Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: Shtim on April 15, 2021, 10:07:13 PM
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Welcome To Shtim's Dutch Colonial Adventure! - Introduction
Over the next few pages I will be taking you through the (slow) progress on my Dutch East Indies project. The Netherlands first colonised what is now known as "Indonesia" in the late 1500's. This initial colonisation effort was little more than a few trading posts operated and maintained by the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie or VOC).
What started as a humble collection of trade posts eventually became what is now known as the Dutch East Indies - a country with a population of over 60million people and total area of over 1,900,000 km2. Until the Japanese occupation in 1942, the Dutch held the vast majority of the Indonesian Archipelago.
My project is set in between ~1904 (the end of the Aceh war in northern Sumatra) and ~1926 (minor communist uprisings in the indies).
(https://i.imgur.com/rw1ANVb.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/oxIgaiR.jpg)
Index
The quality of photos and workmanship dramatically differs (and improves!) over the course of this thread. Below an index of the various projects:
- Palm Trees & Tong Fah Co. Building - Page 1
- Tong Fah Co. Building Completed & Post Office - Page 2
- Office Building & Post Office Progress - Page 2
- Completed Hotel Building & Overview Picture - Page 3
- Sports Car & Clock Tower - Page 4
- SHELL Sign, Garage, & Completed Sports Car - Page 4
- New character models (Archeologist) & Warehouse - Page 5
- New characters, fuel pump, & picture of the town - Page 6
- Advertisements/Shop Signs, Village Fountain, & Completed Warehouse - Page 7
- First Dutch Indies Soldiers - Page 7
- Building Bases - Page 8
- New Characters ("The Turk"), the Cinema - Page 8
- Baggage Carriers, Trees, Finished Cinema - Page 8
- More Dutch Indies Soldiers & TinTin characters - Page 10
- Building Upgrades - Fixing Facades and Past Mistakes! - Page 11/b]
My previous thread (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=125409.msg1599059#msg1599059 (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=125409.msg1599059#msg1599059)) I thought it appropriate to start afresh.
First Post:
Since my last post, I repainted my Dutch Colonial Aceh troops. Unhappy with the original paint job, I decided to add additional highlights and a splash of colour. Next I'll probably re-work the bases for all my miniatures - not happy with the drybrush!
(https://i.imgur.com/oEZ1WCY.jpg)
In addition, I have been painting some extra characters for my settlement, pictures of which can be seen here:
(https://i.imgur.com/7jpjk9Q.jpg)
Once the lighting improves, and I get some time this weekend, Ill take some more pictures of the buildings I have been working on for my Dutch settlement (both unfinished, but a third one on the way!):
(https://i.imgur.com/RzEo9iL.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/bdQaBI2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/8zdr9KA.jpg)
Let me know what you guys think!
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These are amazing. It's an area/era I'm unfamiliar with so I look forward to this.
My favorite miniatures are the soldier with the glasses and the heavily decorated gentleman in brown and grey uniform.
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Great start. I have been very interested in the Dutch East Indies for many years. I have some minis done and more than enough jungle but lack the nice colonial buildings that you have. I look forward to your future work!
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Beautiful work!
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Lovely painting on those minis and some superb buildings as well. Wonderful start. :-* :-*
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Amazing stuff.
They all look splendid - I'm very jealous :)
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Looks FANTASTIC! I'm very excited to see more. I remember your previous thread when you first started, and to be honest your figures looked great to me back then, but what matters most is how they look to you, so well done!
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Those building are excellent.
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Absolutely beautiful..checkout the Dutch Docu Channel on FB. Tons of photos.
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I tried to get a range for the Aceh Wars but couldn't afford it any longer and there wasn't much interest.
Mark
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Very nice project you are working on. Best wishes going forward.
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Looking at those photos I think that many of the War of The Triple Alliance (Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil VS Paraguay) would work for some native militias. Also quite a wide variety Moro, Indian mutiny, Arab or Asian pirate figures can pass as the Indonesian natives.
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Thank you all for the kind words! Very encouraging :D
My favorite miniatures are the soldier with the glasses and the heavily decorated gentleman in brown and grey uniform.
Oops! That's supposed to be a red uniform that has faded over the years following retirement...!! Back to the drawing board ;)
(https://i.imgur.com/HaQ5ZHi.jpg)
Very little progress to report on this week from me.
First off, I finished the trunks/bases for my modular palm trees. Quick paint job on the bases, then added some flock, flowers, and grass tufts, and added some matt varnish to tone down the gloss on the plastic palm leaves. I'll probably add a green drybrush to the leaves at some point for some colour variation:
(https://i.imgur.com/mOKYBt3.jpg)
I also started work on a larger modular tree base. Not quite happy with how it looks yet, but I am still in the process of adding some more trees, grass, and colour.
I'm very torn on whether I should use static grass (and invest in a static grass applicator) or continue using flock instead.. plus - I never know how much ground to leave exposed/cover in vegetation. Any tips or feedback would be most appreciated!
(https://i.imgur.com/G0ePNnV.jpg)
Finally, I got my hands on some corrugated card to finish the WIP build from last time. I will be using this as corrugated iron plates for simple roofing across the town. I am yet to add orange rust, but the paintjob is done for the most part (except for a final drybrush on the wooden roof).
(https://i.imgur.com/zGNDCpi.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/0L3X9YZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/hR5LoYC.jpg)
Looking at those photos I think that many of the War of The Triple Alliance (Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil VS Paraguay) would work for some native militias. Also quite a wide variety Moro, Indian mutiny, Arab or Asian pirate figures can pass as the Indonesian natives.
Ah excellent!! Do you have any manufacturers in mind? Always looking for new miniatures!
As always, any pictures, interesting facts, or sources about the Dutch Indies are more than appreciated!!
Thanks,
Shtim
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Of course it's faded red! Outstanding work continues, I do like those palm tree stands.
