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13. Palindrome |
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About RJ Frometa |
Head Honcho, Editor in Chief and writer here on VENTS. I don't like walking on the beach, but I love playing the guitar and geeking out about music. I am also a movie maniac and 6 hours sleeper. |
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Showing content with the highest reputation on 10/20/19 in Posts |
1. 22 points |
So here's the text from the update. I hadn't realized this beauty was done by @Rainbow Sculptor! I hope they're offering a choice and not a random...the wording seems vague to me. "At the same time, if we can get 5,000 social media engagements, we'll be adding this Gem Dragon by Christine Van Patten to the Core Set! The Gem Dragon sits on a 2" round base and will come in a translucent color (undetermined at this time) OR in translucent clear." And here's some background text for the Brinewind revenants... And another @Rainbow Sculptor treasure was hidden at the bottom of the update: Well, just discovered there's a whole thread for these Siren/Water Nymph/Nereid figures by @Rainbow Sculptor: https://forum.reapermini.com/index.php?/topic/88552-nereids/& |
2. 15 points |
I had an idea for how to make a fairly quick colour shift effect, and wanted to test it out. Spent the last couple hours working this guy up. |
3. 12 points |
Here we have 77281, a Succubus. Sort of. I needed an ice queen for an upcoming game, and I liked the pose of this mini. But the NPC I had in mind lacks wings, and only fights with one dagger, made of ice. I removed the wings by putting the model in the freezer for a few hours to make the superglue holding her wings on fragile; after that I was able to just snap the wings off, leaving a large hole in her back where it was attached. I plugged that with green stuff. For the daggers, I just cut off the one she had in her right hand; and then cut off the blade of the one in her left hand. The replacement blade came from my bits box. Back when I was working on Narthrax the White in 2017, I bought a bottle of Distress Crackle Paint in their "Clear Rock Candy" color. As part of my experiments with that, I just painted a bunch on some wax paper, let it dry, and then broke into bits. I didn't wind up using any of those on Narthrax, but one of them fit the bill for a blade made of ice on this figure. I also used some more of that distress paint on the base -- it didn't turn out quite as well as I'd hoped. The stuff hasn't been touched in basically two years and was beginning to harden up. I've added some fluid to hopeful restore it, but in the meantime it didn't make crackles quite as impressive as I'd hoped. Ah well. Anyway, after I was done painting her, I just glued an ice chunk on where the dagger went. |
4. 12 points |
HMMM.......Maybe ;) |
5. 12 points |
Here's the final Nereid all finished up! Check out the final group photo of all these lovely ladies here: https://i.postimg.cc/J0cV86Vb/Final-Group-Shot.jpg Thank you guys for following along, it was really fun to be able to share some of my process and thoughts behind the designs. This was a really fun project! I'll be sure to update this thread with information about how to get a set of these when they go into production! |
6. 10 points |
"Even the man who says his prayers / Before going to bed at night / May turn to WOLF when the wolfsbane blooms / and the moon is high and bright." --Apocryphal rhyme DOCTOR. A very pestilent disease, my lord, They call lycanthropia... In those that are possess'd with 't there o'erflows Such melancholy humour they imagine Themselves to be transformed into wolves; Steal forth to church-yards in the dead of night, And dig dead bodies up: as two nights since One met the duke 'bout midnight in a lane Behind Saint Mark's church, with the leg of a man Upon his shoulder; and he howl'd fearfully; Said he was a wolf, only the difference Was, a wolf's skin was hairy on the outside, His on the inside... --The Duchess of Malfi Body horror, puberty, loss of control, loved ones acting out of character, cannibalism, madness, things more savage and bloodthirsty than we thought man or beast could be--it's a rich vein of horror. The further back you go, the more blurred the distinction between vampire and werewolf and witch becomes, but as a general rule what we now consider to be vampires are specifically betrayers of hospitality and home; like de Rais and Bathory, they commit their crimes behind closed doors. Werewolves, on the