Dretch Demon Horde! (20)

 Demons! The perfect seasonal post.

Even dretch can be a threat in numbers, and any demon invasion needs its front-line minions. Unfortunately, it can be hard to find enough unique models to really fill out a big horde of weaker creatures. To compensate for that, I have gotten in the habit of rigging models and reposing them. This set of models was my test case for that approach. I started with Schlossbauer's excellent dretch model (center above, top left below), which had a nice neutral pose and rigged it up in Blender to practice all sorts of poses. I ended up having to do some sculpting opening the mouth so I could get a better variety of facial positions; It was a hack job, but at scale it works. I gave several of the dretch dog like poses, as I thought that would fit their personality well. Once I had made that many, well, it'd be a shame not to print and paint them all!

With so many models, I broke these paint jobs up over ...years, lol. They went through many iterations, and the current paint is nothing like the quick dip I had been planning on originally. I am not much of an army painter, so this was a big batch for me to take on all at once. They were fairly simple, so that helped, but painting the spots on the back ended up being a a much harder exercise in persistence than I had expected.  Still, I really like the end result.

These are an awesome addition to my AD&D MMII collection. Lots more demons to come. Maybe even more dretch, of a different sort. 

Hordling Demon #2 / Sebelex, Devourer of the Dead

This is another old but still great model from the depths of my collection / the pit. Like the previous hordling, it is from the Grenadier Fantasy Lords box set (1984). These sculpts hold up so well I can see myself hunting down the whole lot of 'em. 

The color scheme is the same otherworldly blues and purples with green eyes that I use for most of my other demon models, but he is definitely unique. I like the palate a lot - I'll have to revisit it.

Hordling Demon / Mxomycetes, Duke of the Mire

 

From one Grenadier line to another. I'm feeling that old school charm, I guess. This is another model I dug out of my childhood toybox, stripped, and repainted. That was sometime prior to 2013 when I started keeping records. Once upon a time (ahem 1984), this model was fearsome and imposing enough to be a named demon - a duke no less! These days he is much less threatening and I use him as a lowly (but unique) hordling.  

Despite the age of the model (and the paintjob), I still like it. Being the creature of habit that I am, this piece laid the groundwork for most of the demons I have painted since (at least those who serve a certain lord).

Vrock / Type I demon

 

 

A mini painted many years ago. Demons lend themselves to unusual and varied colors and styles, making them interesting subjects. I really enjoyed working with the blues and purples so extensively on this piece. Vroc demons are my favorite of the classics; I hope  to paint more.

Brown Jenkin

 This is a fun one! Brown Jenkin is one of my favorite HPL antagonists. Sure, lesser known than the big squid head guy, but so disturbing, sadistic, and no less enigmatic. He is something of a household boogeyman, so naturally I had to paint him up! This piece was sculpted by Schlossbauer, and I printed it at a very small size. For reference, the base is 15mm, making it one of the smaller works in my collection; roughly in-scale with a rat. 

As the years go by, I find myself increasingly interested in smaller and smaller miniatures. I even have a few projects that are at 10mm or less, and I thoroughly enjoy printing itty-bitty models. They are fast, I guess, and as a parent , I really need that to keep a glimmer of my hobby alive.

Taki-bi no Oni, Greater and Lesser Elemental Terror of Fire

 While I am thinking about Rokugan, I figured I would follow with this pair of miniatures completed in 2013 - nearly a decade old! My Rokugan project is one of my first paint projects, and may be my longest running. I am not a fan of the Clan War model for the Terror of Fire, but I found a suitable pair of miniatures to represent both the Greater and Lesser forms in my collection of Reaper Bones. They are described as female forms of bright green fire, hence the unusual color for these elementals, but I have come to really appreciate them. This color palate is broadly used in my collection to symbolize spirits, so its use here has good continuity with the rest of my collection.  They definitely stand out!

Manes Demons

 

 

Fresh from the kitchen table! I received these guys as part of my CSM rewards and knocked them out as fast as I could. they share a color & basing scheme in common with all of my demons: blue skin, green eyes and reddish golden hair; while still being unique. They are quite small and the models are mounted on 20mm round bases, my preferred choice for small sized minis. at some point I'd like to get another 27 of these and convert up a crazy swarm of the evil looking little demons.

Getting close to reaching my annual paint goal of 52 minis! Only three to go!

 Edit: These are among my most viewed miniatures - but the pictures were awful! I have posted newer photos above, but the pics below are the originals that I have left for some reason.