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You continue to make cool stuff! I have to resist getting into another genre! Must. Resist.
Brilliant work. It is tough to decide flock or grass and just how much dirt exposed. No truly right answer, just trust your instincts I think and keep tinkering until it feels right.
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Lovely work :)
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Lovely work on both the figures and terrain!
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Very nice.
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Loving the trees I do like good scenery.
for the Triple Alliance miniatures as potential proxies, mentioned by HerbyF, try Perry miniatures
https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product-category/metal-ranges/war-of-the-triple-alliance/ (https://www.perry-miniatures.com/product-category/metal-ranges/war-of-the-triple-alliance/)
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Thank you all again for the kind words and miniature recommendations.
Diablo Jon, thank you for sending through a link to the Triple Alliance figures - they look very promising! Once I get through my current lead pile, I'll be sure to add them to my basket!
This past week I have done little to no miniature painting, but have continued work on the buildings and terrain:
First off, I completed the roof of the building from my last post - all that was left was a quick drybrush and some cleanup, although I am yet to add trust to the corrugated plates at the front. Nothing particularly exceptional, but the build will be a nice filler for the larger townscape.
The building represents two apartments with shared downstairs entrance. While the facade is mostly the same, each apartment does have a different window frame/window mesh. The stairs on the side are modular, and can be used on most of the builds I have made so far. Especially happy with the posters/notices on the lower level - I'll be adding more of these to all of my buildings - I think they add a real sense of realism.
(https://i.imgur.com/mk92UpH.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/89v3GO1.jpg)
This week I also started a new building: a Post and Telegraph Office (or in Dutch: Post en Telegraaf Kantoor). I have managed to make quite some progress, but its not done. The signs need to be aged/weathered, the roof needs another base coat and drybrush, and I need to figure out what to do with the windows... I think the mesh that I have been using so far works relatively well, but unsure whether it's appropriate for civic buildings/large windows - as is the case here..
The anchors are originally plastic children's jewellery, but I think they work well as embossed detail on the façade.
(https://i.imgur.com/fzPJ6yq.jpg)
Finally, I'm just including a quick picture of the builds all together. On the right you can justabout see the Dutch-Indies Merchant Bank (Nederlandsch-Indische Handelsbank) from my first post.
(https://i.imgur.com/orXsCoH.jpg)
Nothing else to report on!
Shtim
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Your buildings and posters look great.Thanks for sharing.
Mark
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Great stuff 8)
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Nice.
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Love the buildings :-* :-*
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Wonderful buildings. :-* :-*
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Is the Post Kantor scratchbuilt or is there a commercial base for it?
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Really sweet looking buildings.
Your figures are super, love the colors.
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Thank you all again for the kind words.
Not much progress to show since last time.. I am *very* slowly finishing off the post office, and am now working on a new building too..
Wonderful buildings. :-* :-*
Thank you kindly! Never thought I'd enjoy building the buildings more than painting the figures... but for now, I really do!
Is the Post Kantor scratchbuilt or is there a commercial base for it?
Alas, I'm afraid its all scratch built. I use foam board for the walls, square dowels for the windows, corrugated paper for the roof etc. etc.
Speaking of, the post office is almost done!
I managed to fit appropriately sized windows for the top floors, added mesh to the windows, a dry brush to the roof, and a flag pole for some detail!
I am yet to add the flag, although I expect I'll just end up using a printed paper Dutch flag. I've left the bottom window open for now, as I may consider adding some 'glass' with notices/advertisements on the inside? Still need to figure that out...
(https://i.imgur.com/2B6ZsWL.jpeg)
Pretty happy with the results so far, although I still need to add rust to the roof.. and a door! lol
I've also started work on a new building; a grand(ish) hotel for those travelling to the outskirts of Dutch civilisation!
I'm yet to add a drop of paint, but I am pretty happy with the results so far:
(https://i.imgur.com/tB1EM9X.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/BwZOxFj.jpeg)
As always, any feedback, figure recommendations, or inspiration is always welcome!
Shtim
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Look fantastic!
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Nice textures and I really like the proportions with the tall windows. I normally don't build tall buildings like that because of storage hassles but this really looks the treat :-*
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Very nice. I like the idea of the the small indentations in the stone work. They'yy come up really well when you paint it. :-* :-* :-*
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Excellent :)
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Wow, that hotel facade is excellent!!
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Fabolous!
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Hi everyone!
It's been a while since I posted, and I have very little to show for it lol
After a short hiatus, I finally (almost) finished the larger hotel building. I still need to add some signage, grime by the wall anchors/drainage pipe, and a door - but we're almost there. The windows are made from painted 'granny mesh' used for crocheting. Took a few goes, as my paint didn't stick, but after priming and matt varnishing I was able to add a brown drybrush. The roof was made from 1*1 cm plasticard squares, painted to look like red terracotta tiles.
(https://i.imgur.com/umlu2C8.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/cvBKoIG.jpg)
On the short side, I wanted to add some exposed brick. Unsure whether it looks particularly convincing, but I enjoyed experimenting. I first rolled a patterned greenstuff roller over some foam core, deepened the pattern using a ballpoint pen, and then drybrushed the bricks in red. I'm hoping that a bit more grime on the rest of the building will tie it in a bit more, but I'm happy with the result nonetheless.
(https://i.imgur.com/XF2mtuh.jpg)
Finally, here's a picture of the latest builds. Please excuse the location - for some reason I could only get good lighting on the mantlepiece...
(https://i.imgur.com/akVP4lw.jpeg)
As always, any feedback or ideas are always welcome!
Shtim
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Lovely :)
Are you thinking of making a pavement plate for it (and the rest of the builds)?
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Lovely :)
Are you thinking of making a pavement plate for it (and the rest of the builds)?
I’m really not sure! I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately, but I really don’t know what option to go with. I think I’d like to add a base plate to all the builds, both for aesthetic and durability reasons.
