John over at just needs varnish shared his latest Ork which by all accounts was fortuitous – it was fortuitous for me as I restled with the lack of Orks or Orcs among my Danes, Germans, Austrians and Italians of the mid 19th century (there is another game in there somewhere I am sure………..)
So then I glanced at my cabinet – lucky enough to have a permanent display. And low and behold I saw some Orcs.
This neatly tied in with my recent trip to Barnsley and the Lord of the Rings event that runs till April 2024.
You will have to see the exhibition to enjoy its contents – its free and so is the first 3 hours parking in the centre of Barnsley 5 minutes away! Trains, buses, trams nearby as well.
Here are those pesky Orcs. They date from mid 1970’s in the days when White Dwarf editions were in their teens I seem to remember. I was absorbed by D&D for a few years then simply left the whole hobby thing altogether. The figures never got disposed of and lived in various boxes biding their time. They still are biding their time but have a sentimental place in my display cabinet.
The figures are forest orcs from Miniature Figurines.
Their purchase also coincided with my oil painting experiments, humbrol enamels being the standard painting method. These chaps have a mix, the green skin is in oils with yellow highlights while the mail and shields are in enamels complete with some dry brush. Oh and the spear wood was in gouache for some reason.
The Lord of the Rings Exhibition at Barnsley Museums Trust was an enjoyable step back in time – the event focuses on how every type of media shared and promoted the stories. Yes there are model orcs…… Some well thought out and detailed text compliments the various items on show. Of course the one ring is there but strangely unguarded………….hang on those pesky orcs have run off, I wonder where.
The Wargaming Erratic 