#figure fridays

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Happy Figure Friday Y'all #17!

Got some work done on The Ghoul aka Cooper Howard, and CX404 (Dogmeat) from the Fallout TV Series. Got a bit more detail work I want to get done on both, as well as wanting to get my hands on some pigment powder for that 'dusty' West Coast wasteland look.

Let me tell ya - the dust struggle is real out here... I've NEVER seen dust accumulate so quickly on everything as I have living out here in AZ. Temperate zones have it easy! :P

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Figure Fridays #12:

TLDR: Not much to report - had a migraine hit me like a bus that has lasted most of the week (barometric pressure had a huge spike sending us from mid-70s to 90s). Today was the first day this week I didn't have a migraine, but instead was just exhausted from them. So I managed to pick up the brush & get some secondary colors going on the Gondorian Warrior, and a set-up of base colors on Pippin.

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Figure Fridays #13:

TLDR: Got a fair amount done, not for the best reasons, but you do what you gotta do to keep moving! Got to play with three new paints and a new paintbrush – Pro Acryl Jade, Warm Flesh, Shadow Flesh, from Monument Hobbies; and the brush is my first sable/hairbrush from Rosemary & Co… Both were absolute game changers in terms of how smooth and how much easier the color can be moved around compared to my current supplies. Finished the Gondorian Warrior from The Last Alliance of Men and Elves, as well as Pippin, and started up on the Nazgul.

The Long Rambley:

After last week’s migraine hit me hard, I was leery as to how far I’d get along this week. I had ordered my first sable brush from Rosemary & Co. a few weeks back and they arrived last week – so this was the first session I was able to mess with them. On top of that when I went into town for groceries I chose to stop by a game supplies shop and grabbed a couple bottles of Monument Hobbies Pro Acryl – Jade, Shadow Flesh, and Warm Flesh – as my white does make things a tad chalky and honestly I wanted a short cut on skin tones. :P

And holy cow both the new brush and paints made me realize how much the paint and brushes can make a difference. The smoothness of the paint is absolutely wild, and the fact that my brush could HOLD paint and keep its point…. Just wow. So, I think I’ll be looking to slowly build out my paints by just replacing the colors I use most with legitimate miniatures paints.

I finished up the Gondorian Warrior from The Last Alliance of Men and Elves – matched his base to the Elven Archer from before. Also finished up Pippin and the Jade really came in clutch here for his jacket. Words still can’t express how much smoother Pro Acryl has been compared to my current paints from Josonja.

I started on the Nazgul and really wanted to play up the usage of green/blues that were used both for the scene at Weathertop, but also mirrored within the shots of Minas Ithil/Morgul. Likely before the end of the weekend I’ll have him finished up.

Then it’s onto some good ol’ Fallout with ‘The Ghoul’ Cooper Howard, and CX404!

So, thanks for checking in, and hopefully see y’all next week!

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Figure Fridays #4

TLDR: Not much done this week ala migraines absolutely wrecking my ability to focus. But got work done on detailing Halsin, added more details to Glorfindel's Cape and dark-washed hair so I could layer up the lighter tones whenever I work next.

The long ramble - which isn't very long this week! I had a doozy of a week due to weather systems causing the pressure where I am to fluctuate wildly. So working under a bright light, with tiny details just wasn't in the cards for me since my eyes couldn't focus.

I managed to touch up some of Halsin's face, started in on darkening his bracers, and cleaning up the wrappings around his boots. Color corrected some straps, bits, & bobs. Hopefully next week bracers, boots & the white fabric portions will be sorted out - provided my head clears up enough!

With Glorfindel I was just working on adding highlights to his cloak, a darker amber wash to his hair so I can start detailing it, dark wash to the chain-mail bits to give them some depth, and a touch of pink to his face to give it a little more life.

Hopefully the weather systems will play nice at the start of Sept to allow me to make better progress this next week!

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Figure Fridays #16

TLDR: Just a short update this week! Got the base coats finished out on Coop, and started in on detail work. Primarily focused on his hat, pants and skin - still have a few layers to go. But have also set myself up to start-in on his duster, boots, and belt. Bandolier will likely be the last thing I work on since it's a bit tight with my brushes getting into his face/neck area!