On one hand, a pavement look would make sense, but I feel like it would take away from the modularity of the seperate builds, as the pavement (and the width from the pavement edge to the build) would need to line up if the builds were to be placed next to each other.
Alternatively, I could do a base with a more organic look, with some greenery and dirt (similar to the latest star wars builds you showed off earlier this week), but that may look odd in a city setting…
Any suggestions?
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Step by step your urban center grows, with very nice results!
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Stunning looking buildings (and figures :)).
Is it possible to consider two bases - organic and pavement - and drop the building onto either as the game demands? The join between building and base may not be perfectly disguised but the greater flexibility might be a key advantage.
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I think you could get away with the pavement only protruding from the front and maybe have a couple of mm down the sides/rear. If the paving slabs are random enough it won’t really matter if they don’t exactly match up when the builds are placed next to each other.
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Impressive! :-* :-* :-*
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Stunning! Exceptional brushwork as well!
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Phenomenal thread! The figures and buildings are fantastic.
You could put your buildings around a cobblestone square. Lemax makes a great vinyl cobblestone mat for its Christmas Village line. It's easy to cut and dry brush to make smaller squares or roads. Check out the Amazon listing:
https://www.amazon.com/Lemax-Christmas-Village-Landscape-34920/dp/B00436JBDO
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Stunning buildings
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Amazing builds! I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
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These are superb :o :o
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Thank you all for the kind comments! I hope you had a nice Christmas break and wishing you all a happy new year!
Phenomenal thread! The figures and buildings are fantastic.
You could put your buildings around a cobblestone square. Lemax makes a great vinyl cobblestone mat for its Christmas Village line. It's easy to cut and dry brush to make smaller squares or roads. Check out the Amazon listing:
https://www.amazon.com/Lemax-Christmas-Village-Landscape-34920/dp/B00436JBDO
This is great! I purchased one of the mats and am now deciding what to use it for. Thanks for the tip :D
Over the Christmas period I was able to make a start on a few more projects. They're all still a work in progress, but thought I'd share my work so far. I am also still working on my existing builds (adding doors, window frames, etc etc.) and figures, but will upload pictures later.
First of all, my sister gave me a 1st Corps 3 wheel speedster for Christmas alongside some other items from their fantastic 20th century follies selection.
Using a sponging technique I made a start on the red basecoat. Whilst I'm far from being done, I'm quite happy with the results so far.
I have avoided vehicles in the past because I've historically had issues with brush strokes (I dont have an airbrush at the moment), but wanted to use this opportunity to use a sponging technique instead, I think it worked particularly well! I’ve included two photos below - can’t seem to get the actual colour to reflect well on camera…
(https://i.imgur.com/EhYghC3.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PRViUtE.jpg)
To go with the new car, she also bought me the pumps and attendant set (https://1stcorps.co.uk/product/fuel-pumps-and-attendant/).
I'm yet to make a start on the miniatures themselves, but I have managed to make a start on the building that'll host the future petrol station. After all, why finish what you’ve started when you can start something else as well! ;D
(https://i.imgur.com/UYWYztt.jpg)
The two front entrances will contain large barn doors - here the attendant will be able to wheel out his cart with tools and supplies.
The upstairs deck will provide a space for the attendant to sit and keep watch over the road for any incoming cars, with a small office space inside.
The building will eventually be clad in oil company logos (Royal Dutch Shell perhaps? Or Batavian Petroleum!) and advertisements. I'm especially happy with the wooden detailing under the roof (which you can just about see on the left hand side). Apologies for the poor quality of the fotos - I assure you the wooden flooring is in fact brown, not black!
Finally, I really wanted a centre piece for the town so far. So I made a start on a clock tower. I decided to loosely base my tower on Galle Tower in Sri Lanka. I had visited Galle Fort a few years ago, and absolutely loved how the stone tower overlooked the rest of the (originally Dutch then British) town.
(https://i.imgur.com/E0YHAb2.jpg)
Wanting to get the stone texture right, I went about the tower construction in probably the most painful way possible. Having built the structure out of foam board, I cladded the entire thing, brick by brick, in individually cut foam slabs which were then textured using a tinfoil ball. The tediousness of the task paired with my impatience meant that the brick size was larger than on the original:
(https://i.imgur.com/g0slPJz.jpg)
Following a black paint job and grey/brown dry brush I am relatively happy with the result. The colour is different from the original galle tower, and I am yet to finish the clock face / wooden detailing, but I think it'll form a nice centre piece for the town!
(https://i.imgur.com/Myj86Mr.jpg)
As always, thank you for the comments - should you have any tips or feedback, please do share!
- Shtim
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Great additions. Do you have WIP photos of that Excellent clock tower?
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Great progress :)
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Beautiful work. Full of detail.
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Great additions. Do you have WIP photos of that Excellent clock tower?
Thank you! Afraid that the only WIP picture I have is the one I already included in the post, it only shows the tower pre painting!
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Is that because you didn’t have TIME to take more pics of the clock tower ? lol
Sorry, had to go for it.
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Is that because you didn’t have TIME to take more pics of the clock tower ? lol
Sorry, had to go for it.
Cheap joke Bob, did you get it on TICK ???
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Fantastic work! I look forward to your next installment!
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Gorgeous work on that tower, well worth the time and effort spent on it. Can’t wait to see the figures for this.
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Thank you all for the kind words - special thanks to Flatpack and has.been for the clock related puns... lol
This week I'm sharing a variety of updates - most of them relatively minor.
First of all, I made some minor improvements to the larger building shared on December 1st, 2021.
I added some blue window sills on every floor for a pop of colour. The build still needs a door, and I am yet to add the final tiling above the bay window, but we're getting there:
(https://i.imgur.com/zG7ojPM.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NxpooAA.jpg)
Next I made some improvements to the shop building from May 2021. I added some minor details including wall braces at the front, a back door (not shown here), and some lettering at the top. "TONG FAH Co" probably has its origins in Malaysia rather than Indonesia, but I saw the name on an old photo from the Dutch Indies and it appealed, so here it is!