other hand, are given to savagery outdoors, in the lanes, under the moonlight, in the moors and lonesome places. It is appropriate then, that Julie Guthrie's werewolf 02139, is named DuChamps--of the fields. Here he is, in form much more wolf than man. These two pictures are behind the Spoilers tab because, while Julie did not necessarily have to sculpt Jean-Paul's werescrote and transmogrified lycanthrodong, she did that. She did that for us, because she's a PROFESSIONAL and doesn't take shortcuts. I don't think it rises to indecency, but better safe. Will delete and link if the need arises. Next up. the truly monstrous Werewolf, 77009. Those familiar with the role-playing game "Werewolf!" from White Wolf will recognize this as a Crinos form. Enormous, savage, horrific. This is about a 50/50 mix of Man and Wolf, but with the features dialed up to 11. I had fun painting hair on the smoother human limbs. And lastly, a Nolzur's werewolf I had on the Shelf of Shame. This one is mostly human but with a wolf's head and claws. A note on the full moon: it's just a Nolzur's disc base painted white and poked with paintbrush ends of varying sizes during the drying phase to simulate craters. I may have to do some more of this with discs of different sizes and colors for Spacefuture shots, because multiple moons convey Other Worlds the way zeppelins convey Alternate Histories. |
7. 9 points |
There are perfectly sound underlying reasons for most all purchases, no matter how outwardly frivolous they may appear. I did plan on making a Living Impaired Pirate scene (I have a bunch of the mostly dead Buccaneers in backlog). Both Cap'n John & I fell in love with Madame Delia who will, in my case, provide stiff competition for Fast Flo. AND the Devil made me do it. SO here is what arrived to day: 03964 Drowned Nymph Ghost: Banshee 03965 Ghost Pirate Cook 03966 Ghost Pirate Quarter Master 03967 Ghost Pirate Captain 03968 Ghost Pirate Bosun 03978 Madame Delia X 2 44054 Damaris, Duskwarden 44089 Jade Fire Shaman (a soon to be Goblin Witch/Heart Throb) 01031 Ghoulie Bag 44010 Dark Dwarf Pounder (reinforcements for S. White's Gang) The next couple imminent arrivals are in the order of necessary crafting supplies . The Devil is off the hook on them. |
8. 9 points |
It's been a long but rewarding day. Nereid number 4 is Complete! I have to say she is my favorite of the set so far. Only one more to go! I'll update the group photo and post soon! |
9. 8 points |
10. 8 points |
Waitaminit! I just saw a very familiar-looking nereid in the latest B5 update! Are these going to be in the Deep Depths expansion?!? |
11. 8 points |
A fairly relaxing paint job, I took pictures at various stages and pasted them below. No idea if it's helpful for anyone or not :P |
12. 7 points |
Hey everyone! It's been a long while since I could post on here, I've been really busy with work. I've started a new commission piece from a client I won't name just yet but whom has given me permission to share my sketches/WIPs/ and sculpting process with you guys! The project is to sculpt several nereids/sirens/water nymph type characters. One full body and at least two others partially submerged. They should be gorgeous and make men want to leap to their deaths so I'm avoiding any monstrous type features. Although we want them to be mostly humanoid I will be adding in some little features to indicate their magical/watery/fey nature. Here are my initial sketches where I'm exploring posing, body types, and the kind of shape language I will want to use in the sculpts. My drawing hand was failing me today so these are REALLY rough but I got my ideas down and I'll have enough to move to the next stage which will be creating a mannequin in ZBrush. *Apologies for the more sexual images. These aren't intended to be offensive in any way merely educational on the topic of character design* |
13. 7 points |
New morning, new nereid! I realized after the last one that I needed to do a little bit of reposing on this last one to make it easier on myself for covering any naughty bits. So some quick fidgeting with the mannequin got that sorted and then it was time to make the face. I wanted a very coy/flirty look. For some reason the original face that I have for these really reminded me of Margot Robbie and her sly confident sexiness. I really wanted to ramp up that expression on this last one. Here's the pose alterations I made: Original vs. Reposed I like showing the original head and then how i've customized it for each one. It may not seem drastically different but i think when you compare them they each have something special/unique about them. This is one of those areas where I do utilize my digital tools (I don't have to completely resculpt the head everytime) but I do tweak each one and approach it as a new character each time so that hopefully there's a decent amount of variation and they don't feel too repetitive. original vs. new Put em together and what have you got? Bibbity Bobbity BOO! |
