Another Sunday...

Sorry, no miniature related update today but I do have something to write about instead...Avatar, the movie.

Well it was advertised as a James Cameron masterpiece and in a lot of ways it lived upto the expectations.

The film was a technological marvel with fantastic special effects, wonderful design ideas and an awesome sound track (by that, I don't mean music but the general sound quality/effects of the film). The digital effects were done in such a way that they were very believable; the big blue aliens actually looked like they were flesh and blood, the indigenous creatures and flora also had the same realistic solidity to them. The vehicles were extremely well thought out, especially the 'helicopters' (and having worked on helicopters for nearly 20 years, I couldn't really pick out anything obvious that wouldn't have worked) and the drop-ship...but I thought the walkers were a little too agile and quick reacting to have that same sort of realism. The 3d effects were very good in places but occasionally there were blurred edges and a bit of motion blur too.

The characters were pretty simple, the story was pretty simple and extremely predictable...but I don't think that really had too much of an effect on the whole spectacle...I think the simple characters and predictable story meant that you didn't have to worry about thinking too much and that meant you could enjoy the finished article.

The general theme of the film was more akin to the Japanese 'earth mother/tree of life' story than the 'tree-hugging' environmental preaching I was expecting and it also had a sort of cowboys and indians in space feel to it.

Did I enjoy the film? YES!
Did I think the story could have been better? Yes...but I didn't have any issues with it as it was.
Did I think the effects were good? YES! A few blurred edges but the spectacle was awesome.
Did I like the characters? Yes, but they were very shallow...but they didn't need to be anything more.
Would I go and see it again? YES! I'd also buy it on DVD.

I think it will do well at the box office but $350,000,000 may be a tall order...

I just wish that the helicopters were available for 28mm warming purposes.

I'd recommend people see this film in all of its 3d glory...but that is just my opinion.

See you throuh the weird floaty, glowy luscious flora!

Shhh...can you hear it?

It's Christmas Eve and it is time for me to wish all of Inso's World's visitors and followers a very Merry Christmas.

I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow so I won't be posting anything on here. Just to keep everyone happy in the meantime, I thought I'd post a bit of progress on my batch of Tyranids:

Click the Pic!

They are all painted to the same standard; all they need is the eyes, mouth and bases painting and they will be finished. I still have three warriors and a carnifex to go after these but things are plodding along nicely.

Well, that's me. Have a great day tomorrow!

See you through the snow!

Wheeeww!

That is IT!

It's all finished!

I don't have to go shopping again for a good few days!

We have a nice Goose for Christmas dinner, we have all the trimmings ready to be prepared, we have all sorts of boozy treats and we have plenty of food in the cupboards to last us a good week (including venison, partridges, pheasants and all manner of less gamey stuff).

That means...I have time at home to chill out (until tomorrow because I will be prepping veg for Christmas day...I cook at Christmas, it is our own little tradition).

Now onto something more akin to what you would expect to see here (although...I wouldn't necessarily say that anything was particularly predictable in Inso's World!).

In a bid to prepare for Christmas, my painting area has been dramatically reduced due it being part of the dinner table...so all that is on it is a bunch of plastic, two Grymn cavalry and my sculpting tools...not to mention two pots of paint and my painting tools.

...A bunch of plastic?

...What bunch of plastic?

...Weeellll...I'm sorry to say that I couldn't resist the urge to dig out my Indigenous Tyranid army. There are a couple of reasons I have done this; They are basic to paint, I really like the look of them, they are nearly finished, I am VERY tired at the moment and simple is all I can manage...and the whole world seems to be advertising the new Tyranids that will be coming out after Christmas so it got my 'alien building' juices flowing.

Now a muse is a funny thing. Sometimes it visits and hangs around to a point where you want to send it home! Other times, you sit there; waiting for it to call and it never does. There are plenty of things that can help a muse turn up but often a muse is an uncontrollable and unpredictable beast that turns up while you are busy and doesn't when you have time to burn.

Take the Cavalry for example. I have had the miniatures in the cupboard for at least 2 months. I knew what I was going to do with them the moment I bought them but I didn't have the muse so they just sat there. A week or so ago, the muse arrived and in a couple of days 'BOOM' one complete cavalry model and one half finished. Now you'd think that I was now in 'the Grymn cavalry' groove...but it would appear that the muse has deserted me again. Why? I have no idea but the thought of chipping away at the Baruk conversion just doesn't fill me with joy.

THAT is why I suddenly decided to go up to the loft and dig out my Tyranids again...hopefully, I'll be able to get them to a state where I am happy before I run out of muse...

