It’s time once more to visit the Middle-earth community and see what fantastic hobby goodness has been gracing the tabletops. This article focuses on Thorin’s Company – the enigmatic band of adventurers who set out from the Shire in a bid to liberate the Lonely Mountain from the clutches of the fearsome Dragon, Smaug.
We kick things off with this wonderful collection of Thorin, Bilbo, Bifur, Bombur, and Glóin from Louis Vanhecke. All of the colours here are crisp, and the blending is immaculate. Louis has gone to great lengths to use a non-metallic metal technique across all of the weaponry, as can be seen on Orcrist. He has also converted Thorin to be carrying the Oakenshield, showing him at the beginning of his epic journey.
This Young Thorin Oakenshield, Young Balin, and Young Dwalin were painted by Georg Xydis and depict the Dwarves as they attempted to reclaim Moria. The rocky bases match the terrain we see in these scenes, and Georg has done a great job on the various armaments of these models, giving them neat, subtle tones that enhance their realistic look.
Early in their journey, Thorin’s Company are captured by three monstrous Trolls before Bilbo’s quick wits are able to distract their foes long enough for Gandalf to unleash the sunlight and turn them to stone. It is exactly this scene that Scott Newman has replicated here, as his stunning versions of Bilbo and Gandalf are stood amongst the now petrified statues of Bill, Bert, and Tom in an incredibly evocative scenic display.
Following their run-in with the Trolls, Thorin uncovers the Elven sword Orcrist within the Trolls’ hoard. Tom Thorpe has painted this version of Thorin wielding his famed weapon from this very scene. All of the details pop on this model, but it is the facial details that really stand out; from the accuracy of the eyes, to the white tips on Thorin’s black beard, Tom has done a wonderful job!
It’s not all Dwarves in Thorin’s Company of course, and this version of Gandalf by Amanda Kopet showcases the Grey Pilgrim in all his glory. Making a model with only one predominant colour look like more than one shade can be tricky, yet Amanda has achieved this by giving Gandalf multiple tones of grey, making sure that each part of the model has a subtly different colour to set them apart. The light-blue glow in his staff and his pale blue scarf provide a little splash of colour.
Matthew Butler has painted his versions of the brothers Balin and Dwalin in the depths of Goblin-town. He has used bold highlights combined with darkly shaded areas as his main painting technique here, and this has given the models a nice, bright appearance to them without them looking out of place in Middle-earth.
This version of Thorin and Bilbo shows them after Smaug has been defeated, Erebor has been liberated, and Thorin has reclaimed the title of King Under the Mountain. Painted by Dennis Chitko, Thorin and Bilbo have been faithfully painted to match how they appear in the movies, and the likenesses are very impressive! The gold armour on Thorin is perhaps the stand-out highlight here; it has been painted with obviously a great deal of thought and care and the faint, silver touches really make it stand out against the darker tones of his robes.
Hauke Jacobsen has painted three versions of Bilbo Baggins! Each one depicts the company’s burglar at different stages in his journey, from setting out from Bag End (middle) to his showdown with Gollum (left) and to Erebor itself (right). Each has been lovingly painted and great care taken to ensure each accurately represents perhaps the greatest hero in the entire story of The Hobbit™.
Finally, we end with a full gathering of this merry band, and this rendition of Thorin’s Company by Chris from Swords and Brushes is a truly exceptional example. Chris’ highlights are crisp, striking and expertly executed, and every Dwarf, Wizard and Hobbit is painted to match exactly what they wear in the films. The little basing details like the ferns and flowers give the impression of the company setting out through the lush fields of the Shire, or perhaps even Bilbo’s front garden!
An excellent selection from the wider Middle-earth community has taken us there and back again. If you have been inspired to paint some of these iconic characters, then why not pick up your own copy of Thorin Oakenshield & Company, and give it a go?