Old and Bold

I'm on a bit of an enforced break at the moment where sitting all day slumped over a painting table is not the best of ideas. So I'm doing a number of those 'always meant to do' jobs but its astonishing how quickly hoovering (or vacuuming, take your pick) becomes boring. Today's task has therefore been to edit some of my old picture files. I thought I'd post up some of the better examples from over the years - actually all of them are from the 21st century so perhaps they are not that old or bold.

I was very pleased with these Normans from Crusader Miniatures. Nice chunky figures with good detail and at the time I had an urge to build up a shieldwall collection. Enthusiasm ran out so I ended up trying to sell them on eBay where I was on the end of a really infuriating sting. Essentially I got nothing for them so if you should ever see them on a bring & buy or wargames table near you just poke the owner in the eye from me and call him a thief. Yes, it still rankles.

My first Flames of War effort. I found this in a model shop in Vienna and had never heard of Battlefront but the models looked great. And still do I must add. I've never taken to gaming with these figures as the BF style of solid lines of armour engaging at point blank range offends my purist eye. I much prefer a bit of distance between figure stands where the terrain is more empty than full. To each his own. The model shop was something else too. Figures were a sideline - they mostly went in for RPG costumes and associated literature and props. It was rather wierd and in a hobby full of wierdos the fantasy lot are the wierdest. I was once at Salute and overheard two 'types' arguing over the merits of an invisibility blanket one purported to be wearing. Harmless fun I hope.

A giveaway from Wargames Illustrated when they did that sort of thing. Stapleford Cotton apparently, British cavalry commander under Wellington. I put this in as an homage to Kevin Dallimore as I shamelessly copied his colour shceme for the sample figure shown in the magazine. Back in the day his innovative style took figure painting to a new level and I felt (rather self importantly) that the result was pretty good. Whilst I am name dropping I once met KD at a wargames show. I was admiring some Napoleonic Rifles that were on the Front Rank stand and asked the owner how he got such a fantastic matt finish on the figures.'You can ask the painter' he said and pointed to a long haired chap who patiently took the time to explain the technique and then offered to send me a copy of an article he had written for Practical Wargamer (I think) and later on in the week it duly arrived by post. I always meant to write and offer my thanks but shamefully never did. It was a great gesture from a very kind man and I have always remembered it. If its any consolation I did buy his Foundry painting book a few years later so I hope the royalties helped. Kevin, if you should ever read this then many sincere belated thanks