WIP: Continental Soldier

Good evening, everyone. I know what you must be thinking.....two posts in one day?! Crazy isn't it?

This is the figure shown in a previous entry, and I thought it was time to give some life to him. To paint this chap I tried something a little bit different, though, than I usually do for 28mm figures. Instead of simply painting over the base color with a layer coat, I drybrushed instead to help make the figure a bit grittier.

I used Mordian Blue and Screaming Skull as the base colors on the coat and trousers respectively. The regimental coat was then drybrushed with Regal Blue and Shadow Grey to give it a lighter, slightly faded look. I really liked how it turned out! For the trousers, I drybrushed Skull White on top of the base color, washed them in a dark grey, and then drybrushed a little more white. I'm not sure I like this quite as much, but I'll see when everything's done.

The skin, musket and accouterments need to be finished and the base needs to be detailed yet. But he's almost done!

Anyway, what do you all think? Comments are welcome and much appreciated!

Spray Primer PSA

Fellow modelers...please consider this a sort of public service announcement.

If you're tired of paying $15 for GW's brand of spray primer, I stumbled across an insanely cheap solution while visiting my nearby Home Depot. How cheap are we talking? About $0.97 per can of Quick Color. That's how cheap.

And since I left my primer in California on accident, I decided to stock up...

I tried it out on a figure and found that it worked really well. The only thing is that you have to press on the nozzle a bit harder than you do on the GW stuff....but for less than a dollar per can it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

Return & New Basing Technique

Hello once again everyone!

I apologize for the long absence, but things have been rather busy lately. About five months ago I moved from Los Angeles, California to Washington, DC in order to pursue my graduate degree. Between classes I have been working two rather awesome jobs at local historic sites, and volunteering my (limited) free time at another. But alas, the time to work on miniatures has been non-existent as a result.

Until now.

Granted, I still have a research paper to write and an exam to study for, but I figured that I deserved a little break after writing 30 plus pages in a five day period. (Sleep....what's that?)

Anyway, I've grown tired of flimsy, overly expensive plastic bases that do practically nothing in helping metal figures stay upright. So I recalled something my friend Ben had done with some of his figures: use fender washers. It weighs them down better and, as he says, adds a satisfying heft to the models. So I went to Home Depot after class yesterday and picked up a box of 100 1/4" x 1-1/4" washers.  While a bit pricey at $14, I figured it was cheaper than paying $45 (before tax) for 100 Games Workshop bases. Plus these washers are a bit larger and allow for more modelling on the base itself...which, for me, is half the fun in this hobby.

After getting home I dug into my bits box and pulled out a lone, unbased Old Glory Continental soldier. He looked a bit small on the washer initially, but things looked better as I started applying some coarse pumice gel. That stuff, by the way, is amazing for modelling purposes! It works great for 15mm, 25mm, 28mm....probably even 54mm too (though that's a scale I have no experience with).

Anyway, here's the result:

I'm resisting the urge to paint him up because, you know, I still have schoolwork and stuff to do. But I have some new painting techniques I want to try out before my a new set of figures arrive.

The new set? Here's a big hint....

¡Adios amigos y amigas!