WIP: The 9th Age veil tokens

Slight progress on the 9th Age preparation front: While Warhammer 8th edition used dice to determine the amount of magic dice, 9th Age uses cards to generate dice and so-called "Veil tokens" that can be converted into additional magic dice, used for spell effects or stored to some extend. Spellcasters and magical items can generate these tokens to.

While I could use some boring tokens, coins or dice to track them, I decided that this was the perfect space for some swirly magical effect, painting some bases with whatever comes to our minds. Handling them in game will be easy and a fancy affair!


This is the current state of affairs:


(The backsides still need some painting, and there will be a few more.) Another session and they should be done.

Stay epic!

Miniature Picture Editing

One feedback I got from the first photobox results was that I should, now that the picture quality itself was improved, also should care more about image post-processing (as if I am not doing enough of that on my job...). Until now, my routine was, using Irfanview, to crop and resize the image, apply automatic corrections and then just play a bit with brightness, contrast and saturation.
Now, I browsed a bit, installed Raw Therapee and startet moving ledgers. For comparison, I present the same picture raw, as previously shown, and with the new settings:

Raw

Old post-processing

New post-processing

I hope the white should be whiter now, the edges sharper and the contrast/saturation less over-abused.

Next will be more test on other miniatures like some good old pink high elves. Feedback is always appreciated!

Stay epic!

Photobox: First Tests

During the last weeks, I did some constructing and testing for my photobox project. After a bit of thinking, the box itself was quickly done from an amazon cardboard box, baking parchment and tape.

The trickier part is the illumination. While I got one LED-desk lamp for testing, I was lucky to be able to borrow two illumination units from an expert photographer, leading to a first test:

Zooming in onto the minatures shows some promise:

Definitely a major quality improvement incoming here!


Here is a second test series. First a picture made with my camera:

And one with the phone:

As now the lighting is improved, I fear that also a better suited camera might be necessary...

Also, I am still not sure if I should go for only white light or as in the pictures, a bit of yellow. Seems like I should research a bit about colour temparatures.

Stay Epic (And Tuned)!

The Need For A Photobox

While planning to upload lots of older miniature pictures, I discovered that after a few years, I find their quality ...lacking. Therefore, I want to redo the miniature pics in an orderly fashion, which means that I finally will construct a photobox.
For those not in the knowing, a photobox is a device (usually a box) that creates diffuse illumination around the object of photography in order to vastly increase the quality of the resulting image. It is usually built from a box, semi-translucent paper or fabric and lights. My main problem now is to find a box in the right size for me.
I hope I can show results soon, if anyone has some hints about the construction, please let me know!

Stay Epic!

Tabletop Archaeology: Elvish Lion Cavalry

As I am very fond of kit-bashing/custom model creation, I once created a unit of five heavily armed Elves riding lions to be used as heavy cavalry. The Warhammer White Lions this was based on are usually on foot or on lion chariots, but I used the draft lions as mounts for this models:

Sadly, this is the only one fully painted so far. Also, I have the feeling that I should make new pictures whit higher quality, maybe even a new photobox? Time to be crafty!


Stay Epic!

Tabletop Archaeology: High(born) Elven Archers

Nothing more fit to start the tabletop archaeology project then some of my High Elves (Warhammer) or Highborn Elves (9th Age). These were painted a lot of years ago in my semi-legendary pink and white scheme. Who else is fit to display majestic pink if not Elves?

For the basing, I went with an autumn forest theme, as seen here by dry grass and mushrooms. There is a fitting display that I will show at a later date.

Stay Epic!

Nessie Miniature Display

We recieved a very nice present recently which contained a multi-part miniature of Nessie, Scotlands favourite cryptid. As the individual parts would be easily lost (looking at the cats here) I mounted it onto a 50x100 mm tabletop base and used my experience to create water effects a long time ago for Uncharted Seas (RIP).
Basically, I used acrylic gel to form waves and ripples, painted it blue, brushed it with white for foaminess and gave it a gloss varnish finish. I am satisified with the result:

Afterwards, Nessie was added to the international trinket collection.

Thanks again to our kind benefactor!

Stay Epic!