Fred's 2016 Painting Diary

[Techno]

Absolutely. 

(I think I've asked this before but.......How do get such good photo's Forbes ?......They're so crisp, beautifully focused and shadows are almost non existent.)

Cheers - Phil

[fred.]

I think it's down to technology now - I have stopped using my DSLR camera as it is too big and inconvenient  and just use my iPhone 6S as it seems to take really good photos.  But it is very much point and click so it must be doing all the clever stuff, I'll I try to do is hold it very still.  The game photos were taken at Dave's house, and he has several fluorescent tubes above the gaming table which give very good light.

The sprayed tanks were taken in the conservatory in a rare bit of sunshine.

[Techno]

It certainly takes excellent piccies !

Cheers - Phil

[fred.]

Each generation of iPhone or iPad has taken better photos than the previous one. The current camera takes really good stills as well as video, with the ability to take slow motion video even in fairly poor light. The only thing the DSLR has going for it is s zoom lense, but even the phone is getting better at this, as it captures so many pixels, you can crop to zoom pretty effectively.

As always more light helps, if you compare the photos from the game a week ago, taken at my house, with rubbish lighting, to this week's ones with good lighting there is a big difference. But the low light ones are ok, which wasn't always the case with an iPhone camera.

[fred.]

Painting Comp

Rather late in the day (or should that be month!) I have had a proper think about the painting comp. And think I actually have a good chance of getting an entry into each category - with only a few entries needing to be started from scratch.

Foot - Pre-20th C. - Min: 3 / Max: 16 figures, on either a single base, multiple bases, or in a movement tray.
Flodden MAA

Foot - 20th C. - Min: 3 / Max: 16 figures, on either a single base, multiple bases, or in a movement tray.
WWI British

Mounted - Min: 3 / Max: 10 figures, on either a single base, multiple bases, or in a movement tray.
Mongols or Centaur Archers


Vehicle - Single vehicle on or off base.
Decon, could be a bit dull in sand
Or a WWI tank - captured german or early British camo

Fantasy & Sci-Fi - Anything Fantasy or Sci-Fi oriented, on either a single base, multiple bases, or in a movement tray.
Lizardmen, Centaurs or Minotaur command, water elementals

Open - Single Base - Anything which doesn't fit into the other categories, with a max base size of 100x100mm.  Includes single figures, artillery bases, command stands, etc.
British WWI Arty
Roman ballistae

Open - Army! - Armies, Units, Dungeons, whole table setups, anything!
Lizardmen

Warband! - Any single base for use in our Warband rules, this can be a command stand, a unit of warriors, an artillery base, etc.
Dwarf flyers or wizards, or spiders

[fred.]

I painted some Pendraken figures tonight!!!

Actually got back to some 10mm Pendraken tonight - after weeks of 6mm epic stuff.



Some WWI British troops, for 1916+. I've gone for a bit of variety in shades of uniforms, webbing and especially helmets, to give a bit more of a rag-tag late war look.

Its good to paint some historical stuff again, and good to paint 10mm too.

After Phil mentioning good, bright photos - the above is anything but 

[Techno]

 

It's still lovely and crisp, though !

Cheers - Phil

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Nice one Forbes! 

[fred.]

Mainly un-painting this weekend - I stripped the paint from a couple of large Epic models, and a unit of WM kislev knights. I don't know what paint was used on the kislev figures, but its tough stuff. The other two models have come pretty clean, but the knights are 60% plus still paint...

Played a very dull game of Epic on Friday - IG tanks vs Tyranids - the tanks set a range and shot and the nids who hid in buildings. Fundamentally I think we had too much table for the troops - which made two diametrically different armies give a very poor game.

On Saturday managed to get in a second sneaky game of the week - this time of Irregular Wars, this was just the second game with these rules, but it was good fun again, with a swirling battle of of Steppe Khanate light horse, vs Arabian camels and spearmen. But I stupidly forgot to take any photos - which probably means that the game was so involving that it never occurred to me to stop and take photos.

I also got an email from Leon to say my order was on its way - which mainly comprises lots of European troops for Irregular wars. The only problem is it is going to arrive with 1 or 2 other heavy packages - and all during half-term week, so no sneaking any in!!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Stick them in the dishwasher...

[fred.]

Stick them in the dishwasher...

Is that to hide the parcels or get the paint off? Not sure that washing figures will meet with domestic approval - or if the figures won't disappear into the workings of the dish washer.

Concluded a very pleasant trade with Mad Lemmy today - so much more fun to trade excess figures than sell them for a couple of quid!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Stick them in a seive, run the dishwasher empty, the tablet blasts the paint off!
Top basket helps, if your really worried, take the bottom basket out, stick another seive over the filter, and tell the Mrs that you're running a cleaning cycle on the magic-box-of-cleanliness!

And the trading was most pleasurable, I think I might be slightly up on the deal though!

[fred.]

Stick them in a seive, run the dishwasher empty, the tablet blasts the paint off!
Top basket helps, if your really worried, take the bottom basket out, stick another seive over the filter, and tell the Mrs that you're running a cleaning cycle on the magic-box-of-cleanliness!

OK - might have to try this next time the dishwasher needs 'cleaning'. I was thinking of getting a mate who has a sonicator (aka sonic bath) see if it can do its magic to remove the paint.

And the trading was most pleasurable, I think I might be slightly up on the deal though!

Me too - so that sounds like a win win, then.

And look what was waiting when I got home - a big box of Pendraken (and Minibits) loveliness.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

That's a HUGE box!

[fred.]

I know I didn't think I'd ordered that much. I think it's the bases adding a lot of volume!!

[fsn]

Bet your postman loved you as he lugged a cubit foot of lead to the door.

[fred.]

Bet your postman loved you as he lugged a cubit foot of lead to the door.

Its good for him! Its only a 6 inch square box, so that's only 1/8 of a cubic foot of lead.

The shiney contents of the box



There were also a fair few bases and a couple of paints.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Medievals?

[Techno]

I think I can see ELM codes on some of the packs, so I'd guess you're right, Will. 
Cheers - Phil.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

ELM13, 19 & 12
ER1&4
FW3
EL2,3 7 & 14 and maybe 15?
Maybe it's Renaissance