The Fire Giants

I mentioned elsewhere that I'm shooting for an Ogre a week, in an attempt to paint the army by the end of April or mid-may. I'll be gone all summer, and it'd be great if there was a warhammer army all ready to play with when I come back.

Finished the first model, and I'm glad to say that Ogre models are much more fun to paint than the Empire models I've been working on. It shows, I think, in the quality of the paintjob.

Before the Ogres:




And now, my first Ogre, and Irongut.




First, taking pictures of a model is a great exercise in seeing everything I did wrong. The paint doesn't look as heavy in real life, but I definitely need to water it down a bit more next time around.

I went for the white skin since it's different from a lot of the other ogres I see, and I think it contrasts nicely with the metals and stronger colors I'll use to pick out the clothing, shields, etc. I have some ideas for the unit champions and characters that should go well with the white skin...

It's also a tie in with the background. I was trying to think up a theme for a potential Ogre army last friday when I was driving to the store. I don't know if any of you pay attention to the US weather, but suffice to say the sky shat snow on us Buffalonians that day. I had a long drive in bad weather, and as I was watching the snow snake across the road it occurred to me that the Ogres should be a force of nature and the unknown. Not to try and develop the army background internally from the Ogres perspective, but externally from their prey. To try and make them feel as dangerous as the weather felt to me that night.

Once I had my mind set on that, the imagery of the fire giants from Norse mythology was set. Characters like Surt, Fenris, the dwarves (gnobbos!) and giants that constantly oppose the Aesir. I'll have to do some reading up on the mythology, but all these books are already in my own library. My tyrant will need to have  a flaming sword, and I think I need a one-handed ogre riding a gigantic wolf.

I'll post a bit of the backstory here later. In the meantime, here's a pic of the maneater/bruiser I'm going to start work on:

Awesome. I really like the skin tone on your ogre. I'm not a huge fan of bloody fists but you seem to have pulled it off really well. The bruiser/maneater looks very good as well, the GS work on it is great and really makes the model stand out. Out of interest, what do you use to poke the holes in the chainmail? This should be an intersting army to follow.

thanks
Corai

I'm a bit ashamed to admit this, but I used the spear part of a militia sprue halberd, as it was the pointiest thing I had on had. I've since acquired a pin. The pinholes seem a bit to small to really stick out though. I don't have any sculpting tools, this was my first real attempt making more than a feather or a patch of fur. I'm going to try and do a little bit more with the maneater- add the straps that hold his shoulder pads up, modify his mustache, and make his helmet look a little more viking like (http://www.jelldragon.com/images/jk11_viking_helmet_600.jpg)

On the next batch of chainmail I'm going to try to poke and pull, so it has a bit more of a chain look to it. I've also been experimenting using a mechanical pencil without graphite to make studded leather.

don't be ashamed, it's worked really well and I might need to givce it a try. I use the pointy end of a safety pin (attached to the back of a badge, cheap or what!) and I know what you mean about the holes appearing quite small for an ogre scale model.

Thanks
Corai

I really like the bruiser though his axe looks too small for my taste...

 - Kyte

OK, evaluation: Good paintscheme, good modelling and fantastic theme. I'm gonna be interested to see how ur Ogres represent the forces of nature, and I look forward to ur background.

Indeed, Firegiants sounds like a nice variant these days, with all 'em Chaos-type lads around - no offense...

The Bruiser looks mightily fine to me!

There is a nice alternative t' sculpting tools what a fellow Dwarf of mine - a master sculpter name of Grimstonefire - over at Bugman's Brewery uses. Click HERE t' see what simple tools he be using!

Update 2:

Some good news and bad news. Bad news: I'm busier than I realized, and it's unlikely I'll hit my end of april deadline. So this army probably won't be finished 'til late September or October when I'm back in the states.

The good news: This saves me money  But the good news for you guys is that I forced myself to sit down and throw a story together.

The plains make men insignificant.

Only the hunting falcons would have spotted the men traveling the vast expanse. The harsh winds and the flying snow blinded all eyes but those of desperate predators. Those that could look would see six men plodding through thigh high snow. The first three caught the eye because of their unnatural gait- chained together, none of them could take a step without dragging the others. Near them was a cautious man, his gaze split between his three charges and the horizon. Spread out from this cluster two more men also kept their eyes west, looking for shapes amid the blood horizon.

The sun hung low in the west, and its rays tinged the sky crimson. The low beams turned the shadows of the few trees into a lattice-work. The shadows of men were turned into giants, foremost among them that of their leader. He was a tall man, his bulk made greater by the many furs he wore to protect himself in the frost. He was in the lead, constantly watching the horizon for elusive shapes.

Beneath his golden beard and mustache, his lips cracked under the cold and dry wind. He did not wear armor, nor did his comrades. Traveling for two days in the cold and ice, metal would betray them. The weight would bring extra fatigue, and after only a few hours it would become icy cold and painful to touch. Besides, it would bring little protection.

The winds created snakes out of the dry snow, wyrms that devoured all life. This day, though, the wind and blowing snow aided the men. Lifting his eyes as he followed the twisting snow from his feet out to the horizon, the gold-bearded man glimpsed the ogres.

With their backs to the disappearing sun, they were only silhouettes. If those last horizontal rays turned the shadows of men into giants, the shadows of the ogres became mountains. The gold-bearded man stopped a dozen feet from the nearest ogre, yet still in his shadow.

