Welcome to Dark Souls

Dark Souls Fighters

28mm

I picked up a deeply discounted set of "Dark Souls" boardgame figures a while back, and they're FUN.  Interesting designs, and easy to paint.  I know almost nothing about the game, so I've been painting these with few preconceptions.

"The Deprived"

This is one of the starting classes in the game.  Initially weak, but able to use almost any equipment they find.  I imagined him as a Spartacus-like escaped slave rebelling against his former masters.

 

"Knight of Catarina"

This is an NPC character you can rescue in the game, and also a cool set of armour you can use yourself.  I like the unique bulbous look!

"Adventurer Armour"

I don't know what the weird crystals are, but they were fun to paint as a vivid contrast to the rest of the figure.  The weird helmet is based on one given to Henry VIII by... some real weirdo?

"Black Iron Armour"

A stalwart figure.  I sponge-painted the purple on the shield and really like it!

"Vulture Knight" 

This one's actually a minor conversion of the Black Knight Armor using a GW bird skull since I didn't like the original helmet.  I also added a matching skull boss on the shield.

Now, only eleven more miniatures in the set, to work on at my convenience 😄

Wizarding Lookout

Town Wizard's Tower

28mm scale

"Knock, loudly."

Not every student of the magic arts dwells in a cryptic spire the mountains, or a guarded dungeon lair.  The town wizard occupies a converted watchtower or station house, secure from unwanted interruptions, but able to conduct business serving the magical needs of urban dwellers.  Magic doesn't come cheap but, for the right client, modest spells can be exchanged for clean laundry or a roasted pig.

This terrain piece (slash fantasy dollhouse 😁) is an original design by me, using printed terrain resources mostly from Crooked Staff Publishing and Dave Graffam Games.  The rugs are from a Wayfair ad 😄.  I had a lot of fun putting this together, adapting parts which were intended for completely different buildings.

I can't recommend Crooked Staff Publishing enough. He's absolutely brilliant, this is someone who can design a paper kit for almost anything, and thoroughly encourages people to branch out and use his kits in ways that are creative and unique.  The bookcases, table, and stools here are all his paper designs.

A local courtesan stops by the wizard's office for a contraceptive cantrip and a sympathetic ear.

Mess with the honk, you get the bonk

Goose Hydra

28mm scale

"I do not like the cobra chicken"

A friend had this fun, deranged model printed for me as a birthday gift.  It's from Yasashii Kyojin Studio on My Mini Factory.

Stately Strumpets

Brinewind Doxies

28 mm

Brinewind... a bustling port city where traders, mariners, and adventurers arrive, weary of the road and with gold in their pockets. Many professions, including the oldest, flourish by catering to their needs, and lightening those purses.

Colorful umbrellas, a traditional gift from favored regulars, are the trade symbol of the Strumpets' Guild.

I had a lot of fun painting these figures, "Brinewind Doxies" from Reaper. Between the skin tones, the hair, and the sumptuous, folded dress fabric, there's a lot to work on, and the sculpts imply some interesting personalities.

The building is "The Widow's House" from Dave Graffam models.  I added the balcony for the strumpets to lure patrons.

The dead rise again!

The Headless Horseman!

28mm scale

In the dark shadow of the grove, on the margin of the brook, he beheld something huge, misshapen, black, and towering. It stirred not, but seemed gathered up in the gloom, like some gigantic monster ready to spring upon the traveller.

The ghostly Hessian rides through Sleepy Hollow again, seeking a replacement for his head, shot off in battle!

This was painted as a gift for a horror- and Halloween-loving friend.  I don't do mounted figures very often, but this was a pleasure.  The dark, glossy black coat of the horse came together surprisingly easily, and it's just such a dramatic figure overall.  Dark undercoating did a lot of work towards the mood here too.  

I have no idea where the figure itself is from, I received it in an exchange many years ago.

Skeleton Warband

28mm

 Do this rattling squad of undead freebooters obey the foul will of some evil overlord?  Or do they roam of their own accord, seeking to pillage and kill?  They may be "lowly skeletons" but don't ever underestimate their menace...

A fun assortment of Reaper figures, led by Rictus the Undying.  The three mooks were modified for character with the addition of various items, and a weapon swap.  I especially like the axeman with the afro, he's inspired by "Brook" from the anime One Piece 😁

Happy little trees

Bob Ross

28mm

"There's nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend."

"Everyone sees nature through different eyes."

The almighty Bob Ross; TV painter heir to Bill Alexander and the man who taught millions of viewers that art should be enjoyable, and that there are no mistakes, only happy accidents.

I put Bob Ross videos on very often when I'm painting. His calm, soothing, encouraging presence helps me overcome anxieties I have of my own creations, and keeps reminding me that I should be having fun, not stressing about details.

Bob was one of those people who epitomized kindness and compassion. His interest in helping foster animals was one of those things that epitomized this. "Peapod the pocket squirrel" showed up in season 22, but he introduced us to so many little birds and creatures on his show.

This figure is a resin 3D print made from a HeroForge STL I put together.

Rural horrors

Karl Greever was in town a while back, talking about some meteor that fell out on his property. Said he bet it was full of gold an' diamonds and he was going to get rich.  We laughed, 'cause he was always full of big ideas that went nowhere.  Nobody saw him around for a while then, so Pastor sent his boy up there with some food.  He ran back saying old Greever looked green an' half-rotten, an' attacked him with a shovel!  Even left his bicycle, but nobody wanted to go fetch it...

Heaven only knows what Cindy Jane got herself into.  Maybe she touched somethin' unsavory out in the back woods, and got 'fected.  Or maybe she got to readin' one of her great-grandpa's queer old books up in the attic.  Whatever it was, she just ain't herself lately. Used to be such a chatterbox, an' now all she seems to do is gurgle.  An' that arm of hers - never seen anything like it.  Hope I never do again.

Both of these ghastly individuals are 28 mm "Mansions of Madness" figures.