"Standard Falls" Post Apocalyptic Project: Dr Leghorn - Update May11

[cheetor]

Sir Reginald Beef Wellington OBE (pictured above) is the first post apocalyptic figure that I have painted for over a decade (barring the zompocalyptic stuff obviously.  Thats totally different. Ahem.). 

As a child of the eighties I have something of a soft spot for Mad Max and the like plus more or less anything with Rutger Hauer and/or Michael Ironside in it from that era.  As a result I am looking forward to getting stuck into painting the post apoc figures, vehicles, buildings and the like that I have been accruing for the project for a while now.

There is something about this particular figure that really has "it", in spades.  The bowler, the gas mask reminiscent of the blitz, the brolly: they all combine to make what is probably one of my favourite minitaure sculpts ever.

Anyway, the paint job was quick but I think that it gave Reggie a suitable Oxbridge look.  Since I took the photo I tided up some of the jacket stripes a little better.

Sir Reginald is a humble start for my post apocalyptic/space western town project, but I am pleased with it nonetheless.  As Standard Falls progresses a bit (hopefully a lot this summer) I will post updates to this thread. 

There is a little more info and some more photos on my blog.

Comments and criticism are the whole reason that I put up photos of my stuff, so all are welcome.

[supervike]

Very nice!

That is certainly one of the first minis I think of when 'post apoc' comes up.  One of the best sculpts of all time!!

An online friend of mine painted that one up for a contest, and then was kind enough to send it to me.

It's very cool to see other takes on the mini:

Check it out:

http://www.coolminiornot.com/213017

I'll be following your new project with fervor!

[Remington]

Cool paintjob. I really like the goggles.

This miniature really has great character.

[Crudeboy]

I dig it. A lot. As a matter of fact, I think I must own this figure myself. EM4, right?

[cheetor]

Cool paintjob. I really like the goggles.

Thanks.  The goggles arent nearly as nice as those on your Church Trooper but they are ok

An online friend of mine painted that one up for a contest...

Does your "online friend" paint a lot of Wyrd miniatures by any chance?  The style reminds me of how I have seen a lot of those figures painted somewhere.

I'll be following your new project with fervor!

It will be a little while before I make much more progress on it (exams next week) but I hope to get stuck in before the end of the month.  I posted Sir Reginald to spur myself on a little.

I dig it. A lot. As a matter of fact, I think I must own this figure myself. EM4, right?

EM4 for that figure, plus some others that go well with it.  Copplestone Castings also have a load of figures that go well with the one above (same theme, same sculptor).  The Wasteland Desperados is my favourite pack, very quirky.

Thanks for the feedback guys

[supervike]

Does your "online friend" paint a lot of Wyrd miniatures by any chance?  The style reminds me of how I have seen a lot of those figures painted somewhere.

This particular one was for a Wyrd contest called Iron Painter...so yeah, i think the 'Wyrd style' permeates much of the stuff there.  Really a fun contest. 

[Mr. Burning]

This looks great. Well done.
I love the post-apoc look.

[Commander Vyper]

Needs a punt to sail down the sludge rivers really!

Nice, have that figure and still haven't painted it up, and a nice change from city gent which is the direction everyone usually takes. Still a little shiney? A bit of testors or purity seal sir?

Doug still sells it for £1.25 I think too!

Yup:

http://www.em4miniatures.com/acatalog/SCAVENGERS.html

0041 Gentleman Scavenger. Stunbrella. Bowler hat. Morningsuit (tattered) Ref: 0041

[abhorsen950]

It is one very nice figure.

[cheetor]

Nice, have that figure and still haven't painted it up, and a nice change from city gent which is the direction everyone usually takes.

There is of course nothing wrong with going for the city gent look, its just that having seen it so often before I thought that I would try something different.

Glad that you like it

Still a little shiney? A bit of testors or purity seal sir?

I am having a lot of problems with varnishing recently.  I gave up using spray varnish a year or two ago as I had a lot of ruined figures from humidity related issues (I used to use Purity Seal.  I have not used Testors so far.  I dont know of anywhere in Ireland that stocks it).

Currently I am a applying one or two coats of Game Color Matt Varnish and I still end up with either an eggshell or semi gloss finish: itys a pain in the arse.  Its still a better result than the nightmare of seeing figures cloud up before your eyes however..

Does such a thing as a reliable, acrylic, water soluble matt varnish exist?  I dont want to use polyeurethane or anything else too smelly and toxic. 

Is there a better solution about?  Any pointers would be gladly taken: I would love to have a final solution to varnishing.  I think that it was Hammers who recently bemoaned a society that can send men to the moon but cant make spray varnish that never goes cloudy.  I fully back his sentiment.

It is one very nice figure.

Its a great, understated sculpt yet it is stuffed with character.  Everyone should own one

[Steve F]

Does such a thing as a reliable, acrylic, water soluble matt varnish exist?  I dont want to use polyeurethane or anything else too smelly and toxic. 

Winsor & Newton Galeria Matt Varnish is pretty good.  It needs thorough mixing, but all that happens if you've let it separate is that you get an extra gloss coat (and some swearing).  Just leave the bottle upside down for a few hours, give it a good shake, and the next coat will be matt.

Is there a better solution about?  Any pointers would be gladly taken: I would love to have a final solution to varnishing.  I think that it was Hammers who recently bemoaned a society that can send men to the moon but cant make spray varnish that never goes cloudy.  I fully back his sentiment.

The Army Painter Matte spray seems OK: I haven't had any clouding or darkening from it, and it is flat.

These days, I usually varnish twice with Plastikote semi-gloss, then spray on a coat of army painter, using W&N to catch any bits I miss at the same time that I retouch any areas I want to be glossy with Vallejo gloss.

[cheetor]

Winsor & Newton Galeria Matt Varnish is pretty good.  It needs thorough mixing, but all that happens if you've let it separate is that you get an extra gloss coat (and some swearing).  Just leave the bottle upside down for a few hours, give it a good shake, and the next coat will be matt.

Nice one Steve, thanks.  I will pick up some of that the next time that I am in town.  Fingers crossed...

[Gluteus Maximus]

I don't know why, but when I saw him, Spike Milligan's "The Bedsitting Room" film sprang to mind 

Obviously not a character from it, but he just seems to fit perfectly into Spike's lunacy 

Great stuff and another one to put on my SciFi wish list 

[Photographer]

Love the tie and goggles!

[cheetor]

I don't know why, but when I saw him, Spike Milligan's "The Bedsitting Room" film sprang to mind 

Obviously not a character from it, but he just seems to fit perfectly into Spike's lunacy 

I never heard of that film before but after a quick IMDB check I am definitely not surprised that the figure gave you a Bedsitting Room feeling.

In fact, it could easily be that the movie was a direct influence on the sculpt I reckon.  The cover of the DVD has Peter Cook in a bowler and its even set in a post-apoc world. 

Is the movie any good?  I now have it in my basket at Play.com, but is it watchable?  Is it worth a look or is it another Zardoz (as in kinda funny, but for all of the wrong reasons)?

Great stuff and another one to put on my SciFi wish list 

Thanks.  Just to note that at £1.25 for a miniature that is actually supplied undercoated and with all flash and mould lines removed it really is a bargain.

Love the tie and goggles!

I had a terribly uncool maths teacher who wore a nasty yellow tie in the late eighties.  His tie was a lot narrower, but thats why Reggies tie is the way that it is.  Glad that you like it.