Now that the Christmas season is over, I can actually get down to painting.... One of the projects I really wanted to work on this year is getting in some Old West gaming. I designed a pile of Old West buildings over 5 years ago for my laser cutting business and sell a ton of them, but have never actually gotten them painted to play with since I never actually had many old west miniatures. This year both issues have to be resolved... I aim to paint up a selection of terrain and miniatures.
With that in mind, first up is a group of Old West Lawmen that I 3D printed. The files are amazingly detailed and come from 3DBreed.com and are from their Join or Die: Wanted collection.
I have still been having issues with my eyes and focusing, making painting detail a real issue. Just part of getting older, or so I am told. So while I really wanted them in pin stripe suits and vests, I could hardly make out faces, let alone doing clean stripes, so I kept them extremely simple.
In fact, these were super fast to paint, as I primed grey, then white from above, and then used Vallejo Xpress paints for the most part. Guns, buttons, badges, belts, and holsters were painted after. Over all though while very simple and basic, I really like the effect.
Also included is one other foundry old west cowboy that I painted up to match the one small gang I painted over a decade ago when thinking of playing old west games (but never getting around to it). He is painted very roughly, with a lot of dry brushing and brush marks, all done on purpose to match the old figures and not my newer painting style. I don't especially like him, but he does match the other characters I have painted from that era, so that is as much as I could have hoped for.
I am submitting the Lawmen as a historical entry, and the single cowboy as an overdue and return. I know Curt would prefer separate entries, but I really don't think and entry with one figure (unless amazingly painted, which this one is most definitely NOT) is a great idea either, so this post covers 2 spots in the library. Points should be 40 points for 8x 28mm figures and then another 40 points for the two theme bonuses, for a total of 80 points.
Ah well, we'll overlook the combining of locations just this once then ;-). It is an amazing entry, Byron. I have printed and painted some of the Join or Die figure myself, and I agree they are great. So is your painting, even if you yourself consider it a simple job. I can't really fault the conspicuous absence of pin stripes, as they look very well as they are! And they are lawmen and cowboys, no East Coast dandies, are they not? A fine job you have done on them, well worth the 80 points!
These paints you have used for the base coat have really worked must get some. The figures are very dynamic and you have painted them really well.
ReplyDeleteGreat work Byron. You have always been your own worst critic - and while I sure hope things go fine with your eyes, you should know these figures look great. My own vision is giving me a bit of a kick, particularly while working on some of the new "Legions Imperialis" stuff - but I choose to blame the figures rather than accept my eyes are an issue :)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see your "Old West" set up by the end of the Challenge!
Thanks Greg! Eyes started going about 3 years ago now, and I keep getting told that its just old age and focus issues and use different magnification readers... but it sure puts a dent in the will to paint when I used to be able to focus on any small detail and now I cant even read a paint bottle without readers on (and different ones depending on the time of day or light or whatever), SUPER annoying...
DeleteGreat painting Byron.
ReplyDeleteThey look great Byron, as Curt says you are by far your own worst critic. The muted and sombre tones are very thematic.
ReplyDeleteThanks Peter. Yes I know I am a huge critic of myself, but you kinda have to be if you want to get better. If you are ever happy with your work, you never try to improve more. Nor can you criticize others, unless you are hard on yourself as well (well you can, but not validly).
DeleteYour cow-boys look very crisp and the overall "blue jean" tone unify them as a gang. This makes me think that it's time for Regina to meet Winnipeg again.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sylvain! I loved the blue jean look, and it is just a mix of the black lotus and omega blue xpress paints I used for the vests and jackets. It gave such a good look I stuck with it.
DeleteThese look great and the paint job is lovely. No indication of poor eyesight here.
ReplyDeletePerfectly painted.
ReplyDeleteWow, some great looking Old West chaps (heh) here Byron, well done!
ReplyDeleteSuperbly painted - those miniature look great
ReplyDeleteLovely figures and well painted!
ReplyDeleteFantastic - love the shading style you use on the shirts, waisrcoats etc - very effective! Cheers JezT
ReplyDeleteTerrific job! I have issues with my eyes, too, but so far I see better without the glasses... I guess that will change in the future.
ReplyDeleteDude, this stuff looks like warmed over sh*t. Seriously, you oughta get your eyes checked before subjecting us to this stuff.
ReplyDeleteThere, now *I'm* your own worse critic. :P
Seriously, these look excellent, Byron. The blues and whites are especially nice. A great kick-off to the project. Remember to use those magnifiers I had you get. Mine work great (when I use them that is). I look forward to trying out a game when we get together next.
Thanks Curt, yeah I need to, but I cant find them after the move... Still have about 100 boxes in the garage to go through... sigh...
DeleteThanks on the colours, the blues blacks and jeans are all just one coat of xpress paint, so at least that was easy! and it all shaded itself!!! Although strangely, the shading didnt really show up that well until it got clear coated, which is odd, but, if it works, it works!!
I really like the muted and limited palette!
ReplyDeleteThey look great to me. Your not alone with the sight issues, I have daylight bulbs in my painting room and an optivisor for the really small details.
ReplyDeleteLovely Gunslingers Byron 👍😁
ReplyDeleteVery nicely done, painting suits the genre perfectly
ReplyDeleteNice Byron, who doesn't love nicely painted old west figures they look so good
ReplyDeleteWell Done Dood! I'm also painting up a posse /gang of old West minis for my first post.. (also 3DBreed - Thx for printing them!). Looking forwards to playing up some shoot-outs vs these cowpunchers you painted up here.
ReplyDelete