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Showing posts from June, 2020

Battle for the North Gate with Phil Harding - Lockdown Lectures

Happy Waterloo Day. . .

The Royal North British Dragoons and some members of the 92nd Highlanders  get stuck in with the French on the fateful day in June 1815.  I believe that's the eagle and standard of the 45th Line off to the left. L ately, lots of lawn, garden, and real life -- in the form of recasting existing courses for online delivery come September -- getting in the way of any appreciable toy soldiering, but there we are as Bertie Wooster might put it.  When I have been able to escape the computer and online training, it's been lots of marigolds, Begonias, Hostas, and edging of beds with the spade.  And then there is the grass, which must bee mowed twice a week to stay looking ship shape.  It's been pretty dry since mid-May though, so it's no longer as lush and green as ear;ier in the spring.  No amount of organic fertilizer  or biochar seems to help with summer dormancy during drier periods. But enough of all that suburban dad stuff!  At the painting desk, I have been adding very da

Dragoon Mounts Step 4.0 Bits and Buckles Finished at Last!

The obligatory close-up, which shows some of the metallic bits nicely. T he last two evenings, after back-breaking garden games (edging beds with a spade and removing the cut sod), online course development for the fall, with the usual family and real life stuff, I've managed to get my seat back into the painting seat to wrap up the metallic bits.  I used silver acrylic for the bits, but oil-based gold for the tiny buckles since I really wanted them to catch the light and sparkle a bit given their small size.  So, the herd of 36 horses is nearing completion, and it's time to begin tackling the 36 dragoons themselves.  Although I am toying with the idea of sparing dark gray highlights on some of the horse tack.  I know, I know. . . -- Stokes And the entire herd.  You've got to look very closely, but the bridle buckles and bits are all there.

Step 3.75 Basic Tack (Almost) Done. . .

Two shots from different sides of the monster herd of horses with basic tack almost finished except for the tiny, shiny metal bits and buckles. J ust about finished with the horses for the planned large Austrian dragoon regiment of three squadrons.  Only tiny metallic bits and buckles to dab on the bridles now, which shouldn't take too long relative to all of the various straps and belts.  Whew!  Still, not quite a month since I began these, which isn't bad at all for yours truly given my typically laid back approach to painting output these last several years. -- Stokes