Wargames Soldiers & Strategy issue 55

Issue 55 of Wargames Soldiers & Strategy is featuring a number of Grand Manner Medieval Buildings in the Richard Lloyd article Making movement trays that blend into the tabletop. The masters for these buildings were built by me some time ago and it is great to see such finely painted examples being featured on the pages of this magazine.

The article discusses the merits of these subtle or diorama like movement trays and how to build them. The premise has been written about by a number of modellers and is a modelling project that I have thought about a number of times. In particular to base my Flintloque Dwarves for use with a Slaughterloo derivative that uses whole regiment movement trays and regimental bases to fight The Dwarven Great Sauerkraut War.

Tony

40mm Skeleton Work-in-Progress part four

With the skeleton painted it was onto finishing the base. The base is painted in the same technique but different colours to my usual Flintloque bases.

Photo One - I have started with a couple of thinned base coats of an acrylic paint from Dulux called Antique Pine.

Photo Two - the same base with a'wash' of Sepia from Games Workshop.

Photo Three - Highlighted with the Antique Pine and some Skull White. Notice how I have added additional washes to the area around the skeletons feet.

Photo Four - The varnished and flocked base. I have varnished the whole figure and base with Ronseal Toughcoat Gloss Varnish then once fully dry two coats of Galleria Acrylic Matt Varnish.

I have used three types of scatter of flock to give a parched effect base which were in turn added over uPVA glue.

Photo Five - A second image of the finished model, this time taken from above and showing the finished base.

Photo Six - A little bit of fun! The emerging skeleton was based on a broken model which I have half buried in Milliput otherwise the models were painted in the same way.

Photo Seven - The finished Warband. Seven 'full' skeletons, one half emerged and two with just arms and weapons breaking through. You can 'click' on any of the images for a better view.

All of the Spartan Games, Myth miniatures came with large round shields but I have decided to equip just three with shields and keep the rest in my 'spares' box.

And now I really must get a band of human Hoplites finished.

Tony

A Dwarf Lager - A terrain building article on Barking Irons

My latest Modelling Masterclass is a 'scratch built' wooden storehouse or Lager. Full details of construction and painting can be found at Barking Irons

These three images show the finished Lager, but there are more (many more) included in the Barking Irons Masterclass The Dwarf Lager - a 28mm Storehouse

I've enjoyed building and painting this and other Modelling Masterclass articles for BIO and as Craig hints at, the next is How to build a Larrey Ambulance for Flintloque. I will include details on this Blog once the article is released. As always, comments are very welcome.

Tony

40mm Skeleton Work-in-Progress part three

Following on from part two - I have set out in photos how I finish the skeleton painting. A technique which is very quick, but I hope you agree effective.

Photo One - Shows some additional highlighting on the bones. Mainly pure Skull White applied with a fine pointed brush.

Photo Two - The first 'wash'. I have used a plastic card palette and mixed Thraka Green and Leviathan Purple from Games Workshop in equal parts to produce a dirty grey colour. Then diluted it with some distilled water and liberally brushed it on with a medium size brush. It is better to add layers rather than trying to do this all in one go.

Photo Three - The wash has both highlighted and aged the bare skeleton without obliterating any of the detail.

The axe handle is a mix of Stonewall Grey from Vallejo and Snakebite Leather from Games Workshop. While the axe head was built up over Beastial Brown with a mix of Games Workshop metalics. The final highlight was a small touch of Hot Orange from Vallejo.

Photo Four - The groundwork was first painted a very pale cream - actually a tester pot of acrylic paint from Dulux - Antique Pine. I have a number of these pots and keep them specifically for basing. It is my intention that should I ever get around to building a Typhon gaming board I will use this Dulux paint as the base colour.

Photo Five - A wash of Gryphonne Sepia from GW.

Photo Six - A highlight of first Legionnaires Flesh/Skull White and then a second highlight of pure Skull White drybrushed onto the stones.

I decided not to add the rather large Hoplite shield that comes with the figure, preferring to have this particular skeleton lightly armed.

There you have it, my recipe for painting skeletons. In the next instalment I will detail my varnishing regime and how I finish off the bases.

Tony

Martian Skiff in 28mm now available

Some time ago I worked on the master for a Martian Skiff in 28mm. The model is now available from Lead Bones for $20.00.

These two images were taken from the Lead Bones Blog site. Photo One - Shows the constructed resin and metal model with a selection of 28mm VSF/Martian themed miniatures.

Photo Two - Is a breakdown of the multi-part model.

It took a great deal of self-control not to add hundreds of rivets to the front control housing! Although now that I have seen the finished casting, I think it was the right decision. I look forward to seeing a painted example.

For more information, go to this link and for examples of a painted Skiff go to this link

Tony

40mm Skeleton Work-in-Progress part two

On to the painting proper.

Once the grey basecoat has fully set, I started on the main bone colour. I painted the whole miniature with a very old pot of Games Workshop Bubonic Brown leaving some grey to show through in the shadows. To get an even finish, I used two watered down coats rather than one thick coat and a large soft acrylic brush.

My next or first highlight was Legionnaire Flesh from the now defunct company Warzone. I highlighted most of the main skeleton with a fine pointed GW brush allowing a great deal of Bubonic Brown to show through.

The second highlight is Legionnaire Flesh and Vallejo Dead White (25/75 split) highlighting just the upper and exposed bones. I have used a fine pointed GW brush. Before this photo was taken I have used a third highlight - this time pure Dead White to define the skull, pin-highlight details like the knee-bones and the hands.

In part three I will show how I have 'washed' this skeleton.

Tony

40mm Skeleton Work-in-Progress

Continuing with my Greek Mythology or Typhon themed modelling/painting project I am going to paint yet another Spartan Games 40mm Skeleton.

Before starting with the paintbrush, I cleaned up the model with a new scalpel blade and removed the most prominent flash and mould lines. I also 'sharpened' the axe blade which on the original was a bit too chunky and blunt.

I have commented in my earlier entries that I find the Spartan Games Skeletons a little to thin (if it is possible to have a too thin skeleton) and have thickened up some of the more flimsy limbs with superglue. I apply a small amount of thick or gel type superglue with a cocktail stick and then use accelerator. I have used this technique in layers until the bones look thick enough and I am happy with the strength of the casting.

The miniatures metal base is first trimmed and then mounted onto an old or Sterling 1D/1d Penny which are easily picked up at antique shops in the area or on e-bay. They make idea bases for these figures being slightly larger than traditional or modern UK 2p coins and the weight makes these gaming miniatures very stable. The groundwork is built up from Standard Milliput and further texture added by sprinkling fine sand or sieved stones over uPVA glue.

I have used a cheap grey primer as my basecoat, just £1.00 a can in Poundland. Any bits I miss with the spraycan are touched up with grey acrylic paint and a large paintbrush.

Photo One - Shows the primed Skeleton all ready for some paint. You can click on the image for a larger view.

The image is taken indoors using natural light and a simple pale blue shirt as a background. My camera is a trusty (if a little dated) Minolta Dimage Z1, just 3.2 mega pixels, but equipped with a great close up or Macro function which is ideal for taking photos of miniatures.

In the next instalment I will detail my base or main bone colour mix.

Tony