Glossing Over a Few Final Things. . .

The Minden Bosniaks mid-glossing, after the first coat. Hmmm. Mid-glossing. Sounds like a village just up the road from Badger's Drift on Midsomer Murders.

Well, we are nearing the end of the Bosniak tunnel at last. I've spent the afternoon applying the first coat of acrylic gloss with #3 and #5 rounds. Pretty spiffy if you'll pardon my saying.

As always, gloss varnish makes the colors pop even more. I am especially pleased with the black kaftans highlighted in very dark blue, the red with scarlet highlights, and the horse coats. Not quite Doug Mason ca. 1983, but they'll work well enough for me.

What's that? About 800 Minden Austrian dragoons thundering toward the painting table, you say? Come, come now. It's really just 36 riders and horses to paint. There will be times, I am certain, where it FEELS like 800 of them.

Ok. Enough chit-chat, everyone. Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. Chaaaaaarge!

-- Stokes

An Easter Sunday P.S.
A second coat of acrylic gloss was added earlier this afternoon, the figures above now look like little jewels, and they have been placed carefully in one of the large plastic storage tubs in which I keep the painted figures. I think a small game with The Young Master might be in order next weekend. We'll see what he thinks about it. In the meantime, 36 Minden horses stand ready for base-coating over on the painting bench. Stay tuned. The painting insanity is about to begin. Yes, I know. I've come completely unhinged.

The Eventual Anhalt-Zerbst Regiment. . .

The Anhalt-Zerbst regiment musters in the drill square to sort themselves into platoons and companies during the coming weeks Fall maneuvers if you will. A large dose of real life the last few days with the start of classes next Monday, various preparatory meetings, and finishing up a few other things this week. But, I managed to sort out 60 or so Minden Austrian infantry from the pile and get 'em stuck to temporary painting bases. Must carefully drill out the hands of several NCOs for flagpoles and pole arms this weekend before the usual basecoat. I'm thinking of mixing the usual white gesso with the usual light gray to kill two birds with one stone so to speak. Applying both base- and undercoat in one fell swoop as my grandmother used to say. In the meantime, the recently finished squadron of Saxon cuirassiers has been placed carefully in one of the clear acrylic boxes on my shelves until I have the suitable flag to affix. -- Sto...

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!

And It's the End of September!!!

Saxony's Ploetz Cuirassiers, an illustration lifted from the Kronoskaf website, which has thus far guided my spectacularly glacial painting of 30 28mm Eureka Saxon cuirassiers purchased all the way back in October 2016. A gray, cool Saturday here in Mid-Michigan with rain in the forecast. The Grand Duchess is away at a conference, so it's just "The Boys" here at home. The Young Master (almost 15) has retreated to his room for something or other following breakfast while I have stolen back down here to Zum Stollenkeller (masquerading as my office) with a second mug of coffee and both cats comfortably ensconced nearby. Enjoying the late morning and still in my pajamas! Not much planned for today beyond designing a couple of promotional flyers for workshops my department is presenting (small parties we will throw?) in October and November. With maybe a bit of on the next podcast script. More important, I am toying with the idea of returning for an hour or...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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