From MartinN: SnowLord's Peak - Back in Black...

Has it really been five years since I've last worked on this project? Feels like yesterday really. I've never completely forgotten about the project and always intended to get back to it. But frankly I was intimidated by painting camouflage using this technique. I wasn't quite happy with my first take, but never quite could put my finger on the why. But when our beloved Over-Snowlord let me choose one of three tasks in order to claim the price for climbing SnowLord's Peak I decided to finally man up and tackle this particular problem.

Figures by Empress Miniatures

You know, being something of a pedant can become quite a challenge in itself sometimes. Initially I had planned to paint up the remaining minis in my stash for this location. But soon I realised this to be a decidedly over ambitious. I don't know how often I re-painted these two fellows but if I'd hazard a guess they've suffered through at least five different versions of desaturated camouflage.

With the Viet-Minh I painted five years back it was rather straight forward using mainly desaturated brownish tones with some black and just a few greenish spots mixed in. It was only after much brain wracking, swearing and actually considering to give up and admit defeat that finally inspiration struck.

Most uniforms and equipment used by the French in the theatre were some hue of green. So when painting not so much real greyscale but what Curt so aptly called "desaturated" why on earth was I simpleton trying to paint desaturated greenish uniforms using brownish colours?

Once this realization sunk in it was pretty straight forward from then on. For the French it was to be desaturated greenish tones with black and a few brownish spots. At first I thought this might come out to samey in the end but using different greenish greys and light greens to lighten a base of a dark brownish green did work wonders.

So that's it from me for this years challenge. Over the next few days I hope to get a few minutes in to take a few pictures of all I painted over the last few months and finally get Michael Awdry's car for his sadly postponed Schloss Itter game as well as Jamies prize posted.

Points wise this submission should be rather straight forward with two figures plus the location adding a final 40 points to my total bringing me to a whooping 795 points. I'd never have dreamed of reaching such dizzying heights but this challenge was a blast once again and I'm already looking forward to December for the next iteration of this madness.

A huge thank you to all the participants for making the challenge to what it is, to the Minions for their tireless efforts and of course to our beloved SnowLord and his lovely Lady for organizing, or in Sarah's case putting up with, this most enjoyable of hobby events year after year.

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Fabulous work Nick! I remember when you took on this project, thinking, 'I wonder how he's going to get on with the French para's camo?' Well, now we can all see he has surmounted the task and has come through with flying, er, um, desaturated colours!

While your description of the work focuses primarily on the battledress, I have to say I'm always struck by your skill of portraying skintones. The ghostly hues of these two figures is simply amazing - it almost takes your breath away. Well done Nick. When you post this to your personal site I hope you provide a photo of them in daylight so we can see more of the groundwork and details.

As to your treasure. As you are always brushing aside Napoleonics I thought it appropriate that you be given one. Not only from a top-tier painter, but from a good friend as well. So, I present to you Christopher's Davout, The Iron Marshal of France.  :)

Again, wonderful work Nick, and thank you for taking the Snow Lord's Peak challenge. I hope we will get to see your fine brushwork in our next edition.

-Curt