MDF Architecture

I put some if these pics up the other day but someone on the forum asked for a walk through of how I built the new scenery do I thought I through a load of pics up and see what sticks. 

I don't have any pics from earlier stages but the above two give you an idea. First thing to build were the angles pillars. One strip of 12mm mdf. Maybe 120mm wide and 400mm long. Cut on a table saw with the blade at an angle (67.5 degrees). Reverse one side and glue to the other with PVA. Leave to dry. Two more pieces of 12mm (80x500) glued to make an L bracket. Left to dry. One piece of 8mm (50x500) glued to the bottom. Angled piece run through straight saw do that top and bottom are parallel and then cut into 20mm sections and glued in place between top and bottom of L piece with 60mm spacing (doubles are placed where I intend to cut the whole piece into smaller sections.) Another piece of 8mm is used to create a bannister and a larger piece for the back wall. Basic shape done. (Spare pillars are used to make arches on upper walkway)

Detailing is made up of sections of flexible-mdf cut to size and glued in random orientations with pieces if square wooden rod glued inbetween.

Wooden dowel if various sizes is cut up for pipe work and other random protrusions!

When dry the whole lot is cut into three and any overhangs cut off.

I also built a couple of corner sections. One 90 degrees and one about 60.

The corner arch just happened to be a scrap piece of mdf with a hole in!

On to painting. Whole lot gets covered in matt black.

Then a rough sprinkling of matt grey while the black is still wet.

Then a collection of random colours that I've found in the cupboard are sprayed in an expressionist stylee.

Which looks like this.

Then a couple of shades of Mig rust pigments are used to give you that 'I need a tetanus shot' look.

And here they all are finished.

I should be able to get a game on them this coming weekend to look out for battle reports soon. I'll try and get some posters printed out to add a bit more of a lived in feel and maybe add a bit of grafitti in places but all in all I'm pretty happy!

First Buntai

Just a quick pic to show the first Buntai, Koryu (sword school) done. 

Next up are the old citadel oriental heroes figures. I decided to do them in two batches as they are quite different in style and I find that just confuses my ageing brain. 

Wippage

 

Lots of things on my plate at the moment and I may be in danger of over stretching myself but you know what that mini mojo is like! First up, I've started a challenge on the Oldhammer forum. The idea is that people pick a fantasy miniature of a type that they've never painted before and have a go. We are looking at getting a hundred entries and we are already at 10 so get yer brushes out and get an entry in quick. Here is my first entry Rildo the Crafty. My first ever theif!

I've also decided I was going to paint up 20 gangers to use in Judge Dredd. I figured I'd need a street gang.

First session I got all the flesh done.

Then some of the basic colours.

And they are currently like this. If I get another decent session I reckon I'll get them finished.

The three doctors

Well over a year ago, I spent my stag weekend at one of my Best mates house's. We spent the weekend drinking and playing games and searching through his horde of Oldhammer goodies (his parents hadn't thrown all his stuff away!) lurking in one of his tubs were these old citadel figures of the first three doctor who's. I volunteered to paint them for him, but in reality they ended up in my lead pile instead. His birthday was on the 1st of January (same as my eldest daughter and ironically his dad!) so I decided as part of his pressie I'd finally get round to paint them up.

8 days late but Happy New Year anyway

I wasn't going to bother doing a New Year post but listening to Radio4 someone was suggesting that it was a privilege and occasionally a duty to examine your life occasionally just to give yourself  a better perspective on your own self image.

But then we are here to talk about toy soldiers so lets not get carried away.

So lets look back before we look forward. I made a similar post last year in which I thought out loud about what I'd achieved. In 2013 I had managed to paint 173 figures. I had said that I'd wanted to paint 210 in 2014. I made mental calculation about a month a go of this years output so please excuse me for a second while I work out if I was correct.

dum de dum.....

Je Suis Charlie

A Skinflint's Guide to McDeath (Act 4)

Let's get on with the final part of this epic browse through the 28mm possibilities of lead McDeath. Several people have commented that they can't wait to see me get on with this project and i have to put you straight now, I don't know if I will. Part of the reason for doing this is to try to get the itch out of my system so that I don't go spending money (the wife is on maternity leave till June/July and those of you who are teachers will know what a bloody pittance she will be getting) or starting another project that is unlikely to get finished. Sorry if that's disappointing but I hope you enjoyed it for the sheer exploration of possibilities.

Anyway, lets get on with the show!

The Battle of Runsinane Castle

A skinflint's guide to Mcdeath (Act 3)

TIn part 3 of my epic virtual shopping trip we have a look at alternative figures to represent the forces at the battle of Dungal hill. 

First up we go back to Ral Partha and the old Heartbreaker range to use for Arka Zargul and his striking dwarf miners. They actually have some miners armed with pick axes.