Liebe Libby Liebster

Wow! this is huge, I have been nominated for a Liebster Award by Jim (Finch) from the awesome Minis by Finch - didn't see that coming, don't know what to say ..... "Wow".... "thank you so much"... "you don't know how much this means to me" .... "Wow!" !! :-D

So I have to reveal 11 truths about myself, answer the 11 questions posed by Finch, nominate another 11 blogs to further this benign pyramid-scheme, and ask them 11 questions of my own ... now where were the reward in there?

Okay, here we go:

11 truths about me:

• My names is Carsten (so German offspring of the royal Danish name Christian), I'm 42 years old and been with the same woman for 20 years ...!
• I'm a Pickford-o-holic
• I'm Superman, and if you don't believe me, ask my kids
• I'm a Liverpool-fanatic
• I like flying, dreamt of becoming a pilot - ended up studying micro economy
• I've seen Bridget Jones's Diary .... - twice :-o
• I like collecting stuff - and I have a nice little collection of Champagne muselet caps, too
• I like men - especially small bearded stunties - preferably 28mm-scaled 
• I see lead people - even in my dreams
• I actually believe that I, one day, will get all my miniatures painted - cause I actually do paint miniatures
• I've cheated  - I have been buying lots of plastic miniatures lately - sorry .... :)

Eleven Answers:
And then to answer the 11 questions I got from Finch:

• What was the last book you've read? I read a lot books at work, but doesn't really count - so last book was Osprey's Myth and Legends "King Arthur" 
• How did you first get into the hobby? Dad was a Model Railway enthusiast so it all started with him. But need more action so got into 1:72 tanks and planes. Gaming-wise it all started (like so many others) with D'n'D and 40K in Highschool years.
• Would you say you are more a painter or gamer and why? Painter and Collector. Don't have much time for gaming anymore, but really miss that part of the hobby.
• Who is your favorite miniature sculptor? How dare you :-)
• Who is your favorite painter and would you like to emulate their style? Oh, there have been so many over ....! .... I'd say that the most inspiring overall must have been Mike McVey - and no, will never even try emulate his style - simply not talented enough, I'm afraid.
• Do you have a comfort zone in painting technique or colors that you tend to fall back on? Greens ... supergreens
• Do you like to have the right atmosphere when painting; music, movies, quiet? I like painting when the house is all quiet (aka when wife and kids sleep) - so "as quiet as possible" (but do occasionally listen to podcasts)
• Buyer's remorse. What recent hobby purchase do you most regret (if any)? Vallejo Still Water Effect, shrink and just looks wrong! But am usually rather happy with the things I buy
• Would you rather burn everything you own, or keep everything you own but never gain anything for the rest of your life? Like choosing between the devil and the deep blue sea. I really like my things and many are very dear to me, but also like exploring new worlds .... so ... won't be happy about it, but will go for the "burning"!
• When you finally shuffle off this mortal coil, what would you like to happen to your hobby collection? Maybe the kids want it. Youngest, seems to have an interest in gaming and painting - but if not I'd like to see it go to a smoke and pet-free home with  low humidity and a good air ventilation system :)
• Peanut butter. Smooth or Crunchy? I hate peanut butter :)

Eleven Blogs

So many people that deserves a nomination, but have to narrow it down to the 11 blog's that I enjoy the most. So here we go - my nominees are:

A Conflict of Interests
Blue's Marauding Miniatures
Dear Tony Blair
Dr. The Viking's Miniature Games Hell
Gurer - the blog
Jaeckel Alone
Janner's Jaunt
Magpie and Old Lead
Mr Saturday's Mumblings
My Life in Millimetres
Oldhammer on a Budget


Well done guy's - you make blog reading such a pleasure.


Eleven Questions:
I'm not good at this ... as the blogs I like is rather a mixed bag? .... Copied some of Finch's questions and add some of my own - here we go:

• Sci-fi or fantasy? Ancient or Modern warfare? And why?
• How did you first get into the miniature/war-gaming hobby?
• What's the latest hobby-related book you've read?
• What's your latest game you've played (tabletop/boardgame)?
• Would you say you are more a collector, painter or gamer and why?
• Who is your favourite miniature sculptor? 
• Who is your favourite rule-book/source-book - illustrator/artist and/or writer?
• Who is your all time favourite miniatures producing company? 
• What's you favourite miniatures game/rule producer?
• What's your dearest item in you collection - and why?
• What recent hobby purchase do you most regret (if any)?

