A Little Saturday Afternoon Painting. . .

Two shots of the latest painting progress. The riders, horses, and limbers are about done. Just lots of harnesses and a hint of traces to wash in dark brown now along with girths and stirrup leathers followed by a couple of coats of gloss varnish and then the groundwork.

A couple of pleasant hours painting during the early afternoon today as the Young Master played nearby and occasionally wandered over to see what in the heck ol' Dad was up to. Only eight days left in July. Yikes! I'd better get cracking on these if I hope to make inroads on the six corresponding Prussian limbers, teams, and riders by mid-August. Just a little over a month from now, and the fall semester starts. Sigh.

A word on the brass buttons. I think, after many years attempting buttons, that I've finally worked it out. Use fairly small brush with a good point, like a #1 round, and barely touch the drop of paint to the raise areas on each casting. If you have not indulged in too much caffeine that day, the buttons will be highlighted by the barest hint of metallic color. I used acrylic hobby paint here, but dryer, stiffer oil colors would make this step even easier. I have also used the latter to do buttons in the past with equally pleasing results.

-- Stokes

Comments

Wellington Man said…

Painting draught horses is strangely soothing, is it not?

Top tip on the buttons. Regards, WM

3:34 PM

The Good Soldier Svjek said…

Read somewhere lately about using the pointed end of a cocktail stick to paint buttons, you jab the stick into the paint and touch the desired area - I have not tried it myself. Tony

4:00 PM

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!

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!

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...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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