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These guys look amazing, Josh. I'm jealous!

Really nice work, I always love seeing old miniatures painted in a modern style and these look great. I really like the muted red. Amazing given modern sculpting how some miniatures just still have the "It" factor 30 years odd since they were sculpted. I suppose Mr Goodwin being so good at what he does helps.

Those are really good josh, love the colour palette on them.

Great job Josh - they've come out gorgeously

Thanks, everyone. Having finished this set, I think I can paint the next set more efficiently. I hope to have them ready to show by the end of the week.

Lookin good to me sir.

Continuing with the Melnibonean theme, here are some more archers:

Why would an archer wear a helmet that restricts his vision this badly? They must have a lot confidence in their own marksmanship.


This guy, at least, had the sense to raise his visor. I painted another of this model in the first set I posted last week, but someone somewhere cut off the visor part. I prefer the intact version, I think.


These guys have giant, Kirbyesque headgear. I wonder how they keep them from falling off? I briefly considered painted the studs on their facegear as gemstones, but that seemed a little too ostentatious for line troops. Also, I gave one guy brown hair because even as insular a society as Melnibone should have at least a little phenotypic variation.


Finally, two more guys with bare heads. These guys have little diadems, which only the most powerful warriors would have the stones to wear in battle. Despite my enduring love of these models, they are technically crude even compared to other Jes Goodwin sculpts of the same era. It really shows in their faces-- the left and right sides apppear to have been sculpted separately, so they don't quite line up when seen straight on. Also, there was some pretty bad mold slip on a couple of these guys. Ah, well, you can't see it at arm's length, and they'll be fine for a SoBaH or LOTR:SBG warband.

Finally, here's a shot of all the archers together:

There are only eleven in this shot because the 12th guy was hiding in a different box, and I didn't find him until last night. He's soaking in alcohol right now, waiting for an open slot later in the month.

Next up: more spearmen.

I think these guys look great, and they work very nicely as a unit as well. Do you have a hero in store for them?

Really liking your wooden work on the bows, the skin looks damned good as well. Very nice stuff JIJ. I am hoping for a hero too.

Thanks,guys. I have a vary vague memory of Melnibonean bows being made of either bone or horn, which is why I went with the ivory. I have a couple of Elric models (one on foot and one mounted) that I will work on after the spears are done. I thought I had more, but have yet to locate then.

I really like the Melnibonean minis Josh. Can't wait for more

Well, I have a lot more to paint. I expect to post the next batch on Saturday or Sunday.

Melnibonean spearmen:

I think of this as the default style because of the full helmet. I used the exact same techniques as before, with one fewer highlight on the armor. That saved about 30 minutes (or one full painting session), allowing me to finish this set a little faster. I'm torn as to whether or not the results are good enough to justify the shortcut. The crescent shield on the middle guy was a bear to paint, what with the relatively huge shield boss.


Three more, this time with Kirby headgear. Look at how long their faces are! These guys are obviously not human.


One problem with having as large and old a collection as mine is that these older, lead-based models have a tendency to break while they are waiting to be painted. The guy on the left will probably get a replacement speartip someday, but the guy on the right is going to be a standard bearer. There is an article about making interchangeable banners that I will try to follow. probably next week.


And a group shot of all eleven spearmen. I have one more archer and spearman soaking in alcohol, and once they are done I'll have an even dozen of each, allowing me to field two regiments of seaguard in KOW or just a bunch of elves in SoBaH or LOTR. Amazingly, I'm not burnt out on these guys, so I'll follow up next week with some sword-and-shield troops next.

Very cool stuff, Josh! I love seeing these old models brought out and resurrected for today.

Thanks, Az. It's been fun working on them. For some, this is their third paint job, so finally having a paint scheme I'm satisfied with is, er, satisfying.

After cranking out almost two dozen nearly-identical models, I was ready for a leader. It turns out that I only had one left from the Eternal Champion boxed set, having traded off the rest years ago.





This is Elric of Imrryr, wearing his black armor with the dragon helm. He also has a shield, but no runes on his sword, so I guess this is the equipment he was wearing in the big naval battle at the beginning of the first book. It just didn't seem right to give him a regular steel sword, though, so we'll all have to pretend that he is actually wielding Stormbringer. Note also that his face isn't the milky white of Moorcock's descriptions of Whelan's paintings. In my very limited experience (i.e., that one little kid at the kindergarten I used to go to twice a year), albino skin isn't pure white, but rather translucent, allowing the underlying tissue to show through. Accordingly, I went with a paler flesh as basecoat and lighter highlights than on the other Melniboneans. Also note that the golds are not really that ugly in real life. I have to remember to not use Dakka's auto adjust feature-- it never turns out well.

