A starter pack of goblins

[Threadworm]

On an impulse, my ds2, aged 8, has bought a pack of paint-your-own LOTR goblins, of the sort that heavy-metal-teeshirted youths use for war-gaming.

Since he got them, he has been in a state of euphoria. Painted them all straight away in a trance of joy.

Keeps sighing happily and saying things like 'Nothing can ever dampen my spirits now.'

I think this is the start of a humungous anoraked obsession, and that he will 'come to' in twenty years with 20,000 beautifully painted soldiers and no girlfriend.

Seriously, though, do any of your kids have this hobby? What are the clubs like where people get together to paint and play the game?

My DP does this as a hobby he is 39. I still love him, it just meant we had to buy a house with an attic as he has over 10,000 worth of stuff and it takes over a bit. He paints to a competition standard and sells painted models to others. It teaches all sorts of skills and lots of different people take part they aren't all heavy metal odd balls. Games work shop run teaching games and painting tutorials on a saturday at most stores. It's free. DP used to teach at them. But be warned the GW workers are instructed to lose so that the player gets really involved and excited and wants to buy lots of their overpriced stuff. www.thehobbybox.biz or www.empiregamesstore.co.uk sell GW stuff at a discount so you can save some money there.

oh and make sure you vanish his models with spray varnish if you haven;t already as sweaty fingers take the paint off and all his hard work will go to waster. If you have a travelling man shop near you the vallagio and rackham paints are better and cheaper than the games workshop ones and the colours are comparable.

Ds does these, the warhammer shops are pretty good with kids, you can go in there and they give the dcs a painting class and help them with whatever they want to know. All at no extra charge, some of the children painting these models are pretty clever aswell.

I have no advice but lol at thread title.

Thanks very much for your responses, esp the tip about varnish -- and the cheaper suppliers.

Any particular sort of varnish?

He is still really excited and we are off to get another kit after school tomorrow.

You can buy spray varnish from GW or any hobby shop. My advice (and I paint the odd model myself but not even close to the standard of DP) would be to go for a matt varnish because it gives a much better final look. The gloss varnish sounds like it would be nice but makes your models look like shiny plastic tat which is not good when you've spent ages painting them. Varnish them outside out of the wind. (Did you basecoat them before he painted them? Same process just with a can of basecoat. You can get either black or white it helps the paint stick to the model). The best thing to do is to cut one side out of a cardboard box, sit the models in the bottom of the box and then spray them. This stops the models blowing away and prevents you from varnishing the garden

Thanks Bewilderbeast, that is really helpful. Will follow that advice. I'm quite excited about the new hobby. It's lovely to see ds2 so absorbed and happy. Hope it lasts!

I told ds2 about the varnishing tip, and he was so pleased with the idea that he put his arms round me and said 'I love you Mummy.'

The oddest reason ever for saying I love you, but v. v. gratifying.

aww that's lovely and if he takes it up as a hobby you;ll never have to rack your brains for birthday and xmas presents again. DP gets paintbrushes and models as stocking fillers every xmas, it's the wargamer equivalent of socks