You'll also see a SHELL billboard on the roof. As I'm sure most of you'll know, (Royal Dutch) Shell was indeed a Dutch company with extensive operations across the Indies. They also operated a subsidiary - the Batavian Petroleum Company (Bataafse Petroleum Maatschappij). Once again, the bright colours (although toned down to reflect aging/rust) add a nice bit of colour to the board. The sign is fully removable - so can be used on a variety of builds.
(https://i.imgur.com/uR89XUu.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/P03reMN.jpg)
Next up, the petrol station. I am yet to paint the actual petrol pumps/equipment that I got from 1st Corps, but the building is nearing completion.
Quite happy with how it's turning out - especially with the notices on the front doors and crates scattered around. I expect I'll add a bunch more petrol related advertisements and signage soon - so stay tuned.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZBanEFp.jpg)
Also made some progress on the car. I think we're basically there now - all that remains is the driver (and steering wheel lol).
Especially happy with the yellow accents - really brightens the whole car.
(https://i.imgur.com/hE0DlRb.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4SSRZPZ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/1MW5DTF.jpg)
Also painted two new figures. One female explorer and one native Indonesian (from the Atjeh/Aceh region).
The bases turned out very well. I used a darker base tone and subtler drybrush - I also used smaller (but a greater quantity of) tufts.
I'm considering re-basing all of my miniatures, as I've never been super happy with a lot of them.. a task for another day...
(https://i.imgur.com/0Xuu1lC.jpg)
Finally (almost there!), I have two unrelated ongoing projects...
I'll let you guess what these could be:
(https://i.imgur.com/bwyNuSc.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/2nufOcb.jpg)
Thanks for reading! Any feedback or comments are welcome - as always.
Best,
Shtim
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Brill 8)
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Excellent work all around. I really like your Shell sign.
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What a delightfully exotic topic - loving the buildings too.
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Outstanding! Loving it!
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Thank you for the kind comments :D
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Here are some more:
Outstanding! Loving it!
Couldn't agree more!
T
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Very impressive - will be a great looking table!
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Bloody Marvelous!!!
Wonderful project and very inspirational!
Cheers
Richard P
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WoW! This keeps getting better and fetter! I'm so jealous!
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MAGNIFICENT! I Do love a beautiful obsession. Well done. Superb!
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WOW..crazy good.
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I'm late to this one but it's lovely work all round. I look forward to else may come.
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Amazing project! I love your execution and attention to detail. Highly motivational.
PS - I think your fig basing is great and doesn’t need to be changed. But that’s just my opinion, as I know most people are more critical of their own work than others work.
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As always, thank you all for the kind words!
Apologies for the lack of updates recently - We're in the process of moving house, so miniature painting/terrain building has been on the back burner.
For those who follow my instagram page, the below are a bit of a repeat, but I thought I'd share with the forum as well. You'll note I've been messing around with the bases a tiny bit - I think the density of the grasses and colour of the soil works better this way.
First of all, a new female character from Copplestone's 'Female Archaeologists' set.
(https://i.imgur.com/JhHCYFW.jpg)
Then another male figure by Foundry (Darkest Africa - Traders and Travellers)
(https://i.imgur.com/qjUDQ64.jpg)
Next, these absolutely fantastic figures by the folks over at Pulp Alley. I bought the starter set, having initially played some basic games with the online (free) rules, and have loved it so far. Not quite traditional 'wargaming' but I think the rules are well thought out and super easy to learn. Even my better half enjoyed it - and she had never set eyes on a (war)gaming board before.
The miniatures aren't quite 'Dutch Indies', but I like to think of them as bandits from a faraway land... lol
(https://i.imgur.com/huKvHvi.jpg)
Also painted up another Dutch solder - this time with Khaki trousers and uncovered pith helmet. I think I like the variation, so may add a bit of both throughout the force.
(https://i.imgur.com/isEjtsH.jpg)
Finally, just a tiny bit of terrain progress. A new building for in the centre of town - bit of an older picture (you'll note some of the figures here still have their old bases), but the building is now packed up for the move - so no updated photos for a week at least! It's still very much a work in progress - still need to add weathering to dim down the white, wooden detailing on the shingled roof (especially to cover that awful seam!), some posters, a door etc. etc. Particularly happy with the windows - laser cut from card (ordered online). Much easier, and more effective, than cutting it myself.
(https://i.imgur.com/l5M64O1.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/AMHmkC4.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/psZuade.png)
As always, any suggestions, inspiration, or comments are welcome :)
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Brill 8)
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+1 to Oshiro, Brilliant!
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Only discovered this thread now...but oh what a pleasure! Fantastic work all around, your buildings are super neat and it captures the setting perfectly :-*
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And it keeps getting better and better! I really like the Pulp Alley figure with the crossed arms! Is he Ramjeet Singh? The pose is different than the sketch and I prefer the actual figure's pose.
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You have utterly fantastic artistic skills. Thank you for this little insight into a different world gone by.
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Lovely :-* :-* :-*
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Very cool project with some awesome detailing fella!
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Brilliant work!
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Really excellent painting :-*
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Thank you all for the kind words!
And it keeps getting better and better! I really like the Pulp Alley figure with the crossed arms! Is he Ramjeet Singh? The pose is different than the sketch and I prefer the actual figure's pose.
Well spotted! Indeed, it is Ramjeet from Minerva’s Mercenaries :D
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Hello all,
small update from me today.
After sitting in the lead pile for some time now, I finally finished the petrol pump set from 1st Corps' 20th century follies range.
Quite happy with how it turned out, although I am still wondering whether I should add a label/poster on the green tool cabinet... Either way, it's done for now lol
(https://i.imgur.com/AaVZ5Yr.jpg)
Also almost done on this chap from Sally 4th - especially happy with the brighter choice of colours, it seems my version of the Dutch Indies is often awfully dreary!
