I immediately returned to painting the four 40mm Chasseur figures that had been sitting in drawer for quite some time with just the black undercoat. You see below some progress shots and the finished squadron of eight including an officer and trumpeter in reverse colours. I spent a fair bit of time on the horses. gradually building them up to the highlight and I'm quite pleased with how they turned out. With these done I set to bringing the basing of all the British so far to a consistent look with more static grass and a buff dry brush on the stones. Took a few pics of course, the French are next up so that the basing right across the collection is consistent. More will follow.
Who knows whats next! I really fancy painting something different.
Figures by Sash & Saber (USA) available in the UK from Andy at Old Glory.
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| Unit at rear awaiting colours, I might try to hand paint them. |
A quick shot to demonstrate the packing method to the BM's new owner on the journey back to the UK. Lots of business card boxes, a perfect tight fit for 6 x 30mm square bases. Strong outer carton.
Love those chassuer horses! I knew you'd sell - you're MUCH happier planning a project and painting it to completion... :o) well done - it's the part of the hobby you like so good result all round....
ReplyDeleteI Steve, I'm rather proud of those horses as I really worked on them, horseflesh has always been a weak point in my painting on the larger scales, although I can do well in 6mm to 15mm for some reason. I'm casting around for something else to paint now beside the 40mm's - they represented a major investment so won't be going anywhere even if they do just sit on display shelves. Here's an offer for you Steve, if you would care to send me a couple of regiments of PP horse I would be happy to paint them for you as a gift to help get your ECW's started. I was looking at them the other day and those cavalry figures just cry out to be painted, I would genuinely enjoy doing some?
DeleteLee, I know what you mean as I have some history with the PP horse already... albeit I used them out of period... see here https://steve-the-wargamer.blogspot.com/2008/10/alt-hanover-cuirassiers.html also here https://steve-the-wargamer.blogspot.com/2007/06/bavarian-cuirassiers.html and here https://steve-the-wargamer.blogspot.com/2007/10/bavarian-heavies-arco.html ...can't believe I painted them that long ago! Got lucky by the way.. as I was checking through the Marlburian lead pile for any figures I could re-use for the ECW project I found a couple of packets of unpainted PP horse.. they'll be the first unit of horse in this project.. I'll also take you up on that offer of the paint job... if you contact me via the contact widget on my blog we can sort something out! :o)
DeleteBlimey Steve, 2007/2008! I'll contact you, bear with me.
DeleteThe new owner of your Blue Moon figures will love them, you had done a great job on them, probably because at the time there was a love and enthusiasm for them, rather than it being a chore of having to paint them .... For my own money, I think actually getting rid of something so it is out of sight - out of mind, is the best form of liberation to clear the head and give better focus to the next project in hand (40mm).
ReplyDeleteIn truth, your 40mm are a joy in their own right and perhaps having them on hand just for the occasional fun game or even 'parade' might be the level that you want your hobby to settle at, perhaps with a couple of boardgames thrown in (having regard for you like of C&C). I am increasingly coming to that point of view in my ever present and ongoing conflict of large or small scale, open or hexed table. Perhaps for both of us, our blogs are due for a bout of posts that benefit from some liberation and new purpose :-)
P.S. Also Happy Gaming to a certain Scottish owner of some rather fine Blue Moon figures :-)
Hi Norm, much as I enjoy reading wargamers reports of huge battles with hundreds of soldiers I know that my days of such are long gone. I do still have an interest in the smaller scale games such as used to be played in a couple of hours on club nights back in the eighties when I was a member of SELWG. A logical progression for me would be the 'One Hour Wargames' scenarios with just 6 to 8 units per side and simple fast play rules, that would actually work very well with my 40mm's so you never know! Beyond that I enjoy painting soldiers and always have done, I get that some find it a chore, but for me it's a real labour of love. When I used to paint for others I would be sat down by 9am after breakfast and paint until 2pm, Monday to Friday, the time seemed to fly by! I'm glad that the new owner intends to use them and is very enthusiastic about them, he said he always wanted to own such a collection, so they have indeed gone to a good home. That's much the same way I felt about Rob when he became the new custodian of the large Hinchliffe ECW collection :) Where to next? Who knows.
DeleteSome crackin work there Lee!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ray :)
DeleteLovely minis, especially the chasseurs à cheval imho, dynamic and gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you Phil, and for the correct spelling :)
Delete40mm Chasseurs - my favourite troop type in scale that shows them off beautifully - lovely jubbly.
ReplyDeleteAs for the BM Naps - to a gamer like me who paints to play I really don't understand why you do it but glad to be a beneficiary.
If you fancy something different why not some shiny Jacklex ACW as that the next project I have in mind and then I can swoop in and buy them when done... ;o)
Hi Rob, hope the ECW rebasing is coming along well. Don't know if you follow the 'Prometheus in Aspic' blog link at right, but Tony is just starting to experiment with the 'King and Parliament' rules, it might interest you?
DeleteAs for my painting/selling, well all I can say is that I reach a point where the figures languish in boxes and enthusiasm wanes. I love painting them but really don't ever use them! I have to enjoy the subject in hand at the time of course. The Italian Wars is one period I have never painted apart from a few Hinchliffes way back, the new plastics are amazing despite so many fiddly little delicate parts. Jacklex ACW's eh? Now that takes me back, what do you have in mind?
The key thing for enjoying a hobby is to enjoy what you are doing.
ReplyDeleteLovely chasseurs!
Thank you Ross. I'm a little embarrassed at times, but let's face it I have been painting and selling to start something fresh for at least 10 years now, I never tire of painting :)
DeleteGorgeous chasseur a cheval! Let's face it its not a surprise! I really enjoy the painting and can totally see when you're painting at your speed that once your done your done,I look forward to the next project, Warlord do a special offer if you buy 3 boxes of the landsknechts for the Italian wars,just saying,I'd love to see what you would come up with!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Hi Iain, you are right, I hit a point with every painting project when I think, that's it, no point in going any further and I feel I want to paint something fresh! The 40mm's are my only keepers as they were a major financial investment and I don't go a day without spending a little time looking along the ranks :) I was looking at the Perry/Warlord/ pro Gloria ranges the other day, they are beautiful figures but the amount of assembly would out me off at this time. Your's are brilliant.
DeleteVery impressive, not seen these figures before, they look great
ReplyDeleteThank you Sir. It's a very good range, I wish there were more of them available in this scale though, a 40mm Napoleon would be wonderful! I do plan a battalion of Perry 40mm formed Light infantry infantry for this year.
DeleteHi Lee - ACW would be good as I can't remember seeing any you have painted? Perhaps Perry rather than Jacklex? Or how about Crimea, I know you did make a start on some plastics once but there are a few nice 28mm figures around?
ReplyDeleteHi Ian, I must be a bit mad, but I find it quite liberating when one painting project ends and I'm looking a round for what to do next! I have 'done' ACW many times over the past twenty odd years or so, in 6mm, 10mm, 15mm (Heroics, Old Glory, AB's then Peter Pig) and 28mm Redoubt, Old Glory, 1st Corps, as well as Conniosseur 25mm's. I like the Perry Plastics though :) I looked at the Warlord Crimea range recently too, but while I would enjoy the Russians the Brits are a bit too much like my Peninsular 40mm's red coats with white straps and facings. Now I must say that I do like the new Victrix elephants.
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