Fred's 2016 Painting Diary

[fred.]

Thanks Matt, I've managed to translate those to VJ colours, via two paint charts!

[fred.]

Finally decided to try some vision enhancement for painting - I was finding that I was struggling to focus on the figures, and generally that I have to move my head back (or item further away) to see close up stuff in focus.  So after reading the very useful thread on Optivisors and other options, I went for a pair of cheap plastic reading glasses - to act as over specs. I went for some off Amazon for a whole £4.19 http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00S8IA614?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00 And they are definitely cheap and plastic. But they work. Really well. They comfortably fit over my proper glasses, and when on I hardly notice that they are there.

It really makes a difference at normal painting distance everything is suddenly sharp, and a bit bigger, but not too much bigger. I had no problems adjusting to positioning the brush. It makes quite a difference being able to see the detail you are painting, rather than half remembering it and painting by touch. This doesn't improve brush control, but you can see the mistakes when you make them.

Checking my phone to read an email, it was quite shocking how clear and big the font was on my phone - and I don't normally think its small.

The only down side is that distance vision is blurry - even looking at the labels on paint bottles a couple of feet away is a bit blurry, and the TV across the room is bad. But a tilt of the head allows me to look over the top of both pairs of glasses and see the TV.

So if you are struggling with seeing the detail of figures, then its well worth a few quid to get a pair of reading glasses - just remember to take them off before you go out!


More Banana Marines

So now that I can see, the painting results should be awesome  



More yellow - its so rubbish at covering that even over a white dry brush it needs two coats it some places, plus I'd missed some bits  

Added red bits, for interest, tidied up some bits of black, highlighted some weapons with 'oily steel' metallic paint. Just need to give them a wash, and I think they are done, bar basing.

[Womble67]

I have both reading glasses and an optivisor and without doubt prefer the reading glasses for comfort

Take care

Andy

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Very nice Forbes! 

[Techno]

Very nice indeed, Forbes ! 

I like the Optivisor, 'cos you can just push the lenses up, if you need to focus further away.

Cheers - Phil

[fred.]

The glasses are very easy to push up out of the way. But rather less easy to push back down - it seems easier to take them off an on again.

I decided against the headset magnifiers as they seem a bit clunky to wear, and a pair of extra specs seemed the easiest first step.

[Ithoriel]

I wear reading glasses for anything close up anyway and simply pop the Rolson version of the optivisor over them when painting.

I use the reading glasses in a plastic tube type case that I pick up from the local British Heart foundation charity shop for a couple of quid. They're useful because the tube fits in a trouser pocket and the glasses aren't deep so I can peer over the top for distance vision.

That said I have 3 pairs of reading glasses of different strengths (2.5, 3 & 4) plus 3 sets of lenses and do mix and match depending on what I'm painting. 90% of the time it's the strength 3 glasses and the weakest of the lenses.

Like Techno I just push the optivisor up out of the way like a .... visor    when I need to look at something other than the object I'm painting.

[Subedai]

'They're useful because the tube fits in a trouser pocket...'

Thank god you can't buy loon trousers (tight hipster flares from the '70's) anymore, that could be a bit worrying or egocentric depending on your viewpoint. (See what I did there?)

I have my close-in glasses that I use for painting. I specifically mentioned that I paint figures to the optician and he integrated that into my prescription. Incidentally, I only need glasses for reading if the font is small, otherwise my vision is pretty good. (He said as he touches wooden table.)
One of my lads bought me an optivisor as a Crimble pressie about five years ago, I think it's been out of the box twice since.

[Techno]

Thank god you can't buy loon trousers (tight hipster flares from the '70's) anymore, that could be a bit worrying or egocentric depending on your viewpoint. (See what I did there?)
One of my lads bought me an optivisor as a Crimble pressie about five years ago, I think it's been out of the box twice since.

Nah....I didn't like 'loons' either.....Very uncomfortable around the nether regions....Though flared jeans were fine.

