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Hi all,
I was wondering if you usually do some kind of research before painting your mithrils, specially characters, or you just paint them to your liking.
Personally, I do an extensive research and I'm quite upset when I discover sculpting inaccuracies (i.e. full plate armour, first Théoden shield and so).
What's your take?
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I always paint the way I like it... I research only when when the book mentions a particular piece of clothing... but in 98% of all painting schemes are in my head... I enjoy relaxing by painting...
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On my side, I always rely on the JRRT books before starting any paintings.
And sometimes, when the mini is a MERP character, I also check MERP descriptions (I have downloaded 71 on the web. Just ask me if needed).
And I agree sometimes, wrong details are frustrating.
Still, I feel Mithril range remains to me the most accurate Tolkien vision in Fantasy minatures.
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As Milo I check the books first, next the ICE modules and then Medieval books from Osprey (Angus Mc Bride who painted a lot of ICE covers was also involved with Osprey)
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depends of the figure!
my last one (Tom Bombadil) is not accurate because I've read the description after painting !:/
but it don't make me lose sleep !:D
If Master Milo has a some description ready, I think that it could be useful?
(why not a "database" or a simple topic with descriptions, links etc... for some characters when we have or find some?)
Edit: a simple question: I've understand after a quick google search what's "MERP" !!!:P
but how can you recognize if a figure is a MERP one or not ?
Last edited by Sam Wise (Thu, Oct4 2012 7:41am)
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If a mithril character's name is not in JRRT books, it almost always comes from MERP
Like Rogrog, the last winning suggestion for next MS releases for instance.
Last edited by Milo (Thu, Oct4 2012 9:37am)
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Milo wrote:
If a mithril character's name is not in JRRT books, it almost always comes from MERP
Like Rogrog, the last winning suggestion for next MS releases for instance.
thanks Milo!
I think that I have some, like the elven children in a tree !
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Sam Wise wrote:
depends of the figure!
(why not a "database" or a simple topic with descriptions, links etc... for some characters when we have or find some?)
That is a great suggestion, Master Sam Wise! That's a project I would gladly participate in.
Who do know which are the Orc skin tones described in the books? And what about their eyes, are they red or closer to human/elvish? How many of you have painted Aragorn's eyes grey?
Milo wrote:
If a mithril character's name is not in JRRT books, it almost always comes from MERP
Like Rogrog, the last winning suggestion for next MS releases for instance. wink
I wonder if it will be better than Reaper's ICE inspired "Kagunk, Ogre Boss":
Old version just like the cover: Kagunk Ogre Cheiftan by Bob Olley
New version more dynamic:Kagunk, Ogre Boss by John Manor
Here it is the original Angus McBride "Death of Ostoher" image:
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I try to find a description in my books before starting to paint a figurine.
I started my own database: I noticed for each description of location and / or characters to which it corresponded pages in my books. And I just started to retype each citation in an excel file, in order to more easily find a character and have it immediately without opening description whenever the book, but it's in french
But I did that only for Bilbo and the Lord of the Rings, I haven't had time to do other books (Sylmarillion, ....)
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I'm generally lazy when it comes to research if it means having to do extensive research; usually a flick through 'the good book' to confirm details is enough for me. I do try to keep consistency with painting characters (allowing for a change of clothes now and again ).
Same same for dioramas and scenes, as much as I should plan scenes out, I usually let them 'flow' based on an original idea and tend to make things 'fit' with a lot of tweaking .
Regards painting Aragorn's eyes grey, I can't even see his damn eyes these days , let alone paint them grey
My pet hate is plate armour on MM's, a mix of plate, e.g. breast plate and mail I would be OK with, but not full plate Another pet hate is sculpted on reins with that lump of metal in between neck and rein . I would love separate reins as would my finger tips which get sliced and drilled, but I did speak to CT about this at Salute and he didn't think it practical.
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ddaines wrote:
My pet hate is plate armour on MM's, a mix of plate, e.g. breast plate and mail I would be OK with, but not full plate
I can only second that!
