Sapador escapes from Grey Army

[DaddyO]

Afternoon Planateers
Just finished this one which was bought on a whim (Napoleonics not being my regular choice). He loitered in the grey army ranks for a while being used for paint testing and the like - all that white putting me off. A few weeks ago I had a bit of spare time so he took a Dettol bath, was re-primed and moved to the head of the line

The figure is an Art Girona one dated 2008, 54mm (Although he's a big fella) Painted in acrylics; the face was re-done twice. Some of the paint is a bit over-worked, but hey ho he's finished and we'll move onto the next having learned a lot and had some fun with this one.

Toodlepip
Paul

 

[Viking Bob]

You have done a good job on this figure, now promoted to being painted. I will have to try this dettol bath thingy, as some of my grey army need a spruce up.
Nice paint work.
Bob

 

[DaddyO]

Cheers Bob

I've found Dettol a real help - I was painting faces after the rest of the figure was blocked in and of course if you then give 'em a cross eyed stare . . . No worries now though. A bit of Dettol carefully applied with an old brush and the paint comes off then it's off for a quick swill in water, dry and you're good to go again.

Paul

 

[peedee]

Hey Paul ,
Nice tidy job well done is that,
it's so good to see a line infantry sapeur, most people only do the guard and the dragoons.
Good groundwork too
Paul

 

[DaddyO]

Thanks Paul - Had a bit of a moment when I came to do the gaiters because one of the references I had showed them as white - in the end I stuck with black because I reasoned black would be more likely on campaign even if white was possible . . .

On the subject of groundwork one of the reasons I held off painting this one originally was the mixed messages of the figure; full bearskin, plumes etc but box art shows 'in the field' conditions. When I started painting I considered a cobblestone street for the groundwork, but in the end the lure of something a little more rustic held sway. The groundwork is primarily Das with road-dust, a forage in the garden produced a few twigs that might be suitable. I painted everything 'natural' with acrylics so the whole caboodle had a homogeneous feel.

Cheers
Paul

 

[peedee]

Black gaiters... Spot on, normal campaign dress apart from high summer

Plumes and cords..... I can imagine them being worn as much as possible except in really bad weather to be honest.

Groundwork, natural materials on top of a fabricated ground shape is going to look natural too.

So good judgement calls and a great result mate.

I hope you do some more of my favourite period.

Cheers Paul

 

[arj]

A neatly painted figure and nice groundwork.

Cheers,
Andrew

 

[Ybrossculpts]

Hi Paul, I'm glad you brought him out of retirement and have him a job, I'm sure he's feeling all the better for it. Great job!
Regards
Chris.

 

[DaddyO]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

It's funny how you can lose and then re-discover 'the spark' with a figure.
If it's not there, painting can be a bit routine, but spot a reference or read a passage in a book or discover a small previously unseen detail and that little spark fires up which has you reaching for the paintbrushes at every opportunity driving you onwards 'till your work is done.

Paul

 

[pmfs]

Hi Paul!

I like what you did specially the groundwork.

Cheers,
Pedro.

 

[DaddyO]

Cheers Pedro - lots of fun (And I now have a nice big pile of suitable twigs. Just need to sort out some woodland figures . . . )

Paul