Speed paint challenge ACW

 I gave myself a challenge tonight of seeing how quick I could paint some ACW soldiers to a standard I’d be happy to game with. I started off with a black under coat and added single colours to block out the uniform. I forced myself to just use one coat colour ( Foundry Union uniform B), I found later this can be dry-brushed with earth brown and this acts as a highlight. The soldiers are rough and ready campaign guys, so mud and dust was added to them.

Also, I love the fact that the varnish is as hard as nails and will protect them from knocks and scrapes. My last lot, because of the number of them, I just matte varnished without any gloss or floor varnish underneath. This didn’t sit well with me and I’m a lot happier knowing this lot have been dipped.

 As with the ECW lot, the flesh is the only paint I allowed myself to use two colours on. It made such a difference it was a ‘no brainer’. Skin tone under Army Painter needs two colours I think, as sometimes without, it can loose something and the men appear a little lifeless.

 Well after the quick blocking in and weathering I gave them a brush with the Army Painter strong tone. The results were very pleasing, a lot better than the photos do justice really.

For the American Civil War you need a lot of men unless of course you are using skirmishing rules. This I think has to be the route for me now with all of of my big projects, the results are quick and still pleasing. It’s also nice to force yourself into new ways of working which helps keep the hobby fresh and rewarding. I think that is a good word to use for the Dip, rewarding. Seeing those bags of figures in draws get a lick of paint on them and become units and thus, usable.

 We’ll have to see how they turn out when they’re matte varnished
This lot must have taken me an hour maybe a bit less. The brown tone works well on these guys but should be even better on the soft greys and browns of the Confederate army.

LOTR Armies

 After years of waiting, Dain finally gets to meet Thorin.

 The wolf packs meet up at last.

 A large black Warg snaps commands to his messengers.

 Iron Hills Dwarves battle Gundabad beserkers.

 Gundabad trolls lead the march of the Trolls, tickets now available.

 A throng of trolls. Two Dark Alliance 20mm plastic trolls flank a metal GW war troll.

 Drain and Thorin muster to protect a back gate.

 The great white wolf commands her forces. Her pack is made out of large black wargs, grey wolves and white wolves from the north.

 Two Snow trolls with their animal hide trappings.

These lightning fast wolves will be the terror of the battlefield, moving at incredible speeds to out flank and surround the enemy.

Elf Army so Far

I’ve gone back over these guys and painted their helmet feathers black, they were left bronze before. I have done this so they will tie in better to the Oathmark Elves. More on this to come.

Friend or Foe

 It’s time to go back and give the Elves some love.

Dressing the Line

 With the other two bases finished, I took the opportunity to get them all together and add some battle debris. Broken shields and weapons and spears stuck in the ground.
This warrior has thrown down his heavy shield and unslung his short bow.

 These bits and bobs help to tell little stories in each base and add to the drama. I’ve just noticed there is a spot where the ground mix didn’t get to around the feet of the Dwarf with the spear, must fix that.

 I wanted to give the impression that the shield wall was hard pressed and under a lot of pressure, I think the extra details help with that illusion. The base below is one of the new ones with a wild charge getting started.

I also added shields etc to the back ranks to fill out the bases.

Family Reunion

 Digging through a box of figures yesterday I found an old Grenadier Orc that I had painted back in 1986 or so. Well, I thought time to draft you into the army my son!
It was only when I brought him down stairs to the painting table I realised I had bought some orcs from EBay that matched him exactly. In fact I think the sculpt had been cut up to create the other as from the head down to the belt were identical. Well not being one to break up a family, this lot will be based together on the same base. The range is an old Grenadier box set I think.

 I will rebase him, but I did have to stop and take a trip down memory lane as I studied his base. Back then rather than painting hordes of figures, I would spend hours on just one. This one is based on a piece of cardboard cut from an art pad. Polly filler was then used for the grass and pricked with a needle to create grass, then painted. Boy, now I just wash and go with new improved ground mix from Luke’s APS.

I used to spend hours and days on just one character at a time, glad to say those days are long behind me but it was quite moving looking at the way I used to work as a teenager.