Shaking Off the Post-Holiday Lethargy. . .

A before photograph of the somewhat messy painting table here in Zum Stollenkeller.

Ok, no painting last night, so let the mockery and derision begin! However, as you know, it can be very hard to get anything accomplished when the painting table is in disarray. With that in mind, I did manage to clear a few things away that remained from the pre-Christmas wooden truck project. I next moved the Austrian/Saxon, Continental, and Grand Ducal family vignettes out of the way, so that I can concentrate my attention and efforts on the remaining English and Prussian general officer vignettes.

I remember writing somewhere in the last few years that, to keep the painting flames hot, it can be extremely helpful not to have tons of unpainted figures cluttering up the painting table. To my mind, it can be disheartening when you have a huge painting task fully visible before you. Why risk painter's block (a cousin of writer's block) after all? Far better to break a painting project down into more manageable bits, put some things to one side for a while, and tackle things in manageable stages. That's the theory at least.

So, maybe not quite so much mockery and derision from the virtual peanut gallery this morning? ;-) Let's see what transpires this evening.

An after photo once things were put away and neatened up. Ah. . . . Now let's get those painting fingers warmed up.

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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