Sunday 8 October 2017

Zomtober: The Walking Dad (and his son)

Ahhh...Autumn. Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. That can mean only one thing...

...crap photos start showing up on my blog because the light outside is rubbish.

This time the crap photos (severely adjusted to ensure that you can see anything at all) are of Morgan and his son Duane.


This is an odd pair of models as they were a booster set is was really keen to get my hands on. Partly because they feature in the earliest scenario from Days Gone Bye, but also because Morgan and Duane offer some interesting gaming opportunities as you can play out their off-screen antics whilst Rick is in Atlanta.

However, the reason why they're odd, is despite how keen I was to get them, I'm not keen on the models themselves. In fact, I think it was these two that cause my initial hiatus in painting my TWD collection.


Morgan is a bit of a dull pose in comparison with almost every other model in the range. He's just stood there (this also contrasts quite sharply with Duane's action pose). He just doesn't stir the imagination.

I think I may have gone for too much of a dark colour scheme and I can't shake the feeling that I'd like to repaint his shirt in white to liven him up. Overall, my impression is of a drab model painted drably. What's more, I feel I might need to highlight his skin a bit more, but I have a constant struggle with getting black skin right.


Despite the dullness, Morgan is at least well sculpted. Duane isn't. His face and head are distinctly characterless. I don't know if I've just got a duff one, but it's not good. You can't even say it's because he's a child and so smaller, as Sophia is probably my favourite TWD model I've painted so far.

Again, like Morgan, I may need to go back to highlight and brighten the model up a bit.

Anyway, they're done, and the gods of Zomtober are appeased for another month. At least I can start playing through the campaign now.

22 comments:

  1. Excellent job Kieron despite the lighting woes they turned out good. I must admit when browsing boosters yesterday Morgan didn't really stand out. But tbh I was truly spoilt for choice!

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    1. Thanks. I bought mine when only wave one was available, so he was as able to be a completionist. The speed of their releases hasn't helped this though.

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  2. Good photos is always the biggest issue with blogging little models, you are preaching to the choir there!
    But they look great, I am trying not to buy any of the survivor booster packs (I just picked up the walkers booster) and you are not making it easy.

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    1. Glad to be of service. :)

      Sophia, in the Carol booster, is a cracking little model with age of character. Just so you know...

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  3. The photo's look just fine to me Kieron, and you've done a cracking job on both mini's!
    Morgan's pose might be a little "passive", but I'd say he's OK for gaming purposes. I've only got the Walker Booster, but I LOVE the whole range!

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    1. Thanks. I think I'd feel better about Morgan if I hadn't painted him at the same time as Duane, who I don't like the sculpt quality. Having said that, neither are awful, and are a minor blip in an otherwise excellent range.

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  4. I think they turned out well despite your reservations Kieron. :)

    And the good thing about Zomtober is that it can help reignite stalled projects which it sounds like it did. :)

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    1. Indeed it did. The limitation is that it only works for zombie themed projects. Anybody up for Dropzonuary?

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  5. good job, despite your reluctance to paint them. nice one Kieron

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    1. Thanks. At least the logjam is cleared now.

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  6. I find myself really struggling with the TWD:AOW minis as well. They seem to look good at a distance but some of the mouldings seem a bit off. These look good, despite the models.

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    1. Thanks. For most of the range I've really enjoyed the cartoony look of the models, which these don't really have.

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  7. I agree with everyone else, they look great - it seems we are always our harshest critic of our own work :)
    Funny you mentioning lighting issues, had the exact same thing with photographing my latest attempts!

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    1. It's a regular issue for me at this time of year. Our house is quite dark and so ministry if the weather is rubbish I really struggle. I should probably get a light box.

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  8. I can empathise with your woes of miniture photography - I must be one of the world's worst!
    I see what you're getting at with the sculpts but they're at least painted now. (I still think "Rick's" pose is the worst I've seen)

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    1. I quite like Rick, but that might be to do with the fact that he was painted alongside these two reprobates.

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  9. excellent additions.
    I really must start the survivors soon.... well soon ish!

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    1. Thanks. The survivors are often easier than the zombies as their design is quite simple - not a lot of extraneous detail.

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  10. Awesome duo Kieron. Wonderful painting, with Morgan's shirt looking especially well done - great blue imho.

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    1. Thanks. The base I use for that (shadow grey) is the same base I use for the jeans. It's a really useful colour.

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  11. Now I really like those sculpts, to be honest. And think your colour choice is great. So I definitely like how they've turned out. Top stuff!

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    1. Thanks. I suspect, given the quality of everything else, that I might just have a bit of a duff Duane.

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