Back to the Brushes 193

Day 22 and starting to lag behind although hoping to shine bright towards the end date of this challenge.

To show willingness to complete here are another two Berber light horse for ADG.

The figures are of an unknown manufacturer are a small 15mm, however en masse they look the part. 

Day 22

Figures completed 17

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 192

Seem to have lost a few days this week and now at day 17. Shown below is a stand of Bedouin cavalry for the Ayyubid ADG army currently being worked on.

Not sure which manufacturer these are from however they are smaller than the Black Hat Miniatures being painted as the Ghulam cavalry.

Here is the painting table after the halfway point. Strangly its more cluttered than on day one.

Day 17

Figures completed 15

Cheers for now. 

Back to the Brushes 191

Day 12 and the first of the Ayyubids are completed and waiting for basing.

Hope to have more from this period finished shortly.

Day 12

Figures completed 13

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 190

The last few days have been full on with real life commitments; travel to and from a family funeral, work and family. As a result of this by day 11 there is only work in progress to report.

The figures are Ghulams from Black Hat Miniatures and are painting up well with not too much detail and yet enough to convey what is necessary.

Hoping to complete all nine shown including riders for the half way point.

There has also been some more time spent on the Christian Spanish although these are not shown here.

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 189

Day five and six have now passed and the first stand of Greek medium cavalry in 6mm is completed.

One of the best things about 6mm figures is the sense of mass you get from such a surprizingly small figure. Will be using this with the cavalry to create finished elements that can be recognised for what they are by the number of figures and their positioning on the base. Easier to see than explain as a picture is worth a thousand words so the saying goes.

The figures are from Rapier miniatures and whilst chunkier than Baccus are still good in my opinion and once painted and based look great as a miniature counter for gaming with.

On to the Ayyubids for the next update.

Day 6

Figures completed 10

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 188

Day four has seen better avtivity with a brush and the first two figures are complete.

Both figures are from Gripping Beast: Normans and Late Crusader ranges.

This figure - depicting William the Conqueror - is done for now and considering it was started ten year ago not rushing to change anything. However, its lacking something so might add a shield and change the colours of the harness to make him more like a leader of cabarellos hidalgo than his northern counter parts.

Next is a leader figure for Late Crusaders, in particular the Knights Hospitaller. In 1247 by papal order the Knights Hospitaller were given permission to wear red surcoats emblazened with the cross on in white. This figure with some artistic licence is in between with red and black quartering on the horses barding. Other figures for this warband will have either red or black surcoats depending on status.

The shield is a Little Big Man transfer.

More to follow shortly.

Day 4

Figures completed 2

Back to the Brushes 187

Three days into the 30days30miniatures painting challenge and as yet nothing is finished.

On days one and two the time to paint just never presented itself. Day three and some time was spent starting the 6mm Greek cavalry along with a bit of work on two 28mm figures that have been very nearly finished for a long time now.

The difference in scale really impressive. 

Hopefully, the coming days will see completed figures starting to appear.

Day 3

Figures completed - nil

Cheers for now

30 Days 30 Miniatures - Cavalry Painting Challenge

This evening will be starting a themed 30 days 30 miniatures painting challenge.

The theme is cavalry a personal dread for the painting table.

The rules of the challenge are simple:

• To paint 30 cavalry figures including riders in 30 days
• The figures can be partly painted as the main point is to complete figures that have been forgotten
• Basing is not necessary to count as completed
• Any scale is good
• Too have fun
• The end date is set by your start date - 8th September will be the end date here
• To post updates as often as possible
• Lastly to show a round up post with a group picture of everything.

Below is a picture of the painting table as it currently stands

and the following will make up part of this challenge:

• 28mm Gripping Beast Normans/Christian Spanish
• 15mm Gladiator Ayyubid Ghulams
• 6mm Rapier Greek Heavy Cavalry

Not shown are some Moors for SAGA and Prodromoi for the Macedonians. Well over the total of 30 figures. 

Take up your brushes, pick a theme and finish off some long stalled project. 

Cheers for now.

#30days30miniatures painting challenge - summing up

Thirty days have come and gone and the painting challenge has been a great motivation to complete a good number of figures that have been gathering dust on the painting table.

Overall, the total number of figures completed came in at 55 broken down as follows:

6mm -  20 cavalry

15mm - 21 foot

28mm - 14 foot

The 6mm figures were all started and completed during the challenge. The 15mm was a mixture of part painted and unpainted figures and all of the 28mm figures had previously been started.

Here is the painting desk at the start, midway and at the finish.

Then past half way

At the finish line

This last picture shows all the painted figures together in a group shot. More detailed pictures will follow on themed posts shortly. 

The main motivator in this challenge has been to clear some figures from the painting table. However, as you can see there are still many more figures to complete; so what next? Well continue the 30days30miniatures painting challenge this time however there will be both a theme and a personal challenge. This is one in the same thing here as the challenge this time will be to complete - not necessarily base - 30 pieces of cavalry in various scales. The reason why? I dread painting horses and yet when finished they are so rewarding. 

So take up your brushes, pick a theme and paint 30 figures in 30 days! You know that you want to.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 186

The 30 days have passed and the #30days30miniatures painting challenge is finished.

Last figures painted yesterday night are shown below, a few more archers for the Ayyubid ADG army in 15mm.

Will do full round up of the last 30 days over the weekend. 

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 185

Day 29 has now been and gone and currently on the home stretch of the #30days30miniatures painting challenge.

Completed as day 29 ended is another stand of Ayyubid light archers for ADG. Figures from Essex and are good easy and clean scuplts to paint.

Day 29

Figures completed 50