14. 6 points |
Ran my first paint and take/taught basics of mini painting. No pics, alas, as I was too busy to do so. |
15. 6 points |
No worries, thank you Does it bother anyone that the spiked gate is raise but does not go through the archway at the top? That kinda screws up the immersion for me. I am still getting one piece as I have a foam castle front I built some time ago with just a ruined door. I will cut away and stick this in its place. |
16. 6 points |
I think at the very least we know who the client is... I was similarly excited to recognize that head in the Bones 5 teaser. |
17. 6 points |
Number Based on 1700-1800 Reaper time today: Current Total Pledges: $2,103,892 Current Total Backers: 15,293 Next Goal At $2,145,000 To go to Next Goal $41,108 Hours to next goal based on gains this hour: 17.1 Hours to next goal based on 24h Avg: 30.9 Gain in last Hour: $2,398 New Backers This Hour: 10 Total Gain Today: $24,413 Total Gain 24 Hours: $31,971 Average Hourly Pledges Today: $1,285 Average Hourly Pledges 24 Hours: $1,332 Current Average Pledge: $137.57 Average Hourly Backers Today: 4.3 Average Hourly Backers 24 Hours: 4.8 Previous Hour Total Pledges: $2,101,494 Previous Hour Total Backers: 15,283 Backers to beat Bones 1 2,389 Days to hit Bones 1 based on 24 hour average 21.0 Backers to beat Bones 2 -330 Backers to beat Bones 3 -1828 Backers to beat Bones 4 905 Days to hit Bones 4 based on 24 hour average 7.9 |
18. 6 points |
19. 6 points |
I've just thought about something and I'm so excited... The spider's encounter: Shelob, or the spider's of the dark forest. This gate: The gate to Minas Morgul. Can you imagine something like the tower of Orthanc? Or even Dol-Guldur!! Imagine that... evil stronghold tower as another encounter. Idk, a 50$+ one if needed. Omg I would be SO in.... |
20. 6 points |
I like the gill slits on the sides of the ribs. Perfect placement for them in a humanoid. Usually artists put them on the neck, which when you think about makes little sense. This way the water passes through what in humans is the lung cavity, but in these would be modified to gills and exits on their sides. Nice design element. |
21. 6 points |
Okay, well, I ended up only getting a few hours in today due to car emergencies so I didn't finish as much as I had wanted to. That said, the second submerged nereid is finished! First I loaded up my original head in it's separate parts. I modified that by changing the eyelids/eyelashes, eyebrows, and lips (on this one they're parted and more pouty looking). Now that I've got this new modified head ready to go I drop it into my main file and set to work posing/attaching it. before vs. after The rest went pretty quickly, adding and posing hands and hair. I also added gills to her rib cage area as an experiment to see what other fish qualities I might be able to include and liked the subtle reference to her true nature so I'll include that on the others moving forward. I'll work late tonight but likely won't have anything to post until tomorrow. Thanks for following along! |
22. 5 points |
It's like we can't kelp our shell-ves. Just when you think we've run out, someone comes aground with m-orca. |
23. 5 points |
You're doing this on porpoise! Playing Oblivion and waiting for Grump to get home from his concert. Is it just me, or is there whole lot more to Oblivion than there was to Skyrim? At the cost of everybody having faces made from Silly Putty. I am loving the magic system a lot more than Skyrim's. |
24. 5 points |
Since essentially all of their terrain has been cross-compatible I wonder if this gate will fit with or near DDS2 and/or various other ruins. Also, this is THE OPPORTUNITY to begin selling the terrain pieces out of Dragons Don't Share 2 on their own. Ruined Tower sold right next to Undead Gate and Evil Altar and... I would buy menhirs by the dozen, guys. |
25. 5 points |
