Another fresh face belonging to my small collection of bullywugs. I stuck really close to the original color palate, but each does have a unique element. I really like the little fish snacks this fellow carries on its belt; details like that make it seem more like a creature with motivations than strictly a monster.
I enjoy painting dragons, but this one had a rough journey. I completed this *10 year WIP* this weekend - whiew! I love this model, but it was a struggle from day one and I was never quite able to make it live up to my vision-in-paint. It is an old piece, originally made in 1985, and when I got it it was a rescue piece - caked in paint and missing parts. I do enjoy salvaging the classics, but maybe I should've let this one go because it got me off on the wrong foot.
In particular the eye area was a hot mess. I have seen some versions of this piece with beautiful expressive eyes that weren't possible for me. I basically free-handed them in, such was the damage. The other parts were easier - the tail, etc, were simple to re-sculpt. still, a bad foot. I had an idea for the dragon being a brass dragon of sorts, with scales corroded with age to create a pattern. I think I came close to what I wanted, but missed the mark. The claws aren’t right; I tried a few things but none quite stuck. The blue-green is a little too bold, and I think I should've gone with a color palate similar to the hair instead. For the base I wanted an arid theme so the verdigris could remain the focus, but it always felt incomplete despite fussing with the idea for years.
Ah well, not every piece scratches that itch, some I'm just glad to have off the shelf-o-shame. I'm sure in time I will regard it as a labor of love.
A model from my collection I have never shared before. I have a handful of toad-like humanoids I fancy as bullywugs. I actually think the mutant theme works really well with bullywugs, and the lore of different types of tribes with different features plays well in to this idea.
It is a simple paint scheme with its roots in the early days of my collection. The copper verdigris and golden eyes are my favorite bits, but easy to execute. The result isn't splashy but works to my advantage as it is pretty easy to fill the ranks. I ultimately hope to have enough to run Dwellers of the Forbidden City, and the lesser known but excellent 4th ed adventure Reavers of Harkenwold.
Why two very similar views? I dunno <shrug>, it felt right.
These were fun! Every collection needs giant spiders, and I wanted to mix it up a little. The LMoP encounter in "Ruins of Thundertree" calls for a pair in a woodland setting and I thought that the classic black or brown spider wasn't the best fit. Instead, I elected to base them on the white-banded crab spider, known for its diverse and interesting coloration. Check them out; crab spiders are really cool. This splash of color was a refreshing change of pace from the color palates I usually work with - beautiful and deadly!
The awesome models used here are from Otherworld miniatures. I am a huge fan of their old school take on monsters. In this case, the sculpting style definitely contributed to the impression of a crab spider - they were a perfect fit. I have a few more things from Otherworld in the pipeline.
My giant crab spiders sit on 40mm bases.
If classic dark creepy crawlies are more your style, don't worry, I plan to do some underdark themed spiders for their next appearance.
