From Franjo: US Federal Infantry, Cuba 1898 (30 points)

Hi all,

I'm Franjo, from Spain, and I'm new to the Challenge. First of all, I would like to thank Curt for this initiative. To me, it's a great opportunity to get painted a (little) part of my metal and plastic grey mountain, and to share it with other people. My goal is quite modest: 500 points, but to me is quite a personal challenge because I'm a slow painter. Well, let's see what happens.

I'm going to paint mainly in 28mm scale, different kind of troops and eras. Dark Age, Spanish Napoleonics, 1898 Spanish-US War, Spanish Civil War, Spanish at WWII and, maybe, a bit of Fantasy and Sci-Fi and some scenery.

My first entry is about 1898 Spanish-US War in Cuba. 1898 was a critical year in the History of my country. The loss of Cuba, Puerto Rico and Phillipines marked the end of a 400 years long empire. Spain was a mess in nineteenth century. After the long, bloody and economic disaster that was the War of Independence vs the Napoleonic French, Spain suffered the loss of the American mainland territories, the worst monarch ever (Ferdinand VII), years of civil wars (Carlist Wars), political turmoil (liberals vs conservatives) and struggled to keep the pace of the industrial development of the Western and Northern Europe. All this has its consequences, and at the end of the century Spain was a second rate, decadent power and the 1898 war gave way to what became the world's leading power: the U.S.

I bought recently from 1898miniaturas.com excellent range two army packs: Spanish and US in the Cuba front. At the webpage there are also very good historical notes and uniform/weapons research and some wonderful painting tutorials from Javier Gómez Valero, "el Mercenario", one of the owners of the 1898 Miniaturas company and a gifted painter. I followed his tutorial to paint my first batch of figures from their range, and I started with the enemy: a bag of 6 US Federal Infantrymen advancing (different poses in every bag reference):

So 6 x 28mm figures = 30 points

See you soon.

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First, welcome to the Painting Challenge, Franjo! We're delighted to have you join us for the next few months of frenetic hobby madness.

These figures are superb and your brushwork is to match, Franjo. I love it when we get a taste of these often overlooked periods of history. I really like the vibrant palette you've used in painting these figures - they really 'pop' in the photos and show them to their best advantage. I also admire your basework as it conveys the verdant tropical terrain that comes to mind when you think of Cuba. 

I had a look at the 1898 Miniaturas catalogue and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what else you treat us to over the coming months of the Challenge.

30 Points for your opening round in the Painting Challenge. Excellent work, Franjo.