I have been plowing on with the Celts (and the odd German) with what free time I have after work and at weekends. The more I have done, the more enthused I have been to carry on, hoping to get stuff finished so I can paint something other than b***dy Celts! 😐
I managed to tackle the remaining skirmishers, despite being in black undercoat, with the aid of a home made wet palette (I had forgotten how it was arranged and managed to get the kitchen roll and greaseproof paper the wrong way round and wondered why it wasn't working! 😖)
I also slapped some Contrast Paint on some Minifigs early Germans, with any left overs being slapped onto some Donnington. For the Germans, I went for muted natural colours and simple black or white shields.
They are sitting in a box awaiting varnish - I am resisting going back and adding shield designs to the Germans....
I also tackled some more Celts - the last bar command stands and a chariot and some camp followers. They were a bulk eBay purchase and on inspection were a mix of Forged in Battle and Old Glory 15s - the latter were bare metal and the former in black undercoat. The OG15s got cleaned up and primed white before Contrast Paint, Army Painter washes then tarting up with acrylics....
Still need metallics and final corrections.
I kept the Westwind in black and the few bits of colour. Both were short two figures each, so some old Tabletop figs made up the numbers....
This is the point at which I decided enough was enough - the paint was drying even on the wet palette! I'd also reached my limit before I would just make mistakes, despite trying to push on and get them finished. Part of the problem is that I have not enjoyed painting these figures; I may be simply burnt out on Celts, but I found both problematic - odd anatomy on the OG15s and poorly defined faces on the Westwind - I slogged my way through them, having to correct again and again and ending up with paint where I didn't want it (the design meant there were some tight areas) but it was becoming a chore 😖😔
By contrast, the old Freikorps 15 were a joy, loads of detail allowing washes or almost drybrushing on raised areas.
We seem to be in for another heatwave......😬😣
You've made some great progress, another heat wave will hamper painting efforts
ReplyDeleteThanks Neil.
DeleteIf it's as hot as they are forecasting next week, I think painting will be minimal. It was hard enough today!
Neil
Very good progress love the shields.
ReplyDeleteThank you. They are fiddly but I wouldn't trust myself with decals on 15mm!
DeleteNeil
Seeing light at the end of a tunnel is a great motivator unless the light is attached to an oncoming train with possibility of derailment.
ReplyDeleteYou continue making great progress.
Thanks Jonathan. I think this project has already been derailed! The great motivator is emptying the undercoated boxes!
DeleteNeil
Coming along very nicely indeed. Kudos for working through the heat.
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Thanks Alan. At times it has been a slog and occasionally frustrating. Early mornings and using Contrast Paint has helped.
DeleteNeil
They are looking good, but I sympathise on the slog of painting "barbarians". I hate painting irregular troops, give me a nice uniform any day. Barbarians on horses are even worse.
ReplyDeleteThanks Martin. Yes, painting the same colours on identical figures is easier, if a little boring. For irregulars, I find if you work with say three main colours and a couple of secondary, you can "mix and match" without the risk of the "purple tunic, orange trousers and green yellow shield" sartorialy challenged last figure....
ReplyDeleteCavalry have that additional element of the geegee......mine are mostly brown - burnt umber or sienna....
Neil
That's a great approach Neil—I have the same problem as Martin with irregulars. Another one that has helped me is to use pictures/paintings as the colour guide so as to avoid slipping into a 'uniformed' approach.
DeleteAND, despite drying paint and flagging enthusiasm your Celts look grand!
Best wishes, James
Thanks James. The other "cheat" is where you have identical poses which you intend to mix separate from each other on different bases, paint them the same. Just be careful you don't base them next to each other!
DeleteNeil
Nice looking selection of wonderfully painted figures.
ReplyDeleteWillz.
Thanks Willz. I'm probably as burnt out painting Celts as you are on medievals! ☺
DeleteNeil
Well worth battering through it all Neil, they look great, super work. The project is really taking shape, you must be glad that the Celts are drawing to a close though!
ReplyDeleteThanks Donnie. As much as I feel I could paint Celts in my sleep, I will be glad to paint something else, if only Germans!
DeleteI do think I need a change from ancients however.
Neil
Great progress on your colourful barbarians, they look great!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks Iain. The OG15 do look a bit bright (despite washes) but should tone down when based.
DeleteNeil
Your certainly getting through these Neil…
ReplyDeleteIt will be a fine collection when they are all finished…And we’ll worth the effort.
All the best. Aly
Thanks Aly. I think they will look impressive en masse; enough to make Caesar pale!
DeleteNeil
Great work, especially on the shields. Very eye-catching.
ReplyDeleteCan sympathise with you on the painting. I'm going to hold off doing anything until it gets cool. The only problem then is the lack of natural light.
Thanks Chris. This last batch, the OG15s especially, are rather dominated by the large shields (the rest being mostly flesh contorted into anatomically implausible positions) so I sort of felt obliged to do something with them. Some had very large flat shields.....
DeleteThe painting is probably on hold - the next couple of days are due to be really hot and work is busy so no energy or time after finishing slaving over a warm computer....
As long as it isn't cloudy I can normally find enough natural light...
Neil