Saturday 23 August 2014

Still Here: Bits and Bobs off the Painting Table

No, my absence isn't due to some wonderful, long holiday in the sun. Busyness, partly due to greater responsibility at work, has stymied my painting over the summer. 

I did finish this French Officer for the Great War Painting Club over on LAF. I like these impromptu collaborative painting challenges as they offer a chance for me to paint something random from the lead pile. 


The horizon bleu offered a challenge - I basically fudged it from VMC ultramarine, black and white. Hopefully it won't offend any Great War aficionados. 

For a suitably gritty appearance, I went with lots of my recently purchased Vallejo weathering powder, including mixing a paste for mud effects on his puttees and coat. 


This is absolutely not a new project for me, he was a free sample from Forgotten and Glorious. A really nice sculpt, quite tall all and chunky that means he painted up really well. Barely any cleanup required either. The original characterful Adrian helmeted head would be my only criticism. So I swapped it for something suitably Gallic from the plastic spares box: Victrix Napoleonic French, I believe. 


I did also finish off a few more Mahdists in time for the game at earlier in the  month. Just four as I thought that's how many I needed to fill the trays. But damnation, I was still two short - not sure how I miscounted really! Ah well, I can fix that easily enough. 


With such pitiful offerings, I've been indulging the hobby with the Wargamer's UXB. In my defence, I've decided to try not to just have one force for a project. So, with the 15mm Chain of Command flying through the painting table recently, I've rounded out that project by dropping an order in for opposing panzergrenadiers. Just a platoon at first, but before long I'd found a free shipping and 5% off code: as long as one makes the minimum spend! So I've a supported platoon equivalent to the paras making its way over, which should enable me to put on some games at Wyvern myself. 

26 comments:

  1. Absolutely wonderful painting on this chap and the weathering finishes him off nicely. I know what you mean with Chain of Command, it is very addictive and everything else seems to be falling by the wayside.

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  2. As already mentioned over on LAF I like your frenchie. I think the horizon bleu is spot on. Nice work on the Mahdists also.

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    1. Cheers. The club us excellent and your offering quite exquisite

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  3. Excelent paint job, very impressive!!

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  4. The French officer is really wonderful; fantastic and very fine painting work!!!
    And the Mahdists are very nice too, true "black devils".

    It is curious, I am thinking about to play "Chain of Command" in a lesser scale, 20mm, and I like a lot the idea!

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  5. Very nice Phil, captures the washed out colours perfectly.
    Cheers
    Stu

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  6. Not a new project??? yeh right! Your wallet will be emptying soon!! Excellent painting on the fine looking fellow too!!!

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  7. Great work and glad your starting to get back to the table. Better still your getting games in

    Ian

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    1. Your, been up at the club twice thus month, cooking up a post with my piccies

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  8. Absolutely stunning, but now you've got me intrigued by Vallejo weathering powders! I feel another purchase coming on.

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    1. Yes I got a four-set to compliment one I hit years ago from Antenociti's. A good burnt umber, ruddy/brick dust, sand and slate colours.

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    2. Yes, yes, I'm weak - off to have a look now, thank you. ;)

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  9. Agree with the others - fantastic work on the officer!

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  10. Looks the business. You know you will always need more Mahdists anyway !

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    Replies
    1. Alas yes. Probably featuring in every winter's AHPC...

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  11. Excellent painted figures! I also like your tutorials for scenery! Lot's of inspiration for me!

    Greetings
    Peter

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  12. Wonderful work Phil! I especially love the grizzled Poilu - you did a bang-up job with your rendition of 'horizon blue' (and I thought you were avoiding it) and the head-swap was genius.

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