Finally, a shot of all the Melniboneans I have finished to date:


I have really enjoyed this project so far, in part because it has given me an excuse to go back and read some of those old Elric stories. They seem a little angsty and melodramatic to me now, but they felt so real when I was in high school. Elric really resonated with teenage me-- I have never been particularly athletic, so his weakness and lethargy was a delightful contrast to all those musclebound, oiled up barbarians. Of course, none of my peers understood me in the same way that Elric was a mystery to the other Melniboneans, in my own mind at least. Naturally, I had long flowing hair (unlike now) and a slight build (very much unlike middle-aged me). I would have loved to have been as tragic as Elric, but of course my life was pretty easy and free or drama. I'm sure all three of the Dakkites who read this blog have a similar story from their youths as well...

Barring a sudden weekday off, this will be my last update for July. Watch this space for more stuff as I gear up for my Summer Painting Marathon.

So cool seeing the Melnibonians again. I never realized how all the elf armies up to today are basically that same design.

Am the only who thinks Elirc is due a major revival soon?

I've been thinking the same thing. I have a fairly extensive collection of Jes Goodwin elves from this era, and they share a lot of the same design elements. Not counting the mohawks, which the Melniboneans weren't punk enough to have.

By revival, do you mean in print or on film? Because I'm not certain Elric would survive the translation to celluloid.

It could be anything, high end video game, anime, live action, or even just a new mini game.

It's too happy a property not to use in some way but I've not seen anything in years.

I'm not sure that "happy" is the descriptor I would have chosen. Moorcock is still alive and apparently still writing. Maybe he's like Alan Moore and doesn't want his work corrupted by Hollywood? I dunno.

Come now who doesn't enjoy a movie about character who regards torture as both a fine art and a performing art?

Well, when you put it that way...

The last time I posted, there were a few days left in July, and I had another batch of Melniboneans almost ready to show. I wasn't able to finish them off, though, because I had to take the class that I help manage on a team-building camping trip. I can't say that they were all PITAs, but enough of them were that I'm glad I won't have to see them again for another week. In the meantime, here are some more Melnibonean infantry:


Here we see four identical axemen. I used the exact same techniques on these guys as I have on all the others I've done so far. Normally, I would be pretty bored of painting essentially the same model thirty times in a row, but each type is has slightly different equipment. The archers had heavy fur capes, the spearmen had smaller, divided fur capelets, and these guys are wearing fur vests like some ridiculous metal band.


Interestingly, Melniboneans use either axes or maces when they carry shields. These being lead models, they bend and break pretty easily, which is why one guy is armed with a very short stick. I couldn't find the head of his mace anywhere, so I left him underarmed until I can decide what to arm him with instead.


Finally we have Dyvim Tvar, cousin to Elric and last keeper of the Dragon caves on Melnibone. This is the only model I have bought for this project, because for whatever reason I never managed to find him when I got all the others. I gave him essentially the same paint job as Elric, with slightly more normal skin tones. His sword doesn't have carved runes on the blade, but I painted it as Mournblade to match the faux-Stormbringer on the Elric model. If I ever decided to field these guys in LoTRSBG, I need one hero per twelve troops (I think), so I may need to hunt down some other models from this series or else repurpose some of the other elves I have lying around.

Finally, a group shot:


I have another dozen models about halfway finished as I type this. I hope to power through them tonight. Wish me luck!

Not one single comment on my last post? That's cold, guys...

As I mentioned in my previous post (which apparently no one has read), I cranked out another eleven Melniboneans, this time armed with twin swords. Here's half of them.


Once again, Melniboneans march to war in their tiaras. These guys are hard as nails. Note the guy on the far right with only one sword. All the models in this range are old enough to be full of lead, so there has been lots of bending and some breakage. This particular model is prone to having their swords snap off right at the crossguard. There were five broken guys, but only four swords. I pinned and glued the ones I had, and I guess this last guy will just have to punch the enemy in the face. Like I said, hard as nails.


And here's the other half. In all, there are four variant heads in the Melnibonean line: bare-headed, tiara, demon-faced, and what I assume is a stylized skull. For whatever reason, there are only the first three heads for this pose. Way back when I first started collecting these guys, I hated the demon face, so I cut off all their noses and dug out little holes to look like nasal cavities. I kind of regret doing that now, since it pretty much kills their resale value.