(https://i.imgur.com/KHl33EQ.jpg)
Finally, for the enthusiasts, a quick pic of my layout as it stands. The next big project will probably be to replace the current base. It's warped, a bit flimsy, the colour feels off, and just a tad too rough/uneven... unsure of whether I should go for one of those neoprene printed mats, or whether I should fully commit and actually make some streets/building foundations with street lamps etc.. any suggestions welcome!
(https://i.imgur.com/aXYfRoh.jpg)
Thanks!
Shtim
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Coming along nicely 8)
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Your work continues to impress. It is all very useful for my own projects, though I doubt that the results will be as nice as yours. Looking forward to your next offerings!
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Excellent work 8)
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Nice work. As to the streets, well, I have no idea what things would have looked like in that locale at that time period but I'd say go for the detailed streets. Why? Could it be some selfish reason to see how and what you do to influence my work when I get around to putting together my Prohibition Era gangster games? Well, maybe.
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Brilliant looking table already! I am curious what you decide for the streets as I have not really decided for my own more modern projects.
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Wonderous things!
As to the streets, I would suggest doing each building on its own base.
That might include: Pavements, trash cans, crates & other detritus.
Then place them on one of the nice neoprene mats. Other items, like
street lights, can be individually based. You could then place circles of
'light' (thin cellophane/plastic) under them when doing a night time game.
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Lovely work. No to a mat, make your Terrain boards, you’ve got the talent and it will lift the whole layout to the next level. :)
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Brilliant! One of my favorite threads!
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Excellent :-*
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Hello all!
Another small update from me today - just a few bits and pieces.
First of all, I finally finished the MDF fountain kit that has been lying around since my very first post here... Added one of the Warlord Games 15mm epic scale figures on top (got it free with a Wargames Illustrated Magazine recently), and a few plasticard pipes for the water to flow out of. Yet to add the water effects, but will do so soon.
It's nothing particularly mind blowing, but it does add some more 'life' to the streets.
(https://i.imgur.com/FzUoHtB.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/b4POKvJ.jpeg)
Next up I worked on some signage for the existing builds. So far the town is very monochrome, so I thought some bright and colourful shop signs would fit in nicely. The Dutch Indies was very international, with shop signage in Dutch, German, English, Chinese, and Indonesian. The below two are the first of many - I plan on magnetising them somehow so that one building can have multiple uses if you switch the signs around.
(https://i.imgur.com/SHJILq9.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/LRF4L0f.jpeg)
Finally, perhaps the least exciting update, I added an MDF base to the below building. Opted for a relatively small dirt/dusty base as the building will most likely be used in the centre of a square/open area rather than along a street. Quite happy with the result - added some tufts and bricks for decoration.
(https://i.imgur.com/aY6kM1n.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/DpnQln4.jpeg)
For now the big project in the back of my mind remains the board itself. As I may have mentioned, I recently moved and now have a proper table for the town... The decision remains whether I want a 'permanent' set up where I can remove the builds but the street/foundation layout is set (similar to this excellent board: https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=133839.0 (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=133839.0)) or whether I want more flexibility with modular tiles/roads...
Shtim
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Great stuff 8)
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What a crackin' looking table you've produced. Very cool!
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The signs, especially the squid sign, are just great!
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Who makes the building that is roofed with tiles and corrugated iron with a vented area between the 2 levels of roof, please?
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Absolutely fantastic work! Very creative!
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Great impressive work :o
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Thank you all for the kind words.
Who makes the building that is roofed with tiles and corrugated iron with a vented area between the 2 levels of roof, please?
I’m afraid that all the buildings are scratch built, so no single set I can recommend. The walls are made from foam board with stone detailing made from blue XPS foam sheets textured with a tinfoil ball. The corrugated iron is made from corrugated paper - quick silver dry brush and rust effects usually does the trick.
The wooden detailing is all either balsa wood or skewers, with the exception of the wooden “vent”. The latter was made from “granny mesh”. The tiled roof is vacuum formed plastic sheeting, used for railway modelling I believe?
I hope this helps!
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Thank you, very professional looking.
Thank you all for the kind words.
I’m afraid that all the buildings are scratch built, so no single set I can recommend. The walls are made from foam board with stone detailing made from blue XPS foam sheets textured with a tinfoil ball. The corrugated iron is made from corrugated paper - quick silver dry brush and rust effects usually does the trick.
The wooden detailing is all either balsa wood or skewers, with the exception of the wooden “vent”. The latter was made from “granny mesh”. The tiled roof is vacuum formed plastic sheeting, used for railway modelling I believe?
I hope this helps!
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Beautiful work as usual mate!
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How could I have missed this thread for so long?
Marvelous buildings etc. Makes me want to build my own again. If I just had more space for storage....
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Hello all!
Thank you for the kind comments, as always.
After a small hiatus I finally started work on my Dutch colonial troops.
These are styled on the field uniforms used by the Dutch throughout the Indies from the 1920's onwards.
It took some time to find the right miniatures, but eventually settled on the fantastic German Schutztruppe in Slouch Hats produced by Brigade Games as a proxy.
Whilst there are some differences between these figures and the Dutch uniforms (most notably, the leather straps & pouches), I found that these were the best match (and with some paint slapped on, they're pretty convincing in my opinion!).
Started with a batch of three, but have a whole lot more to paint. Please let me know what you think & whether there are any other figures out there that may provide useful as well!
(https://i.imgur.com/lvdkVjW.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4XBPNKL.jpg)
And here are their real life counterparts:
(https://i.imgur.com/tXCN4YR.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/n0xGzdr.png)
Thanks as always,
Shtim
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Nice, very nice.
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Very nice.
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They look great :)
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Beautiful, I think they are great proxies!!!!
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It all looks marvellous!
