Pages

Friday, 15 August 2014

2mm Grass Tufts (made to order).

2mm high WILDERNESS Mix regular shape Grass tufts - self adhesive.

One of the most interesting features of collecting and painting miniatures is trying to find a way to create realistic scenery or terrain for bases. I used to buy grass tufts, and found it was better to make them myself as I can get through a huge amount sometimes.

The tufts add an extra dimension to the miniatures and can be used in a variety of colours, a good mix I have found is 2mm Wilderness mix which can be used to depict grass & scrub from the dry summer highlands of Scotland to the dryer climate of the Mediterranean.
2mm Wilderness mix a good versatile choice for 15mm figures to 28mm figures.  
2mm wilderness mix closeup.
I've started to market these 2mm grass tufts through pjwalke@live.com also on ebay just search for Ebay seller ID: Lord_Jaggard

Each box contains at least 120 regular sized tufts which maybe torn in two as required. They are Self-Adhesive, just peel them off the backing and firmly push onto your miniatures base.


£5.50 each box, U.K. postage free, worldwide £3.69 (for 1 to 4 boxes)
PayPal payment to accepted through pjwalke@live.com

2mm wilderness grass tufts on a 28mm WW2 Fuel Dump.
Foundry Peltast with my 2mm Wilderness Grass tufts representing wild grass.
28mm Foundry Archer with 2mm Wilderness Grass tufts.
Specs:

Colour: WILDERNESS, grass/scrub, greens & brown mix as pictured. A Darker colour mix which can be used to depict summer dry grassland/scrubland/moorland/heathland from the Highlands of Scotland to the Mediterranean scenery. Perfect for Ancient to Modern periods.

Quantity: 1 box 160mm x 130mm x21mm containing approximately 120 grass clumps of regular size. Good for anything from 15mm to 28mm figures etc.

Description: Grass tufts/clumps using 2mm static fibres in a green WILDERNESS mix on self adhesive backing. just peel off and apply to your scenery to create interesting basing effects.

Also available:

2mm high DRY ARID Mix regular shape Grass tufts - self adhesive.

I've started to market these 2mm grass tufts through pjwalke@live.com also on ebay just search for Ebay seller ID: Lord_Jaggard

Each box contains at least 120 regular sized tufts which maybe torn in two as required. They are Self-Adhesive, just peel them off the backing and firmly push onto your miniatures base.

£5.50 each box, U.K. postage free, worldwide £3.69 (for 1 to 4 boxes)
PayPal payment to accepted through pjwalke@live.com


2mm DRY ARID Grass tufts great for 15mm to 28mm figures.
2mm DRY ARID Grass tufts closeup.
Specs:

Colour: DRY ARID, grass/scrub, greens & brown mix as pictured. A Darker colour mix which can be used to depict grassland/scrubland/moorland/heathland from the Dry Summer Highlands of Scotland to the Mediterranean scenery. Perfect for Ancient to Modern periods.

Quantity: 1 box 160mm x 130mm x21mm containing approximately 120 grass clumps of regular size. Good for anything from 1mm to 28mm figures etc.

Description: Grass tufts/clumps using 2mm static fibres in a green DRY ARID mix on self adhesive backing. just peel off and apply to your scenery to create interesting basing effects.


Saturday, 9 August 2014

Armies and Enemies of Louis the XIV - The Generals.

TheFrench-Dutch War 1672-1678.

TheGenerals...

This week I have been mostly eating carrots....(Jesse's diets c/o The Fast Show)

AND I managed to finish The Command bases for my French-Dutch War campaign. After purchasing eight mounted Officers and staff from the fantastic 'Front Rank miniatures' I put together one Dutch command vignette comprising a surprisingly portly William of Orange (the bloke who in my opinion saved England from yet another bloody civil war due his participation in the Glorious Revolution and in ousting king James II from power).

I think Front Rank's version of Prince William possibly suffers from a dose of gout
Prince William of Orange 1674 and ADC
AND I finished a command base of the French Marshal Turenne, his command vignette depicts him just prior to losing an argument with a cannon ball at the battle of Salzbach 1675.
Turenne 1675 (the moustaches were added by sculpting 'green stuff'.)
Turenne and ADC

I found a picture of Turenne at the battle of Turckheim 1675 riding a piebald horse, I thought it would make a change from the usual white charger most generals seem to be depicted riding.


Turenne seems to be grey haired by this time, so I thought his wig would be the same colour?!?

AND finished a command base of the French Grand Conde the general who saved Paris from the Allied advance at the battle of Seneffe in 1674...now this bloke actually died of gout...cool.

The Prince Conde 1674 (again green stuff was used for the moustache.)
both Conde and Turenne were present at the invasion of the United Provinces in 1672.

Conde and Aide de Camp

The ADC is a converted standard bearer, I just chopped the right arm off and re-sculpted it with 'green stuff' in a relaxed position.

The Generals vignettes were based on 75mm diameter round bases in accordance to 'Beneath the Lily Banners second edtion' rulset which I haven't play tested yet....or even read yet....I just looked the the pretty pictures...no really there are a lot of very nice pictures in it.

AND finished a Dutch Brigadier.

