The Cosy Corner, ECW's and a 20mm preview!

 It was Wellington Man who mentioned on his blog that he was set up for painting in his lounge where he felt comfortable. I'm just the same as you can see from the image below, corner of a warm lounge, the faithful old miniature desk that has travelled from Kent to Spain and back again and at which I must have painted thousands of soldiers over the years. I inherited it from my late Mother in Law, it's not full size as you can see so I have never been able to sit directly at it, I can only fit one leg beneath it so tend to sit slightly side on, looking toward the right where the TV and sound bar/bass speaker are set up. I have adapted to this position over the years and it's extremely comfortable for me. I'm very tidy and orderly, not obsessively so, but I can't paint any other way. I keep all printed references in the top left drawer for easy access, tools etc in the top right and around 100 pots of spare Vallejo paints in the second right drawer. The rest stores figures awaiting a paint job. I use the simple wet palette, changing the greaseproof paper daily. The collection of wine caps have been built up over the years as I find them perfect for size and grip when painting. I normally blue tac figures for painting, two per cap for 15mm a single figure for 20mm. The two lamps were bought from Amazon and are perfect painting lamps when used side by side, there are five LCD settings from a warm yellow through to a daylight blue and I use both lamps on the third setting which is somewhere in between. With Winter approaching I can't think of a more comfortable space to work in.

Below: Sugar free (of course!) Butterscotch, essential for painting model soldiers.

With these two Peter Pig ECW units (below) ready to pack for returning to Graham I'm about to start on some lovely 20mm castings for Tony, they are Les Higgins and PMD. I remarked to Tony how crisp and clean these old castings are and he said that the key is to get hold of the early ones. I had seen the PMD stamp on many of Johns figures but was never really clear on why they looked so much like the Higgins figures, the reason being that they in fact the same range with a change of ownership! I do like the way the bases are inscribed with such clarity something I don't see on modern ranges so much.

6mm Crimean War - a decision on basing.

 As I paint through a couple more ECW foot regiments for Graham I'm also doing a bit here and there on the 6mm's. This range has really grown on me, nice crisp castings with plenty of detail that seems to emerge as I paint. I was not sure how or even if I wanted to stick them onto large unit bases as I'm less keen these days on 2mm bases with 6mm figures. My solution was to try using thin plastic about half a mil thick but stiff enough to do the job and cuts easily with a craft knife. I gave the bases a coat of green paint to help key the PVA glue  before adding fine grit and a touch of static grass, all in all I'm happy with the results. So far there are two Russian infantry regiments, British Guards, Highlanders and line and a base of Lancers. I'm kind of thinking along the lines of The Portable wargame on the good old folding card table that might just scratch that gaming itch again and I'm brimming with idea for it! I'll knock up a couple more Russian units then do some British riflemen (superb little sculpts these), and British Command base. I also have the Scots Greys to do and will order up some Russian Cavalry and the first artillery. Excellent customer service from Irregular Miniatures, arrived 3 days after ordering.

Edit: You know what, I'm going to have to make the cavalry up to 24 figures so they match the frontage of the infantry bases! Should also make them more impressive.

Another box for John finished & more 6mm Crimean War.

Before I get this batch packed up I thought a group photo was in order. Very colourful batch this one representing a couple of weeks painting. A few of the odd foot figures, mostly Minifigs had a paint job on them but required retouching. The plastics are by Strelet (French dismounted Dragoons) and Zveda (Russian Cossacks and the figures in white Kaftans). Mounted Dragoons by Lancer Miniatures and the Winged Hussars of course by Ral Partha. I have another follow up box that remains unopened, I'll surprise myself over the weekend! The same outer box and inner boxes travels back and forth as we try to recycle as far as possible on packaging. 

Next I have two regiments of Peter Pig ECW foot for Graham and then a unit of 20mm WSS British Foot Guards and a cavalry regiment for Tony before delving back into John's next box.

I'm continuing to enjoy painting the Irregular Miniatures 6mm Crimean war figures with 2 Russian and 1 British infantry units done and a couple of bases of British Lancers. I have more on order and will make the cavalry units up to 16 figures each keeping the infantry units at 36 figures. The basing has grown on me just as they stand, they seem to sit far more naturally in the terrain in this scale than rigid 2mm MDF bases and can be formed into march column or line. I do have something in mind for them. 

Irregular Miniatures 6mm Crimean War - test paint #1.

 I like the Irregular Miniatures 6mm figures. They may be slightly 'rougher' in appearance at first glance compared to say Baccus, but from past experience I know that once you get a good flat black base coat on them and begin to carefully pick out the details some very nice sculpts begin to emerge. Such was the case in these Crimean War Russian infantry, my first test paints for what might (or might not, you know the score here by now!) become a little side project for myself.

These 6 strips - a 36 figure battalion - took around an hour to paint. I'm pleased with them other than that I did not paint in the red collars on the greatcoat so I might correct that. I filed the bases right down as they are a little thick and chunky and I think they stand well as they are now and that adding another 2mm MDF base would possibly detract from the overall look. The metal bases are textured anyway. 

Of course they look much better in real life than blown up on a screen given the tiny scale and I must admit to being rather pleased with them. Next up I'm going to paint 36 British line. It may be because the Crimean range is less popular than some other IM ranges in the scale but the strips are very crisp and cleanly cast. I have quite a selection of types to paint including Highlanders and Lancers etc so that I can get a good feel for the range. 

Edit: First battalion of British foot - 36 figures.

French dismounted Dragoons, and 'Ozzy' helps out!

Latest off the painting desk are these dismounted 20mm French Dragoons for John. The Strelet plastic Dragoons are very nice indeed, sensible poses and well animated. Each unit consists of 12 Strelets Dragoons, a metal Lancer drummer and a Hinton Hunt horse. in addition there are 10 metal dragoons,  by Lancer Miniatures. I have a few more to do today then it's more mounted Dragoons for the rest of the week. Looking ahead I have a couple more 15mm ECW regiments on the way from Graham and I'm delighted to say I'll be doing some painting again for Tony of the Prometheus in Aspic blog. It's been a while, but I'm looking forward to it. Another box of goodies also arrived from John when my Grandson Oscar, (we all call him Ozzy),was here and he wasted no time in getting his hands on it!

The photos below show the three dismounted French dragoon units being: Languedoc - blue justaucorps (top coat) red jacket beneath, La Reine - (Red/Red) and Beauffremont ('Yellow'/blue). Source is Officers and Soldiers of French Dragoons 1669 - 1749, which John loaned me for the painting.

Note: Just spotted that the two unridden horses need saddles painted in over the blankets!

Now, as much as I'm enjoying painting for others again there remains that little niggling feeling that I do still want to do something for myself besides. The C&C/individually based AB's project has fizzled out, I think because it's too much like going back over old ground. I need something different and something fresh and to this end I'm going to try painting some of the Irregular Miniatures 6mm Crimean War figures which I have on order. 2mm was just a bit too small for my liking although JBM is doing great things with the scale, and the Crimean War has been an interest of mine for many years so when I saw the IR range something just clicked. I want to begin by seeing what I can do with the figures and if I can still enjoy painting 6mm and given the usual speed of IR's order turn around time I hope to have my hands on them by the end of the week with luck.

Below: I don't really know what this image is doing here other than it made me laugh!