Okay, it's been a while but here is what I have been doing recently. Thanks also to everyone for the replies. I really do value the comments - please be as brutal as possible in criticism!

Firstly, here is a tree armature in the making. I am envisioning an oak tree. Obviously the top branches are still to be done and the trunk needs thickening. After that i will be using Tetrion filler to for texture.




Next we have a troll that I am working on. I have one plastic, one metal and a metal chieftain. The two metal are ready for paint. The plastic one requires some major reposing and sculpting which I am currently in the process of. Years ago I removed the lower portion of the breast plate for a reason I now cannot fathom. Here is my attempt at resculpting it:



Next we have my band of Northern Dunedain. These rangers have had a little reposing and bowstrings added as you can see:




My command group consists of a banner (the Blackroot Vale Model - it fits well with the rangers), and two Aragorns, representing generic chieftains of the Dunedain/Arathorn/Arador.



Finally, my elves of Rivendell. I am in the process of converting the swordsmen as shown. I also have some spearmen, however, not only do I need to source shields/ cast some, but I think the heads are too large compared with the plastic warriors and so some head swaps are imminent. As for the archers, I have added bowstrings and arrows where needed, sculpting the fletching with greenstuff.






Oh, and finally finally (I almost forgot), here are some bases I'm making. I have used 1.5mm ply bases, topped with slate and a mixture of smashed slate and Tetrion filler (great stuff). I am having a little difficulty reaching all the unpainted areas, even with a diluted paint mix and a little fairy liquid.
I also need advice on glues or other attachment methods to attach the miniatures. I'm currently thinking maybe two part epoxy?





So there you go, my recent hobby exploits. I really need to get painting now!
Please give criticism, any comments and suggestions are welcome. Also, I just want to say how excellent the other WIPs on this site are - a constant source of amazing miniatures, good discussion and top quality motivation. Thank you everyone!

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Inspiration: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/p4gaq4nesnbf ... i1f8a?dl=0

Your Elven conversion are really nice, especially the first swordsman from the left; and the Blackroot vale banner bearer is a fitting choice for a Dunedain command.

Maybe you can cover the unreachable parts of the bases with tufts.

Your tree looks very elaborate; how much time did you spend on it?

Two part epoxy is the best bet. The tree armature look good. What do have planed for the foliage?

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

Those bowstreings really do make for that extra bit of oomph in a mini. The conversions are excellent and those bases are very neatly done even as WIP. Keep up the great work - the painting so far has been great so I want to see those High Elves painted up.

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I wouldn't have the patience to do the bow strings but boy do they look effective.

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Really great work here. I look forward to more!

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Xintao

I like what you are doing here, the bowstrings are a wonderful touch that brings the figures to life.
The tree is taking shape nicely, the following link will give you some ideas for progressing this.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7tnBIdbL9sY

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Very good link!
Is Tacky glue available in the UK?

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

Yes it is, I get mine from Antenocitis Workshop. Their stuff is blue on application and dries clear. Very good product.

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I have not seen the blue. I use the original white and the clear jell. I recommend it over normal PVA .What is the common brand name for the stuffed animal/ pillow filler available in the UK? The brand name I use is too similar to the popular spacking compound you all use. I think it would cause more than a bit of confusion.

I wanted to comment that you can use spray paint on the cheaper PolliFiller/fiber stuffing and use the white. I realized how confusing that might be. You can also paint reindeer moss



This is what the moss looks like after it is treated with glycerin.


I use a very cheep store brand spray paint $.98 that is a close match to WS green blend.

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

Tacky glue link. http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com/delu ... -glue.html
The teddy bear filler is called poly fibre which will be similar to you.

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I guessing you are putting a small amount of Super Glue to hold the bow string? Please tell us you method, i want to copy it, looks really good

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Harfoots-The first of the Hobbit people to cross over the Misty Mountains and enter Eriador.

I have glued rope before and I would imagine its the same technique. Glue the starting point at the tip of the bow and let it dry. Now stretch it tight to the hand and glue again, holding it tight until dry. Now repeat the process to the final point on the bow.

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Thanks all for the comments.



My method is adapted from the tree chapter in this book that I've been able to glance at by the 'look inside' tool on amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Terrain-Modelli ... +modelling

I splice in the medium thickness wires at the first branching and then five of the thin wire lengths for every two medium at the next branching. It's surprisingly quick if you do a little every so often.

As for foliage, since this is my first attempt i was thinking of leaving this one simply as leafless. In future however, I intend to grow and use this plant dried: Teloxys Aristata - Seafoam. Here's an example: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... h_id=10337
Perhaps an addition of woodlands scenics product on top of this would work well.

As for attaching miniatures to slate bases, whilst I'm sure small and plastic miniatures would be fine, I'm not sure I'd trust a metal troll simply with glue. Thoughts on this? And how would you go about pinning the feet to the slate if that would be an option.



To attach the arrows I did as Gandalf the Grey suggests, a small quantity of superglue is used to attach one end to the bow before stretching the other end after it has dried. In the cases of the drawn bows I used two pieces, each ending at the hand. The bows were also bent back a little to give the distinction between drawn and undrawn. The arrows were sunk slightly into a hole drilled in the hand, before the fletching was sculpted. The bowstrings themselves are thin flyfishing line.

Finally, can anyone spot the mistake with the drawn bows?

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Inspiration: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/p4gaq4nesnbf ... i1f8a?dl=0

You might like better
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Build-Realistic ... +modelling

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"the same as a duck you must be made of wood"

I really, REALLY love those Elf conversions! They're fab!

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Nice work so far, looking forward to seeing some paint on those minis.
Stringing the bows is definitely worth the effort, makes them look a lot more realistic. Glad to see you also thought about bending the bows a bit, a straight bow with massive string can look a bit silly.
One of the few downsides is that some models are clearly not sculpted with actual bowstrings in mind - encountered some where you simply couldn't draw a straight line between bow and hand without encountering some clothing, a sword hilt or other obstacles along the way...

I suppose you're referring to the arrows resting on the thumbs? Not impossible, but a rather impractical way of shooting - unusual in reality, but very common on miniatures!

Thanks for the link. I've been considering buying something like this for a while, being into model railway as well. However, with the price of miniatures, even on ebay, it's difficult!



I entirely agree, with these elves its the bottom of the cloak.



Yes that was it. I only realised after I had glued the arrows. I certainly find it difficult to shoot like that.

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Inspiration: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/p4gaq4nesnbf ... i1f8a?dl=0

Here are some pictures of some of my older scenery projects:

Firstly we have some Rohan buildings. Fairly crudely put together yet I think they have character. A point to note is the thatching, made from fake fur, without even the need for painting. I think it does the job nicely.



And secondly we have some small scenic bases, more work could be done yet I'm not sure I particularly like the format anyway. I can't bear gaps between the board and the scenery pieces. The grape stems however, I do think work well as tree armatures. Anyway, you decide for yourself:



I am considering putting both scenery sets on Ebay, however, I have no experience with this and have no idea if there is any demand for such things - I would assume not. Does anyone have any idea if these might have a hope of selling?

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Inspiration: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/p4gaq4nesnbf ... i1f8a?dl=0

They look good, the last picture are my favourite, that looks incredibly realistic.
As for eBay, why not test with a piece your not so fussed about, see if it sells and how much you get. It's not a guarantee but may give you an idea about how they will sell and what interest there is ie the amount watching it.

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