Seven Years War galore pt. 2 and some wss wraps

At last the Garde Francaise and Suisse are finished, there was only three of each but it felt like a battalion, I really should have four of each to make a couple of stands so I might order two more, OMG!
I had some photo's of the whole lot lined up but it wouldn't do, talk about usual suspects. These are painted with blended layers as opposed to the wash and glaze and they are matte, just for the gloss heathens....... yeah I'm looking at you two.

 Moving on to a happier subject, any thing would do, here is Hesse Cassoulets latest artillery piece. This is from Wargames Foundry, I think it is a 24lb-er. Some of you may be aware that Foundry had a massive line clearance a few weeks back and their stuff was borderline affordable so Hesse Cassoulet was able to get some heavies.

The barrel is out of shape in section view but that wont count for much once it is finally glued on. I'm guessing the mold is up for replacing or maybe they will drop the code, just speculation. I wonder when WF will go to mostly plastics like their cousins GW? They seem to be dragging their feet.

 A couple of my 'not completed' Minden French artillerist's field testing the gun for accuracy (and scale).

To finish off, I have wrapped up the wss noble and the couple of cavalry figures and have them all based up. Yes, I do base my figures! I usually cant be arsed taking photo's of em by then or waiting till their based to take my finished shot's, anyway there's nothing more left to say about these figures so enjoy the candy.

Regards
Dave

Mean while on three lil pigs

My display painting hasn't progressed much, too much wargame and real life things in the way. Have picked up some old Orc thingies and have been giving them a repaint. I'm still working on my blending but this time trying to push up the contrast a little more.

So far I have completed one arm and half the back, I'm not sure what I'll do with the spear and leather work, something will come to mind. If this interests you and you want to see more of my haphazard attempts click HERE

regards
Dave

Seven Years War galore pt. 1

So much I'll have to spread it out a bit!

Managed to finish of the Dixon Grenadier after giving him a bit of thought, mainly regarding the metallics.  I have avoided the usual near gold look to the mitre cap, instead going back to an older brass look and I'm feeling OK with it, I'll probably highlight the mitre with some glints of shiny gold or silver.

The blue worked quite well as did the red thanks to rediscovering my old humbrol acrylics! I was searching for some of the old enamels which always looked quite good on 'orses and found the acrylics also. Most of them were able to be revived after only 10 years in the garage. Humbrol red is great, GW must have about 5 different reds and none of them are as bright and brilliant fire engine red as this old beauty. Unfortunately the Prussian blue was no good but the middle blue and a deep brilliant blue revived, just. Once again mainstays of my old kit and went straight back into service.

While I was contemplating my navel and brass mitre caps I decided to repaint some Front Rank Prussian fusiliers, usually I strip old figures but to be honest I couldn't be arsed this time. These are from the time I decided to give the old military three step a go instead of my dry brushing,  I was full time painting 15mm not, what seemed to me at the time, bloody giants.

Side be side, I'm not a great one for putting my old stuff on but hey what the. Don't know what I was thinking re the trousers on the old paint job this is the only figure with the red wash, perhaps I was having a brilliant idea and forgot how it ended, that still happens today!

The old paint at top shows the old humbrol deep brilliant blue, dry brushed on of course, you can lead a paint pig to the foundry three step but he will still try and dry brush everything. The repaint at bottom uses the same, newly found pot of the humbrol blue as was used all those years ago. I always painted with a black undercoat but I couldn't paint around the black leaving the outline, I much preferred to go through a series of damp and dry brushings to leave shade and provide highlights, and a bit of wash at the end..... maybe.

Nowadays I layer, shade and blend the thinned out paint or alternatively paint with washes and glazes over white undercoat, the grenadier up top of the post has a lot of that action happening.

I must find out the name of that blue......

regards
Dave

AWI Minifig 25's on the block

Hi

On fleabay, no room left somethings got to go for the VSF and Hesse Cassoulet stuff

the Brit light infantry

 

the Yank infantry

thanks for looking

regards
PP

chips, dips & WIP's all seven years war

It has been a busy week on the painting desk and off, it's not easy to build up momentum when you constantly have to stop and do real life stuff! Also doesn't help if your not that keen on the figures, but you gotta take the good with the bad I spose and just hope you get a chance to use the ugly stick (hmmm, wonder who'll get that?).

Lets talk about the good, Dixon. Yeah I know Dixon rarely seem to get a mention on the blogs but hey I like them.  The ACW figures are a bit over the top with the exaggerated facial and fold detail but they paint up nicely and they are fun.

I only have a few 7YW Dixon figures but these are nicely sculptured with lovely animation and posing. The casting was nice and clean too, which is a bonus.

This guy is just about done, a bit of lining and tidy up and he is ready to model the latest Hesse-Cassoulet uniform. Still not sure on which shade of blue I'm going to settle on for the army?

Now for the bad, I really must have drawn a dud bunch of figures from front rank! Only two aren't miscast

some of the lads

Even after I was well into the paint job I was finding bits to file off or great globs of metal to try and hide. In reality I should have sent them back and got some new ones instead of painting them.

Anyway I pushed on and that is that, I have decided to give them the coloured gaiters or stockings as they would have worn on palace or court/royal duty for something different, I didn't really like it at first but it has grown on me and I now think they look quite smart with the coloured stockings.  There is a fair bit of tidying up to do still but the main parts are painted and the lace is started.

I have to admit these have been a trial, once you go off a figure for what ever reason the joy of painting them evaporates, all your left with is a chore, an un-enjoyable event. To make matters worse his has been magnified by the amount of "fiddly bits" contained in the uniform, the only reason to keep painting them is to see the back of them, soon my darlings soon.

regards
paintpig

April 1, what could that mean?

Well for the observant among you it means two things. Firstly I will be offering a service for commission painting, the Painting and Decorating Page, best you take a look for yourselves and read the pompous drivel therein, put simply I will take on painting commissions. Remember I'm in Australia  so think about turn around (mail) and postage rates.   NB  -however I am more than happy to service OS commission's.

 Secondly I have a swap meet page Mak'n Bacon where I will be thinning out my my collection of lead and offering up the little blighters for adoption at competitive adoption rates. This will also include dioramas and vignettes I make for the sole purpose of lil soldier adoption. Remember I'm in Australia so think about postage rates.   NB  -however I am more than happy to help OS adopters.

Now to the whys and what-fores. Last year I suffered some medical setbacks which had a cumulative effect, the upshot of this is I have decided not to go back to my job and there fore have some spare time which I need to fill on things other than myself. So no more the adventurous life of of 60+ hour weeks, deserts, deep deep holes in the ground, pipelines you can walk in and all the jiggery pokery of my working life. So if you feel sorry for me (boohoo) and you don't mind dealing with a cantankerous old fart, I'm your man.   8-]

Paint Pig