Day 4

As stated yesterday, the Confederate cavalry were under the brush today. I took a few 'in progress' photos which will be up tomorrow or the day after.

Ironic that I bought these figures at Salute and then forgot about them until the grand tidy up the other day. 6 months later I paint them up and what do you know? Peter Pig release new sculpts! So the troopers painted today will have some reinforcements coming sonn, possibly from Warfare if I cna get down there.

I have so far painted 225 pts in 4 days which is alot in anyones book. My painting method is quick and dirty, getting alot of figrues onto the table in as short a space of time as possible.

A quick 101 on my method (I've stated this before but sometime ago)

1. Stick your unpaiinted figures to something to hold whilst under the brush. This can be the whatever you will be basing them on such as the plasticard bases I use from Peter Pig or else lollipop sticks or even bits of cardboard, old paint pots or corks from wine bottles. Anything so that you dont have to get your greasy fingers on the paint job before varnishing the figure.

2. Basecoat your figure in the predominant colour. Thats right no black or white undercoat. So Union troops get something similar to Ultramarine blue painted directly onto the bare metal.Get into all the nooks and crannys. Leave to dry or if in a hurry use a hairdryer on cool setting to speed up the drying process.

3. Detail next. The Confederate cavalry I have painted today had various bits picked out in browns and greys. I'm talking about belts ammo pouches and straps. Also because I like my rebs looking 'reb like' I give them different coloured hats and trousers. In fact I base coated half in a light grey and the other half in 'Kommando Khaki'. The trick is to use colours lighter than you might otherwise using more traditional painting methods. Also one of the advantages of my style is that you dont have to be too precise. The odd slip when painting straps or belts will be covered up in the next stage.

4. Dip! I use Army Painter strong or dark tone which I paint on using an old brush. Others advocate various woodstains like Ronseal or else 'Future' or 'Kleer' acrylic floor varnish with ink or paint mixed into it. The GW washes such as Devlan Mud and Ogryn Flesh also have a similar effect. Black Hat Miniatures have a product called 'Super Shader' which I think is acrylic based although I have not had good results using it so far. Which ever suits your eye or your pocket cover the figure and leave to dry.

5. Varnish using a spray sealant such as GW's Purity seal or a polyurethene varnish that you paint on.

Prior to discovering this method of painting I would undercoat black and then build up each colour in a couple of layers highlighting as I went. Yes the figures looked nice when held close up but boy was slow! I might paint one unit of 20 odd figures in a week. And the benefits of those highlights that were evident when held under your nose were somewhat lost when seen from gaming distance of 3 feet or more once on the tabletop.

I am a gamer very much first. If I could afford to have the amount of figures I want painted done by a professional I wouldn't hesitate in getting them done. I often wonder what I would have done first should my numbers ever come up on a Satruday night! Painting and modelling come a distant second in my hobby priority and yet its what I seem to do more than anything else. At least with my quick and dirty painting style I get through hundreds of figures rather than tens. Since starting painting like this last year I have painted more than ever before (despite a couple of long periods of absence for one reason or another.)

So I am a happy bunny. My figures will never win any competitions or plaudits for style but they are a good wargaming standard and beats having them sitting in a dark drawer never ot see the light of day.

Total today: 56 Total for the Week: 225

More soon.............