Zomtober Week 2 -  Here's this week's zombie...

<singing> "I eat you...you eat me...we're as happy as can be..."    

Or something like that...

28mm Card and Paper Buildings - WIP

Recently I have been trying my hand at making some card/paper buildings to populate my eventual zombie apocalypse...

My plan is to use printed paper "skins", and attach the graphics to a variety of hard shells. I visited the local craft stores (Hobby Lobby, Michael's, Walmart, etc.) hunting for suitable boxes (hopefully with lids).

I had good luck at Hobby Lobby, and using my trusty 40% coupons, and the 50% off weekly ads, I scored some nice raw materials. HL stock a set of about a dozen nested boxes with lids - bought for $6.00 ( after the 40% coupon). Nested boxes are way cool, cause I can minimize storage needed. HL also sells paper-mache boxes that nest, but are sold separately.  I found some raw wood boxes (open top/nested and kleenex/tissue sized) at Walmart.  Most card/mache boxes have averaged out to less than a couple bucks each, while the wood have been more expensive at about $3-$7 each.

I spent some time perusing images and textures on the 'net, looking for suitable samples. I then set up some templates in Visio, after taking careful measurements of exterior & interior sides, and interior floors. 

Next is to decide what type of building, then select walls, windows and doors, and any trim details. My templates are scaled so it is easy to size, scale, and tweak to fit ~28mm scale figs. I am using lots of sources - raw images, tiles, textures, and then use selective cropping, resizing, and image manipulation/editing to get the piece/parts I need. Initial efforts were slow and crude,but I am getting the hang of it and setting up layers and shortcuts to make the builds go quicker.


Here are some of my initial efforts...

I have a bout three dozen boxes now, ranging form a couple inches square, up to about a foot square, and both single and multiple stories. I hae several of the larger (6"-8") cube style paper-mache boxes that I will cut down to give me more variety in height.

I have no roofs done (other than the shanty iron ones shown) at this time. I am considering a couple of options, as I want to keep a) the lids/roofs removable,  b) have a rim around the edge that eliminates any sliding, and c) retain the nesting capability. More to follow as I progress.

28mm Redneck Zombie Survivors

Finished a couple of 28mm zombie survivors today. Can't remember who makes them. I had already replaced their SciFi weapons with modern ones. Left the teddy bear and frying pan, he he...

 

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Zombie Casualty - a trial sculpt

Ok, it seems nobody makes commercial civilian type "casualty" figures for zombie gaming (or for that matter any other modern/post 19C eras). There's two options I see, converting existing zombie figs, or making my own. So, as usual, I got a wild hair, and decided to try my hand at sculpting some dead - both human and undead - to add some "flavor" (no pun intended) to my zombie gaming scenery.

I have some experience with 15mm sculpting (many many years ago), but this is my first attempt at 28mm scale figures. I am a complete novice with total figure sculpting, so this is a real stretch.  The figure was done in Milliput, using some homemade sculpting tools. I didn't use an armature, which is something I won't repeat. Limb proportions are a little off, and I think the face looks too simian, but not too shabby for a first attempt.

The sculpt itself could be a) a person that was worked over by several zeds, and not yet reanimated, or b) a zed that took a head shot. I have painted up the base to show the first option, as there are obvious signs of  struggle, feasting, and multiple footprints.

My long term plan is to first make zombie figs that have received head shots, and are therefore "down" for good. Then some civilian/survivor figs that have been chomped by zombies and have yet to be reanimated. In game terms, I'd drop one of these down wherever a zed gets taken out.

WIP - Copplestone Future Wars Zombies

Really like these guys, the zed in tightie-whities cracks me up. No time to get dressed, I guess...

WIP - Black Orc zombies

I have about 18 of the Black Orc zombies on the paint table. Here are pics of four that are close to being finished...

WIP - Crocodile Games Zombies

A few more modern zeds in the works - these from Crocodile Games. Pics here for four of the six figs they make.

 

 

More WIP zombies - Tengu

Some WIP Zeds from Tengu. A small range at the moment, but with great character and variety. I hope they produce some more zombies soon.

 

 

 

More WIP Zombies - Blue Moon

Time to get some more pics posted. Making good progress on a box set of twenty Blue Moon Manufacturing zombies. Still some details to tweak here and there.

 

 Really like the sculpting on these figs. Lots of variety, lots of nice details. A real pleasure to paint.