Fimm's BOYL Fimir-o-quest diary

[Fimm McCool]

Day 13
Dear diary...

Unlucky for some! Slow pace today. Did manage to get the chariots and beasts painted, but sadly didn't quite finish the howdah and crew. Never mind, the plan for tomorrow is more HQ minis so I should have time to add on the crew then. If not Friday is scheduled for contingency to make sure I am on track when the big week begins. No photos tonight as I don't want to give anything away before these are finished...

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 14
Dear diary...

After yesterday's slow progress I decided to pick up the beginning of the week with the last 18 Orcs and Goblins. I told Chico these guys were quick to paint!



Not quite finished, I do have eyes and metals to go yet, but they'll be done today. On the subject of metals, a bit of chasing suggests that I have one of two problems (or maybe both) leading to my tarnishing metallic effect. Either I'm not leaving stuff long enough to properly dry, touch-dry not really being a good guide as to when the paint has fully set, or the matt spray is affecting light getting to the tiny metal bits in the silver paint. I'm going to try leaving these guys a good 2 days before glazing and see if that solves the problem before I dare use the spray on my shiny AdMeccers! I've also had a plan for the bases, I don't know if it will work yet, but if it does I am declaring myself the winner of Heroquest. I make that 103 miniatures done, 43 left so I'm just ahead of my target with only 4.5 models a day to do!

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 15
Dear diary...

Well. A bit of a slog today, but nearly there with the last 6 Doomguard, completing my Heroquest lineup (apart from the Wizards of Morcar if I have time next week).



I decided to try the negative space approach to the lightning on the pads, and whilst it's not as refined as mr McVey's masterpiece I think that's definitely the approach. At some point I'll try the very fine dots, layers of glazes etc. that are probably needed to get the effect right, but as quite quick versions I'm pretty happy with these. Axe handles still to paint but essentially another 6 off, 109 done, 37 to go!

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 16
Dear diary...

Last night I managed to pull ahead and get some Kelpies finished as well as the Chaos Warriors, so today I pulled out the remaining Woldlice (count as Ogres in Heavy Armour).



Not too technical painting these guys thankfully. I have also got a bit of work done on the movement trays which are going to be (hopefully) quite interesting and decorative... Not sure what to do tomorrow. The Woldlice were in the diary but maybe I should crack on with the Armoured Fimm instead.

 

[Golgfag1]

Armoured Fimm, Armoured Fimm, Armoured Fimm - sorry, couldn't really help myself.

Paul Golgfag1

 

[Fimm McCool]

Armour done, flesh base-coated and washed.

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 16.5...

Quick update. I managed to get the armour on all the armoured Fimm done last night, so with flesh to do I should be able to pull it off tonight. However it might be a late one, so in the meantime (I know how desperate you all are for progress, ) here's a quick and cheerful lunchtime tribute to Kellar's Keep... I'll do the dwarf some other time.

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 17
Dear diary...

Just one week left to go! I haven't quite finished the armoured Fimm tonight, but all the flesh is done. Just some washing and shading left and I don't want to rush it as I reckon I'm a bit ahead in any case.



Heard from the caster today that there's a chance my next marsh demons may be ready in time to paint up a unit for BOYL... better clear the painting queue!

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 17.5
Dear diary...

Another quick bit of lunchtime painting... lots of my models I use for SystemMech on 30mm round bases. My movement trays locate them as if they were on 40mm bases but the trays look a bit odd with round holes in them once the models have gone. To rectify this I've put together some little hole-fillers.



They'll also be useful objective counters, and SystemMech has rules for ravens, crows etc. so always useful to have a few kicking around. Especially since Draoi (bog-dwelling mystics) get raven familiars and can cast spells using the raven's field of vision... very handy for conserving stamina whilst needing line of sight to cast!

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 18
Dear diary...

The armoured fimm are finished, minus glazing and bases. I really must set aside a day this week for basing, perhaps Thursday since the glaze might be having an effect on recently-set paint, I don't want to be painting right up to the deadline and not have time to glaze.



Also finished the chariots.... RHINOTAUR chariots! Heheh. It was a crazy idea, but I think it's worked out great. They're counting as Dragon Ogres pulling chariots for game purposes.
Tomorrow's tasks: get more cheap coffee for basing, undercoat all remaining minis, base coat the final fimm unit and two outstanding fianna fimm. If I can get that lot done over the weekend (should be possible) it just leaves me 9 miniatures to fit in next week... until (hopefully) the new myeri arrive!

