Skip to main content

A Mountain Is Really Just a Series of Small Hills. . .

The figures in question, looking not so very different from their last Kodak moment in August.  Isn't it funny how the figures seem like lifeless blobs of metal and paint for so much of the painting process?  At some point, however, there will be one key step completed that breaks the back of a project and makes them spring to life.  Hopefully, I'll get there before too much longer.


Or so went the wisdom in the war adventure Snow Treasure (1967), a film adaptation of the Marie McSwigan novel by the same title, all about secret efforts by Norwegian school children to transport gold bars out of the country following the German invasion of Norway in April 1940. 

A mountain (large task) is really just a series of small hills.  This is how I prefer to think of figure painting , especially during those times when progress slows down to a glacial pace.  

And so the small painting hill yesterday (Saturday) afternoon and again in the evening was to do the black leather stocks around the men's necks, apply Ral Partha 'Leather Brown' to riding breeches, the long waistcoats that peek our from beneath the black cuirasses, and the same color to the riding gauntlets.  Following the Young Master's bedtime, I returned to highlight these same areas sparingly with the same color lightened with white.

This is where things are this (Sunday) morning.  Still not much to look at, but we're getting there slowly and steadily with the second squadron of my composite unit of SYW-era horse grenadiers in bearskins.  

If life is kind today, and I can get through planning for tomorrow's two classes, I'll grab a small brush and that medium-dark gray I am so fond of to apply sparing highlights to the toes of riding boots, sword scabbards, and cuirasses.  Cross your fingers!

-- Stokes

Comments

Looking very good Stokes, this is one of my favourite figures from RSM.

Popular posts from this blog

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!

Taking Stock Part II: The (As Yet) Unpainted but Planned OOB. . .

  Two companies of Reichsarmee grenadiers painted back in 2017 or 2018.  Minden Austrians of course. A lovely early autumn day here in the grand duchy.  Bright sunshine and a light breeze with cool temperatures will make for some very pleasant late afternoon lawn mowing in a little while.  But first a bit more discussion of painting plans for the future. Last time, I looked back at the various and sundry units, support troops, and civilians that I've managed to paint in the last 17 years as the Grand Duchy of Stollen project has developed.  So today, let's look into the seemingly bottomless Drawer 'o' Lead to my left for a clue to the new direction.  Be forewarned, it's not going to be a quick job getting everything painted and based, but there we are. The following plans are based on the pile of unpainted figures already here.  Any future purchases will be limited to small things that might be needed to fill out the envisioned units (the odd few officers mounted o

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 a