da grade levadiça, embora ainda faltem os metais, que é já a seguir a este post!
Materiais: PVC foam, balsa, arame e as correntes eram um adereço de umas botas...

And these are the figures:

E estas são as figuras: