Evokation of Place #5

Castel Sant'Angelo : Mausoleum of Hadrian : Papal Fortress : Prison

Passeto di Borgo:

September 2019 Painting Tally

Travelbattle - 24
HYW English Men at arms - 12
15th French Pikes - 20
15th French Arquebusier - 12
15th French Crossbows - 12
WotR Men at Arms - 48
Edward IV and standard - 2
Warwick and standard - 2
Somerset and standard - 2

Month total - 134

Year total - 697

Rethinking the Roses

Been having a think about my painting, as although I paint a lot, its relatively basic applications of paints and a wash for the historical stuff, whereas when I do get the twitch now and then to do something more fantasy or sci-fi based, my painting style is a bit different and looser, more weathered and approached in a different way. I find this other style a lot more creatively enjoyable - not to say that I don't enjoy the basic coloring for my historical stuff, of course, but it does tend to repeat somewhat.

In addition to this, I tend to work best when I'm working towards a set target outside of "paint these models because they are there" with the project usually being a game, the game in turn decided by what I'm currently interested in at that point.

Plus, all my games are big games at the moment, mainly due to big battles being a lot of fun, playing less often as children/spouse/booze addiction/work also have to be found time for.

These thoughts milling about whilst on my month off, which is usually where I cook up projects, ideas and new things to do for when I come back led me to think about getting this all together into a better approach, and the one that immediately stood out as the candidate for starting was my 15th Century stuff I've got building up - mainly Wars of the Roses, but I also have some HYW and some European Mercenaries kicking about too, plus I keep giving dirty looks at a Landsknecht force too (get behind me, lairy dressed germanic zweihander punk wallet tempting muthafuckers!)

In point:

1. Yet to play a game with these, so thats something that needs to be sorted

2. I've loads of boxes kicking about that could really do with being built and sorted.

3. I've only painted about 150 of them*, so could switch to the other method of painting fairly quickly

4. Muck, filth and grubbiness would look good on these, with the flags giving colour to the army presentation overall, but with the individuals being pretty campaigned looking, within reason.

Addressing these in turn

1. Plan a game then. Now, Towton is the one that'd really be a game, but its pretty big. However, building up to Towton and the campaign around that could be doable with some thought and considerations. For smaller games, perhaps thats where I can fit some Lion Rampant or something in, at a lower points level and have those in between. Mind you, Tewkesbury appeals, as does Stoke Field. Bosworth..........theres too much choice! And then thats just staying with the Roses. Move into other regions and its endless. Which is one of the joys of the hobby, really, isn't it? Always something new to learn

Need to consider how to approach small games though (venue/time/opponent). But then, I wouldn't mind doing a siege. A proper SIEGE, like the ones we used to play in the 90's.

2. Build the bastards then! Easy

3. I did consider this with my ECW armies, being another set who I think would benefit from some dirt, but those are 90% finished now and I'm not sure I can be bothered redoing them all. Going back and redoing the households/men at arms and such is going to be fairly easy for what I've painted of the medieval stuff as they just need weathering really and that should be a doddle.

Maybe the ECW will get some treatment at some point. But I've loads of other stuff to paint first before repainting anything.

4. As I've got the method down for doing this with the Fantasy style models, I'll just carry straight over and be a bit more freeform with it. Need to be a bit braver and remember that it works out fine with the other stuff and will work fine with this!

So, all of that, plus getting a bit more context to approaching the forces and that should steer the project(s) well enough.

*remembers the painfulness of having to paint ten genestealers a couple of years ago and my how things have changed............

River Terrain

Finally made a river. I've wanted one for years, but never really gotten around to it, as I kind of knew what I wanted to make, but also what I didn't want to make - that pouring resin to set looks like too much work for my household, with dogs and kids running everywhere.

Plus, when the gaming does happen, my stuffs all gotta be transportable as we play in the pub.

So, needed to be quick, easy, flexible and durable.

First revelation was having to do some bathroom repair work, out buying the silicone gel for the mastic gun and looking at the clear setting silicon.

"hmmmm.........I could use that for a water effect, I reckon? Smear it about to look like water flow and job done"

Now, the base? Well, I was getting some teddy bear fur from the fabric shop - as all gamers find themselves doing from time to time, when I noticed a roll of thick canvas.

"hmmmmmm.........if I cut that into strips and painted it, then put that gel on it, then put sand along the edges for sandbanks and painted that, then that'll probably do it. It'd not be stiff like those roads I made were and the weight of the canvas would hold the terrain down"

(never use foamboard for making roads. It kind of works and is easy, but is so light that a stern glare makes the road shift about)

So, plan hatched - get the materials. Spend one night painting the rivers on the canvas, then leave it drying overnight and claim it in the morning before the house rises. Then, second night, do the gel business, scatter sand and leave to dry. Third night, paint the banks. Fourth night, tart it up a bit.

By "night", I mean "under an hours work", so I'm not busting balls here.

Heres the finished product. Came out alright:

Each strip is about 24 inches long, maybe 5-6 inches wide - small enough to contain a bridge, but wide enough to form a barrier. This'll allow me to cover a full 8 foot river along the table.

(One of the perils of living with a white haired Norfolk Terrier - bloody dog hair gets in everything and I SEE IT)

Not bad, even if I do say so myself. I reckon I'll do this again, but with the plain white silicon and just put sand all over it to make some new roads, then paint it. Doddle now the method is down.

TOP TIP: when yr in the DIY shop getting the gel, make sure to buy some cheapo disposable gloves. Makes messy work like the water effect really easy and non sticky. I had a load from when I do bicycle repairs, so used them. And glad I was.

I reckon this probably cost about £9 for the tube of silicon and about £3.50 for the canvas. Already had the paints, sand and shrubs kicking about, so its def a cheap bastard cost effective way of doing it.

August 2019 Painting Tally

Month total - 0 - month off!

Year total - 563