Happy new year all, this is my latest submission and is something of a departure. Firstly there is the obligatory ACW unit, the 68th Pennsylvania. I have been experimenting with ink washes, normally I paint in the shading using the Foundry 3 colour system and sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. When I was buying my micropen I purchased some Windsor and Newton inks and have been washing the trousers (pants is probably more accurate) with thinned down cobalt blue. It works pretty well, although the photography doesn't really pick it up - still experimenting with photography having never photographed a figure before the challenge in my life and only having a smart phone. New skills are always good.
Most of the decoration on the stands is lichen that I found in the garden and I think it looks great. I also managed to do some varnishing for the first time in months as I do it outside and the weather has been dodgy - windy and drizzle. Again the photography makes them look much shinier than they really are.
Next up is something more unusual. Whilst digging in the back of the cupboard for the goblin chariot - see bonus submission - I found these. These ten 28mm dwarfs appear to be the 10th Dwarf Legion. I bought them in the 1980's and I don't know from who. I really like them and would like to try and find some more so if any one has any suggestions that would be a great help. I can't imagine they are still being made though.
And finally a random 28mm Hasslefree miniature that I recently purchased of Alice from the Resident Evil movies. The figure is great with no flashing nor annoying mould marks - I will definitely be going back. Despite the quality of the figure I couldn't get the painting quite right and so instead of submitting her to the Hot bonus round (which to be honest I felt quite embarrassed about - I'm not 14 anymore) I've submitted her here. Think I'll use her as a wild card in VBCW - she will certainly shake up 1930's Northumberland
P.S. I unexpectedly completed the 105th Pennsylvania and therefore I think this makes it a points bomb of 237. I love that work is closed until the New Year.
Will have to find a new pose, these are getting repetitive. Off to build and paint my Christmas present for next week.
From Curt:Wow, this year's weekly submission protocol has really generated the points bombs. Great work Martin! Your ACW project is clipping along at an amazing rate. I like the ink effect on the trousers (NOT pants). As a suggestion, if you wanted to make the shading even more distinct you could highlight the raised folds in the original colour. Then again it would probably reduce the pace of your work (which is blistering). Your Alice is wonderful (I'm 12 at heart so no embarrassment here) - is that a severed head at her feet?
And with this submission Martin moves into amongst the top three in the points ratings. Bravo Mr. Cooke!
2 regiments in one submission - fantastic work. You should try one of the plastic confederate boxes - they make good Union troops too
ReplyDeleteTa. I bought 2 full brigades from Perry - 3 boxes of infantry, 1 mounted general and 2 cannon in each - for £45 each, a ridiculous price. To which I added 1 box of Zouaves and 1 box of cavalry. I may be full but I do fancy the new figs so may add another box
DeleteCheers for the advice Curt, will try that out next
ReplyDeleteand yes Curt, it is a severed head. I have huge numbers of spare heads. The sand is from the beach, an advantage of living near the seaside
ReplyDeleteGreat work cracking out the units.
ReplyDeleteAs to the Roman Dwarves I seem to remember a company producing a new range of them back in the late 90s early 00s. But I can't for the life of me remember which company.
Cheers Roy. getting into the groove now. Blue Moon do some that I will look at but they are not the same
ReplyDeleteThe union regiments look grand! The banners and drums are great like your other regiments. My favorites in this bunch are the romanized dwarves! Those fellas look really good! For fantasy, the dwarves are my favorite race. ;)
ReplyDeleteFantastic points bomb! I'm curious about the Roman dwarves' manufacturer as well.
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of Alice showing up in a 1930s scenario! She learned those knife-fighting skills growing up in Burma, no doubt...
As for the pants v. trousers controversy, Merriam Webster cites the first use of "pants" to mean "trousers" as c. 1840, so a case could be made (even if the official language referred to them as trousers).
Yes, the differentiation is a personal hangup of mine (don't ask). But really, pants just sounds like, well, pants... ;P
DeleteReally pants need to be Y fronted
DeleteAlice will certainly make an impact - need to work out some assassin rules.
DeleteBlack tree design have some roman legion dwarfs, and a massive half price sale this week so I bought some and see what they are like. Problem is that I've never really done the fantasy thing - I was always the humans or dwarfs and never used the magic - but I do have a Pict army that will work very well against the might of the Dwarf empire. Will have to build a wall