Yes I know you spell clown with a “C” but this is the title that Reaper have given to this 28mm miniature.
Of all the types of humour out there slap stick is my least favourite (that and over elaborate pranks which are so sophisticated that anyone would fall for them) and thus I have never really found anything about clowns particularly funny. In fact the complete opposite is true. As a kid I found them scarry. Clearly I was not alone in seeing a sinister side to them as numerous movies have chosen to play on this and portray clowns as creepy fuckers, one of the most recent being Stephen King’s “IT”.
Despite my dislike of clowns they are very colourful and offer a very nice painting challenge. It was with this in mind that I decided to buy and paint Bonzo. I think Reaper do another clown too and at some point I may well do that. If I can find others then who knows, there might be an opportunity for a creepy diorama to follow. I might not find clowns funny but this one was fun to do.
—000—
Drum role.
Ring Master: “Ladies and gentlemen, the Circus of Horrors proudly presents Bonzo The Killer Klown”.
Queue music.
Curtains part.
Bonzo enters the ring.
—000—
TIM
I really love how well you use colour on your miniatures. This could have been a gaudy mess but instead you’ve turned it into a memorable character. That evil grin is perfect!
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Thank Dave. Non military figures where you have freedom of colour choice present a different challange that’s for sure.
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Well that’s me not sleeping tonight! Too many memories of an unpleasant incident with my first wife! Superb ( maybe an Ewok or a dwarf next?)
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Haha, she sounds fun! An Ewok would be different but I have a couple of bits to put finishing touches to and then I will be painting a fair few Footsore knights. After that we will see.
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Footsore are great minis- looking forward!
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Very nice, Dave! 🙂 I’d never even attempt to put all those colours together in one place, but it look spot on here! I think your description of clowns as “scarry” rather then “scary” seems very appropriate!
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Haha. Now the thing is do I go back and edit the post and leave it for others to try and work out what you are on about? 🤔
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Superb painting as always. The make-up is just perfect, though I think that the blood smear on the cleaver is just a touch neat. And as for the cake, well the cherries on top are the cherry on top.
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Cheers mate. He’s a nice little sculpt with so much detail. How people manage to achieve that in 28mm is beyond me.
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Awesome work Dave, great colour combinations.
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Thanks Steve.
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Wonderful stuff 🙂
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Pleased you like him.
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Very John Wayne Gacy-ish creepy. I don’t think I’d want to sleep with him in the room.
Stunning colors and you definitely captured the evil here.
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Creepy was a part of the look I wanted so thanks for the comment Mark.
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That is fantastic- I love clowns.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Thanks Pete.
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He’s bright and cheery but also grim and menacing. Well done on the colour choices and execution. I’ve been toying with the idea of doing an Insane Clown Posse Warband. Lots of scary clown makeup and big bladed weapons.
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Go for it mate I’d love to see your take on clowns. Surely they would have some in HellGate?
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Maaayyyybeeeee 😉
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Not overly fond of clowns myself Dave ,but your painting of this guy is very impressive and I can now see why it would take 5or six hours to do one of you figures when you think they are only slightly taller than the ones I paint, well done again.
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Me neither Pat, creepy buggers for sure. Timings vary Pat and much depends on the detail but I am slow painter but with plenty of time to do it!
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Being frightened of a clown that looks like that isn’t a phobia, it’s healthy common sense! You’ve done a great job with him, I can see you’ve had fun breaking out all the brightest colours but you’ve managed to prevent it from ending up looking garish. I’ve never had a fear of clowns myself but I think it’s contextual – four clowns following me on twitter wouldn’t bother me, four clowns following me down the street on the other hand…
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Yes if was a fun one. Don’t think I have ever used so much colour on a single figure before but then again I had never done a clown before. I certainly fancy doing another at some point that’s for sure. Whether or not I can find four though is another matter! 😊
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you sure nailed this one, there is something very Joker about him and sinister, i am also not a lover of clowns either, or dolls come to think of it, would much sooner shoot them with my ray gun..
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Thanks Steve, glad you like him.
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Clowns have never really bothered me (though I don’t watch horror movies so maybe that is a factor) and I like the paint job on this bloke as well. The white stripes on the pants look great and I like the base as it looks pretty dark and sinister but still circus-like. I’d say that captures the mood of Bonzo perfectly!
I also strongly agree on slapstick humor. I find it too on the nose. Give me some dry wit or irony any day 🙂
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Pleased you like him and I concur with your choice on humour.
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Nicely done mate – that is one wrong-diddly-wrongwrong hombre… a Coulrophobe’s nightmare!
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Thanks Alex glad you like him.
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