Decrepitude postponed

[fsn]

Gentlemen of the Forum (and General Techno),

I am in a state of great decrepitude. I fear I used my joie de vivre in a misspent but not regretted youth, and what was left was crushed in a war of attrition that can only be described as a marriage. My body, never a temple that Adonis would have recognised, has been worn down by a history of medical mishaps, great age and a predilection for the destructive joys offered by Mr Cadbury. This, I can accept with great equanimity, but I fear the loss of my mind (no comments here, please), my eyes and my hands for without them I am unable to indulge in my great hobby, or indeed, paint tiny soldiers. 

I have noticed with some sadness the deterioration in my ocular capacity. I am ashamed that my ability with a paint brush is now so poor. I look at figures I painted when I was in my 20's and wish that I had such confidence, such fluidity, such ... dash. I mourn the passing of youth in the frustrations of new found inability.

Like many of us (the polyps in the Pendraken's president's nose - too obscure? Google it!) I have ignored the signs. I have not been to get my eyes tested for too many years - I only need my glasses for reading the really tiny print on packets. However, my lack of satisfaction with my recent Dragoon regiment has led me to an act that I have been considering for some time.

I have bought an optivisor! (I have no need of dignity in my own home.) My life is somewhat changed! I can actually see some of the detail on a figure! I haven't quite got used to putting a paintbrush in the way, but I am somewhat optimistic. Perhaps this infantry regiment on my painting table will have a better chance.  I feel sorry for the dragoons - badly painted figures always seem to do badly on the table. I'm also going to have to adjust to looking away from the figures and just seeing scary blurs.

My choice was a Rolson "head loupe", a mere snip at £11.51 from Amazon. It comes with a two LED light and four different magnifying lenses (x1.2 to x3.5)- two of which can be fitted at any one time.   

I feel reinvigourated. Perhaps now, I can actually do some sculpting as well. Painting competition 2015 - engrave the cup with my name now!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-Tools-60390-Loupe-Magnifier/dp/B001MJ0JW2/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414685147&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=rolson+optivisor

Seeing is believing - FSN

[Subedai]

My son -bless his little cotton socks- brought me one of those exact same items about ten years ago and...I took it out of the box, put it on and walked into a wall. I have never used it since and it's still in the box under my painting table. Luckily for me at 58 I only need ordinary prescription reading glasses to see detail.

And yes, I do count myself extremely lucky in the eyesight department and don't know what I'd do if it deteriorated to the stage where I wouldn't be able to paint any more.

[Matt J]

I'm blessed with being short sighted, can't paint with glasses on but can see minute detail without them.

Looking forward to seeing some of your work soon FSN???

[Ithoriel]

I have one of those too fsn, wouldn't paint without it now.

Subedai - raise the visor before moving around!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Can't wait to see your offerings FSN

[haupt]

The light in mine packed up almost immediately, on the advice of a professional modeller I spent some cash on a lamp with a Daylight bulb , massive improvement !

[Bodvoc]

I paid £250 for varifocal glasses that my optician assured me would let me see and paint my toys better. Just like Matt of M, I can only paint figures if I take my glasses off!

[Nirnman]

while I wear Varifocals for every day use I have a dedicated pair of single focus reading glasses for wer when painting and even then I use a magnifying combined with two daylight lamps as an aid aid to paint figure 15mm and smaller. It took a while to get used to painting with the magnifer and still find the brush going out of focus occasionally. persevre Fsn and you will find that it will help with small soldiers

[paulr]

while I wear Varifocals for every day use I have a dedicated pair of single focus reading glasses for wer when painting and even then I use a magnifying combined with two daylight lamps as an aid aid to paint figure 15mm and smaller. It took a while to get used to painting with the magnifer and still find the brush going out of focus occasionally. persevre Fsn and you will find that it will help with small soldiers

Seconded

[Techno]

I'll say it until I'm blue in the face.......If you're starting to struggle with close focus work....Get something akin to an optivisor.
Don't try and use the higher magnification lenses with those.....You'll end up with a headache/feeling sick..(The horrid effects of out of focus 'things' because of the narrow depth of field.)...Unless you're working on something 'flat'.

Cheers - Phil

[petercooman]

I have this:

I got it from my mother when my grandmother passed away. She found it in her room and thought i could use it for painting. Works good for seeing small detail, but don't need it anymore since i got new glasses!

[Subedai]

I have one of those too fsn, wouldn't paint without it now.

Subedai - raise the visor before moving around!

Ah, that must have been where I went wrong. You could have told me that 10 years ago! 

In all seriousness, I should add that I have the room light plus two dedicated 60W anglepoise lamps on my painting table, one on each side of my painting area. Luckily, using that combination I am still able to paint down to 6mm.

[fsn]

Oh dear Goodness and all the stars and planets!

I've just tried a bit of painting using the optiviser and am so happy with the results! For the first time in years I feel my painting mojo has started - whatever a mojo is.

Happyface - Nobby

[mollinary]

Oh dear Goodness and all the stars and planets!

I've just tried a bit of painting using the optiviser and am so happy with the results! For the first time in years I feel my painting mojo has started - whatever a mojo is.

Happyface - Nobby

Now all we need is for you to get your "photo" mojo going and we can assess the extent to which this new fangled gadget really works, 

Mollinary

[fsn]

You know, I may even be not embarrassed enough to post some! 

I'm even beginning to view the optivisor as a fashion accessory!



Mojo, mojo, mojo - Nobby FSN