Picking up those brushes again.

Hi and welcome to the occasional mutterings of Dave Doc, a military modeller and some time gamer. Gaming and model making has given me a real education, History & Geography(obvious really), Artistry, Politics, Economics, Logistics, Project Management -you try building miniature armies without the last 3.

I will use the blog to record my creations & the odd occasion I actually do some gaming.

I have always been inspired by the aesthetic side of gaming. Playing on well constructed terrain using excellently painted units is always a joy.

Saturday 24 December 2011

Antoine Charles Louis, Comte de Lasalle

Back to real Napoleonic painting with a figure I have had for while. Initially inspired by seeing a Doug Mason produced command stand many years ago. It pays homage to the painting by Edouard Detaille which depicts Lasalle at the Battle of Wagram, leading cuirassiers in his final charge - complete with pipe!



Extra work done to the  horses tail to give more movement, horses head moved and the original cast reins removed & replaced with flattened wire ones soldered into place on the bridle and into his hand.



Time for a little Xmas break - back next week after a few days offer. Merry Xmas One & All

Thursday 22 December 2011

Analogue Hobbies - Winter painting challenge.

I have joined in this wonderfully international affair run by Curt in Saskatchewan. The wonders of the Internet never cease to amaze , joining together people of like mind from around the world. Looks like Curt will have his work cut out keeping up with wonderful creations people are working on. I really like the idea of Analogue - you know doing something in the real world you look at and touch & using the virtual or digital technology to unite people. Technology at it's best.



Oh and Ray Roussel - you need to get yer finger out mate.. I reckon 1/2 points for casualty figures, I mean they are mostly in the mud....

Sunday 11 December 2011

Something got me started.....

Back on on the Colonial period. I have been badgering Mark at the WHC about doing something different such as a Sudan game,so following reading the write up of the playtest of the Reigate clubs rules I decided to make some effort to get my own collection moving. I had these once before but sold it on, "everything has a price" as I say. The newer ranges of Perry miniatures have caught my eye (I have not traditionally liked the older shorter, squatter stuff). They are excellent figures.

Well might as well start at the top. The Mahdi - why can't I get the Laurence Olivier voice out of my head. I find the scenario for the relief of Khartoum fascinating. The British commander has to move driven by time constraints, and not just bring to bear overwhelming firepower if they wait long enough.


These are undercoated in Humbrol Matt White, a change from the usual, but you have to use the the best option for the job in hand.Why make work hard for yourself , make the base paint do some work. The whites are shaded with Andrea Color White clothes sets , a mix of 6 colours , which work really well for these. The base of the flesh is Humbrol 62 Leather, and this is highlighted with Vallejo Dark Flesh only to keep the tones dark.

Basing is really simple.White PVA  glue covered with my usual sand, cat litter, budgie grit mix, allowed to dry and drybrushed using a Vallejo White. A bit of "tree" added made from a piece of the beech hedge in the garden. The grasses are by Noch and are a dried summer grass matting from which I have just cut a small bit and stuck it on.

This will be a long term project to build these armies up. I am going to try a box of the plastics Ansar to see how they make up. The smell of plasitc glue will take me right back to the early days of making Airfix kits. Oh and having signed up to Curt's  Analogue Hobbies winter painting challenge they may come in handy!

Tuesday 6 December 2011

New gadget- Paint Mixer

While browsing around the E-Models store I came across a new toy. An electric paint mixer (£12.50). Any of you users of enamel paints will know the problem of getting them to mix. This great device takes all the effort out of it and thoroughly mixes the paint and carrier medium in the small humbrol 14ml tins no problem. The mixer is just a little too big to fit in a Vallejo bottle,I may experiment and file about a millimetre off it , as i have a few of those that could do with refresh too. Given the price of paints anything that help to ensure they last will help. I found it particularly good for mixing Matt Varnish and results of using it after mixing resulted in a really Matt finish. Probably good for those frothy coffee's too.

Saturday 3 December 2011

Anglo Danish Warband

Well , and now for something different. This is a Gripping Beast Warband set I have recently done for a friend who is going to finish them off with the shield transfers and basing. They made a change from the more uniform Napoleonic.


Main colours used are the Andrea Colour sets for  Greens & White(well the base colour is linen). Chain mail done with Vallejo oily steel and gunmetal. Once Matt varnished the mail and other metal where highlighted with a pure silver mix.

I also experiments with a washing/staining process. This involved using a carrier of Humbrol Satin Varnish with a stain of Humbrol Dark Earth added, this was then washed over the figure prior to final Matt Varnishing. It worked really well on some of the shading areas on the lighter colours and faces. More experimentation to come here with different colour stains. Of course I now have a tin pre mixed of my dark earth stain for future use.

Back to more traditional fare with the 83rd (County of Dublin) Regiment of Foot on the table next.