d_guy,S

[Steve J]

Nice work

[Leman]

A spot-on shade of red which works extremely well, giving a subtle weathered look. 

[d_Guy]

Pixie thanks you!

[toxicpixie]

A spot-on shade of red which works extremely well, giving a subtle weathered look. 

Cheers Leman!

It's GWs "wild rider red" on them iirc, but I've also used a Vallejo red & scarlet and a Coat d'Arms ruby red across various units, so they should all have a mildly different shade. Over a black undercoat and not being too heavy handed you get the slightly worn not too bright effect by default

They're WIPs as well so doubly thanks for the comments!

[Techno]

Very nice work, Pixie.

Cheers - Phil

[mollinary]

Lovely work TP.      I agree the red is very effective. Do you cut off the metal rod under some of the cavalry after painting?   

Mollinary

[toxicpixie]

I've wavered back and forth on trimming the metal rod - these days I don't unless specified. I don't find it intrusive and most people I've painted them for are similarly ambivalent. Depends what Bill wants really, as I hadn't specifically asked - Bill, shall I chop the "flow poles" underneath?

[d_Guy]

It my bunraku-like world, if it is painted black it is invisible. I didn't even notice that they were there. Now that Schrodinger's cat is dead, yes, please trim them.

[toxicpixie]

No probs. I'll get the clippers out!

[Womble67]

Very nice indeed

Take care

Andy

[mollinary]

I've wavered back and forth on trimming the metal rod - these days I don't unless specified. I don't find it intrusive and most people I've painted them for are similarly ambivalent. Depends what Bill wants really, as I hadn't specifically asked - Bill, shall I chop the "flow poles" underneath?

Interesting. Once I realised they were not necessary to keep the figure together, I started clipping them off before undercoating. I wonder what others do?

Mollinary

[toxicpixie]

I used to clip them, then found when I forgot some I just didn't notice so I stopped

There's some of the poses they're an arse to clip out and where they do help support the horse (trotting musician IIRC? And one where the legs are all swinging right in towards the centre point), but even then they're not vital.

[d_Guy]

With the voting in the Diorama category now officially closed I can add in more pics and notes

The whole point of the exercise was to have a reason to make a "jingling Johnny" (more properly, a "Turkish Crescent" but "jingling johnny" is more fun). Ever since seeing a Bundeswehr band with one at the 200th anniversary of Yorktown, I new that I was destined to have one.

Strelsau, of course, is the capital of Ruritania and the foot hussars of that kingdom are justly famous. Know as the "rat catchers" (Die Rattenfänger) for their policing function, I liked that the proper name, Der Rattenfänger, idiomatically translating as "The Pied Piper", suggested a function for the band in the vignette. It is a name that is also prominent in my favorite comedy series (some say documentary), "Silicon Valley".

The band proper is the lovely figure ensemble, FPX5, which supplies a nice selection of pieces. After some study one of the buglers was selected for the jingling johnnier:

1/32" brass rod was attached for the shaft and a faceted glass bead added. The crescent was cut (badly) from card stock and the tails of two artillery horses (EC6 I think) appended. Surmounting the pole is the famous "Kitty Sejant" (SCN-NML6), crest of Die Rattenfänger.

Once assembled, the drum dog, known affectionately as "Trommchen" (short for Trommelzieher), had a card stock harness added:

The barrow man (EC22) then acquired a still inebriated passenger (a seated man separated from his seated wife - EC42).

The jingling johnnier next received a card stock harness:

The friend helping his less capable friend (FRE50) received a broad-brimmed card stock hat and both got their 20th century clothing back-dated a bit.

The figures were then placed on painting sticks and got base white followed by color blocking. The two additional figures, the recumbent ones (EC38,39), had their weapons removed and their headgear trimmed a bit:

The hexagon is the test for carving some stone patterns for the Grosserkarlsplatz paving. I'd like, BTW, to thank Terry37 for his encouragement and several useful suggestions in how to work the base filler!


After having the painting nearly finished, the figures were affixed to the base (lots of experimenting about effective positioning):


The filler was applied and slowly worked around the figures:


Once three coats of filler were applied, between drying cycles, it was sufficiently cured to carve:


After painting the pavement and applying washes, the figure got a final touch-up and were completed:

If you missed it, the full title was:
"A Sunday morning in Strelsau. Circa 1868

 So citizens might avoid the ten kroner fine for missing Divine Worship, the band of the Royal Foot Hussars ("Die Rattenfänger") marches through the Grosserkarlplatz to arouse the late night revelers."

I enjoyed this enormously and now finally have my JJ! Congrats to all the winners and thanks again to Mr Lemmy for making it all happen. I am already thinking of next year's contest, possibly, "fsn leads the Runcornian delegation to the fastness of Wales and there in encounters a famous sculptor" Some sort of Steampunk Idyll with boots and whips, I should think.

[Steve J]

Fascinating to see how you went about creating this . Thanks for sharing .

[paulr]

Seconded