I acquired a new phone Wednesday, which has a better camera than I've been using for mini photos. And, experimenting with the new camera, I have also acquired shame over my previous pics. For a comparison, here's the old camera: And these are pictures from the new phone: The new pictures are taken using the telephoto lens on an iPhone 11 Pro using the ProCamera app, using a recently acquired gray card to set the white balance. (The only reason I'm using the telephoto lens is because my tripod is about 10 inches from the mini and it gets really crowded if I get any closer. My old camera has optical zoom, so it was fine with the distance.) |
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Comité tries to predict demand in difficult market |
Yield for 2019 harvest set at 10,200kgs/ha |
Champagne producers agreed to set the maximum yield level for the 2019 harvest at 10,200kilos per hectare, 600kgs/ha down on the base level of 10,800kgs/ha originally* announced for the 2018 harvest. If this level of yield is achieved in 2019, it will produce around 300m bottles. The CIVC Comité that represents the two sides of the champagne business — the (grape) growers and the merchant houses (négociants) – see this as the appropriate level to provide a suitable supply of champagne to meet future predicted demand. Or as the Comité put it: “This volume ensures a supply consistent with the needs of operators and maintains a balanced stock level for the sector.” |
When they make this decision on the yield level in late July, with the harvest start typically six to eight weeks away, as well as considering the approaching harvest’s potential in terms of quality, health and size, plus the level of stocks and reserves currently held by producers, they look at current and future worldwide demand for champagne. It’s this last element that’s the trickiest; predicting demand. With issues at home, French domestic sales still account for nearly half of all champagne consumed (48.7% or 147.1m bottles in 2018) and in the two major export markets, the UK which is the largest by volume and the USA, the most valuable, this decision was particularly difficult this time. |
As the Comité commented in its 24 July statement: “In the first half of the year [2019], Champagne sales increased further thanks to exports. It [value] is close to 5 billion euros over 12 rolling months despite decreasing shipments pronounced on a French market affected, including the consequences of an increased legislative framework of promotions in supermarkets. The resumption of shipments to the UK is only related to the precautionary measures taken on the assumption of a hard Brexit. The dynamism of most third countries, subject to uncertainties on world trade, will probably not fully offset the decline in volumes on the French market.” |
This statement needs some interpretation. Worldwide demand for champagne is currently flat with shipments down 1.5% to the end of May 2019, while the MAT year-end figure is predicted to be around the 300m bottle mark. In the French domestic market — where 48.7% of champagne was sold in 2018 by volume but only 41.7% by value – it appears that French legislation banning the sale of champagne at under cost is being more rigorously applied. This is accelerating the overall decline in sales in France. |
Shipments to the UK, which went up in the first half year only did so because of producers and retailers stockpiling in advance of the previous Brexit deadline of 29 March. Something it was fairly easy and relatively risk-free to do as at that time, just after the important year-end sales peak, as warehouses were fairly empty. The Champenois don’t believe this is sign of the UK market recovering any time soon. The Comité statement doesn’t even mention anything about President Trump’s threat to impose increased import duties on French wine into the USA, which would also be likely to have a negative impact on sales there. |
What the important last quarter of 2019 will bring in terms of sales – it’s in these three months a disproportionately large percentage of champagne is purchased — is therefore very hard to predict. If there is an unexpected surge in sales, there is plenty of supply, however. Stocks are relatively high and after the bumper and high quality 2018 harvest, the average reserve held across the appellation sits at 7,750 kg/ha, very close to the maximum level of 8,000kgs/ha, and equivalent to around 230m bottles. |
*While the yield for the 2018 was originally set at 10,800kgs/ha, partly because of its high quality, the Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO) later agreed to allow producers to add 4,700 kg/ha to the reserve (providing their reserves did not exceed the maximum of 8,000 kgs/ha) so producers could harvest up to 15,500kgs/ha. |
