Collecting John Pickford: Dwarf Skiers from the OS Miniatures Company

After a successful Kickstarter for Alpine Gnomes (sculpted by Byron Harmon) the OS Miniatures Company is now planing their next Kickstarter - and an exciting one it is.

Their next Kickstarter will be about Skiing Dwarfs - a set of multi-parted dwarf skiers - all sculpted by John Pickford.

Here's a pre-view (taken from Facebook, courtesy Jamie Loft) of what we can expect seeing, later this year:

I can't wait - can you?

If you want to learn more you should keep an eye on their Facebook-page - here: https://www.facebook.com/OldSchoolMinis1985

Maggie, Leader of the Miner's Guild

As I've been afraid of being accused of interfering with the election process in a sovereign state, vote manipulations, misinforming the people, hacking campaigns, planting fake news or what-ever seems popular these days, I've waited posting this till after the Brit's have had their General Election. It's done and dusted. Can't comment on the result, but I'm glad to see that 69% actually cared voting

I've waited with this cause I'm sitting on some news. The braking news is, Maggie is back :) Yes, I've heard that "the Bitch is dead" but I can present you with some alternative facts. She is most certainly alive. She might not be running for Parliament, no - but she has now taking the role of Leader of the Miners Guild at Mount Doom. If not in the real world, then in my alternative miniatures world. Cause my DTB-Mags has now been painted

Dear Tony Blair: DTB2 Mags

The miniature is beautifully sculpted by Bob Olley and is available from awesome Dave Woods @Dear Tony Blair-blog

Ask not what your dwarf-hold can do for you, but ....

When going through the lead pile I found this Dwarf Wizard - but judged on the pose he seems more like a missionary, town speaker or even an agitator.

So in these times of great fear, mistrust and isolation I found it most appropriated doing him as an agitator call the world to order.

You can almost hear him say: "My fellow Dwarves, ask not what your dwarf hold can do for you, ask what you can do for our mountains, our sea, our air and the inhabitants of our world".

Unknown: Dwarf Agitator/Wizard

And yes, this agitator bears great resemblance to another unknown dwarf I did back in 2011, but this one is slightly different, though - but his origin as mysterious :)

Collecting John Pickford: Dwarf knights of the Great Bear on foot on Kickstarter

Just a quick message to let you all know that the previously unreleased - but most awaited - Dwarf Knights of the Great Bear by John Pickford and made for White Knight Miniatures Imperium is now on Kickstarter.

The Assault Group (TAG) is running a short 4 day kickstarter campaign to found the final moulding and casting.

So pledge now to help TAG add these two new additional packs (8 miniatures) to the Dwarf Empire range.

You'll find the campaign here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/584137481/tag-28mm-dwarf-empire-bear-knight-miniatures/description

A lady in red

Or is she...? Cause a rather disturbed looking lady she is.

The miniature here is an early John Pickford miniature. I don't know exactly when she was made, but my guess would be in the early 2000s and she is probably the first human John did - and picture a female druid - but a druid with some necromantical abilities - and would easily go as a Necromancer in my games.

It's rather interesting seeing a human from this early period where most of John sculpts seems to be goblins or goblinoid inspired miniatures sculpted in a classic heroic fantasy style. So, quite nice to see him experimenting with the tiny female proportions spiced with some slightly large female attributes :) And I'm very happy having her in my collection.

That said, I'm not that keen on painting female miniatures. Females rarely suits my painting style, but I've tried hard keeping the transition subtle and the skin as light as possible. Worked to some degree but I definitely need more practise on this subject.

Female Druid (Private collection)

For those who might like to see the original unpainted miniature you can find her on the Wikia - here: http://collectingjohnpickford.wikia.com/wiki/Other_unreleased_and_promotional_Miniatures#Female_Druid