Burrows and Badgers Draws In 144Artist

I began with the resin Bulldog Knight as it is a beautiful sculpt and nicely cast.  Very little clean up of mold lines needed plus a beautifully smooth surface made this an easy choice. I generally prefer metal miniatures simply because I break resin just looking at it but this is a solid casting that survived my clumsy fingers.

The gallery shows my progress from the beginning and the single images are the finished model.  He was a ball to paint and will be tough as nails if I ever get to play the game.

I felt this young shrew heroine looked to be the perfect companion to the bulldog.  She maybe tiny but she is fierce and similarly armored so I painted her in the same colors as her friend so now they really look like a team.  I might just have to pursue this color scheme on more figures.

Next I got back to hounds with the Beagle Tracker.  He painted up rather quickly.  Google Images really helps get the animals’ coloration right.  Sometimes looking at the real animal gives me ideas for the miniature. The first two pictures show where I started.

This guy is just adorable and the candle on his helmet reminds me of my unit of old school dwarf miners. Seem like a handy guy to have on one’s team so I might have to see if they sculpted other moles.  Plus he painted up in minutes, literally.

Looking at the Terrier Knight from Oathsworn I thought he looked a great deal like my own dog, Tico, so knew where to get inspiration.  As he wears a red collar decorated with my phone number in yellow stitching my color choices were easy as well. I can spend way too much time thinking about color schemes and details leaving half finished minis littering my painting table so having a decision made this easily is a big win!

I included a photo of my boy so folks can see if I got close.  For his part, he loves sitting in a chair next to my desk anyway and is a pretty good little life model.

Sticking to the hounds I finished up the Pug Bounty Hunter though he looks a bit rough and tumble.  As has been my experience with all of the Oathsworn minis so far, a charming sculpt and super clean casting.  These are just a joy to work with.  On that note I just want to mention that I have ordered directly from Oathsworn a few times now, not just Kickstart rewards, always get great customer service and very fast fulfillment.  Orders seem to process in less than 24 hours and they are even faster replying to emailed questions.  I really like these folks so they are among the places I send what spending money I do have.

Okay, this one was a fast paint job, easy to believe.  Such an adorable face on a deadly killer.  Since I had some ranged attacks with the Shrew Heroine I knew I would need some air support and this guy is perfect.  I love how he’s channeling Dracula in his pose. Probably even fakes an Eastern European accent.

Sticking to my Hound theme I next painted the West Highland Terrier, inspired by some amazing work on this site I decided this little pup needed tartan.  I’m not entirely happy with it but hid some of my sins from the camera so he photographed rather well.  I think he and Tico should get along famously.

A year ago, and a very different world, I was attending a local game convention joining in on a Paint-and-Take, where one picks out a figure then paints it hanging out in the middle of the convention with your friends. No matter what happens with the paint job, you get a free figure and time with friends.  It is a great way to get new folks into the hobby as well as entertain us grognards. I will often show newbies some basics and this little guy was one such example piece.  I was really only going over base coats and other simple stuff with the kids of a friend but once they got going on their own I had to finish him up.  I think he is from Mouseguard but can’t confirm that.  He fits in with this crowd so I based him to match and am adding him to the collection.  Besides, he looked so lonely sitting on my shelf.

The Spaniel Witch Hunter has joined my collection.  I’m not sure of the general size of warbands in the game so I’m sticking with “collection”.  I’ve considered creating an all Hound squad as the visuals appeal to me but the tactical benefits of a diverse team still outweigh the narrative in my mind. Since I’ve no idea if I will ever play the game, safe to say I will be coming around to that way of thinking sooner rather than later. So it is probably better to think of it as a “stable” of minis to choose from.  Bonus that I can make a farm pun in an angry animal game.

The Rabbit Tavern Keeper is especially characterful.  Besides just looking as tough as a rabbit can the details of his nicked ear and missing left foot really take him over the top. I added a little staining on his apron but he looks like the veteran that keeps everything in his life clean and buttoned down, in true military fashion. He is proudly wearing the medals he earned durning his time in service after all.  Even retired and having only one foot (“I kept the lucky one”, he says) he looks like he would be formidable in a fight and don’t even think about starting something in his tavern.