Till next week - happy crafting and take care!

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Figure Fridays #14: TLDR: Didn’t get much in the way of painting done this week due to the weather absolutely wrecking my head for the week. BUT I did get the next round off their sprues, constructed, and primed.

Long Ramble: Climate change absolutely sucks, and the roller coaster of temps +/- 20 degrees and barometric pressure changes that now make up ‘fall’ where I am makes it extra unfun on the headache/migraines front. But here we are. =__=;;

I didn’t have it in me to paint this week, but did manage to get the Nazgul on its base. I also got the next round off miniatures off their sprues, seams sanded/cleaned up, assembled, and primed. Hopefully since next week is pretty stable on the temps front I can get some painting done to finish up the Nazgul. The figures to look forward to next are: 1. The Ghoul (Cooper Howard) – Fallout TV series

2. CX404 (Dogmeat) – Fallout TV Series

3. Ori – The Hobbit

4. Elrond on Mount – LOTR/The Hobbit

5. Galadriel – LOTR/The Hobbit

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Happy Figure Friday #15 Y'all!

TLDR: Been slammed the past two weeks between home projects and migraines nockin' me out of commission, but I'm back in the saddle. Finished up the Nazgul and just have to clean up his base with some sandpaper and a layer of black. I then started in on base colors for Coop (Cooper Howard aka The Ghoul) from Amazon's Fallout series. I'm looking forward to the detail work on him now that I have some better brushes and paint!

Tangential ramble: I'm in the midst of some larger home restoration work - Saltillo tile that hasn't seen sealer, polish, or care for +20 years, with wear and tear from dogs, cowboy boots, and all the lovely trappings of rural AZ from cholla spines to dust that coats everything in a matter of days. If you don't know, Saltillo is basically terra cotta with a fancy finishing coat, and it NEEDS a sealer/polish or else that pretty top coat erodes. The grout has also seen better days and wasn't done properly/level by my in-laws... SO it's been myself, and occasionally my partner assisting me in tackling the restoration of the floor, as well as other projects like re-mudding the exterior of the house - because it's strawbale. Which is cool stuff - sometimes literally! But again it's another thing that really has to be maintained/cared for or else some poor schmuck is going to be stuck doing far larger projects to get it up to snuff later down the line.... =__=;; I'm that schmuck. So Figure Friday posts may be a bit touch and go through the cold season - which is the ideal time for the outdoor or hard labor projects. This year especially we have to make use of every day that isn't +80*F outside since it's a La Nina year - which means the temps are warmer but in that obnoxious we'll go from 80s to 60s so if you get migraines due to barometric pressure shifts you just gotta do your best to roll with the punches!

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Figure Fridays #11:

TLDR: Pretty sure I'm done with Gimli son of Gloin - I'll double check once my eyes have had a rest. Worked with a migraine due to some rain coming through, we massively needed it though out here in the desert! Started building colors on the Gondorian Warrior.

The Long Rambley: My eyes feel absolutely blitzed after today, but that's the wonderful nature of migraines for ya! That being said I can't honestly complain since it means my garden gets free water, and I get to have a couple days of cooler temps before being rocketed back up into the 90s (likely for a few more weeks - boo.)

I was happy that my wet palette didn't dry out so quickly as well thanks to the aid of humidity - it's going to be such a foreign experience moving back to a more temperate zoned location once we've got our place fixed up enough.

After hitting the point of questioning with Gimli I started laying down flats and working on building up the cloak colors of the Gondorian Warrior. I know the box example for these fellas leans more to just using straight up blacks/greys for the shading; but naturally with how cloth dying is, as well as just feeling more atmospherically nicer to look at I'm going with using deep indigo to act as tint-up from black - which ALSO isn't just straight up black, but has added blue and purple so that it'll blend better. You can see this within the movie costumery, but also if you have any interest in historical garment making/hand dying, etc... you know how difficult a natural non-synthetic black truly is.

Thank you all again for checking in, saying hi, the likes, hearts, and engagement. I really do appreciate it, and hope you get a little enjoyment out of this as much as I do painting & sharing the journey with you!