Holy Family Nativity Set from Thunderbolt Mountain

So what on earth is this? Has the old atheist turned religious lately?

Fear not, I’m still very much an atheist but this time of year is the time to make people around you happy.

My wife's got relatives that have a rather nice nativity scene diorama big enough to stand in a bookshelf and she really likes it. Let’s just say I stayed rather luke-warm to the whole idea of having one of our own.

But… I do like the sculptor Tom Meier and the figures he makes. At his web-shop, Thunderbolt Mountain, he’s got a lot of great minis and among these a nativity set in 54mm scale. I’ve been looking at it for a couple of years and last year about this time I decided to go for it.

If we're going to have a nativity scene diorama at home I would at least make it myself.

So, here they are. The first installment in the nativity scene - three not totally unknown people that caused quite a stir. My wife got these as a julklapp (Christmas gift) yesterday (yes, we celebrate Jul on the 24^th) and she was very happy with it.

I’ll work more with this to get a decent diorama with a stable of some sort, animals, shepherds etc. I think I have presents for a couple of years at least :-)

Paints used (Vallejo unless noted):

The child:

Skin – Pale Flesh with a wash of Army Painter Soft Tone wash and highlight of Pale Flesh

Manger – Cork Brown with a wash of AP Strong Tone and highlighted with Cork Brown and 977 Desert yellow

Straw – 914 Green Ochre highlighted with 847 Dark Sand and 837 Pale Sand

Blankets – Coat d’Arms 240 Unbleached Wool with a Soft Tone wash

                 972 Light Green Blue with a Strong Tone wash and highlighted 972.

The Mother:

Skin – as the child

Dress – 948 Golden Yellow with a Soft Tone wash. Highlighted with 948 and 837 Pale Sand

Cape – 966 Turquoise highlighted with 840 Light Turquoise

Sash and bonnet – Coat d’Arms 240 Unbleached Wool highlighted with white

Hair – 822 German Camo Black Brown.

The Father:

Dress – 886 Green Grey with a wash of AP Strong Tone and highlighted 886 and 971 Green Grey

Cape – 872 Chocolate Brown, Dark Tone wash and drybrushed 872 and 875 Beige Brown

Rope and footwear – P3 Bootstrap Leather with an AP Dark Tone wash.

Hair – 989 Sky Grey with a wash of AP Dark Tone

Skin – Pale Flesh with Strong Tone wash and highlight Pale Flesh

God Jul everyone!