Merry Christmas

Seasonal greetings to you all, near or far. 

Wishing everyone peace, hope and happiness.

Back to the Brushes 146

Some pictures of the preparation that has been ongoing over the last few weeks for the Painting Challenge

The chaos before and after a dust and tidy up. A solitary elf stands central on the painting table waiting to be finished during the early days of the Challenge.

Below are some of the figures that have been prepped for the challenge and the running list is below

• 10 28mm Retro Chaos Warriors from Citadel circa 1982-4
• 8 28mm Ninjas from Dixon Miniatures
• 48 15mm Skeletons from Alternative Armies
• 6 28mm Peltasts from Foundry - not shown
• 36 28mm Trojans from Redoubt

The figures above that show colour rather than undercoat have been re-base coated to fit with the rules of the Challenge.

To finish here is some nostalgia from Marillion

Great song,  not so sure about the flaming suit though Fish..... clearly clothes in the late eighties were worse than I remember.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 145

And so it begins, the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge VIII (Ate)

The paint must flow...

Cheers for now

Fantasy Heroes 5

Well, not much painting been happening here of late however have managed to rebase, flock and varnish these vicious fellows from Citadel. All of these were painted a while ago and will hazard a guess in the individual pictures. 

Several of these came from the Heroic Fighters of the Known World box set and Vlad and Harald are still to be painted. Not bad considering the box set is now thirty-one years old. You will also notice that many of the head dresses on the helmets have disappeared - looked bloody stupid then and still do now, just an opinion mind you.

Just out of curiosity if anyone has Gladius leave a comment below as it would be good to have the full set head dresses or not. 

Painted circa1986

Painted circa 1988

Painted circa 1998

Painted circa 1993

Painted circa 1995

Painted circa 1996 - first use of inks and washes

Painted cicac 1995 - too heavy with the dry brushing

More to follow soon and the preparing of for the Analogue Painting Challenge VIII has already started, just need to select the figures and wait on the whistle blowing.

Cheers for now

The Eighth Annual Analogue Painting Challenge has been issued

It's going to be monstrous this year; will you take the up challenge? For more information and the start of the banter have a look here

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 144

Seen a bit of chat lately on the blogsphere relating to preparing for the start of this year's Analogue Painting Challenge (VIII) which has get me to thinking: what to do this year. As no theme has been announced yet for the Challenge looking to complete a few pieces here and there pre challenge and then work on the following:

• Trojans for Basic Impetus
• Retro Chaos Warriors and Orcs from Citadel
• Macedonians in 6mm
• WWII Vehicles in 20mm - as it wouldn't be the painting Challenge without some WWII vehicles.

The best thing about all of the above is that they are already prepped and waiting on painting which will give more time to finish off some  other stuff before hand. 

Once the theme is announced will sort out painting challenge level and wait on the start date.

To follow will be some more finished and work in progress pictures. 

Cheers for now

Targe 2017

Paid  a visit to Kirriemuir yesterday to see Targe 2017 and here are some pictures from the show

Targe is a smaller show, however has a good atmosphere and allows a better opportunity to chat to people.  It was good to see and speak to some fellow bloggers:

Alan from http://tradgardland.blogspot.co.uk

David from http://saxondog.blogspot.co.uk

&

Tom from http://mylittlewargameblog.blogspot.co.uk

Enjoyed the show and didn't spend that much which was all part of the plan. There is a new building on the horizon curtesy of Martin at  Warbases - the Late Roman Church

Cheers for now

Lest We Forget

Back to the Brushes 143

A little progress on the retro elf from Citadel with all the flesh now complete and the hair blocked in. The hair still has to receive a wash of Devlan mud and then be highlighted with Rich Butternut B & C from Foundry.

The tunic will most likely start off with a base coat of Mechrite Red to cover the black before toning up to a brighter red.

There is one part of the figure that remains an issue as not entirely sure what it is; there is a breast plate or raised part of the tunic on the elf's chest. Don't think its a breast plate as there are no visible straps unless they are covered by the hair.

If its painted in the lines of a breast plate will opt for bronze or copper colours surrounding a red centre; if not will work the colours of the tunic to a brighter colour to show this more prominently.  The colours of the chest piece will also be used on the bracelets and weaponry where appropriate.

Will decide which way to paint once the tunic is blocked in.

Will be returning to the Moors very soon.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 142

First base layer on the elf's flesh blocked in last night. Looking to achieve a paler flesh tone than normal, not quite Milk Bottle Scots but paler than normal, so starting with Foundry Flesh B and working up through C to F as the final highlight. Sorry should have said, using the expert range here - not that makes you an expert just gives a wider range of colours.

Not the best pictures and only one layer down so far and perhaps the figure has lost some of the clean surface from its original casting. Still has taken the first coat well and the others will be thin layers to build the flesh tone rather than cover the black base coat.

