Dicing with Dragons

This arrived today- a bit fat slice of old school.




Written by Ian Livingstone, its best described as a tasting plate of fantasy rpg of the 1980s.

A quick thumb through brings a smile to my face. It kicks off with a 'what is roleplaying' chapter, scoots through a fun little choose-your-own-adventure before transforming into a trade catalogue of games at the time, before ending up with a mini painting chapter in glorious black and white with no photos. Yes. Line art mini painting examples like this...




Makes it all clear! What a gem.

There is also a chapter on video games circa 1982. Cannot wait to read that one in particular. Thats going to be my reward for completing the choose your own adventure bit.

To round the book off as a joy, its illustrated by Russ Nicholson who would later go on to do lots of fighting fantasy art. I love his penmanship! He was a big inspiration to me.

I did have a sneak peek at the chapter on mini painting. It is interesting to note how acrylics are given the brush off as 'tricky to use'- enamels are front and center, with a good word for alklyds for shading. Imagine if citadel went enamels instead?

I also like the comment that miniature painting is 'almost a hobby in itself'. Almost.

I am looking at a few intense days of hard work before I can get back to my almost hobby and read this.

I mostly read at night. Mostly.

Late night with insomnia. Allergies suck.
Decided to paint something for an hour whilst waiting for next sleep wave to hit. So did this...



A quick tint job. The mini was grey shaded a while back, and as I dont collect elves much, has sat on my desk for a bit. So his undershading was- a badab black wash or two over tamiya primer, followed by light grey dry-brush

The tints where made using small amounts of Liquitex color, thinned with water and made greasy with Jo Sonjas Magic Mix Medium- which is a matte medium, retarder and flow aid mix which really is magic straight out of the bottle.

I had a cool blue green, a yellow green, a blue-purple shadow tone, a violent pink/magenta, white and ultra deep pthalo blue on the wet palette.
The black came from ink, which I find beats black acrylics for depth and contrast and wicks into the crevices making edges a breeze.

To do the straps I did three layers of burnt umber glaze, focusing toward the middle so the edges looked worn or highlighted.
The magic mix keeps the paint open for long enough to pick up a second tiny and work it in. Handy stuff. I think I will enjoy using it.

I used blue and yellow to get the warm/dark lighting- this is directly inspired by Larry Elmores painting style.

I am going to push that further next session, but for a speed paint I am happy!
Heres an Elmore for you to see his purple/yellow balancing.



Aaaaanyway, see you next session... Sleep... Wave.... Coming......



Zzzzz.

Zero hit points.

Hey folks- just to let you all know I started a blog just for discussing ideas for my old school style fantasy RPG development " D'Undred" so I can keep kingsminis purely about, well, king's minis.
Come on over and share your thoughts and experiences of DnD, TnT, retroclones and home baked games design with me while I mull over which path D'Undred will take and throw out ideas for you to bicker over!
The more the merry and pippin-er!
Meanwhile I am looking forward to some serious painting tomorrow morning as I nurse tonights festivities as a hang over. Mmmm, bacon and coffee and mindless base coating.
Its at www.zerohp.blogspot.com


With D'Undred I want an experience like this.....

But without the clunky system!

Ahh, love a good dracolitch...

Speaking of which my Undead Dragon arrived recently. I have been in love with this monster since reading Pillars of Pentergarn as a child.




But between the cute cleric being magic missiled to death by Bargle in redbox dnd and lydia the red headed elf thief copping cursed jewelry that turned her into a skeleton in this book I was a little traumatized. Oh, and the girl who is killed by her jealous husband with a dagger after sleeping with you in Tunnels & Trolls solo... Jeesh.
I like my hot chicks surviving thank you very much.

Anyway, once I find an appropriate jar big enough to strip him down that dracolitch is getting some serious love and attention.

Maybe I should resurrect those girls as miniatures! Anyone know a good match for them?

Crayons and dice

Nerdvana. To reach the state of geek bliss practice the ancient art of crayoning your red dice.
Yep, old school as drokk, my super precise game science dice arrived. How do I have them?
Opaque. Red. Un-inked.
The geek equivalent of dry. Shaken. Not stirred.



After thirty minutes of late bus waiting I managed to color most of my preciouses and took a snap because, hey, I am a serious gaming web journalist. Its how I roll.

Stop me.

I have been flat out far too busy at work to paint, (or sleep) so this interlude is hobby fix for the week.