Earliest harvest ever in Champagne but also a plentiful, ripe crop |
While the official Champagne harvest dates announced last Saturday gave this Monday (20 August) as the start date for picking, not Tuesday as has been widely reported, in fact picking began in the Grand Cru of Ambonnay last Friday, 17 August, making it the earliest harvest in Champagne on record. |
By the process known as derogation, producers can apply to the local INAO office to start picking earlier than the official start date Continue reading “Earliest harvest ever in Champagne but also a plentiful, ripe crop” |
Yields for 2018 harvest set at 10,800kgs/ha as Comité predicts growth over next few years |
Champagne producers have just agreed to set the maximum yield level for the 2018 harvest at 10,800kilos per hectare. This is the same level as was agreed for the previous harvest in 2017, though that included 500kgs/ha to be released from the reserve, so it was effectively 10,300kgs/ha. After severe April frosts in 2017 and then major problems with rot just before picking began in late August the average yield for the 2017 reached 10,057 kg/ha, according to the provisional figure released by the Champagne Comité. |
Picking grapes in Verzenay |
So far, the 2018 growing season has been Continue reading “Yields for 2018 harvest set at 10,800kgs/ha as Comité predicts growth over next few years” |
Champagne shipments rise fractionally only |
Champagne shipments has risen very slightly compared to the 306.096 bottles reached in 2016, rising by 0.52% or around 1.6m bottles to 307.7m bottles in 2017. At the end of November 2017 shipments were in line to rise to around 311m bottles and even the Union des Maisons de Champagne (UMC) was predicting 310m bottles. But sales in December, usually the busiest month in the year, fell back generally by around 10%, on the same month in 2016. |
The news follows a difficult harvest in 2017, when the general quality, particularly of the Continue reading “Champagne shipments rise fractionally only” |
Yields for the 2017 harvest set at same level as 2016 |
The Comité Champagne has announced yields for the 2017 harvest are set at 10,800kgs/hectare, including 500kgs/ha to be released from the reserve. Despite spring frosts hitting the vineyards after warm weather triggered Continue reading “Yields for the 2017 harvest set at same level as 2016” |
Sunshine & heat also hit crop in Champagne as picking starts |
Grapes on the north side of rows haven't suffered |
Grapes on the north side of rows haven’t suffered |
Last month we reported that the harvest in Champagne was likely to be well down on the maximum yield set of 9,700 kilos per hectare, with some regions like the Côte des Bar, particularly badly hit. As picking begins in half a dozen crus today (12 September) – two villages one in the Aube and one in the Marne départements actually started picking black grapes on Saturday (10 September) — it seems that the average expected level of yield is no more than 7,000kgs/ha. And there are major differences between different areas of the appellation. In parts of the Aube/Haute-Marne, devastated by frosts, average yields are unlikely to be higher 4,000 kg/ha, whereas in some crus of the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs yields could reach as high as 10,000 kg/ha. Continue reading “Sunshine & heat also hit crop in Champagne as picking starts” |
2016 Champagne harvest yield set to produce around 315m bottles |
The yield for the 2016 harvest, currently expected to begin around mid-September, has been set at 9,700 kilos per hectare with a further 1,100kgs/ha to be taken from the reserve at the start of February next year. This level of yield will potentially produce around 283m bottles with a further 32m bottles coming from the reserve next February, if appropriate, making a total production of 315m bottles. This compares with worldwide champagne shipments of 312.5m in 2015 and the news that the MAT total for shipments in the 12 months to the end of June 2016 were up just over 2%. |
The harvest is expected to start in mid-September |
The harvest is expected to start in mid-September |
However, after a very difficult growing season in Champagne so far this year with frosts, disease and uneven flowering all reducing the actual potential yield from the 2016 harvest, it seems likely Continue reading “2016 Champagne harvest yield set to produce around 315m bottles” |
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