I'm sure that there are people who visit my blog in the hope of seeing one or another project finished but I'm sorry to say that I have no control over what I do...I reckon that may be one of the reasons my blog is a bit different...frustrating, maybe...but different none the less.

See you through the tonal shades...

Sunday and a day of travels.

I've had a great day today. I traveled down to sunny Somerset to visit my family and enjoyed my time thoroughly. The only downer was the three hour drive either way, in rather icy conditions but I took it slowly and never had any problems.

So I guess you'd be expecting no update then? Well think again. First is the finished prototype Grymn Cavalry trooper:

Click the Pic!

As a result of some of the constructive feedback I have received on the Forum of Doom, I will try to bend the knees a bit on the next one. He'll also be getting an SMG rather than a plasma rifle.

Next up is the first of two heavy weapon Cavalry troopers. It is a Baruk and it is still very WIP at the moment:

Click the Pic!

You will have probably noticed that the riders are the same. That is due to them being the right pose for what I want. I will be removing heads and converting them to be individual...so don't worry :). I have a long way to go on the Heavy. I need to add pouches, ammo boxes and possibly an ammo feed (haven't decided whether to have an ammo feed or box magazine...). I also need to convert the rider properly and finish the weapon support.

On the plus side, I have decided to have these as part of my desert veteran army. I think they will go particularly well with the veterans as they are all mounted in armoured walking APCs (Tiger APC from the Void range). I will save the bikes I am planning for the urban or temperate armies I have instead ;).

Well, that is about it for tonight. I doubt if I'll be doing too much tomorrow as I have been drinking Red Bull on the journey (to stave off tiredness whilst driving) so I doubt if I'll be doing much sleeping tonight...

See you through some bleary eyes!

Friday...and it's all gone white!?

Oh the joys of the British weather are a wonder to behold. I went to bed and outside was just as you'd expect of a normal day...everything in colour (although, at that time of night it was mostly dark). I woke up this morning and something weird had happened...all the colour was gone and everything had turned white!...Yes, the snow has hit and due to having a huge depth of the white stuff (a whole inch of snow!...I know...it was terrible to see! The whole world came to a standstill!), I did the Dad thing and kept the children at home. The real reason was they were only due to go for a morning and there had been an accident near to the school which was causing a huge amount of traffic delay...so by the time they would have got there, they would have been coming home again.

So...snow + children =...

..."it's too cold outside and it's the wrong sort of snow so can we build with Lego all day instead?"

I remember...back in the day...we used to rush outside at the slightest hint of snow and stay outside until frostbite took the ends off our noses! And even then, we'd just put some Savlon on and stay out until our fingers were stumps...we'd end up dragging ourselves across the floor with blackened, shriveled, stumps ONLY when we had built a snowman that was as big as the snow would allow...I don't know...the children of today, they just don't know what's good for them ;).

So...distractions, distractions, distractions...

I have a whole lot of stuff going on that I shouldn't have.

I have ten sci-fi adventurers undercoated and sat on my painting table. They are a selection of miniatures from Hasslefree Miniatures and I'm sure that there will be some pix when I get to a point where they are worth showing.

I have also added a wash to the Belog's skin...not a lot, I know but it IS something so it can't be all bad.

I have assembled 2 Baruk, 1 unbridled Enuk and 7 bridled Enuks. They are all from Hasslefree Miniatures (again) and they are part of the Twilight range. What are they for? Well...they are for some Grymn cavalry. Speaking of which, I have a prototype almost ready for a photo-call!...I have been busy chopping, pinning and sculpting a suitable Grymn and he actually suits things really well...

I still need to clean all of the cavalry mounts of flash...but it is a start and now that they are all firmly secured to their bases, they are easier to control while sculpting/cleaning.

I have tried out my shiny new mitre block and tenon saw and it works well enough on the dowel I have for my tank wheels...which is nice.

So...that's it for now! I'm sure I'll have something to show off by Sunday!

See you through the snow-storm.

SHHHH...you ain't seen this; right?:

Click the Pic!

Sunday

Well, I hope that after yesterday's bumper update, you'll be a little bit lenient with me. I have spent most of the day finishing the pictured mini off (apart from painting the base) and I'll go as far to say that this is one of the best miniatures I have painted in a long while. I have painted it in fairly bright colours as I have decided that he is an alien gladiator and not some sort of sneaky hunter (that most people will associate him with ;) ). I've kept the base clean as it will be representative of a gladiatorial arena with just sand on it. I will paint a bit of blood on at some point after painting it sand coloured (just to add to the flavour). Anyway, the miniature is from Heresy Miniatures and he is a Hurn. He's on limited sale and if you want one, you'll need to get in quick. He is quite large and measures 35mm to the top of his head. Here he is:

Click the Pic!

