Apples and ale
Not too much progress on the hobby front over the past couple of weeks, but I did make up this deployment point vignette for Sharp Practice II. It’s carved out of polyiso rigid insulation, which is something of a new material for me to work with. This was a practice piece. I think my texture work needs some…work, and the paint job got away from me a bit. I wanted it to look like a weathered ruin, but it’s kind of a muddy mess.
I thought about adding some stacked muskets to the vignette for extra ambience, but left them out for the moment, leaving the piece is period-neutral.
Rubble filled stone wall.
The only figure I’ve painted since the last post is the colonel of the 1/52nd that you see in the pictures. It’s a Perry figure. He’s quite dashing, with his pelisse thrown carelessly over his shoulder, and bright orange mutton chops. I’ll call him Opie.
You’ll never fit through that door, Opie.
You’ll never fit through that door, Opie.
Rubble filled stone wall.
Apples and ale
The answer is none: none more black.
I’ll give you a dollar (not really) if you get the reference.
Actually the question is a legitimate one, and not just an attempt at humor. I’ve painted up some test figures for some Napoleonic skirmish gaming, and need some constructive criticism. I haven’t painted much 28mm, and even fewer all black 28mm figures, and would appreciate any tips on how I can improve the appearance of these Brunswickers.
Brunswicker Test Figures
The figures are Perrys, and are painted up to represent the 2nd Light Battalion of the Brunswickers, circa 1815. I’m planning to paint a dozen figures, or so, per side (the other side being Frenchies, naturally), and will use Song of Drums and Shakos to start. Then I’ll start filling out the forces until I have around a company’s worth of figures per side, and will begin using TooFatLardies Sharp Practice rules as the forces grow.
This is my official new ‘filler’ project for when I’m sick of painting my usual fare.
My own observations, from painting these guys:
- I need to clean up the figures better, and not be so lazy removing flashing or other bits of excess metal that I missed during cleanup, and only discover when painting. They really show on 28s!
- Black is hard to paint. I tried to give various materials different hues of black…blueish for the clothing, brownish for the ‘lesser’ leather, and purple black for straps and the leather parts of the shakos. By the time I get to the end and apply varnish, those hues are largely lost.
- Contrast could be much better
- I have no idea how to highlight large flat areas of black, like the tops of the shakos. Not that you can see that in these pictures.
- I really don’t like the look of metallic paints.
ArkieGamer 