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 19
Dear diary...

All remaining Fimm now have base colours and skin almost finished and two Fianna and a Dirach have base skin colour in place. I also risked glazing the orcs today to see if the metallic survived, which they did- so I guess just making sure I leave them to thoroughly dry is the key. That said, the metal did look a bit duller after a matt spray so I went out to get some clear lacquer which I've used on the armoured fimm and Admech minis, preserving the shiny metal without being too high gloss. I can always matt them a bit with the army painter if needs be.



I've also been working on the movement trays today, with three almost finished. The rest of the Fimir movement trays are currently in the shed with epoxy resin in them... it worked ok for these two samples so I'm hoping for the same result on the others, time will tell!

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 20
Dear diary...

Resin worked fine, all movement trays now filled, flocked, labelled and lacquered. Flesh, metal and cloth done on all remaining Fimm and Fianna so although they aren't totally finished I'm going in to the big week with 11 models left unstarted. Should manage that I reckon!

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 21
Dear diary...

Crunch time approaches! Pending the arrival of my new Myeri Marsh Demons (hopefully due on Wednesday) I have finished all the Fimir, they just need glazing and basing now. After wrapping them up this evening I managed to paint up this chap:



He's the Oldhammer Day special figure for this year, based on the Marvel Comics Heroquest special, it's their idea of what Morcar looks like. Sine the big fantasy game this year is Heroquest based it made sense to have him as the special mini. This is the dude the baddies will be trying to summon on Saturday. A copy will be given to every attendee who signs up. Tomorrow, his associate wizards get paint!

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 22
Dear diary...

I spent this morning putting affairs in order. All Fimir and Heroquest units are now on their movement trays, based and labelled. There are a few minis left to glaze when the weather improves. After getting all that out the way I sat down this afternoon to paint the Wizards of Morcar...



These guys were so much fun to paint. I've hummed and hahed about it for ages as the WoM boxes aren't cheap (although I got mine in a fantastic find and didn't pay the going rate!), but glad the BFFG ushd me into making the commitment. They are lovely figures. I even developed a liking for the Storm Master/Druid miniature whilst painting him, although he's definitely not my favourite of the bunch. That takes the number of figures painted to 157 (I snuck in a few extra goblins!) and wraps up my essential commitments, bar a bit of work on the big fellow who should get finished tomorrow. Now, the bad news. The new Myeri clan boxes are on their way... but won't be here until Thursday. Depending on when they arrive I MAY get some painted, but chances are looking slim. At least the painting queue is finished so I can rush them on when they arrive. That does mean one unit of Fimm might have to be 10 rather than 15, but it's not a big loss in the grand scheme of things.

 

[symphonicpoet]

Oh, very nice. You have done the wizarding world a solid there. Never played enough Heroquest, so that's the first time I've seen those. Plastics I take it? They came out quite well.

 

[Fimm McCool]

Yes, they're all 90s plastics, hard styrene. Given the limits of plastic manufacturing back then the HQ models are really very nice, and these especially. I actually think they're nicer than the more advanced plastics available since.

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 23
Dear diary..

Well that about wraps it up for the month of intensive painting! Everything is varnished and packed ready to go. But it's not quite all over...

The new Oakbound Myeri Clan are on their way, should be here in the morning, so the challenge is- can I paint 11 of them in one day? Only time will tell!

 

[Fimm McCool]

Day 24
Dear diary...

Phewph! That's it. What a day to end the paintathon! The Myeri miniatures arrived about 11 this morning, and 12 hours later they're glazed, based and ready to go. Not the hottest paint jobs in the world, but pleased nevertheless.



Before they arrived I dug out some Men at Arms (like I said I would) as something to get on with just in case, so in addition to 10 Fimir I've got base colours on 12 Empire soldiers today too. They may just get washed and ready for packing if I get up in time in the morning... a fitting end to a month of painting madness. I'll try and do a final count and photograph at BOYL.

 

[Chico]

Good stuff Fimbledon ya crazy bastard

 

[Fimm McCool]

The final count is in...

208 models, 24 days. That's 8.67 models a day. My paint brushes are worn out! Time to get back to the sculpting bench, but hopefully it won't be another year before I put paint to metal again!