Ever just lose a Balrog?

     Have you ever just lost a Balrog? Turns out I have. Digging around in the darkest recesses of my hobby room closet I came across a lonely, unmarked box. Curious, I cracked it open. Inside was a pile of long-forgotten models and accessories -- including a Balrog. You think you'd remember something like that.

   Seeing as how I have my photo studio set up for LotR right now, I've decided to keep subjecting you to my The Lord of The Rings miniature collection. No, no Balrogs -- He's still unpainted. Instead we have, first up, a real favourite of mine. The Army of the Dead. These were a challenge for me, as I chose to do them in green only. Starting with a very dark green, I slowly lightened the base colour with bright green and applied many thin layers. Eventually the highest highlights were in white. I think they look particularly ghosty.



The King of the Dead and some of his warriors.

   Next up we have Tom Bombadil and Goldberry. Tom is a silly character, and not well liked amongst many. I've always had a soft spot for him because my dad would sing Tom's goofy songs as he read The Lord of The Rings to my brother and I, when we were kids.



Tom Bombadil and Goldberry

   Next is Elrond's daughter Arwen Undómiel. That is, of course, little stabbed Frodo hunched over on her horse. Most of my Games Workshop friends know this story, but for those who don't, apparently the actress Liv Tyler was very difficult when it came to approving her miniature. She kept sending it back with the vague instruction to 'make it look more beautiful'. After four or five goes of this the GW studio finally sent the same figure again, without any revisions, and it was approved.

   Oddly enough, if you ask me I think the figure is in no way a good representation of Liv Tyler's beauty, and I've always agreed with her complaints.


Arwen Evenstar (and Frodo).


   Here we have Arwen's scruffy and ill mannered boyfriend. Strider or Aragorn or something. I don't know, nor do I really care. The guy has an immortal girlfriend but he can't even bother to shave and bathe for her when he goes to see her. No wonder her dad thinks he's a flake. Also there's something fishy in Aragorn's past about his ancestor dooming the land to a third age of darkness -- I didn't catch the details.

Strider the Hippie-King.

   Just to prove that not all elves are sleek and graceful, here is the wood elf Haldir (sometimes known as the Fat Elf), and a retinue of elves of Loth Lorien. Haldir's the one with the sword, and the chubby cheeks.

Haldir and some Wood Elves.

   And rounding out our showcase today is Haldir's boss and other boss, Galadriel and Celeborn. Not too much to say here, except that I saw the actual Mirror of Galadriel bowl at Casa Loma when the props of the Fellowship movie came to town. I didn't see anything in the mirror.

Galadriel and Celeborn seek wisdom in the Mirror.

   Thanks as always for checking in! See you soon...

-Andrew