70. Arrrrr, Matey!

I finished painting some pirates.  Yar, me.  These are from the Reaper boxed set "Pirates of the Dragonspine Sea."  My box is cardboard, not the plastic one shown on the link, I've had it that long.

These did not really inspire me at all.  I started them right before I received my Bones miniatures, thinking I could knock them out quick-like.  But I stagnated with their uninspired poses and lackluster execution.  It was all I could do to force myself to finish them, but I cannot stand unfinished minis even worse!

I have no plans to use them in any game, although a couple of them could possibly double as fantasy swordsmen/women.  I do have some pirate-game rules, but have never played them.  What's more, I have no intention to.

I added into the mix "Maria Roseblade" from Reaper, since she's a pirate too, and I paint better in large batches.  *She* is an excellent sculpt, and has much fine detail:  fine the in sense of very detailed details, and fine in the sense of she's just a beautiful model.

The funny thing is Sandra Garrity sculpted both Maria Roseblade as well as all of the boxed pirates, including the girl with two swords.  The dates on the back of the metal base of the two-sword girl is 2000, and Maria Roseblade's date is 2002.  So, they were sculpted two years apart; I think you can really tell both the improvement in Ms. Garrity's abilities as well as the casting process Reaper uses.  What's more, in 2000 I wouldn't have thought Ms. Garrity could improve, because she was already just that good.  She is one of the best sculptors in the industry, in my opinion, and I have many, many, many of her miniatures (both painted and unpainted).  The only thing I can think of is that this was just another job for her that day; crank 'em out and get paid.

Anyway, on to the pictures.  Click them and they will enlarge quite a bit.

Left:  #03131 Eric Swiftblade, Swashbuckler; Right:  #03130 Isabella Florentina
I wasn't originally certain whether the one on the left was a guy or a girl.  I finally decided it was a dude, and gave him a three-days' growth of beard.  The girl on the right is a horrible pose; I mean, who stands like that?

A rear view.  Seriously, Ms. Garrity, what were you thinking?

Left:  #03152, Peg Leg Pete, Pirate Cook; Right:  #03144, Captain Wilmont Silver.
If he's a cook, why does he have the treasure map?  And you've heard of Zorro, the Gay Blade?  Meet, Wilmont, the Gay Pirate!

I told you I was uninspired by these.  How else can I explain a yellowy-orangey pirate cloak with matching hair?  I was really just trying to see how bright I could get it.

Left:  #03164, Captain Hook; Right:  #03176, Blackbeard, Pirate.
How many Captains are running around in this crew anyway?  I am just terribly unhappy with the colors of Hook, but oh well.  Blackbeard is one of the better figures in the box, but by the time I got to him I was tired of painting the same coat colors; I could hardly think of new combinations.  Un-in-spiring.

Blackbeard I could probably find a use for.  Not a bad generic looking model; maybe for a leader-type.

Left:  #02645, Maria Roseblade (not included in the box set); Right:  #P10011G, Pirates Monkey Treasure.
The treasure pile is pretty cool, and it's solid metal so it's hefty.  And how can you not like a monkey holding the skeleton key; very characterful.  The treasure monkey was sculpted by Bob Olley.  Maria Roseblade is my favorite.  Did I mention that already?  I think I might have.

A rear view.  It really is a monkey because it has a tail....

Maria is such a nice miniature she gets her own solo picture.  I wanted to do her justice with a nice paint job (as much as I am able) so I worked on her color scheme and details the longest.  (In other words, I actually cared how she turned out, as compared to my feelings for the others.)

Here is an example of what I mean by "fine detail":  look at the backs of her leggings, and her belt.  Lots of hooks, loops and buckles.  Absolutely beautiful.

 Thanks for reading and looking at my pictures!  Until next time.