The small bush and grass tufts were made by me.
I need another two Dutch brigadiers

Again using the League of Augsburgs 'Beneath the Lily Banners 2nd ed.' it has a 50mm diameter base

AND finished a French Brigadier.
I need another two French brigadiers.
The rock is made from cork bark.
The bush was made by me, a box of 120 of these is available through this Blog.

I'm looking forward to using the Lily Banners ruleset kindly sold to me by a good customer of mine....I think that's what happened anyway....cheers Gareth (a.k.a. Raglan).

With the Generals done the French Dutch War campaign is now very close to starting.

Anyhow Cheerio for now,

Peter.

Saturday, 2 August 2014

Armies and Enemies of Louis the XIV and the Grand Alliance.

It's slack time at the Pickle Factory today :) so I thought I'd finish a Late 17th Century General Officer I started a week ago. Painted in Enamels, Oils and Acyrlics and varnished in Testors Dullcote varnish, it represents any General officer from the late 17th Century...so from the French Dutch Wars 1672-78 all the way to the Grand Alliance. So this could be French, German States etc.

I have this 28mm  miniature for sale on ebay at the moment. All funds raised will go to buying more figures, The Chasseur a cheval on the previous post was sold on ebay last week and the funds raised went to buying some 'Black Tree Designs' goblins, Coolio.

based on plasticard 25mm x 50mm with terrain effects, grass etc.

matt varnished with testors dullcote.
Manufactured by the world famous 'Front Rank miniatures' and painted by me at  theminiaturepaintingstudio@live.co.uk

ebay id: peterw3169 
item id: 121400367623

Anyhow, all the Best, Peter

p.s. I am available for commission work.


Wednesday, 23 July 2014

28mm Napoleonic French - Chasseur a Cheval

Just a quick note to show you a French Chasseur a Cheval I have for sale on ebay at the moment. All funds raised will go to buying more figures.
French Chasseur a Cheval

painted in oils, enamels & acrylics

based on plasticard 25mm x 50mm with terrain effects, grass etc.
The 4mm Grass Tufts used on the base are available from me at pjwalke@live.com just see my other post showing how to use them.
matt varnished with testors dullcote.

Manufactured by the world renowned 'Perry miniatures' and painted by me at  theminiaturepaintingstudio@live.co.uk

ebay id: peterw3169 
item id: 121392230471

Anyhow, all the Best, Peter


Saturday, 19 July 2014

28mm Ancient Thracian Commanders Base - The Peloponnesian Wars.

28mm Ancient Thracian Commanders Base:

At last I've started the Thracian Army for my Peloponnesian Wars campaign. All the command bases are 60mm frontage by 80mm deep to give me a chance to add a bit of character to the base.

Thracian general 'out on a jolly'.
Thrace was a bit of a wild country but the Thracians I'm trying to depict are those which were recruited to fight in the Peloponnesian War i.e. throughout mainland Greece.

 Visual guide to basing Thracian command vignette:


sandless pollyfilla smoothed onto the base.

Slate shards superglued on, the standing figure has been pinned to the slate. A hole was drilled through the slate.

sawdust and 2 grades of small rocks are PVA glued on.

Slate is very easy to work with and very easy to drill.

I thought about having the warrior in the green cloak stand on top of the rock, but half way up seems to have a more subtle effect.

sawdust added to the top of the rock. This will be painted a grass colour.

figures manufactured by Wargames Foundry

and painted by me at theminiaturepaintingstudio@live.co.uk

Not sure about the Thracian Army standard colour, I might repaint it red, black & white. 

Glue dried ready for the next stage: Painting the base.

I forgot to take pictures of the painting stages :) but the dirt is burnt umber oils mixed with tan enamel, then progressive lighter shades of the same colours mixed with yellow then white to give a gradual tonal effect. The grass was washed in green mixed with tan, then highlighted with the same green + tan mixed with yellow.

Finally testors dullcote matt varnish was sprayed over the whole vignette.

The slate was repainted in part in enamels where necessary




Oh and of course I've added grass tufts and a few flowering weeds which I produce, available through pjwalke@live.com

Anyhow, Cheers for now, Peter.

Wednesday, 16 July 2014

The Hundred Years War - French Commanders

The Dauphin Charles

Another 28mm French Medieval commander from the Hundred years War: The Dauphin Charles 1356, this character was to be the future king of France Charles V.

This mini is currently available on ebay, either search for Ebay seller: peterw3169 or item ID: 121385222759








THE FIGURE
Manufactured by 'Front Rank Miniatures' painted by me (at theminiaturepaintingstudio@live.co.uk) in oils. enamels and acrylics, a matt varnish was sprayed on with 'testors dullcote'.

REFERENCE
Usually I use any source available this time it was osprey's 'French Armies of the Hundred Years War' Men At Arms series No:337

THE BASE
The base is plasticard 25mm x 50mm ground texture 'sandless polyfilla', different grades of stones were used The ground textures once dry were flooded in washes of browns (burnt umber oil paint mixed with tan leather enamel), then highlight with grades of tone of tan, tan+yellow, tan+yellow+white.

The Grass tufts were made by me (available on ebay, just search for ebay sellers ID: peterw3169 or lord_jaggard ). The flowers again just grass tufts with PVA glue brush onto them and dipped in red sand. The shrub is a cut down tree glued in place with bostik.

Cheers for now,
Peter.