Cheers
Tolwen
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I have compiled a database of MERP figues produced so far; there are not that many. Here is the spreadsheet to date:
Series Number Set Title ( * = MERP Creation) Gender Sec Characters Race(s) Area Profession(s) MERP Specialized Prof(s) Weapons Armor Gear/Items T. A. Years In Play MERP Resources/References
M 32 Thieves of Tharbad Princess Nirnadel* F Human-Dunedain Endor-Northwest Bard
M 33 Thieves of Tharbad Dirhavel the Alchemist* M Human-Eriadoran Endor-Northwest Mage-Bard
M 34 Thieves of Tharbad Silmarien the Mage* F Human-Dunedain Numenor/Gondor Mage
M 40 Thieves of Tharbad Tardegil, Captain of the Army* M Human-Dunedain Cardolan Warrior
M 41 Thieves of Tharbad Nimhir the Regent* M Human-Dunedain Cardolan Ranger
M 64x The Halls of the Elvenking Queen Arhendhiril & Two Maids* F/F/F Maids X 2 Elf-Sindar/E-Silvan X 2 Rhovanion Animist/Bard/Common
M 78 Far Harad The RazRoc* M Maia-Demon Endor-South Warrior
M 93 Mount Gundabad Zalg the Goblin King* M Orc-Uruk-hai-Hithaeglir Endor-N Central Warroir
M 95 Mount Gundabad Saviga, Zalg's Consort* F Half-Orc Endor-N Central Mage
M 96 Mount Gundabad Akargin, Warlock of Gundabad* M Half-Orc Endor-N Central Mage
M 99a,b Mount Gundabad Karagat, High-Priest of Gnbd & Victim* M Victim Orc-UH-Hithaeglir/Human Endor Animist/Common
M 102 Mount Gundabad Bralg the Insane* M Orc-Uruk-hai-Hithaeglir Endor-N Central Warrior
M 105 Mirkwood Huinen the Seer* M Elf-Noldor Rhovanion Mage
M 106 Mirkwood Arien, Elven Mage* F Dark Elf-Silvan Rhovanion Mage
M 107 Mirkwood Lachglin, the Animist of Mirkwood* M Human-Black Num Rhovanion Animist
M 166 Ghostwarriors of Dunfaran Tughaib of the Spirits* F Human-Dunlending Eriador-Southeast Animist
M 169 Ghostwarriors of Dunfaran Wight of Tughaib* M The Dead Eriador-Southeast Warrior
M 170 Ghostwarriors of Dunfaran Menoib, Dunlending Chieftan* M Human-Dunlending Eriador-Southeast Warrior
M 171 Ghostwarriors of Dunfaran Solofhen, Dunlending Shaman* M Human-Dunlending Eriador-Southeast Animist
M 191 Fanghorn Forest Tolwen, Elven Healer* F Elf-Sindar Rohan-N Animist
M 192 Fanghorn Forest Hundin, the Bandit Chief* M Human-Dunedain-Nrthmn Rohan-N Ranger-Warrior
M 324a,b Women of Middle-Earth Female Vampires: Miruimor & Carangil* F/F Carangil Human-Black Num/Elf Endor Common/Mage
M 443 Mithril Merp (Northern Eriador) Dagohir the War-Lord* M Half-Troll/Half-Elf Eriador Mage
MS 537 Fellowship Gold Female Assassin of Dol Amroth F Human-Dunedain Belfalas Scout
MS 576 Fellowship Gold Junast of Far Harad M Human-Haradrim Harad Warrior
LR 13 Lord of the Rings: The Nine Nazgul Adunaphel* M Nazgul Endor Bard
LR 14 Lord of the Rings: The Nine Nazgul Akhorahil* M Nazgul Endor Mage
LR 15 Lord of the Rings: The Nine Nazgul Dwaw of Waw* M Nazgul Endor Mage
LR 16 Lord of the Rings: The Nine Nazgul Hoarmurath* M Nazgul Endor Animist
LR 17 Lord of the Rings: The Nine Nazgul Indur Dawndeath* M Nazgul Endor Mage
LR 18 Lord of the Rings: The Nine Nazgul Ren the Unclean* M Nazgul Endor Mage
LR 19 Lord of the Rings: The Nine Nazgul Uvatha the Horseman* M Nazgul Endor Warrior
I do not consider common people (warrior, scout, mage, standard bearer, etc...) from lands named in LOTR as MERP, except specific figures that are named only in MERP. One exception is the Female Assassin of Dol Amroth because she was on the cover of a MERP publication.
