In today's Around the Community Middle-earth blog, herald of the Valar Dan Entwisle takes us on a trip down memory lane to showcase some tremendous painting projects based on. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring™
Dan: As the 20th anniversary of the epic blockbuster approaches, we went in search of some of the fantastic projects that you’ve been working on. As usual, the Middle-earth community did not disappoint, and there are a number of stunning examples that really capture key characters and epic moments from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring™
Here we see a stern-faced Frodo illuminated by Sting’s enchanted glow, indicating that Orcs are somewhere nearby. Alejandro Rodríguez achieved this stunning object source lighting (OSL) effect by building up the areas that the light would catch – such as the top of Frodo’s hand holding Sting or the sleeve of his jacket – with highlights of the same shade of blue used on the blade.
Jakub Morawiński recreated the tragic moment where Boromir met his end at the hands of Lurtz. Taking care to ensure that the fletchings on the arrows in Lurtz’s quiver are the same as those sticking out of Boromir really helps to ground the two models at the same moment in time. The white handprint on Lurtz’s face also matches the position of the one in the film. Combined with the accuracy of the basing materials, such as the fallen leaves and tall grass, this demonstrates how referencing the movies can really help to elevate a miniature or diorama.
Next up we have Gareth Houghton’s brilliant Barliman Butterbur. Gareth has very faithfully recreated the cheery landlord we see bustling about the interior of the inn, complete with the rosy red cheeks of a flustered barkeep serving his rowdy patrons. Gareth has even painted the bread and cheese on Barliman's plate incredibly realistically – it almost looks good enough to eat!
It would be a missed opportunity for us to talk about The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring™ without showcasing the nine brave companions themselves. What better way than with this stunning Breaking of the Fellowship set, painted by Jonas Drawitsch? Everyone’s attire is painted in bold, individual colours, allowing each individual to stand out, yet Jonas has achieved a unified look by ensuring that all of their Elven cloaks are painted in the same shade of deep green.
If you’ve ever attempted to paint black robes or armour,* you’ll know how difficult it can be to achieve an effective look. However, Adrien Lummer has done an exceptional job painting the iconic attire on his rendition of the Nazgûl. The clean, crisp edge highlights on the prominent areas of the fabric contrast beautifully with the darker elements in the deep folds, giving these servants of the Dark Lord a strikingly menacing appearance.
Robert Graham has crafted an amazing scenic base to present Bilbo Baggins on. Complete with a writing desk, discarded manuscript pages, and tattered books piled on the floor, Robert has captured an excellent snapshot of the busy interior of the Hobbit’s study. As well as the base, Robert has added the finest of details, including lines of text on the loose pages, buttons on Bilbo's clothing, and painstakingly dotting the eyes.
Next up we have Farmer Maggot and his loyal hounds, Grip, Fang, and Wolf, painted by Paweł Wilk. The smooth blending on the dogs’ fur, combined with the careful application of each breeds’ natural markings, has given them a wonderfully realistic appearance. Paweł also used the challenging non-metallic metal technique on Farmer Maggot’s scythe, belt buckles, and the dogs’ collars, lending them a bright, eye-catching finish.
This is Gandalf the Grey wandering through the perilous Mines of Moria, painted by Anton Cook. Despite a lot of grey, from the floor and walls to Gandalf himself, Anton has done an excellent job of making each of the different shades distinct. Using bluer tones for the robes and hat ensures that Gandalf stands out against the cold grey of the stonework behind him and the darker gravel beneath his feet. Even with a limited colour palette, your miniature can still stand out.
Last up, we have Steve Thorley’s stunning Bag End diorama. Steve has covered the piece with all manner of details, such as the bird-feeding table and smoke rising from the chimney – as well as a ‘No Admittance Except on Party Business’ sign on the gate. There’s an abundance of greenery bringing the Shire to life, from thick hedgerows to well-kept lawns, which are broken up with colourful wildflowers and grey stone pathways.
This was just a small selection of the stand-out models painted by the fantastically talented Middle-earth community. There will be more blogs like this in the future, so keep working at those painting stations and please keep sharing your wonderful work with us on social media.
* If you’re looking to tackle more challenging techniques such as this, remember to catch Citadel Colour Masterclass on Warhammer+ for expert painting guidance.