Tuesday, June 18, 2013

My Final Entry to the Lead Painter's League: Quar Infantry and Assault Tractor



For the last submission to the Lead Painters' League the organizers asked us to provide an entry based around a sci-fi theme, with extra points for providing an opposing side along with some sort of suitable creature or vehicle.







I spent a looong time racking my brain trying to come up with a submission that was suitable, a bit unique and something that I might actually use. Not easy. Finally, I remembered that ZombieSmith offered these fabulous figures from their game, 'This Quar's War'.



The Quar are sort of a mash up of world-weary aardvarks in a quasi-WWI setting... They have a aesthetic that reminds me of the Heavy Metal and Epic Illustrated magazines of the 80s. Weird but strangely compelling. I've really warmed to them since starting this first set.


The automatic shotgun team is a very nice set. I decided to tart-up their base with some extra groundwork to give the impression that the team has had some time to prepare their position.






For the fellows with the cheche-like headscarves I wanted to do some of them up in pinstriped coats as an homage to those the Moroccan Goumiers wore during their time in French service in WWII. 


(I think I may go back over these with a dull red pinstripe to help lift the effect.)




I made the sniper team from a couple odd figures and replaced the marksman's short barrelled weapon with something a little more over-the-top, more reminiscent of a bedouin jezail.



Now I really have a hankering to add a bird marching to the end of the barrel...



The camo scheme for the assault tractor was derived from images of those iconic German helmets worn during the last years of the Great War. 




The style is very mannered but I like how the effect turned out on the whole. I need to touch up some of the paint and add some more stowage and an aerial.




Fun! Nonetheless, all this being said, my Quar haven't really generated much interest amongst the LPL voters. Sigh. Oh well, no matter, I had a great time working on them and look forward to adding some more in the future.

45 comments:

  1. I think they came out nicely.. but they are a niche model set that not all are really appreciating at this time. Great work none the less!

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    1. Thanks! You're right of course. Strangely not EVERYONE loves Space Aardvarks, puzzling as that may seem.

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  2. Fecking lovely Curt, I really love the tank and heading over to vote!

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    1. Cheers for that Francis! Though I warn you it's a lost cause...

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  3. Lovely, lovely work curt and a great choice of uniform/camo schemes :)

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    1. Thank you very much Tamsin. I must say it was fun being liberated from a historical template and just paint them how I liked.

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  4. Outstanding! I've long admired the Quar miniatures and you have done a sterling job on these! I bet you are relieved the league has come to an end though.

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    1. You're very kind Michael. Yes, it was great fun but I'm looking forward to returning to my own plodding pace.

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  5. I voted for them! I really like the tank as well.

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    1. Thanks Barks. I liked your Mansions of Madness batrep. We've had some good times playing that game.

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  6. Really nice stuff - I really like the camp on the tractor

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    1. Cheers Miles. Yes, I've always liked that WWI scheme and since I'm doing my Great War stuff in greyscale I've been itching to try it out in colour.

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  7. Love the paint job on the track. WWI-esque armor is so cool, still the rivets of the industrial age. Figures are excellent. Thanks for posting.

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    1. I agree completely, I love the look of WWI armour as well. All that slab steel and rivets has a great esthetic.

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  8. They look outstanding! The tank is great and I like your aesthetic nod to WW1 toward the Quar and the tank! The sniper team is my favorite.

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    1. Thanks David. Yeah, the sniper team came together easily but seems to work quite well. I may have to add some brass banding to the barrel to finish it off though. Thanks for commenting.

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  9. Top Job Curt, they look pretty weird and wonderful!

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    1. Thank you Ray! They are definitely weird and wondrous. Wait until you see the Squirrel Handlers...

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  10. I think they look really nice Curt!

    Christopher

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  11. Great looking figures Curt, very nice models and fantastic paint work

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    1. Cheers for the kind words James - very encouraging.

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  12. You did a great job giving them the WWI flavor. They look great.

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    1. Thanks Chris, they were a lot of fun to work with.

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  13. That's a shame. I think they're great! Very cheeky idea, really, WWI aliens. I can't think of a better branch of sci-fi to fit your style. It's a nice break from the super-future aliens one sees in SOME games.

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    1. Cheers for that Mattias. I really like your sculpting, terrain and conversion work btw - fabulous stuff!

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  14. Quar, a great choice. I find these chaps very cute and the source material is fun but I have never found a good enough reason to buy any.

    You've done great work, I particularly like the Gourmier-Quar.

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    1. Thanks Phil. The Goum-Quar are my favourites as well.

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  15. They are very nice models, and your wonderful painting is perfect for them. I have the "furrier" or kitchener in some place of my box, and I liked these figures and their history.

    Fantastic painting work!

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    1. Yes, they have loads of character. Thanks for the kind comment Juan.

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  16. Nice of you to say, thanks Andrew!

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  17. Absolutely gorgeous mate. If you don't poll well it will be a travesty!

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    1. Thanks my friend but I'm getting well and truly smoked! Ah well, you can't win them all.

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  18. Great painting, and basing Curt! Masterful stuff... though I must confess I don't know what to make of these Quar, with their robes and blue noses... they seem an odd mix of Smurf and Taliban!

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    1. Cheers Scott! Smurfaban or Talismurf... Yeah, they're not everyone's cuppa but they were a hoot to work on.

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  19. Beautiful work once again dude! Was fun to have them out for a painting night.

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    1. Thank you Greg and thanks again for helping me get these off the painting desk!

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  20. Awesome work Curt, I had been thinking of how to paint my 15mm Lamen Russ's, and had considered this style, but was not sure, I think you have convinced my to take this route, thanks for the inspiration.

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    1. Thanks very much Dan! I'm delighted that the tractor's camo scheme is helping you out with your project. Best of luck with it!

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  21. Amazing work on all of these, as always. Love the WW1 German camo pattern. Superb! Dean

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    1. Cheers Dean! That German camo pattern is just so iconic -it was a lot of fun to mimic the pattern on the tractor.

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