More to follow later

Cheers

Dance of Bronze 16

So, something that has been completed and to be honest has been for sometime now with this being the first skirmisher stand for a Basic Impetus Macedonian army to suit both Philip and Wee 'Eck and the Macks.

The figures are from Foundry's original range of Ancient Greeks and are clear sculpts that do exactly what it says on the tin - Greek archers. A limited colour scheme and no variance on the figures at the time of painting - last year's Analogue Painting Challenge - was a move towards how the full army will be painted, limited colours within stands to reflect an organised force. More that can be said of here.

Anyway enough babbling, the pictures.

The basing mirrors the style used on the Spartans earlier in the logs of this blog. Go on have a look if you want to here allowing the figures to be used for just about any army from that period. All good there. 

Cheers for now 

Back to the Brushes 141

So what has been happening here? Well, truthfully not really that much on the hobby front,  a lot of thinking about things and talk about painting but little direct action. It is all a question of time really, so when a window opened the other night the following appeared.

The orcs are just for the fun of it and why not? Avoiding the bright green flesh used for so many orcs and looking for a more strained and washed out colour picked Soviet Winter Green from Foundry's now discontinued range of WW2 colours. The figure second from the left has the full triad showing from shade to base to highlight. Fun to paint these guys regardless of colours.

Next up is a Citadel High Elf from circa 1984 and the C08 range. Touched up the undercoat for this one and have some thoughts on this figure being in autumnal colours to suit the changing to the season here with the base showing the change of the seasons too.

For all that this figure is the best part of thirty-three years old, she is in good condition after being stripped from an old oil and enamel painting job and then again from acrylics. Somewhere there is a duplicate figure so might paint them as an autumn spring pair but will think on that.

Since both pictures are retro based here is a bit of Bowie

There will be something finished next post.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 140

The other night came to thinking about styles of painting and dragged out a memory of a Neoclassic painting by Jacques-Louis David

The Death of Marat

Can't recall the whole back story to this, something to do with post Revolutionary France and waiting on the "knock" on the door and Marat decided not to face Madame Guillotine. For a dark subject matter found this picture very peaceful with a strong sense of purpose/principle to it, 

Always liked the use of darkness in this picture, makes the other colours more vibrant and clearer.

This picture got me looking at how I paint miniatures or wee men as they are often called. David in his later life was a teacher too many painters and emphasised the contour in his teachings. In miniature painting the contour exists in the quality of the sculpting rather than the drawn line that David expressed in his teachings, both however are equally important and more so when colour is added. Whether layering, blending or blocking paint on a miniature the contours of the sculpt guide the painter in achieving the impression of tone and light on the miniature, in fact with some miniatures the quality of the sculpting is best seen once paint or undercoat has been applied. 

Next time you paint consider the not only the colours that you are using but the lines and contours the sculptor used to create the miniature you are painting before adding the paint. Perhaps that sense of peace and purpose I found in the picture above will be there too. 

I was asked by a friend the other day how many brushes are in the picture of the painting table, is it about fifty? The answer is 121 in varying states of use from virginal to well loved to totally fucked, with the oldest being approximately thirty-one years old and still serviceable. Shows you that if you look after somethings they will be there for a long time. 

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 139

Not much to report this month so far, in fact nothing has changed as the brushes have remained in the jar so far this month. Not due to lack of interest or motivation just that time has been spent on other things this last couple of weeks.

Took this picture as a snapshot in time on Saturday 14th October and never managed to post it, which about sums up everything at present.

The lack of order on the painting table shows a variety of different projects that have stalled this month. A reflection on the cluttered desk, cluttered mind statement perhaps?

On a side issue, was saddened to hear of Tom Petty's sudden death and here are some great tracks from the man.

   

 Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 138

The Moors move slowly forward with some progress on the Warlord and Hearth Guard.

Both figures are from Gripping Beast and will be painted with a limited pallette for the riders of black and yellow. Hopefully this will be effective when completed. Both figures have progressed some more since the pictures were taken. The figures are from two very different periods of Gripping Beast's history and show the changes over the years in figure sculpting. Cheers for now

With a Rebel Yell 8

At long last this camp base of Basic Impetus Baroque has finally been flocked and pictured.

The figures are believed to be Minifigs and were part of a large collection that has been rebased, toned with Devlan Mud wash or equivalent and matt varnished. All that remains now is to sort out the surplus wagons and effects for sale and, oh, yeah paint the hundred plus foot and cavalry to complete the armies. Maybe next year? Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 137

Some work in progress on the 15mm Arab spearmen shown below front and rear. The first set are before the base wash for tone and the second set are after the wash has been applied and dried.

The figures are from Essex and there will be a second stand to follow. The other stand will be much darker in colour than this stand as they will be for the expanded army that will allow the Moors to be gamed.

Overall the wash has achieved look that was required and given some degree of shading without being overpowering. There will be some more work in progress pictures shortly from the same period however in a larger scale. Cheers for now.