Finally, a group shot:

I should have an even dozen of each pose-- I have managed to find one each of the archers, spearmen, and macemen, but I have yet to find the last of these guys.

The last models in this collection are cavalry-- five troopers and another Elric. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I wonder if anyone will comment on this post...?

How many of these guys have you done now? Seems like an endless tide! Many more to do?

Cool to see that old lead getting much love! I think, at some point, a good chunk of those were in my collection. Loved those figures back in the day, but you're correct about them not entirely standing the test of time very well.

Still, it's great to see them painted! Great addition to your project!

Valete,

JohnS

@Januine: I have three stragglers with about one hour of work left, then a banner to paint, and as far as I know that's it.

@cygnnus: Yeah, these guys went back and fourth a couple of times, at least. I seem to recall a lot of stuff doing that back in the day. I know for a fact that you used to own the Skull Chukka I painted a while back, because it still had that grey primer you used to use.

Looking great. Always awesome to see old lead with new paint. I have always loved the decadent Melnibonean image as opposed to the typical "high elf" generic Tolkien knockoff. It also, ironically, meshes better with the fae folk of legend who were not particularly nice or human.

As to an Elric movie, it could be done well. Play up the spectacle of a dying Empire where the people are enthralled by entertainment and drugs and living in past glories. Elric's love for Cymoril and his rivalry with Yyrkoon play out in bloody fashion against a fantastic backdrop. Give it a nice Hollywood ending where he gets the girl. Then skewer it by following the source and wrap it up as a classic tragedy.

Thanks, jmurph. I agree that Melniboneans really capture the feel of an ancient, decadent non-human race that compliment Tolkien elves quite nicely-- Dark Elves without all the sexy, if you will.

My wife and son are away visiting Grandma this week, so I was able to spend the last four nights watching movies that I want to watch, eating foods that I want to eat, and cranking out miniatures. Here is the final batch of Melniboneans:




Five Melnibonean cavalry. Working on these guys, I remembered how much I dislike painting horses. I used all the exact same techniques as before. The guy in the bottom photo has a plastic spear, which a lot of elven cavalry models had at this time. The contact area is tiny, and the spears break off if you look at them funny. I kind of prefer lego hands for this reason.




Elric on horseback. From the waist up, he's the same as the one I painted in July, with cavalry legs instead. His shield is much uglier than the other one's, but that's probably a function of fatigue. Here are all the horsemen together.\:


The riders don't really sit on the horses very well, so rather than gluing them down I have them sitting on a chunk of Blutac. Note that I put them on 40mm bases. I thought about cutting off the tabs, but decided against it to maintain the resale value if I ever decided to get rid of these models.

That's not all, though. I came across these three guys in a box, and painted them up to finish off their respective units:


Remember that broken spearman? I turned him into a standard bearer:


The banner is an image I found on GIS, then printed out on inkjet paper for papercraft. The standard topper was in a grab bag of bits I got from Battlewagon Bitz many, many years ago. The standard pole is 1.6mm brass tube, soceted over .8mm brass wire, according to this article. The flag is pretty heavy, and even a little wad of Bluetac isn't quite enough to hold it in place. I'll have to think about a better way.

Finally, here are all the Melniboneans in my collection:


I'm glad to finally have these models painted, and equally glad to be finished with this project. I'm going to call my August painting done for the time being, and anything else I do this month with be bonus.

I was planning to take a break from painting, but I had the house to myself for one more night. So, this happened:


Elves, Wood Elves specifically, were my third WHFB army, and the one I played most regularly. In my gaming group, WHFB heroes, wizards, and magic were deemed to be gamebreaking, and we played with only troops for years. Undead were simply not viable, and chaos without magic just doesn't feel right, so I gravitated towards elves by default. All of them being Jes Goodwin sculpts made the decision even easier.

Recently, my son has been adding elves to our "miniatures games" (in which he unloads the entirety of one or more storage cases and then we play toy soldiers), and the sight of the almost-30-year old paintjobs makes me cringe. After I finished stripping the last Melniboneans, I popped some of those very old elves off their bases and started prepping them for repainting. Here are some close-up shots of these first six. I played around with an photo editing app on my phone, with questionable results:







I really, really enjoyed painting these models. It was partially nostalgia, I expect, but they are just neat models. I suppose there is a reason that Jes is, along with John Blanche, at the heart of GW's success.

Next up, more elves (probably)!