Dutch colonials from Tiger miniatures may be useful: https://www.tigerminiatures.co.uk/dutch-colonial (https://www.tigerminiatures.co.uk/dutch-colonial)
Not the best sculpts out there but inexpensive.
T.
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Nice.
And the uniform is very like the Germans I am going to paint for my Slightly Cracked Colonials, a few units of Essiggurkesoldaten. I hope that is right, my high school German was a long, long time ago. Supposed to be Pickle Soldiers, basic picklehaub wearing Germans transformed into Lark Side colonial units wearing green - the color of pickles. Just an odd bit of humor that tickles me. Feel free to correct my German if it is wrong.
On your soldiers, the photos show brown and green puttees but yours look like they might be off white - or are they supposed to be a lighter green?
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Those Dutch Colonials look good. Great job on color choice!
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http://www.hlbs-redux.co.uk/28mm-german-colonial-infantry.html#/
These might be useful. But don't wait too long as the metal ranges are being discontinued.
There are even separate - resin- head sets.
HLBSC figures are a little less stocky than the Brigade ones but will still match.
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Thank you all for the kind comments!
On your soldiers, the photos show brown and green puttees but yours look like they might be off white - or are they supposed to be a lighter green?
Correct! In all honesty, I purposefully overlooked some historical accuracy to add some contrast to the models, opting for a lighter set of puttees :)
Thank you also to WillieB and Sgt_T for the miniature suggestions!
This week, a small proof of concept from me.
As you may recall, I've been having some trouble coming up with a solution for the streetscape. On one hand I want my buildings/streets/overall town layout to remain modular and flexible so that I can interchange buildings and terrain depending on the setting. On the other hand, I want the layout to be detailed. Whilst a neoprene matt combined with my buildings fulfils the first requirement , it doesn't allow for much detail work. Similarly, whilst a full-on wargaming board/detailed layout fulfils the second requirement, a board with glued on details, built in roads etc. results in a lack of modularity.
Having thought this over, I think I have come up with a solution.
As shown below, I intend to make various sizes of city blocks - a hardened dirt area (potentially also concrete) surrounded by pavement curb which may contain some bits of vegetation or grass. Details which may easily break if glued in (i.e. the electricity pylons and tree in the picture below) are magnetised so that they don't snap if someone brushes past. The magnets are glued to the bottom of the item, and another magnet is placed on the bottom side of the city block plate, so the item can be placed anywhere.
My buildings will be placed on these city blocks, which can in turn be placed on the bottom street layer. To change the city layout, simply switch some of the city blocks out and add different buildings on top. The blocks will have various sizes, but have a relatively standardised look in terms of texture/grass/vegetation etc.
Should you wish to have fewer buildings and more vegetation, simply remove the city block plates and add a set of trees instead.
Some pictures below - this tester piece is for a table corner as it only has a curb on 2 sides:
Block with post office and small shop:
(https://i.imgur.com/Opt2Fqq.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4aHKR7G.jpg)
Block with fountain and fish shop:
(https://i.imgur.com/F7eycJd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PeFR634.jpg)
Block with no buildings (perhaps the area is under construction)
(https://i.imgur.com/OOGzKsn.jpg)
Whilst the solution is far from perfect, I think this allows for a good balance between detail work and modularity.
Let me know your thoughts! The XPS foam and MDF bases for the street layer should be arriving this week, so I will start work on the base layer soon.
Thanks,
Shtim
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The building blocks look great, I think your idea works very well.
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This entire thread is filled with fantastic figures and buildings! Inspirational!
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Block concept seems workable. It harkens back to some articles in early Wargames Illustrated issues where there was a SYW village that was on various base boards all designed to work together, also another article by same for a tent camp. Another idea I saw - I think here on LAF in the Old West portion - was to have "half blocks" that were meant to abut to the back of a building and could, to a degree, be interchangeable.
When I started reading your post before giving a close look to the photos I flashed on having just "the front" portion of buildings, similar to the "half blocks" above, where you have the front side of a building - or several buildings - to give that 'lived in' look to the front of the building before hitting the street, somewhat similar to what you did but not the full base.
I think all of the ideas work. My challenge is coming up with a way to make vertical modularity work when I want a town to be on rising (or lowering I guess) terrain rather than just flat. Working in 15 mm, this is more practical than in larger scales - though not impossible.
You have given me food for further thought on "modular townships" for the gaming table.
And, as others have said, this is a really cool thread packed with lots of ideas and really nice modeling.
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That is a nice solution
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Block concept seems workable. It harkens back to some articles in early Wargames Illustrated issues where there was a SYW village that was on various base boards all designed to work together, also another article by same for a tent camp. Another idea I saw - I think here on LAF in the Old West portion - was to have "half blocks" that were meant to abut to the back of a building and could, to a degree, be interchangeable.
[…]
I think all of the ideas work. My challenge is coming up with a way to make vertical modularity work when I want a town to be on rising (or lowering I guess) terrain rather than just flat. Working in 15 mm, this is more practical than in larger scales - though not impossible.
Thank you all for the kind comments!
FifteensAway, you don’t happen to have any links or photos from those articles and/or threads, do you?
On the vertical modularity, I tend to agree - that is a core challenge. Having said that, you could have artificial vertical inclines (retaining walls with walkways and higher platforms on which you place the base boards, rather than natural features such as cliff sides or hills) but no buildings would be placed on the slopes I guess… unless you made a building especially designed for an incline with an angled foundation…
Either way, interesting thoughts from your side - thanks!
-
Shtim,
Give me some time - probably next week at earliest - and I'll see what I can find. Up against a deadline tomorrow and serious heat wave coming (may be as high as 111 this weekend! Hope not.) and holiday weekend so wife may have 'other plans'. Don't have links or photos but can try and track down the issues and the thread. Was a few years ago for the LAF thread so might be a bear to find - but I'm sure it is there (not sure if the photos are, though!).
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I had a similar idea for my Fallout project a while back, never got past the idea stage though. lol Very cool to see a real proof-of-concept - it looks great, very promising!
