Big Blog Roundup: Part One

I have sprained my shoulder doing deadlifts! I have learned my lesson: exercise is bad for you. It is my writing and painting arm so I'm out of commission for the short term at least. To fulfill my need to do something hobby based I've decided to review the hundreds of bookmarks I've accrued over the last few months and post the good ones. I will also be updating my links section accordingly.

In this part I'm linking to general blogs. I may have a couple of parts as I trundle the internet feeling sorry for my arm over the next couple of days. I am also going to have a post where I have combed through the blogs individually and point out snazzy tutorials or WIP series.

Mistral Fantasy

http://mistralvernati.blogspot.co.uk/

This is an Italian language blog. Even if you don't get on with the google translate function, this blog is full of wonderful WIP images as the blogger makes amazing pieces of scenery and buildings. Inspirational work.

Serpentarium

http://serpentarium-painting.blogspot.co.uk/

This blog is a collaborative effort between five painters:

http://www.coolminiornot.com/artist/Yellow+one?browseid=8266654

http://www.coolminiornot.com/artist/Ookami+%28aka+S.Gusev%29?browseid=8266656

http://www.coolminiornot.com/artist/ravenswood?browseid=8266658

http://www.coolminiornot.com/artist/Ringil?browseid=8266659

http://www.coolminiornot.com/artist/HopeRiver?browseid=8266660

Originally a Russian blog the painters have made the effort to translate their posts into English as well. A bit rough in places but overall readable and full of stunning miniature work.

Three of them also have individual blogs where they post more about their own painting.


HopeRiver's Valley

http://z3r-river-eng.blogspot.co.uk/

Two words: SPACE ELDAR

Even more spacey than normal eldar.

She posts loads of different closeups of all her models, and really good walkthroughs.

Ringil

http://ringil-do-urden.blogspot.co.uk/

Lots of WIP shots and different types of miniatures. As a warning, a lot of them are stupidly sexualised tiny women figures and a bit creepy in places. (Naked lady painted to be crying, ok...) But in amongst it are things like Ar-Fienel being bad-ass despite unnecessary cleavage:

Into the Ravenswood

http://ravenswood-art.blogspot.co.uk/

Ravenswood has just produced their first commercial miniature - a really cool dwarf model.  Also on display are well painted but overly sexualised dwarves ;)

That weathered metal is so sexy it should be behind a mature content filter or something.

Moving away from the Serpentinium group:

Mirko Cavalloni Art

http://mirko-cavalloni.blogspot.co.uk/

The painting style here reminds me of old oil paintings depicting epic moments in time. Desaturated palettes and worn, aged look. Different and good to look through.

Tom Schadle Miniatures

http://tomschadleminiatures.blogspot.co.uk/

A lot of Infinity terrain/miniatures and Wild West Exodus pieces painted up with stunning contrast and colour depth. Interesting thoughts on each miniature and useful colour lists and painting tips with almost every post.

Chris Clayton

Mr Clayton has two blogs:

http://ccmodelworks.com/

http://giganticminiatures.com/

The former is based more on his experience of miniatures as a hobby, and the latter is about his work producing models and paintwork on a professional level. Both are good reads. Even if you don't know him by name, you have almost certainly seen one of his latest pieces of work, Hush;

He is responsible for both the sculpt and the paint job. There are step by step WIP's of both on the blogs.

As well as Hush he has painted and produced some mind blowing female figures that aren't creepy or purely focused on a female figurine as a representation of 'sexy'. I'm determined to get my hands on some one day. There's a couple of boob windows here and there but overall I really like Gigantic Miniatures' work.

Wamp

http://wampforum.com/Landing/index.html

This is a site collecting loads of great painters. The tutorials section is much better than the one on CMoN and seems to have a much higher standard across the board in content. Lots of active posters. Hosts blogs, reviews, a forum and a gallery. I've been finding lots of good new painters on there, especially ones who do scenery/dioramas that I haven't come across on CMoN et al.

Armorama

http://armorama.kitmaker.net/

A military modelling website packed full of awesome resources regardless of whether your focus is realistic, sci-fi or fantasy. The website design isn't very fluid but worth learning to navigate. I have always been more invested in doing work that is interesting even if it means sacrificing realism (not that realism is inherently less interesting) but even as someone with that perspective the information and writing on the site is accessible and interesting.

Platoon Britannica

http://platoonbritannica.com/index.php

A forum covering all details of miniatures. Excellent talent on show. There aren't hundreds of posts a day, but a steady flow of new posts over time and lots already existing to work through. Quite a few of the regular posters from CMoN are present here but there are a substantial number whose work I haven't seen posted anywhere else yet.

Spanish Team

http://spanish-team.com/foro/index.php?sid=9e174bc9277ed00bc49762bb9a674d8e

A spanish miniatures forum! The google translate on this is quite rough. Lots of people have also posted in english alongside their native spanish. There's lots of demonstrations using images and WIP pictures anyway so anything you can't read you can see! Really some of the work being developed on this forum is pretty insane and people post on a regular basis.

I came across this forum because someone linked to my articles on putty! Puts a big grin on my face when I see people pointing to any articles I've written.

That's all I feel like writing up for now. The substantial amount of painkillers I've had pumped into me may have made this a ropier read than usual. Hopefully there is something new in here for you to read.