A precautionary tale

 25 August 2024

This morning I matt varnish sprayed this recently completed command base for the latest Bavarian regiment (5th line). 

Now, I have used Krylon before and it has always worked just fine but this time, for some reason, it has 'washed out' the GMB flag as per the photos. The Krylon can says it is fine for use on paper and I believe I have used it before on flags with no problems but this has caused me to reconsider spraying flags with matt finish. Has anyone else had this issue?

It is a good job I purchased two sets of flags from GMB, I must have had a premonition...

Back to work, or is that pleasure?

 August 3 2024

Renovation of the garage (my workspace) finally completed so back to work! It is always nice to set up a modelling station from scratch. I thought I would add a couple of photos before it gets all messed up by actual work. BTW, my choice of paint manufacturer is somewhat eclectic but I generally use Vallejo.

My figures to do are:

Finish Victrix Bavarians

Perry's metal Bavarian command and ADCs:

https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product/bav-1-high-command-mounted-wredederoy-and-the-crown-prince-ludwig/  

https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product/bav-2-mounted-staff/

Perry's metal Bavarian gun and limber: 

https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product/bav-25-four-horse-limber-with-howitzer/ which I thought would make a nice mini diorama.

Perry's plastic French line foot artillery

Bavarian 4th light infantry battalion finally finished

 19 May 2024

It seems like it has taken forever to do these figures and I have nothing but admiration for those of you who can do a unit like this in a weekend. I have so many different pressures on my time. I enjoy fishing but haven't been able to get out and cast a line for a couple of years, who said retirement is dull?

The weather has finally cooled down in Brisbane so my largish vegetable garden took up a lot of my time recently getting it ready for the autumn/winter crop. There is a lot of other garden work to do as well as house maintenance which I need to undertake in winter when the weather is cooler. So my next unit - a Bavarian grenadier company may take a while to do.

Finally then, here is my effort, the figures are Victrix and they are displayed in their movement/storage tray:

Bavarian artillery

 27 February 2024

Braving heat, humidity and cyclones (hurricanes in the northern hemisphere) my brave Bavarian artillery unit is finished. The observant amoung you (all of you) will notice that the uniform isn't quite accurate as this unit is a modified Victrix French artillery crew but on the tabletop I don't think it will stand out.

I have started (2 done actually) to assemble the Victrix infantry pack mentioned previously. I was hoping to be able to do them a frame at a time but given I want a battalion of line and a battalion of light infantry, the poses on the sprue means that I will have to assemble all the figures at once (sighs) and pick out the best poses for each battalion. So far, assembling two figures has taken me an hour with cleaning up the mold lines etc. This project looks like taking a long time, thank goodness this summer is nearly over!

Next Projects

 8 Feb 2024

I thiught i would just post on here what my next projects are, given how long painting takes me this will probably take me all year! Anyway, my plan is to use one of the French guns and change the heads of the figures so that that can emulate Bavarian artillery. The images I have of Bavarian artillery uniforms are very similar to French and I think it will be a straight head swap. I also plan to possibly use some other heads from my 'pile' but will see how they fit.

I haven't modelled with Victrix figures before so ANY helpful suggestions on their assembly would be much appreciated.

The other guns I will do as French line artillery.

As for that huge bag of Victrix Bavarian plastic, I plan on a light inifantry regiment after inspiration from other bloggers (thanks guys) and a line infantry regiment. That will give me a Bavarian army with two regiment of line infantry, one of light, a hussar squadron and a unit of artillery. More than enough to face those pesky Austro-Hungarians if they can keep out of the bierkeller long enough!

Bavarian Hussars finally finished

Well the Bavarian Hussar regement #1 is fnally done. I cannot imagine trying to paint any more hussars of any type as I am really not happy with my work here. I can blame it on the heat and humidity but in truth, my skills and eyesight are just not good enough to do the excellent Perry's figures justice. I admit that I took some liberties with some of the detail colours, I couldn't find a picture of a mounted officer or bugler for example so I improvised their uniforms, reversing the colours for the bugler etc. If anyone has accurate pictures of the officer and bugler (preferably mounted) I would love to see them.

How would you spent a hot and humid day, painting in the garage or cooling off here in my pool?

I used these prints as my guide on the figures, they were all I could find online.

I have started my next project, a battalion of French 9th line infantry. Infantry are so much easier and quicker to paint! Following them, my plans are a Bavarian artillery unit and the Victrix 58 figure Bavarian infantry bag I purchased as line and light regiments.

Some minor progress made

 23 December 2023

FINALLY we have had a break in the summer heat that has allowed me a couple of sessions to progress the Bavarian hussars. When I say 'break' I mean it has been below the mid 30'sC in my garage so with a little fortitude some painting time was possible.

This has been the hottest beginning to a summer on record in Brisbane and add the high humidity and regular thunderstorms it has been necessary to spend time in the air-con watching movies rather than painting (or fishing). The swiming pool got to 34C at one stage so it was more like a hot tub!

Anyway here are a couple of pics I have just taken. Other than the heat, the main annoyance and impediment to painting is how quickly the paint dries on the brush. Yes I use a wet pallette and regularly wet the painbrush but the tip still gets clogged with dry paint in about ten minutes. It also makes dry brushing hard because the paint dries so quickly there is none left to brush on the figure - cue much gnashing of teeth! Hence, the white on the figures (not the pelisse which was done weeks ago) takes me over twenty minutes per figure. I have nothing but admiration for those of you who can paint a battalion or a squadron in one sitting. 

Part of my workspace, the brushes have just been washed with soap.

A long way to go yet.