Brushes and Bases

The Spartans are now drying after having their base textured. This is a simple case of applying a liberal coating of PVA and then dusting with dried builders sand. I find this gives a more uneven texture than some gaming sands and to be honest tends to be more economical in the long run. Its then a case of a light wash of FW Red Earth ink and once fully dry, dry-brushing the base colour up to a light sand colour using a variety of different shades as the mood takes.

The base is drying whilst tacked to a block of 4" x 4" to prevent warping. This hasn't happened often with infantry bases but can do so with light cavalry bases, as they have less lead on them.  This is going to happen when you apply liquid to 1 side of an MDF board over a certain size. So as  preventive I have started using the block to help keep the base flat whilst drying.

I get my bases from Warbases and can't complain at all regarding the quality and service provided. As they are local to me postage is seldom an issue to me as I collect. Have a look at their website in the links section.

With regards to brushes I mostly use Pro Arte Connoisseur and Renaissance Sable brushes in sizes from 4 down to 0000. These hold their shape well and I find are well suited miniature painting. I have a few older brushes from the Evil empire, but these are generally only used for large washes and under-coating as they are past their best. Oh, they are also good for applying liberal coats of PVA to bases.

Well thats all for now, hopefully get those pics up at the weekend once the base is finished.

Phalanx 3 Finished

Well I have just finished the miniatures for the above Phalanx of the Basic Impetus Spartan army which I am I painting. The figures are glued in place to the base and I'll texture the base tomorrow so I'll get some pics organised at the weekend - World Cup permitting.

I have gone down a slightly different route with this base after finding the following website and the image it has for Spartan shields:

http://www.300spartanwarriors.com/battleofthermopylae/armorweaponry.html

There are some interesting images in this site, some of which will make their way on to the next Phalanx's shield designs. More of that later.

Cheers for now...

House-keeping

I have made some changes to the layout of the blog, whilst trying to familiarise myself with the workings of Blogger. If all seems straight forward enough at present.

Summertime and Work in Process

Well the sun is shining here and I should be working outside getting the windows painted but its too hot for that. So, I have added a few more pics to my flicker showing some work in progress at the moment. I am sort of fluttering from one period to another just now with the following on the painting table:

Foundry Spartans

Front rank of the third phalanx is well under way now. I have been having a bit of a problem with the faces on these figures, not sure if it is the beards or just me. We'll see on the next five although I recon it's me.

The last pic is from a previous batch where the flesh was painted using the following combination of Foundry Paints; Spearshaft Brown B, Flesh C, Flesh B. This gives a good result in my opinion, but I am always looking for better flesh colours.


The 2 pics from the WIP have been painted using the Foundry triad for Mediterranean Flesh. I initially thought this was going to be a bit too orange in colour but once all 3 layers are down, I am actually very pleased with the result.

Gripping Beast Vikings

I have been painting this base on and off since January. The figures are all Gripping Beast apart from the  Hirdman leaning on the axe to the left of the Harald Hardradda figure which is a Foundry Hirdman I picked up a Claymore about 3 years ago for 50p.

Gripping Beast Crusaders

This figure has been on the painting table for too long now, so its time to finish him off. I am basing a Impetus army from EI2 on the Knights of St John circa 1260 using the Later Crusades list. In order to do this I will field the Knights as Military Order and the Sergeants as Crusaders Knights. This will allow me to paint the Knights in red tabbards and the sergeants in black which will hopefully reduce the time required to paint as well as individual heraldic devices. As this is a command figure I have opted to split the colours on the barding of the horse to reflect the two elements of the order.

Perry Casualty Markers

After mixing dice from casualty markers with dice in play in my earlier games of Basic Impetus I picked up some casualty figures from Perry Miniatures. Whilst from their early Crusades range the figures will mix in well with most Dark Age to Early Medieval periods. Not so sure they'll look the part next to the Spartans though :)

Thats all for now

The Huns - Pictures

Here are a few pics of the first unit of Hun Light cavalry.

The Huns

Well, after a slight delay that's the first base of Huns varnished. They'll hopefully get their first outing tomorrow afternoon at the club in a Patrician Roman army. Pictures and flocking still to follow.


I have also been working on some 20mm scenery from Hovels over the last few days for use in Disposable Heroes and other skirmish games in WW2. This has been taking up space for some time now and has been an enjoyable change - I don't generally do dry-brushing but its perfect for these items.


I'll get back on to the third base of Spartans now and hopefully get these ready for the next few weeks. They are already undercoated black and five have had the flesh blocked in. I am trying out one of the new Foundry Flesh tones on this base - Mediterranean Flesh. I initially thought it a bit orange but it seems okay once all three layers are down.

Horse Nomads

The sun is shining and I have to go to work. There is no justice as the day will be slow because the weather is so good. Catch 22 I am afraid.


I am just about finished the first base of Huns, which at this stage will be mercenaries for my Late Roman Army, and in time be a part of their own army.


I'll post a picture of them pre basing just as soon as possible.