Skip to main content

Getting there. . . Slowly, but surely. . .

Well, where in the world did June go??!! Another sunny, cool summer day here at Stollen Central. I’m enjoying a mug of coffee as I write this at 9:50am, pondering the things that need to be done (in real life) today as well as the next several weeks of painting, modeling, table construction, writing, etc. It’s not an altogether unpleasant task. ;-)

Did manage to sit down for 90 minutes or so last night with the battalion of Revell plastics I’m happy to report. Finished applying the white acrylic gesso base coat to the remaining dozen or so figures and began applying black undercoat to the first half of the unit, which was “gessoed” last week.

This time around, I decided to experiment a bit with the black undercoating and used my GW Chaos Black for the task, emulating Henry Hyde’s process with his Spencer Smith Von Eintopf regiment back in 2006. Happily, the GW paint is much thinner and has much better coverage than the Liquitex acrylic black that I’ve been using for the passed two years. In fact, the Chaos Black just seems to flow over the whole figure much more easily, drying with a nice, ever-so-slight sheen to it.

Use of the GW black makes undercoating with black much easier and faster than before, and I was able to treat 14 figures in this way in about 35 minutes last night. Happy day! Seriously though, one of the overlooked joys of figure painting is the constant tinkering with mediums and techniques. It’s really kind of fascinating as you consider, reconsider, and modify how you go about getting those figures ready for the table.

In any event, I’ll have the black undercoating finished by this evening and can begin applying GW Goblin Green to the figure bases, a nice way to start any new unit. This will have to wait until after our first Salsa dancing lesson this evening though. Yes, the Grand Duchess has signed us up for a six week course in Salsa dancing! Don’t tell her, but I’m secretly looking forward to it. ;-) OK men, I’ve got grass to mow and a newsletter to write. Wherever you are, be good and paint fast!

Comments

Bluebear Jeff said…
My, my, Stokes, you are a veritable "Renaissance Man" with all of your interests. Have fun (and report back to us).

Please also tell us how it feels to be working on plastic figures again after all of your metal figures.


-- Jeff
2:40 PM
Fitz-Badger said…
My thoughts exactly, Jeff. :-)

I'm curious, what does the gesso do compared to just base-coating with paint?
8:10 PM
Martin said…
Can an appearance on "So You Think You Can Dance" be lurking in your future?! The wargaming community waits with baited breath.

Yours,

Martin
8:58 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Here's an RSM Painting Update

Here's a picture illustrating my (S-L-O-W) progress with the second company of Stollen's Leib (Grand Duchess Sonja's Own) Grenadiers. You can see I'm doing things a bit differently this time, altering the painting process to keep it interesting basically. This evening, I'll do the white gaiters and, if that goes reasonably quickly, and time allows, the red breeches. Still lots to do, but I like the way these fine fellows are shaping up along side the completed 1st company that's standing in formation just off camera, to the left here. Until tonight then!
3 comments
Read more

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!
14 comments
Read more

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...
3 comments
Read more