This miniature has given me the painting bug again and I hope it stays with me. If you happen to buy one, it comes with extra hands, forearms and a shoulder mounted weapon so that you can customise it a bit. I am just disappointed that there is only one :(.

That is it for tonight.

See you through the scope...pray you see me first ;).

...a few days late but...

I know I should have posted a few pix a few days ago but I have been busy with...enjoying life, actually. Tuesday night I finished Operation Cat Safe, Wednesday night I put it outside...but didn't have any battery life in my camera to take pix of it (it was also dark...so it wouldn't have been easy to photograph anyway), Thursday night me and my better half went to a beer call and Friday...I just couldn't be bothered because I was very tired (I'm not sleeping again).

...so without further ado, here's the very small project I was working on:

Click the Pic! (it'll be easier to read)

Next up, here is the little miscreant who, only yesterday decided to claw my glasses off (again) and leave me bloodied. He is called Rocky and is the reason for Operation Cat Safe:

Do you want to read this? Click the Pic!

Next up is the little abode I knocked together for him:

Do you want to read this? Click the Pic!

I could have done it differently but I wanted to get some shelter done quickly so I cut a LOT of corners. As you can see from the pix, Rocky is getting used to it.

Apart from Edgar the Santa, I have recently purchased a Hurn (from Heresy Miniatures) and he is on my painting table getting a work over. I wasn't going to start painting it but it was one of those miniatures that demanded attention...so I just had to. I will have some pix of him tomorrow when I put up the Sunday update.

On to other news....I am on my Christmas Holiday! I am happy and I have three weeks of time at home...that means plenty of time for family, friends and of course; my hobby.

Well...that's about it for today. Check out the links on the right of the blog for Heresy Miniatures so that you can see for yourself how good the Hurn really is.

See you through the mud and the blood and the beer (quoting the late and truly great, Johnny Cash).

Sunday

well, I'd like to say I had something wonderful to show you tonight but I haven't. That doesn't mean that I haven't achieved anything...because I have and it is currently sat in the kitchen, on a bin-bag drying.

Yes...Operation Cat Safe is nearing completion. I have one more coat of varnish to go on it and a bit of polythene and it will be finished. I worked on it for a few evenings last week and again yesterday to finish the woodwork...today has been a varnishing day.

I have got a nice cushion to go inside it and then it will be a case of hoping that our stray cat, Rocky, will actually use it.

As soon as it is dry and fitted out, I will post some pix.

It's going to be a Grymn, Grymn, Christmas this year. I have a host of them on the go; including a rather special one that will be shown off once he is finished. I can't see it taking very long as I am in the right sort of mood to get it finished quickly.

With all the work on Operation Cat Safe, I have had no time for tanks...but they are on my list and I am literally, chomping at the bit to start chopping up doweling for the wheels.

What other news do I have?...A change of job.

As of the 4th Jan 2010, I will be back to working on aircraft again and I will also be starting shift work for the first time since I went to Iraq a year or so ago. I am extremely happy about the change as my current job was really getting me down. Good things come to those who wait I guess.

So...in a day or so, I'll post a few pix. Until then...

See you through the joy!

Tuesday Shenanigans.

Welcome to our newest follower 'The Worker'! I hope you find something of interest in my world. Things have been a bit slow lately but they are picking up again...especially with the promise of time off over the festive period.

I have been busy over the last few days putting together the supplies for my latest UBER-PROJECT. What is it? Operation Cat Safe! Seeing as our stray cat can't come into the house and doesn't want to go near the cat carrier for transporting to the cat rescue centre, I have gathered together a bunch of wood and tools and will be building him a shelter in our outside porch area. It will be done in my usual style...no plans and a lot of trimming as I go! But it will be a better propostition than sleeping in the rain (especially when we fill it with blankets and stuff).

While I was out, I also bought some larger diameter dowelling rod for my tank wheels...along with a tenon saw and mitre block to make sure I cut the wheels nice and square...can't be bad, can it?

I'm also looking towards getting my Honda motorcycle back from storage over the next few weeks...it will not be a happy time as it was stuck in a garage in a rush, with no preparation for storage...I am fearing the worst :(...luckily my newest neighbour has a bike trailer so I won't have to worry about riding the bike to my new address.

What is cool about Christmas? Satsumas! Cheap, cheerful, good for you and full of vitamin C...oh...they also taste good and keep you regular!

Yep...things are looking more and more interesting at the moment :).

See you through the rosey glow!