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Hello all!
It's been quite a while since my last update, but I do have some progress to show!
First up, I painted a few new miniatures: some dutch troops and a Moroccan henchman. The latter may be far from home, but I like to think that he's well travelled - plus, it adds some nice 'pulpy' character to my collection.
All miniatures from Brigade Games.
(https://i.imgur.com/VsCi3j8.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/NL4h25O.jpg)
Next up, I have also made significant progress on my latest building. Influenced by a recent trip to Singapore, I wanted to try my hand at Peranakan inspired architecture. Common across the Southeast Asia straits, the style uses a combination of Chinese, local, and European architecture.
As previously, the roof makes use of corrugated paper. The walls and detailing is made from a combination of XPS foam and foam board.
The build is not yet done - I need to add details including window sills & trim, doors, signage etc. but we're on track!
(https://i.imgur.com/GUqEZax.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/m20ie8d.jpg)
It makes for a great addition to the city scape - providing more architectural diversity to the existing scene:
(https://i.imgur.com/9qQJ89U.jpg)
Finally, for my birthday and Christmas, I was lucky enough to receive/partly gift myself a resin 3d printing set up. It took some time to get used to, but it has proven immensely useful for printing elaborate architectural details. Wanting to use the printer straight away, I started a new project: An early 1920s cinema.
Every town needs a cinema, and the Dutch Indies were full of them! I really wanted to try my hand at a classic art deco theatre - especially those inspired by cultures from across the world (i.e. the Egyptian, Chinese, and Mayan theatres popular across most of the Western world at the time). Turning to the internet for inspiration, I came across the below:
(https://i.imgur.com/EzN2TaQ.png)
Whilst quite far removed from the Dutch Indies, I like to think that the Egypt-mania at the time could result in something similar as far as the Dutch Indies. Afterall, why not - the tomb of Tutankhamun was world wide news when discovered in 1923..!
And so, I have now made a start to "het Ramses Theater" (the Ramesses Theatre) for my town:
(https://i.imgur.com/LMupVGj.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/Tbvb9zS.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/kmr5wEI.jpg)
More details to come obviously, but a good start nonetheless - and quite refreshing to have such a different architectural theme to be playing around with.
Finally, although a minor upgrade, I 3d printed a new set of signs for my post office. The original printed signs weren't holding up too well and so I designed a set of embossed text signs. The building is showing it's age though - quite rough around the edges. But I think the signs make for a nice addition.
(https://i.imgur.com/oFc9HCR.jpg)
That is all for now! Any questions or comments are always welcome!
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That's some inspired work. What a great project!
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Indeed well done.
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Nice.
What films are you planning for it to show? ???
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King Kong & Tarzan.
Nice.
What films are you planning for it to show? ???
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The cinema idea is fantastic, and the model is coming along very nicely.
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That stuff all looks geat!
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King Kong & Tarzan.
That is an excellent idea! I was originally going to go for some actual Dutch films from the '20s, but this seems far more fun
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Unfortunately, King Kong came slightly later than your chosen period, 1933ish, I think.
But I'm sure nobody will mind if you don't. :)
Love the Egyptian stylings. Very apt.
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Delinquitus extraordinarius! On me. I don't have any links to those articles but I will find the WI issues for you to reference - and a lot sooner than the intervening time from my statement about doing so! Oh, dear me, how embarrassing. ;)
...and a few hours later
I went through the first 80 issues, less one misplaced issue 38 which is around somewhere, and found one article from issue 14, October 1988, by Pete Duckworth of the Scimitar War Games Group's, on page 18, a two page spread of 4 photos and one page with a diagram, showing the modular village set up. I could not find the bit about camps using the same process but that might have been just photos rather than an actual article and I didn't go through page by page. Maybe it is in issue 38?
However, I think the found article should give you a better sense of the idea. Hope it helps. Phew, now I can let go of that feeling of embarrassment! :D
-
by Pete Duckworth of the Scimitar War Games
Peter is still around with the Scimitar group. I can ask him questions
if you want. He is a very nice chap. I once saw him give away a
scratch built Turkish cannon (The type that look like a very dangerous
sofa) at a wargames show while we were putting on a demonstration.
A member of the public wanted to know where he had purchased it from.
Which manufacturer? Peter told him that as no-one (at that time) made
one he had made it himself. The guy looked crest fallen, 'I could never
manage to do that' he said. Peter took the gun off the table & gave it to
him. Wouldn't take a penny for it either. Like I said, a nice guy.
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Excellent work, astonishing buldings !!
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Great stuff 8)
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Excellent thread! Inspirational stuff! Thank you!
Cheers
JJ
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Love the Egyptian cinema.
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More excellent building :-* and that cinema is going to look special.
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Utterly fantastic work! I've started working on a Dutch East-Indies project of my own, but it will be more in the wilderness, not in a city. I actually want to play Congo - replacing gorillas with orangutans and lions with tigers. I'll try to keep it as historically correct as possible, so I have a mixture of Tiger Miniatures, Steve Barber and Eureka. Still, it stays a game and I fully support your choice in making certain things larger than life.
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Thank you for all the kind comments - appreciated as always.
Greuthungi, I look forward to seeing how your progress!
However, I think the found article should give you a better sense of the idea. Hope it helps. Phew, now I can let go of that feeling of embarrassment! :D
Thank you for your tremendous efforts!! I will certainly have a look at this issue!
Meanwhile, some minor bits of progress for my project.
First off, I finally finished these luggage porters by North Star. Ordered them a long time ago, but they have been sitting in the lead pile. Finally thought I would give them a go.
Quite pleased with the result - the baggage and loincloths add a nice splash of colour to the scene.
(https://i.imgur.com/RqGnE5q.jpg)
Next up, I added some modular terrain to my set up. I bought these trees from my local modelling store and added some planters for my more urban setting. Also finally finished off 6 fence pieces which I had originally bought at SELWG 2022 - simply rebased and added some foliage to match. Quite useful for gaming.
