Arrrgh! Gotta go back into camera settings on my iPhone to bring all of the frame into focus. Blast! Painting is underway on the 60 or so Minden Austrians, which are slated to become my version of the Anhalt-Zerbst Regiment of AWI renown. More or less indistinguishable from Austrians of the era really, right down to the red facings and turnbacks, but the eventual flags (already in my files) will set them apart. I went ahead and based-coated all of them over a couple of days lthe last week of August, using a mix of light gray and white acrylic gesso, before next applying my usual basic alkyd oil flesh tone to the faces and hands. In a day or two, I'll hit that with Army Painter Flesh Wash to tone things down a bit and bring some definition to the faces and hands. As usual, the plan is to focus on about 20 figures at a time, splitting the regiment roughly into thirds along with the color party and regimental staff. Depending on ...
Taking a pause from the RSM grenadiers this (Monday) evening. Instead, I cut out 80 lozenge-shaped card bases and glued them to the 80 Revell Austrian SYW figures, comprising the next painting project. These bases give the plastic figures better stability and also call to mind, albeit, unintentionally, the bases of Spencer Smith infantry, helped by the pose of this particular figure -- marching with the musket resting on the left shoulder. Tomorrow evening, I’ll start back on the RSM’s, beginning with the faces and hands of Company C. . . and perhaps the white wigs if those first two tasks go quickly.
Comments
Donald~
-- Jeff
Allan (Wittenberg)
I used 7 boxes of Revell SYW Austrain infantry for the 69 infantry figures with musket on the left shoulder, representing enlisted men, four company sergeants, and an RSM. Five officers on foot, four drummers, and mounted colonel, and a MiniFig ensign round out the regimental compliment.
As for keeping the paint from peeling due to handling: a coat of artist's acrylic gesso for the basecoat, followed by an undercoat of black Liquitex acrylic. Both flex amazingly well. Then the normal painting using Games Workshop and Ral Partha acrylic paints.
For the musket barrels and baynets, officers' halberd tips, etc. I use Windsor & Newton artist's silver oil color. Oils wear like iron and maintian their flexibility. PLus, you can't beat the brilliance of oil colors and, in the case of metallics, the fine consistency of the pigment.
Finally, I follow this with a couple of coats of Future acrylic floor polish. That should do it.
Cross you fingers,
Stokes