Brunswick Grenadier Painted

Painting this figure was quite a challenge but lots of fun. Patience was key in getting the ticking on his overalls straight and even, a process which took atleast 5 hours to paint.

I used Don Troiani's studies as a guide for the front plate of the mitre cap but the rear will have to be a work- in- progress, as there wasn't a clear picture to go by. I went through Osprey titles, that featured Prussian soldiers at the time of the Seven Years War, and still could not find a clear design to use. This also would have been of no use as grenadier companies in each regiment had a different design.

Brunswick Grenadier SBS

1. This figure was inspired by a figure in Don Troiani's "Breymann's Redoubt".

The armature is paper clips straightened and cut to size. Shoes (sculpted by G. Dombrowski) are commercial castings. The head is from Hornet's 1/32 scale range.

2. Armature filled out then "scored" with an X-Acto knife when the putty was 80% cured. This scoring will help additional applications of putty bite into the surface.

3. Overalls sculpted. Sling, turnback flap and mitre cap front added then left to cure. Belt and vest was also added at this time.

4. Turback flaps added and upper vest filled.

Note I penciled in the shape of the mitre cap.

5. Mitre cap back filled with first layer of putty and scored.

6. Body filled out w/ more putty.

7. Second layer of putty added to mitre cap. I do this in layers to ensure the putty cures properly. And by using small amounts of putty will hopefully prevent me from cracking or breaking the cured flap by the constant pushing of putty.

8. Third layer of putty added.

Final coat will be added later.

9. Mitre cap carved and sanded down to my liking. Turnbacks and pockets added.

10. Finished figure. The cartridge box flap was made with a mixture of 50% Aves and 50% Kneadatite. Using flatened Aves alone is very brittle when cured, so I use kneadatite to help ensure it's pliable.

11. Rear view. The putty used for the hair and buttons is fromm the same batch as the cartridge box flap.

12. Side view. I added a small rip in the seam of his jacket.

"My share of the spoils!"is finished! This piece has been my most satisfying mounted figure to date. "Men of Arkansas" by Don Troiani, which depicts Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, was the inspiration for this figure.

I'm really pleased how the saddle blanket trim turned out. Painting the General's initials intertwined was a easier than it looks. I used very diluted paint for this, with several layers of build-up to make the design surface smooth and consistant. A steady hand helped too!

Colors (all Vallejo) used:
Base-921 English Uniform and 801 Brass. I use brass to give the trim a sheen.
Highlight-801 Brass and 913 Yellow Ochre
I used Beige (don't know #) in spots to help make it "pop".

"Not a Man Wavered" was probably my most rewarding piece this year. It not only helped me overcome a modeling phobia of depicting figures in full motion, but also having two of them being connected together and having the composition work to my liking.

This particular vignette depicts soldiers of the 1st Minnesota at the Battle of Gettysburg on the evening of July 2nd, 1863. Ordered forward by Major General Winfield S. Hancock in a desperate attempt to check the advancing Confederates, Col. William Colvill and 261 men of the 1st, with fixed bayonets, charged across 300 yards of open field and stopped Wilcox Alabama Brigade cold! Exchanging volleys with the Confederates at forty yards the little band of gallant men were finally overlaped and pushed back. With this charge, Hancock was able to bring up fresh troops to stop the advance and save that part of the Union line.

Projects done over the year.

More paint...

The Alamo...with paint.

The Alamo

I don't like to have too much on my plate but this is a commission that has to be finished by the MFCA show in May 2007. I've been working on this, off and on, for a few months now. It's about 30% complete. I don't own an airbrush so it's ALL being painted by hand. Surprisingly going quicker than I thought!

Here's a pic of the entire chapel before priming. It's 25mm in scale.

Another View

Closer Picture of Johnston

General A.S. Johnston Painted

Here he is painted. All acrylics. Painting the grey of his coat was not as tough as I thought it be.

I used 5 different shades of grey. Base coat 870 (all Vallejo unless noted) Medium Sea Grey. Shadows 991 Dark Sea Grey and 867 Dark Blue Grey. Highlights 990 Light Grey and 986 Deck Tan. These were all used in varied ratios until blended to my liking.

Chasseur a' Pied, 1870

This figure was inspired by an Alphonse de Neuville study.

Figure built using Aves and Kneadatite w/ a Hornet head.

Accessories used are from Bill Horan. Chassepot rifle from ICM.

Painted w/ acrylics. Yes, the shadow was painted on the base!

Current project- "My share of the spoils!"

General Albert Sidney Johnston at the Battle of Shiloh, April 6th, 1862.

Inspired by Don Troiani's "Men of Arkansas".

The figure depicts the General waving a tin cup snatched up from the Union camp which had been over- run early that morning. Shortly after pressing home another attack on the Federal line, the General was mortally wounded.

The figure is was built using a wire armature with Aves and Kneadatite epoxy putties filling out the body.

His horse "Fire-eater" is an Historex piece.

The figure is painted and the horse is in process.