Showing posts with label Art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Art. Show all posts

Sunday, 26 June 2016

Steel and Lace

A couple of weeks back this commission arrived at it's destination in Paris.
I had been watching it's tracking like a hawk ...with all the flooding, strikes, petrol shortages, football rioting and such, that have been going on, I was quite concerned.
I was, to put it lightly, rather relieved to see the parcel finally signed for, upon delivery :)

The commission was for a bundle of pieces to be used with Ignacy Trzewiczek's amazing Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island board game.

The full haul.

Fire discovered!

Ashes at the campsite.

The usual suspects.

A palisade to keep out the wildlife.

A leafy roof to fend off the weather.

Protection from the elements.

Hunting a-plenty was required.

There's no place like home.

Morale was high.

A verdant land.

Tools of the trade.

The huntsman's friend.

Alas poor Yorick...

Food glorious food.

A banquet fit for a castaway.

A good day's hunting.

The variety of animals to be found is amazing!

I hunt to survive,

Wood! ...

Well stacked.

The mother-load.

Anyone interested in having pieces commissioned, feel free to drop me a message via the contact form on the right, and I'll send you my price-list and ordering info:)

Happy gaming!
:)

Saturday, 23 January 2016

A Grab Bag of Battling Fun!

Hey y'all, a Happy Belated New Year to you.

I hope it's been treating you well. It certainly has for me, as I've discovered a superb game (that has in fact been around for a few years now - in various versions - since 2006) that my son, predominantly (I've yet to convince my daughter to play), and I have been having a blast with.
I did in fact acquire it just before Christmas, and barely a day has gone by, through the whole school holidays, that we haven't had a round or 2 (or 3...).

The game is Neuroshima Hex ...version 3.0.
A tactical, tile laying, skirmish board game, in which you main objective is to destroy your opponent's HQ; or at least ensure their HQ has been damaged more severely than yours by the game's end.

You will not pass!

Each player has a small army, composed of a stack of tiles, that they have turns placing upon the hex-grid board. Included in each army are warriors, that do the fighting, modules, that help your warriors in some way or another, instant effect tiles, and occasionally other tiles with curious effects.
Every now and then battle will break out and chaos will ensue.
During a fight, the fastest units attack first (go figure), friend and foe attack simultaneously, damage is dealt and casualties are removed. Then all the units who's initiative is one step less have their turn. Then the next in line have theirs, until the slowest units have finally had their attacks.

The game continues with more units being placed and further battling action occuring, until all tiles (by one or both players) have been used or with one of the HQs having been demolished. Boom!

This has rapidly become one of my favourite games. Surprise surprise, it is also from Portal Games, makers of the great Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island; some may have noticed I'm a fan of that one too. This one though, designed by the talented Michał Oracz.

You can also expand the game with new armies. On top of the 4 that came with the base game, I've added another 6 - each released individually in a box the size of a couple of Kit-Kats.
Variety is the spice of life.

More fun than you can shake a sticky-bomb at.

A couple of weeks back, I also discovered a printing firm, ArtsCow, that has on occasion, some great deals. I found, on the BoardGameGeek, a Geeklist mentioning a sweet deal for custom-printed drawstring bags. 10 bags for US$20, free shipping (from Hong Kong).

It just so happened that I had tiles for 10 armies that required bags to contain them.
Rather than stacking or scattering the tiles face-down next to the board, being able to draw them straight from your own bag, I thought would be the go. Time for some pimping.

So, after a bit of playing in ye olde Photoshop, I uploaded my designs (based on the colours and icons of the various armies) to the site ...Not too many days later, I received a package in the mail.

I must say I was pretty pleased with the results (sublimated ink prints on white satin-like fabric bags, each printed with differing front and backs). The printing quality was very nice, and the bags sewn to a very acceptable standard...







I also put made mention of these bags on the ArtsCow Bags Geeklist on BGG, with links to the various designs. You'll also find a bundle of bag designs for other games, created by other gaming folks. Well worth a look through.

Here's a coupon code for this deal I was given by ArtsCow to hand on to others; feel free to use it if you so desire: ZCRAYSALEDGMZX (The code is good until the 03-03-2016).

Now, back to the important stuff.

:)

Friday, 11 December 2015

A Finger in several Pies

After several weeks working on a couple of other projects, namely, carving a rather large slab (just over a meter tall) of stone (commissioned as a Birthday gift) and creating a handful of pictures for a recent exhibition - a group exhibition, including works by myself, my sister, mother, and also my father, Peter Brown, who passed away in 2005... I have picked up my Zahle Wax Carver no.5 and sat down to sculpt some more clay.

These pieces are heading off to a fine man in Canada. 
To accompany his copy of the Mice and Mystics board game, this selection of sculpts will be being added to an already established collection.

It's certainly a satisfying task, making a fellow gamer's enjoyment of games even more enjoyable through your artwork.

A nutty Swiss and tangy Blue.

The ever-handy Fork.

Meow...

The Grape's of Rats.

Looks like we're heading for the Kitchen.

As well as the M&M, a few pieces for the Robinson Crusoe: Adventures on the Cursed Island board game were also requested...

The finest furs.

Crates washed upon the rocks.

The Log Lady would be proud.

Dinner!

The life of the party.

Home wasn't built in a day.

You only had one job!

Brunch.

Now that's a desert island this castaway
wouldn't mind being washed upon.

Currently in transit; fingers crossed the bundle arrives in time for Christmas :)

In case any one is interested, here are a few snaps of the stone slab that buffed, scuffed and calloused my hands over a few weeks - the first stone carving I have attempted - I must say I quite enjoyed doing it, and may well try my hand at it again some time...

The Green Man.

The Rose of Yorkshire.

The stars are right.

Field of grass.

A shaggy Scottie.

Phew ...completed.

Here also are are snaps of some of the pieces that were in the exhibition, including my RC:AotCI pieces...

From the depths.

The brew.

Tea and cakes with Mr Beasley.

Visage #1.

Visage #2.

Robinson Crusoe on display, works by
my sister and mother on the walls.


Happy Gaming!
:)