Wardruna and Aurora - Helvegen

Blessed of Decemer + moar cats

Seems like painting winter-themed models while the weather outside is all sun and heat (and occasional thunderstorms) is a bit counter-intuitive, but it works for me. Two Blessed of December, one with scratch built base (that makes it look as if it were 50 mm rather than 40), and one that had positions of her limbs slightly changed. Otherwise it would be really tough to fit her into a 40 mm base.

Also two more hoarcats. I've added some watered down Aethermatic Blue around the crystals to tie them better together.

Nightmares and cats

A few small minis I've painted recently. I like the new daydreams as (similarly to previous versions), each one is distinctly different. I've split three hoarcats into two 40 mm bases as it's really tough to fit them all onto one base and that way these can be used as two separate minis in game. For the Stitched together I've tried to get a color that was something between old sack and skin tone + some random blood splatters.

As ugly as can be - the Geryon

Those are probably the ugliest minis I’ve ever painted from Malifaux range. Grotesquely mutated, hulking giants. The Geryon actually make me think of cancerous growth as depicted in Don Hertzfeldt’s “Rejected”. Painting them was a bit tricky as I needed to come up with a color scheme that would make the main surface there look more three-dimensional. Their skin doesn’t have really well defined structure, it is mostly flat surface with major muscles and some folds in the fatty parts visible. I went for a blueish pale skin tone to match the other models with “Savage” range I’ve painted with some darker shades around areas where there is additional growth of limbs/heads. Plenty of glazes/washes along the way. Oil Brushers from MiG were used to finish things off and give the highlights a smoother look. 

Fun fact - in Greek mythology Geryon was a fearsome giant, often considered a monster with three heads and one body, while other sources describe him as having three bodies as well (Wiki).

And while we're at it - I also managed to put some paint on this Alternative Guild Sargent, really mean looking lady. It felt nice to paint a "normal" human after all these robots and mutated giants.

#9/2020 Inspection

This book has a strong Orwellian feel to it. 26 young boys are locked in a tower with very limited access to terrain around it. They are brought up by a figure called D.A.D. and educated to a very high standard by an assembly of teachers. They are trained to be prodigies and life in the Tower is all they are allowed to know. They have no knowledge of the outside world and of the opposite sex. 

The novel starts around the time when boys reach puberty and curiosity is a natural instinct for them. Some start asking questions and begin considering their limitations, which inevitably has significant consequences.
One has to appreciate the effort Malerman has put into creating some unique vernacular. Similarly to great classics of Utopian fiction, those words used to reinforce the brainwashing process really sink in while reading.

It's a solid read and similarly to "Bird Box", we observe humans put under extreme conditions. Definitely an interesting study of a twisted social experiment. I have to admit the ending took me a bit by surprise and the way things unfold in the end brings a good closure to the main plot but also leaves the reader to ask more questions and consider next scenarios.

Steampunk Spiders and Robots

Some steampunk spiders and robots this time round. I've used mainly colorshift paints from Green stuf world + spider serum on the bases. I felt they needed an extra touch so I used some oil paints and added light blue/purple washes in some recesses. 

#8 Bestiariusz Sowianski #2

I read the first part a couple of months ago and enjoyed it thoroughly, so reaching out for #2 was a no-brainer. I'm a huge fan of Slavic folklore and this one is filled with it. There is a short background on even more unusual creatures here and the book is filled with wonderful illustrations. I really like the structure here as all are prepared by the same person, which gives the whole thing a sense of coherence. However, it feels like some of the creatures presented here are like an extension of what has already been presented in the previous one and reading about them didn't seem as fascinating as about the ones in book #1. Nonetheless, I will be definitely checking out the other books by these authors.