Enjoying Painting Once Again. . .

Not much to look at so far, and I've violated my "Fleshtone First" step, but I am very pleased with the Charcoal Gray highlight on the black areas. Not too much, but just enough difference from the straight black.

A wee bit of painting progress the last week or so on the first platoon of eight privates, a few drummers, and a couple of officers. This time around, I am playing with the order in which I do things and trying to resist the urge to apply too much highlight color to the blacks, blues, and reds.

On that note, I've found a very nice dark 'Charcoal Gray' acrylic that seems to provide just the perfect highlight for black leather and cloth of various kinds. Less silvery than the Zinc used in the past. See what you think.

On the technical end of things, I've been using larger #4 round brushes for much of the painting so far. Another one with a not so good point and a new one with a very good point where more precision is called for.

Anyone else find that the longer you paint figures, the less very tiny brushes have been necessary? The last few years, much of my brushwork has been done with #4 and #6 rounds with #1, #2, or #3 rounds used for very small details like buttons or decorations on the chests of mounted officers.

Of course, it could just be that I'm painting nominally 30mm figures now instead of the true 15s of years gone by, but even so.

When I was a young, callow figure painter 40 or so years ago, I thought that teeny-tiny brushes were the thing. And, of course, that meant that painting even a single figure took forever. But it need not be that way!

The figures are, of course, slated to become the Schaumburg-Lippe-Bückeburg Infantry.

If I am not too worn out after a day putting down new mulch, trimming missed spots around several beds, and taking care of a few other things outside for The Grand Duchess, I'll get back to these this (Sunday) evening and take care of the red neck stocks and fleshtone before possibly moving on to the facings and turn-backs.

-- Stokes

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

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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