Painting Figures

I am getting to work on my next two battalions of 15mm French, 12 figures per battalion. I have in the past painted brigades for Napoleon’s Battles at 24 figures each, and later, 32 figure battalions for Sam Mustafa’s Lasalle. For my new collection, I am painting smaller units for several reasons: they are quicker to paint, which encourages me to keep going; they require fewer figures, which allows me to use the odds and ends I have left over; and finally, they take less table space, which allows more room for maneuver. Large battalions look impressive on the table, but too many of them, and you end up with both armies wall to wall, and the only option is to charge straight ahead.

What I wanted to write about today however, is two methods I have used to mount figures for painting. The first method I have used since I began in 1989, which is to mount the figures on popsicle sticks or tongue depressors. The depressors are better than the popsicle sticks I began with, but they can still cause fatigue in the hand that holds the stick.

Some time in the late 1990s I was acquainted with a gentleman in San Diego named James Hansen, who was a beginner painter and avid wargamer. In his case, being a beginner was an asset, because he came up with the brilliant idea of gluing 4 popsicle sticks in a hashtag (#) arrangement. This makes for a comfortable, ergonomic handle for holding the figures for painting. I have used it ever since, at least for my 15mm figures, where mass production is the key.

For 25 mm figures, I fix them to 20mm washers, and I handle them individually. When I return to them, I should look into a form of wooden handle with rare earth magnets, or a medicine bottle with poster putty. I have read about some painters mounting their figures on roofing nails, so that they can rotate the figures to access all sides of each figure, but I am in the business of mass production of my battalions, and am fine with a few highlights and picking out those few details (like Shako cords) that really stand out.

What do you think? Do you have a favorite method of painting that you would like to share?

Quick and dirty (aka crappy) paint job + donated figures = mission accomplished

What have I been up to since my last post? A mix of board gaming, some miniatures gaming, a little painting, and wasting more time than I care to admit on The Miniatures Page. I must be more intentional as I consider the use of my time, as much as I consider what things to hold on to, from hobby projects to household goods, clothes, whatever.

Like many wargamers, I do lose enthusiasm for painting from time to time. But I find the best remedy for that is completing something. So I present for your enjoyment some completed WW2 Soviets. These were plastic Warlord figures donated to me by a close friend, apparently from a project he was no longer interested in. 

Rifle squad, including some LMGs and a sniper.

I started with a prime and base coat of camouflage color khaki from Walmart's camouflage spray paint line, followed by a dark wash. The rest of the figure was all about high-lighting, and painting a few details, ignoring others, and finishing off the bases. The faces I painted with a base coat of Ceramcoat Tomato red, followed by straight flesh. Usually I would mix some mid-tone between the two, but I think on these figures, simpler is best. Some details, like the chin straps on the helmets, I left unpainted.

Two of the figures are from the Wargames Factory line, which I believe are no longer available. I know that the Wargames Factory lines were bought out by Warlord Games, and their AWI figures are still available there, the WW2 figures are a superior design. The Wargames Factory would only be available from shops that carry leftover stock, or on eBay, but I would advise not bothering with them.

Assault Squad, armed with the PPSh

What I have learned from assembling these figures is that the best way to match weapons and arms is to dry-fit these pieces. First, place some glue on the right shoulder, and give it about 30 seconds to a minute for the plastic at this location to begin to dissolve; remember that "plastic cement" is a solvent for the model plastic. Then, attach the right arm. Once the right arm is set, then  dry-fit the weapon and the left arm. If the left arm doesn't fit, try a different left arm from the sprue. Glue the weapon into place on the right arm, and when that is set, glue on the left arm. 

I can use these figures in a game of "Flying Lead" or "Chain of Command". That is the beauty of individually-mounted figures. Best of all, since completing this project, I am once again enthused about painting the next thing. This will be more French battalions for DSLB.

Other Projects

Other things I have worked on in the last eight months include: painting some orcs from Reaper miniatures (which I can use for Song of Blades and Heroes), a dismounted Old Glory crusader knight (painted to match my mounted version of him), and two battalions of French for Drums and Shakos Large Battles. My next posting shall have to be why this is my game of choice for Napoleonic wargaming.

He can fight just as well without his horse!

The helmet on this figure is identical to the mounted figure, and so I matched the heraldry as best I could. In a future post, I must show how I paint shield designs and heraldic devices.

On the rear of the figure below, you can see how the mail coat and helmet look so like metal; that's because it is! I began work on the figure by polishing it with steel wool to a shine. Then I gave the figure a black wash, and polished it a second time time with steel wool.

After that, I primed the non-metallic parts of the figure with Liqui-Tex gesso, and painted these parts carefully. I received this tip from George Cavanaugh, a long-time friend of mine from San Diego. Of course, this method does not work with plastic figures!

 Here are the first of my French battalions for DSLB:

Line battalion on the left, Legere on the right. Some 5-7 of these comprise a brigade, and I need two brigades and a small reserve