Tuesday 22 April 2014

Three Cultists or Other Peoples' Painted Models

I know there's a wide range of opinion regarding painted models. Some people purely want to game in the most efficient way possible, so basic painting or even commission painting is the way forward. Personally, I want to look at models in my collection that are mine; I built them, I painted them, I play with them. Every so often though, I come across a model that just begs me to buy it. Last year, it was a small selection of figures painted by John Blanche; the other week it was some figures by Andy Ritson offered for sale on the Oldhammer forums.

I can't claim to know that much about Andy other than what MarkH wrote in the trade thread:

Back in the day (the early to mid 80s) visitors to GW Sheffield would have seen some rather nice models painted by a chap named Andy Ritson. Andy used tube acrylics and was back then on the cutting edge of the art. Those of you who have seen the 'Mad Max' display game in recent years and in the 80s will have seen the talent of this gentleman.

Sadly, I have no idea which Mad Max display game MarkH is referring to, and I've never been to GW Sheffield, early to mid 80s or otherwise. That said, I was immediately taken by these three lovely figures:



 
Although I referred to them as cultists, these three dagger-wielding figures are all based on the C30 series Amazon Sisterhood Novice.
Compendium 2 illustration (courtesy of Stuff of Legends)
 
Bare metal Novice
 
All three of the models have been given a striking paint job, but also subtly converted. One of the Novices has received an open-mouthed head, while another has received something far more sinister. Something dark lurks at the centre of this cult I think.

Can anyone ID the donor models for these faces?

 
The centre figure (I'm choosing to think of her as the cult leader) has also received a beautiful little dragon to her shoulder. After having spoken with MarkH, we're not sure whether this lovely little creature is sculpted or taken from another model - anyone know?
 



Although I picked these up purely on an impulse, I do plan to make use of them - probably in some sort of Eternal Champion setting. I can imagine Elric being rather annoyed that some cult has visited Melnibone and stolen away with a newly hatched dragon for example! I may also put together some attendent guards with quartered yellow and green shields to protect the all important members of the cult (eventually of course!).


6 comments:

  1. I saw them on the forum - very vibrant colours. I fully understand why you bought them and thanks for the close-ups.

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    Replies
    1. No problem! Sometimes these things just need to be bought there and then.

      Delete
  2. Nothing beats the charm of a genuine oldschool paintjob, especially when it is as nice as this one. The conversions are really good indeed !

    I can't figure where the alternatice heads come from but the faces seem to get out of the hoods, could it be alternative faces sculpted over the donor?

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    Replies
    1. Hadn't considered that the heads might be sculpts. If that's the case I'll never know without scraping off the paint :)

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    2. Well, ...you could ask me. I'm Andy Ritson. They are my old figures given to MarkH. ;)
      I made them back in the early or perhaps mid 80s for an illusionist character I was Roleplaying at the time.
      That character never really had a fixed appearance, and could look like whatever was most useful at the time.
      I wanted to make it feel like that was the case on the miniature too.
      The open mouthed face was taken from another miniature, but I cant remember what the donor was, I'm afraid.
      The gargoyle face was from some sort of Ral Partha figure IIRC, and the dragon, I think, was taken from some standard bearer pole, and fixed into place with a bit of sculpting in milliput to finish it off and make it complete after all the hacking and bashing.

      If you need any more info, get in touch via my Facebook page "Mad Max vs the Humungous"

      AndyR

      Delete
  3. Well, ...you could ask me. I'm Andy Ritson. They are my old figures given to MarkH. ;)
    I made them back in the early or perhaps mid 80s for an illusionist character I was Roleplaying at the time.
    That character never really had a fixed appearance, and could look like whatever was most useful at the time.
    I wanted to make it feel like that was the case on the miniature too.
    The open mouthed face was taken from another miniature, but I cant remember what the donor was, I'm afraid.
    The gargoyle face was from some sort of Ral Partha figure IIRC, and the dragon, I think, was taken from some standard bearer pole, and fixed into place with a bit of sculpting in milliput to finish it off and make it complete after all the hacking and bashing.

    If you need any more info, get in touch via my Facebook page "Mad Max vs the Humungous"

    AndyR

    ReplyDelete