Paul von Stollen Is Finished. . .

And just in time, since Birthday #12 is just three days away. I give you General Paul von Stollen ab und zu Hasenpfeffer!

As explained in my previous post, the combination of a Russian general with Prussian officers is unorthodox, but von Stollen (in Russian green) is of Baltic German extraction and currently in the service of The Grand Duchy of Stollen (in Prussian blue). An inveterate trickster, he thumbs his nose at the czar in nearby Saint Petersburg by continuing to wear his Russian uniform.

This was an especially fun vignette to paint! Three coats of gloss yesterday and the groundwork last night after the Young Master's bedtime. However, I was in such a hurry to take, edit, and share photographs here that I neglected to take a large, soft brush to brush off stray bits of the Woodland Scenics turf material from the figures.

As always, I have spotted a few tiny areas, looking at the photos, that need some final touch-ups. But that will take only a few moments, then we're done, and Bob's your uncle.

Next up, a two-gun battery of Russian artillery for Young Master Paul's Christmas gift.

-- 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!

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...

Happy September 2nd!!!

T his weekend, the question of what, precisely, constitutes an "imagination" came up in an online forum of which I am a part. To be fair, the issue originates from further afield in a Facebook group that I am not a member of, but I weighed in with my own view. The following was in response to the question posed yesterday (Sunday) morning by an exasperated member of my own rather more gentlemanly town square, who had been met with a strident response to information he shared about his (admirable) hobby activities on said FB group. Here is, more or less, what I wrote: To my mind, the concept of imagi-nation(s) is a broad one. It can range from historical refights or what-if scenarios/battles/campaigns between armies of a particular era, to completely made up combatants operating in a quasi-historical setting, to the rather generic red and blue forces of the Prussian Kriegspiel that examine a particular tactical problem, task, or exercise. ...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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