2015 Starts with a Bang. . .

The current batch of figures underway.

Managed to snatch about two hours yesterday evening -- New Year's Eve here -- for some early painting of the first 23 figures of the monster composite regiment. When you have a small child, and your usual babysitters (female students) are away for Christmas Break, it's difficult to make plans. However, the Grand Duchess and I opened a bottle of sparkling wine just before Midnight and drank most of it before hitting the hay an hour later. Funny. I can vividly recall staying out all night a few times during the first half of my 20s when it came to New Year's Eve celebrations.

The wonderful old Knoetel illustration (the Kurmainz grenadier at far left) on which I'm basing the RSM95 Austrian grenadiers above at far left.

Anyway, the figures currently under the brush above will be painted, more or less, as grenadiers from Kurmainz by the way, so white coats, straw breeches, green facings, turnbacks, and waistcoats with black bearskins that have green bags. I've opted to use the usual Sap Green from the Winsor & Newton Griffin Alkyd Oil range since it is a very pleasant, somewhat muted green once thinned with Liquin Original.

The most exciting painting last night involved applying a thin wash of green latex paint -- the same color used for my tabletop actually -- to the figure bases. The gray undercoats on the shoes/gaiters, bearskins/hats, and cartridge pouches went so easily, that I decided to go on to the bases before calling it a night here in Zum Stollenkeller at 10pm.

This evening after supper and the Young Master's bedtime, it will be onto applying thinned alkyd oil fleshtone to faces and hands and a wash of thinned Alkyd oil Ivory Black over the gray items painted last night. And maybe either an acrylic tan undercoat to the coats. . . or thinned alkyd oil Yellow Ochre to the breeches. The latter makes a nice tan-straw color over a white basecoat when thinned enough with the Liquin. If things go rapidly, I might even attempt to do both. We'll see.

Yes, indeed. Right now at least, it seems 2015 is off to a promising start. Happy New Year everyone!

-- Stokes

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!

Taking Stock Part II: The (As Yet) Unpainted but Planned OOB. . .

Two companies of Reichsarmee grenadiers painted back in 2017 or 2018. Minden Austrians of course. A lovely early autumn day here in the grand duchy. Bright sunshine and a light breeze with cool temperatures will make for some very pleasant late afternoon lawn mowing in a little while. But first a bit more discussion of painting plans for the future. Last time, I looked back at the various and sundry units, support troops, and civilians that I've managed to paint in the last 17 years as the Grand Duchy of Stollen project has developed. So today, let's look into the seemingly bottomless Drawer 'o' Lead to my left for a clue to the new direction. Be forewarned, it's not going to be a quick job getting everything painted and based, but there we are. The following plans are based on the pile of unpainted figures already here. Any future purchases will be limited to small things that might be needed to fill out the envisioned units (the odd few officers mounted o

Having a "No Day". . .

F or the almost 20 years that she lived in Mexico, one of my late mother's Irish friends frequently mentioned having a "No Day." A day with no social obligations, chores, tasks, or other work that interfered with whatever personal interests took one's fancy on the day in question. Since today -- a gray and chilly Saturday -- is Mom's birthday, the Grand Duchess is out with friends, and the Young Master is ensconced on the sofa in the TV room with a cold, yours truly is taking his own such No Day. I think Mom would approve of my decision to make the world go away, as the old Eddie Arnold song intoned, even if only for a little while. So, I will spend Saturday afternoon focused on that first squadron and small regimental staff of Eureka Saxon cuirassiers. These have stood waiting untouched over on the painting table for almost three weeks while we skied and otherwise gadded about with snowy, winter outdoor activities. I hope to share a painting update Sunday a

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

Search This Blog