Sorry, this was supposed to be a link to an excel spreadsheet, but I did it wrong. This post is for Sevlag, but if anyone wants me to email them this spreadsheet, just send me a message and I will.
Last edited by twrich (Sat, Oct6 2012 5:11am)
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good work master twrich
actually I myself put a flag in the database description each time it is a "merp creation" but it's true there is no way to "search" with this criteria
I think you forgot a * for MS537 Junast, and also you may have forgotten common folks who have a rank or name only found in MERP. I don't see :
Lesinas, Sagath <anything> the Cardolan Hir, Visi guards, Junast guards, and master of the Tama.
all of the above carry in their names titles, geography reference, or reference to things that only exist in MERP but not in tolkien works (sagath, hir, visi, junast, tama, lesinas)
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Hello Master Wandering Elf,
You are quite correct, I did miss several. Perhaps there is a simple way for you to change the settings to do a MERP search? I know they are non-Tolkien canon . . . . But they are Mirthril.
PS. I hope your lovely wife and child are doing well.
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well thanks master twrich they are doing quite ok, (except for my child being a bit ill at the moment along with myself... autumn colds...)
as for merp search, that could indeed be possible technically but that would be tricky as the "merp flag" does not exist in itself at the moment it is just a "comment" in red in the description field of each figurine.
Still by doing a database search for each reference having "merp creation" written in its description I managed to get a result so I suppose the database request works and I could add this search at some point.
Until i have implemented it as a button here is the result :
LR11 The Witch-King (Er-Murazor)
LR12 Nazgûl Lieutenant (Khamûl the Easterling)
LR13 Adûnaphel
LR14 Akhôrahil
LR15 Dwaw of Waw
LR16 Hoarmûrath of Dîr
LR17 Indûr Dawndeath
LR18 Ren The Unclean
LR19 Uvatha the Horseman
M17 Sagath Warrior
M18 Sagath Animist
M26 Eothraim Prince (huithyn)
M32 Princess Nirnadel
M33 Dirhavel the Alchemist
M34 Silmarien the Mage
M39 Cardolan Hir
M40 Tardegil, the Army Captain
M41 Nimhir the Regent
M64 Queen Arhendhiril & two maids
M67 High Captain of Aradhrynd
M73 Caravan guard on Camel
M75 Visi Footguard and Officer
M77 Sand-Man
M78 The Razarac
M79 Junast's Guard
M80 Lesinas
M82 Master of the Tama
M93 Zalg the Goblin-King
M95 Saviga, The King's Consort
M96 Akargun the Warlock
M99 Karagat the High Priest
M102 Bralg the Insane
M105 Huinen the Seer
M106 Arien, Elven Mage
M107 Lachglin the Animist
M108 The Silent Shadow
M109 Werewolf
M165 Eribhen & Ruil
M166 Tughaib of the Spirits
M169 Wight of Tughaib
M170 Menoïb, Dunlending Chieftain
M171 Solophen, Dunlending Shaman
M191 Tolwen, Elven Healer
M192 Hundin, the Bandit Chief
M193 Bandits of Tir Limlight
M253 Swamp Star
M324 Female Vampires : Miruimor & Carangil
M443 Dagorhir "The Warlord"
MS576 Junast of Far-Harad
32Proto1 Dwaw of Waw (prototype for an abandonned ICE figurine game)
I did not count the "Female Assassin of Dol Amroth" as there is nothing in itself not-canon for Tolkien though inspired from a Merp Module...
and strangely enough, beside the range name of 'MERP characters" in the regular M range, only Dagorhir is a MERP character all the others are either unnamed, or characters from Tolkien... how ironic
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Very nice Master Wandering Elf!!! And I hope you and your precious little one feel better soon :-)
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