Updates of the Collecting John Pickford Wiki

About time, some might say, too :-)

I've spend most of this Saturday updating the Collecting John Pickford Wiki. Have added lots and lots of pictures to the following sections:

• Iron Mask Miniatures (Kickstarter Stretch Goal rewards)
• Wargames Foundry (Undead, Skeletons and Vampires)
• BeastFace Miniatures (Beastmen Fantasy Football)
• The TFF Legacy team (the 2014 Nurgling reward)
• White Knight Miniature Imperium (Heavy Cavalry) and last, my own little venture the
• Ewal Dvergar (Command group and Crossbowmen)

So, should like a more detail look into John's work - go visit the wiki :)

Click picture

Collecting John Pickford: Dwarf Inventors/Engineers from WK Miniatures

The White Knight Miniature Imperium  have just posted a preview of their coming Dwarf Inventors/Engineers on LAF - and they are absolutely gorgeous. The level of details John has manage to put into these are amazing. Incredible work - and yet again stunned by their quality. Such a good day being a Pickford-enthusiast/collector :)

WK Minis: Dwarf inventor/engineer with Hackbut

WK Minis: Dwarf inventor/engineer, with Longdistance Sniper Handgun and Page-boy

The Long-distance Sniper Gun will also come be done with a simple gunstand as an alternative support mechanism - even more options .... White Knight is sure spoiling his customers :)

Ewal brothers

Think I forgot posting these two guys in here :'(

These were again an entry for BSL (@Chaos Dwarfs Online), but again they new format prevented me from entering. But that how it is, and shall not prevent me from posting them here, of course.

For this round I'd picked two of me own Ewal Dvergar both sculpted by John Pickford.

First we have the immature, young and beardless Baby Blue - who's only allowed using a wooden hammer :)

Ewal Dvergr (from the Core Warrior #2)

- and then his older and stronger brother Johann - using a prober battle axe and a fearsome, daemonic shield


Johann, Ewal Dvergr Champion:

Not fully satisfied with the purple. Should have been more of a dust colour purple, but that what happens when painting at knight (without proper light). Don't bother redoing it - will just grab another one and try again :-D

Collecting John Pickford: Beauty and the Beast

The Iron Mask Miniatures Kickstarter is coming to an end. Very recently, Gary Price gave pre-view of the last two bonus miniatures from the campaign, but I'm rather sure we haven't seen the last of him and his Iron Mask Project ;-)

The wave 2 sculpts that have been finish and are in some stage of moulding as we speak. Th miniatures are an ill-matched couple at first glance, but probably not that ill-matched if you look carefully enough :)

I present the Iron Mask Miniatures Beauty and the Beast:

Iron Mask Miniatures: Jussac the Ogre Captain

... and ....

Iron Mask Miniatures: Milady

Once again, a very strong set of sculpts by John Pickford that provides an almost 100 percent accurate copy of the original Colin Dixon art work. I'm so impressed.

Can't help, but speaking of Iron Mask and the KS I have to show you all the bonus figures I've just received:

First, the long anticipated and exceptional Dwarf Cardinal:

Dwarf Cardinal

Then the King of Dwarfs - in all his glory:

The Dwarf King

And then the fantastic and superb detailed vaguely ratlike M Roquefort:

M Roquefort with Rapier

M Roquefort with alternative cup hand

And last, the miniature we all have been waiting for - the Dwarf in Iron Mask - "class" ... just "class" :)

Dwarf in Iron Mask

- and here with the lantern and Crossbow add ons

A first wave set of all exceptional and beautifully sculpted miniature. Well worth every penny :-)

Brothers in Art

And here's my latest entry for Brush Slave League 2013/14 - round 5.

For this round I chose to do my two Pickford Artisans. The first one is the Dwarf Artisan commissioned by the Collecting Citadel Miniatures (CCM) Yahoo! Group in 2010 - the other one is the LE Mad Painter BSL Prize miniature I had John doing last year.

The CCM Dwarf Artisan is a stonemason and comes with a work in process Dwarf King bust, but as the Mad Painter comes rather naked, I felt I had to come up with an idea for some "artwork" for him. I decided presenting him as a miniature painter and needed to find someting for his "Golden Demon" contribution. Had to be something Pickford and something small, so I picked a spare Foundry Imp/Familiar from the UND014 - Vinegar Tom pack based on a "plinth".

Brothers in Art

CCM Dwarf Artisan and bust

Clam Minis: BSL Mad Painter

Wargames Foundry: UND014 - Witches Familiar 

And like always, when using scenery bases, they come from awesome Fenris Games.

Help! My house is being invaded by ants!

We haven't had much winter here, yet. The lack of snow and cold weather has coursed that Ants have invade my house.

Grabbed the camera, so you all can see what I'm talking about:


Otherworld Miniatures: DV6a/b Giant Workers and Soldier Ants

Untraditional colour scheme ...? The scheme is inspired by the Oecophylla smaragdina or better known as the green tree ant - cause dark brown/black seemed so boring doing :)