The Grand Duchy of Stollen

An unretouch ed image of the next three batche s of eventual camp followers as they near completion. S pent a lovely three hours or so painting this Easter Weekend Saturday afternoon, tinkering with shades of paint and washes in the eternal attempt to get things just right.  Not sure that I ever will of course, but these aren't half bad.  Just a few more small things to attend to tomorrow afternoon, and then it will be time to return to that large vignette of working girls , attended to by the rather pious-looking Black Hussar Lutheran pastor who attempts to save their souls. So far, the most time consuming part of all this has had to do with the white aprons and blouses, and shirts.  It's an inexact science, but I have been starting with a gray undercoat lately and then  follow with several washes of white, taking care to let the gray show in the deepest folds.  After several washes (three, our, or five), I finish by applying pure pigment to the highest areas.  Beyond

The first four camp followers, nearing completion after a pleasant 90-minute painting session last night. D uring our recent Spring Break vacation, which ended one loooong week ago now, I worked like a madman to begin basic painting on about 20 camp followers produced by various manufacturers.  Yesterday evening, I pulled out the first batch of four to add some detailing and clean up a few tiny things.  Here are the results complete with a tray of food, frothy beer, pewter mugs, and a couple of eating utensils on the tray.   I still need to tone down the white eyebrows on the menacing barkeep at left and  carefully edge in his shirt collar now that I look at it, plus paint in the hair and ponytail on the loafing chap at far right, but I'm calling these almost done.  Time's a waistin', and I need to get on to the next four.   The figures here include three by Reaper Miniatures and one old Suren/Willie at right, who will get a small table on which he runs a shell ga

  Half of the planned camp followers from various manufacturers, including Reaper, Black Hussar, Suren/Willie, and Minden/Fife & Drum. The other half, including a scratch-built, Ian Weekly-inspired suttler's tent.   W hile the painting and modeling muse is here, I thought that I would share just a few photographs of coming attractions here at Totliegh-in-the-Wold.  After a second coat of acrylic gesso, the various camp followers are destined for a wash of alkyd oil fleshtone in the appropriate places, to be followed by various subdued colors for their garments.  Lots of browns, tans, navy blues, dark greens, with white blouses/shirts.  Except in the case of the painted ladies confronting the Black Hussar Lutheran pastor of course!  They have already received some rather more colorful attire in keeping with their professional activities. -- Stokes Gotta strike while the painting iron is hot.  Here are the last 19 RSM95 figures for that 80-figure composite regi

Two shots of the freshly glossed Sachsen-Coburg contingent.  Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but they don't look half bad from about two-three feet  away.  Just the final 20 to do now, and then the 80-figure regiment is DONE.  Whew! W ell, little by little as the great Robert Plant once sang on one of his early 80s solo albums.  Here they are with the first coat of acrylic gloss still wet.  I'll apply the second, faster coat tomorrow.  This evening, I've got a bunch of civilian camp followers to apply a basecoat or two of white acrylic gesso to.  Giddy up!  Hopefully, more of my Litko bases will arrive this week, -- Stokes P.S . Thank you for the kind words, everyone.  The infantry standards come ori gina lly from a blog I stumbled onto a few yea rs ago called The Torgau Project (a very interesing 6mm SYW project) wher e I saved them o nto my computer for future use.  More recently, the pdf was resized down to 31mm square (roughly the height

In lieu of a model soldier picture, here is a photograph of the lovely view I had yesterday morning about 8:15 while walking across campus on the way to a professional development seminar, which actually turned out to be pretty interesting.  So far, that's two really good ones in the space of a month.  This could become a trend if we aren't careful. A nother cold, slightly snowy one this morning, the first Saturday of our nine-day Spring Vacation here at Totleigh-in-the-Wold.  The Grand Duchess is breakfasting quietly in the dining room, the Young Master is building something quietly with his Legos upstairs, and I am down here in Zum Stollenkeller Mk. II with a mug of coffee and a cat or two.  High time to return to those two stabdards for my large battalion of Ernestine Sachsen Infantry.  With any luck, my Litko bases will arrive in the mail today, or Monday, and I will be able to begin preparing those for mounting the figures.   On that note, I've worked out an acc