From the beginning, this has been one of the sculpts that caught my eye and made me want to paint it.  Classic archer’s pose with a face Beatrix Potter could have painted when she was pissed off.  He has that,”I maybe small but I’m fast and fearless!” look that the real world rodents have.  Ask my dogs about that one some time. Wonder how the species get along in B&B?

I’m grateful, humbled, and inspired by the Golden Button recognition my minis painting in this blog earned.  I am regularly impressed with the projects highlighted as such so am delighted to find my own work among them.   Like everyone in the entire world right now, I struggle with the new reality we find ourselves in and despite lots of time to work on hobby, my creative spirit has been sorely tested and my artistic energy seems to evaporate.  This community has offered not just an escape into game news and tutorials but a huge variety of genres, skills, interests, plus an amazing amount of support and positive energy that recharges my batteries.  Not only do I feel safe posting my work here but energized to get more done because I want to share what this community inspires in me.  It was the amazing work in numerous project blogs, in the first place, that made me want to paint these as well as @brennon’s enthusiasm on Weekenders.

So, in brief, thank you for the energy, inspiration, and compliments in how I used both.

I’ve finished the Ferret Mercenary and she increases the firepower of my collection considerably. She looks like a right dead eye and capable of inflicting some serious damage.   With her fashion sense and lovely plume I thought her the perfect companion for the Bulldog and Shrew so painted her to match.  Since I haven’t actually played the game yet I can’t say I’m basing these decisions on anything but aesthetics as characters seem to be able to team up in any combination that works at the moment.

One of the things I enjoy about painting these Oathsworn minis is that the sculptor has an amazing eye for what makes each animal unique so the Magpie Entrepreneur is clearly a Magpie and not just a bird in a top hat.  I get to do some photo research on each animal which often influences my other color choices.  Here, for instance, I chose to paint his jacket bright blue as some species of Magpie have blue stripes or backs.  I will admit to finding a couple of the birds’ plumage a little intimidating but I will figure it out.  The owl I just ordered looks to be a simple enough color scheme so I am sure it will hit the table soon.

Many years ago a friend had said he always tried to have at least two complete forces/teams/gangs for games he played so he would always be able to teach a newbie.  A good philosophy I have long integrated into my own collecting goals.  Having said that, now that I have one musket in the collection I should really have a second to face it and offer balance.  Okay, I just wanted to paint a weasel.

As an aside, my order from Oathsworn arrived so there should be enough rabbits to face my dogs in future.

I will avoid the obvious rat + pirate puns for when I get my hands on Oathsworn’s actual Pi-Rat figure. Until then let us assume this disreputable fellow is either on shore leave or foraging for supplies and plunder.  I did notice a fair number of different rat models in the online store so anticipate more joining the collection before too long.  I bet he will fit in my Blood and Plunder dinghy.

Okay, I know she’s actually a hare and not a rabbit but it’s not my fault the song isn’t White Hare.  Anyway, it was high time to include some magic to my forces and the Hare Druidess is such a great sculpt I had to start with her. I figured with her all covered in cloak and cowl she might be sensitive to the sun so the choice to paint her as an albino hare seemed logical to me.  Bonus that she got red eyes to match her rose.

One of the very first figures I saw and understood it was for Burrows and Badgers was the mercenary tortoise. Such a great figure and still sporting the armor he wore as a young tortoise centuries ago.  He’s taken good care of his gear and it has taken care of him evidenced by the fact he is still around. I love his solid stature and can imagine a shield wall of these guys being quite terrifying.

Okay, he is an Otter Pirate.  I love otters and it makes perfect sense for one of these water loving Mustelidae  to seek adventure on the rivers and high seas.  He’s probably a crew mate of the Rat Buccaneer I’ve already painted.  In fact this otter looks to be the sort of fellow to drag the little rodent out of the scraps he gets himself into.  That cutlass  isn’t just for show and, despite having lost an eye in battles past, this pirate looks undaunted and ready for action.