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Greetings fellows! Well… it is done. My final dissertation got submitted on Tuesday, and for the first time in 5 years, I am completely free of any study obligations. Woohoo! Ok, so there is the 2 month wait to see how I did, but, (as I keep reminding myself), that is out of my hands, so I’m just enjoying the peace that comes with wrapping up something that has been a big chunk of my life for so long :-)
Of course, like any good hobbyist I had to celebrate my new-found liberty with a spot of painting, and given that I will be out of circulation for the next three weeks, I thought it best to tie up a few loose ends rather than start anything new, (I hate loose ends anyway, so this makes me happy). Some of this you have seen before, but other items are things that have been languishing in their undercoats, and that you won’t have seen.
Firstly, I went back and tidied up some of the undead I had speed painted for last weekend, and added in some detail where needed. This batch got some highlighting on the bone & I added a spot of OSL:
I also finally got around to adding some detail to this guy’s banner:
The Cursed Company got some highlighted to the bone, I did the banner, and painted in some gems on Krueger and the standard bearer:
The bottom scrolls are supposed to say ‘Mors Omnia Aequalia’ (roughly ‘all equal in death’ – seemed appropriate for this unit in particular!):
Next up I revisited The Chapel project and finished a few pieces for the Albino Forest, starting with a big tree stump kindly donated by Mark at Heresyofus (than you Mark!!!):
Next a Malifaux ‘hanging tree’:
You have probably noticed that all of my hollow trees have a collection of heads in the top – sacrifices to appease the forest spirits of the old world, but I really pushed the concept with this next piece. A monster of my own devising – the Charnel Oak was a sacrificial tree like many others, but over the years, the life force of the many victims imbued the oak with a malignant sentience. It became a creeping horror that slowly roams the forest, looking for victims that have fallen into a spoor-induced dream state, are too injured to run escape, or those that have been staked out as a sacrifice. The Charnel Oak drags these unfortunates into its bloated body, slowly digesting the poor victims until naught but their bones remain:
Pity those who remain conscious of their fate:
Finally, I thought it would be worth posting a high shot of everything I have completed for the Albino Forest to date:
It still looks a bit sparse but I have much more to add in the coming months, which works out very nicely for The Chapel project, and also for a spot of AoS as well:
So that’s it for now dudes – I’ll be off the hobby for the next 3 weeks with various travel and work commitments, but I am really looking forward to getting right back into it later in June, when The Chapel project will be my main focus – no doubt with a small side salad of Undead. Yum! :-)
Leadballoony - It's a lead thing 
Jesus mate, you’ve outdone yourself here. Those trees are everything I hoped they would be, from your hints, and MORE! Absolutely love them man. The blood, bodies and skulls are horrific. Stuff of nightmares! Brilliant, brilliant work. I love the skellies too and the scripture on the standards is phenomenal sir. I’d cross my fingers for your dissertation but I’m confident you’ve nailed it. I hope the next three weeks go well for you too.
Thanks man – on all counts :-) I must be honest, I found the Charnel Oak in particular was a really unsettling thing to make and paint… I take that as a sign that I had made something truly horrific!
Haha, excellent!
Great stuff mate, loving those trees and the Charnel Oak turned out to be everything you promised! Congrats on getting your dissertation in and enjoy your break :-)
Cheers dude, on both counts. I’m chuffed with the Charnel Oak – it isn’t often that a mini genuinely creeps me out, but this one does… and I’m just soooo pleased to be finished with studying!
Man. Oh, man. I’m shocked, your work here is so out of scale in awesomeness. Really unsettling and scary; inspiring work, bravo!!
Thanks dude, much appreciated :-)
Really, really nice work all around Alex! The Cursed Company are lovely and that Charnel Oak is like a super creepy version of Tolkien’s Old Man Willow.
Thanks dude, the skellies were great fun to paint, and the Oak was very cool to do – Old Man Willow was definitely in my thoughts when I was mulling it over :-)
Oh my! First of all, congratulations on turning in your dissertation. A massive release of stress and angst I must imagine. Be proud, mate, it is quite the achievement. Now on to the hobby bits. Your Albino forest is so cool. The colours and level of detail is outstanding. I am in awe.
And the Charnel Oak … I’ll finish where I started. Oh my! Just unbelievable. So creepy and disturbing.
Hey, thanks man – on all counts! I’m chuffed with how the forest is coming along, and I won’t lie mate – it’s a huge relief to have the degree finished ;-)
Yes mate congratulations on getting your dissertation finished. Glad you like the dead tree model and I have to say what a fine job you’ve made of it. Love your vision of the Albino Woods and I can’t wait to see these awesome models in the flesh :)
Thanks dude, and glad you like what I did with the dead tree – turned out alright didn’t it? ;-)
Congrats on the dissertation and best of luck with the results! The undead are looking great, and I LOVE the scenery. Beautiful and unsettling/downright horrifying! Well done!
Cheers dude, I’m chuffed with how it is all coming together on the hobby front, and yeah – so good to be done with my degree… now the anxious 2 month wait for the results!!
Congratulations on completing the final part of your studies (for now!)
The Cursed Company look fantastic. I love the aged look you’ve given their gear – super effective work on them. They’re a “bucket list” set for me still, but like everything “Oldhammer” they’ve now become horribly expensive and hard to obtain in the last few years.
The trees also are great. I like the story you’ve given them, and the twisted Huorn of a Charnel Oak is especially nice (is that the right word?) The little details like the cloak-trail of skulls and red leaves left behind add extra to the narrative told by simply looking at the finished piece. Great stuff!
Thanks man, after the pressure of the last five years, I think I’m done with studying :-)
Glad you like the trees dude, they were fun to do, and I must admit, the cursed company were a joy – I’d say go for it if you get a chance mate ;-)
I can’t blame you. That’s how I felt after finishing mine, though there’s always the “well, I could just do this next thing” in the back of my mind. If only we didn’t have to work as well, eh? As far as the Cursed Company goes, I’ve got my eye on a couple. We’ll see if they’re still there come payday…
Yeah, true – never say never, right? ;-)