I'll remember that you've got a virtually unused Optivisor....I might make you an offer..... (at some stage in the future)..... when the one I'm wearing, goes the way of the first one. 

Cheers - Phil

[fred.]

No painting this weekend, but I did get to visit the Royal Armouries in Leeds - which I would recommend highly. I spent the whole afternoon there wandering through the many galleries and looking at all the artefacts. Its mainly an old school style museum with lots of stuff to see - not lots of modern interactive displays - so to me a lot better than the IWM North at Salford.

So so photos - the first 3 are all of the large Pavia tableau - with 2 mounted gendarmes, vs several Landsknecht pike and arquebusiers - this is really big and dynamic. I'm not sure about the colours, they seem to have gone for a very monochrome scheme

From Ground level


The the gallery looking down - in this photo it looks like a model


[img with=700]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--zw1TjXE3kI/VpLTjuFumUI/AAAAAAAAFj8/pLWwNMkRRZw/s800-Ic42/IMG_0388.JPG[/img]


This is an impressive display of late Renaissance infantry and cavalry - not the best picture I'm afraid


The Asian and Oriental gallery was very good




The tower at then end is decorated with thousands of weapons - this is just a small section of them. What was surprising was to see that some of the weapons are bolt-action rifles, you are so used to seeing these displays in old buildings that to see more modern weapons in them is surprising.



There are also medieval galleries - which is rather like looking at full sized version of the Perry WoTR figures! A gallery of tournament armour, mainly Henry VIII's and Emperor Maximilian's - this contrasts with the battle armour. A lot of WWI weapons. And probably more stuff that I have forgotten. The shop even had quite a lot of Warlord Games plastic figures and even Black Powder rules!

[Womble67]

Yeah when me and the wife went we really enjoyed ourselves.

Take care

Andy

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Great shots, thank you.

[Techno]

Thanks for sharing those, Forbes.
Cheers - Phil

[fred.]

glad you like them chaps

Noticed one of the image links is wrong

[fsn]

I love the Leeds armouries.

They normally have a series of events going on though. I've seen Rifleman Costello, Tudor Fencing and hawking.

They've got tilts outside to, don't they?

Perhaps these are just summer funs.

[Westmarcher]

Agreed. A great cultural asset for the North of England and a must see if you are in the area. On my first visit, I was also fortunate to be there when they were running various events (e.g., jousting, hawking, etc.). I think it was at Easter. My favourite was the Pole Arms Combat demonstration. Guys in full plate armour dispelling the myth of heavy armour being too cumbersome to fight in, by leaping about all over the place. Fascinating stuff (nor did it do the varnished floor any good either!). Would liked to have seen the Rifleman Costello demo, fsn. 

On the second occasion, I was staying at the hotel across the road. There was still a lot of building work going in the immediate vicinity. Nevertheless, I was fairly miffed to be awakened on the Saturday morning by the "construction workers" and their heavy vehicles. However, it was only when I got downstairs, that the true source of the noise became apparent - WW2 jeeps, trucks and a German half-track parked outside replete with Tommies, G.I.s, Panzer Grenadiers and other assorted people walking about in WW2 period costume! Excellent start to the day!

[Leman]

Love the Royal Armouries - Pavia, Samurai, Chassepot and Needle guns - what's not to like. Been three times now but still not seen the tilt yard in action, although the commercial armoury next to it is pretty impressive.

[fred.]

A few more bits of painting on the Banana marines over the last couple of days



Pretty much there with most of the painting. Just waiting on a few bits from H&R to convert some stuff with missiles. Then on to basing.

Oh, and I bought a bunch of bikes off eBay, so they will need painting when they arrive. Will it ever end?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Nice one Forbes

[Leon]

No painting this weekend, but I did get to visit the Royal Armouries in Leeds - which I would recommend highly...

What's it like for kids?  I remember going when it first opened in the 90's and they had a load of interactive displays, crossbow firing, electronic pedestrian shooting (!), etc. so it was quite good fun for younger visitors.  I've not been back since, so we're thinking about taking the kids over in the next month or so.