“We have brought the mighty Surt our prisoners, murderers and thieves, as payment to him and his people,” he shouted, the strength in his voice robbed by the wind. The shadow of the central ogre grew longer as he rose from his crouch, before vanishing as the sun fled and night devoured day. It was all the gold-bearded man could do to keep his gaze on the ogre in those few moments of silence.

Cold, he thought as he looked at the creature’s blue white skin, they are not like us, they are cold. Snow collected in the grooves of its armor and helm and great clouds of steam emanated from its mouth, but the ogre looked as if the snow and the wind and the cold did not exist. The gold-bearded man’s eyes darted between the spots of red on the ogre- between the blood-encrusted its massive fists, now flaking to reveal the cold skin underneath, and its fiery beard. An image of a volcano forced itself upon his mind, bringing with it understanding. They are not cold because they are not like us. They are like the mountains.

“You were told to bring five. Do the other two not wear chains?”

Only one of the three chained men saw all of what happened. A spear, deftly thrown by one of the other ogres, took the nearest guard in the chest. He did not fall, though; so long was the spear and so strong the thrower that it protruded out of his back and into the ground, holding him up as the snow turned red beneath him.

The prisoner reflected on this for only a moment; then his gaze was captured again as the central ogre threw himself at their captor. The gold-bearded man was not unfamiliar with battle, and had won renowned raiding the Kislevites. But fighting men gave him no defense against ogres. A sword fully as long as he was tall cut through the haft of his axe, and as the prisoner watched, cut through the head and torso of the gold-bearded man.

As the last guard fled into the night, gibbering runts rushed from behind the ogres and collected the two corpses. The leader of the ogres grabbed the chain and yanked the three captives off their feet. As the ogre began to drag him, the prisoner felt his body numb from the snow that was all over him now. Even with the moon, it was dark enough for him to not realize his eyes had closed. Rendered senseless by the cold, he passed out.

He felt a sensation again- heat. As is limbs yearned for the warmth, he opened his eyes. In front of him was a huge bonfire, and surrounding it dozen of ogres- the army of Surt.

Tomorrow I'll try to post a work in progress shot of my maneater/bruiser. I've still got some detail work, but the base colors are on and it's possible to get a feel for the composition.

Update 3: More pictures



If I can get my normal chores out of the way, and don't rent another season of the Sopranos, I might have this guy finished tomorrow night. Otherwise, he'll be done over the weekend.

As I was painting him I was toying around with ideas for the whole army. On account of their size, it seems to me that ogres could easily be an army or characters, each one decorated to have a story- taken to the extreme, you could have an army of maneaters (fluff-wise). I debated doing that for a few minutes, but then I decided against it. I think I'm going to go to the other extreme and try to keep the paintjobs on the rank and file subtle. It's harder to tell in the pic of the irongut (putting together a better lighting rig is on my to-do list) but the clothes-skin-pants is pretty balanced without being too eye-catching. I'm also going to keep the added bits to a minimum, saving those for the characters. It's my hope that the characters will stand out more- the added equipment, capes, etc. should immediately distinguish them.

Anyways, there should almost definitely be an update by the weekend.

is it just me or do these seem to be frost giants?

It's coming along really nicely. the touches you've added tot he modela re realy coming out in the paiting. Looking forward to seeing this guy finished. Paint and watch the sopranos at the same time!

Thanks
Corai

Hymir,

I'm basing them loosely off the Norse myths of the fire giants. I'm hoping that the red beards and blood fists get the point across, plus some ideas I have for the tyrant and butchers. At any rate, the blue-white skin and (eventual) icy bases fit more with the northern theme even with the name.

Once I look through the Volsunga I might shift the name around, until then the fire giants is easy enough and the obvious contrast gives me an opening to talk about the background.

Besides the name, I've also got a viking ogre with horns on his helmet... 

Corai:

If I painted while watching the sopranos my ogres would all be even more heavyset with oiled hair and Italian accents. In the meantime, I hope to model a different beard on the ogre.

duly noted surt
 but norse mythology aslo features frost giants,
like the one i stole for my username,
so it might be a little confusing

just my 1.? pence
im not to sure on the  current exchange rate!

Hi, I live in the North, and we don't have snow all year round, in Denmark its typically a month ... But regarding the firegiants, in one of the old myths it is mentioned hat they live in the south, in a place so hot no normal man can survive there. (I'm thinking the vikings exagerated view on Africa or something).

Cheers Daniel

Only snow for a month? Gah... you're ruining my conception of Northern Europe. 'Course, with the Atlantic current it makes sense, only I'd like to think that some people have it worse off than New Yorkers.. (state, not city).

I know about the reference to the scorching plains, but I was planning on basing my giants in the north of the old world- I was actually thinking of doing some vaguely similar to the old and new gods and the proto-germanic occupants of scandinavian, with the Ogres representing the old gods in the warhammer world and the chaos gods as the new. I recognize that it's only vaguely historical (taking the structures rather than the particulars) but it gives me something to think about while I paint.

Hymir, I'll take that under consideration. At some point I should change it, if only to have a more catching title.

If u want some help with names or anything, I've got a book packed full of old Norse Giant names.
The fluff is AWESOME: maybe a little clumsy at times, but overall really evocative of what ur Tribe is about.