(https://i.imgur.com/5qhblDn.jpg)
And finally... some more progress on "Het Ramses Theater" (The Ramesses Theatre). I am yet to add signage, flags, a further splash of colour etc. but I was keen to show the progress I had made. I am rather pleased - the build fits in quite nicely.
(https://i.imgur.com/XZl2Gic.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/qMnY4AK.jpg)
As always, any feedback or comments are more than welcome :)
Shtim
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Continued excellence. :-*
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This is really fantastic stuff! :o
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Theater is coming along nicely. And those porters look good.
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Cracking work, so much character 8)
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Very nice. The signage on the theater is what really makes the build come together for me.
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Absolutely fantastic!
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Love the little knight, on the fountain, very atmospheric and simply an all-round stunning job.
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Those porters look good, as does everything else. LOVE that theater... :D
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Brilliant work. I love the subtle paint job on the porters and the Pharonic theme to the cinema looks both ‘fantastic’ and ‘just right’.
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Thank you all for the kind comments, very encouraging as always!
Progress has been slow but steady on this end..!
First up, I finally finished the brigade games leadpile - I now have a full squadron of Royal Dutch Indies (KNIL) soldiers ready for action.
I am quite happy with the end result (especially the flatter bases), so much so that I have purchased some additional ancillary troops from Woodbine Designs (Machine gun crew on the way..!) to expand the squadron. Now to decide whether I should re-base all of my collection... lol
(https://i.imgur.com/64228pk.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/d9pBarH.jpg)
Next I also finished another set of fantastic figures from 1st Corps' 20th Century Follies range - the "Nosey youth and his companions"... although you may know this traveller by a different name lol
I know it's not strictly historical, but he did visit the region in "Flight 714 to Sydney" for a refuelling at Kemajoran Airport - so why not!
(https://i.imgur.com/ohXGLje.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/gmPJC6M.jpg)
Finally, just a bit of progress on the latest building for my town. Still not quite done, need to add some signage and final details, but we're getting there:
(https://i.imgur.com/tDJz0nO.jpg)
Nothing further to report! Comments welcome, as always!
Shtim
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Splendid 8)
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So impressive
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Really fantastic work!
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Really nice work all around - and glad to see progress, too.
Afraid I am ignorant of the Nosey Youth character and is 'alter-ego'. I must have been living too sheltered a life. ;)
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Not necessarily sheltered, just geographically disadvantaged. The Tintin comic strips were massively popular all over the world for decades. Just not in America. Probably because they had their own comic thing going on there, with leaping tall buildings in a single bound and all that stuff. Tintin is quite the veteran, mind. He is actually older than the son of Jor-El. :)
Really lovely work, Shtim, as is to be expected at this point.
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Thanks, Plynkes. Apparently I missed the Spielberg movie. Now I know more - courtesy of Wikipedia.
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Hello all!
It's been a while since my last post, but I do actually have something to show for it!
The theme of this week? From old to new (or in other words, redoing past builds I was unhappy with/finishing off existing projects before starting something new lol)
First up, I finally got round to working on some of the items bought at Salute50. I came across the MDF terrain by Warbases and couldn't resist the tempation.
Here is a small office to manage/administer the town market. I am yet to finish the interior, but the 'slotted' MDF design is immensely useful and allows me to easily remove the roof - perhaps something to add to my own builds! As always with MDF builds, I added my own detailing to get rid of that MDF look.
(https://i.imgur.com/DpMDXrq.jpg)
Next, I made some good progress on the Ramses cinema. After a lot of back and forth, I settled on two English language films from 1921 for the signage above the door, with posters on either side to match. The lettering adds a lot of character, and I am very pleased with how it turned out. I will probably add something along the lines of "SHOWING TONIGHT" in red on the top line (albeit in Dutch perhaps?) - yet to decide! For now I'm calling this one done.
(https://i.imgur.com/ftrylUI.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iiyNziB.jpg)
With the cinema finished, I moved on to the tailor shop ("kleermaker") from my last post. I was really unhappy with how it had turned out in the end - it came across as sloppy and just didn't do it for me. After a lot of umming and ahing I completely redid parts of the façade. And now... well, see for yourself - before and after pictures included below:
Before:
(https://i.imgur.com/tDJz0nO.jpeg)
After:
(https://i.imgur.com/UTm3y2R.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5cAFB05.jpg)
Finally, I got to work on the post office - one of my oldest builds. Similarly to the tailer shop, I had fallen out of love with parts of the building. So, I took the plunge, stripped off certain facade details and got to work. I'm yet to finish this one, still working on some details for the front (lanterns, boxes, a plaque of sorts for on the walls etc.) but the bulk of the work is done. Also including a before and after below - in particular the decorative bricks and eaves at the top of the building.
Letterbox courtesy of Oshiro models - I bought a few things from the "miscast bin" at Salute that I will surely be showing off in the coming months. (All excellent quality, and yes I will happily take a corporate sponsorship ;) lol)
Before: (on the right side)
(https://i.imgur.com/qMnY4AK.jpeg)
After:
(https://i.imgur.com/PtHl7Ts.jpg)
Final view of the improved builds:
(https://i.imgur.com/fK4EaZf.jpg)
Thanks as always!
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Love it 8)
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Beautiful! You have created an awesome display. Keeps looking better and better. :-*
Mark
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Really lovely buildings. :-*
Sooo, on the tops of a few of the buildings,
I spy some crates.
Inquiring minds would like to know? :-X what is in them.
I see lots of possibilities.
Some body up to no good. >:D,
or other dastardly things.
Oh, the stories the crates might tell. :-X :D
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Just be careful how you pack it before you send it to me! lol lol lol lol
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very beautiful
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Fantastic work and some very nice improvements made on these buildings (its only after seeing the before/after shots that it is possible to see how the originals could yet be improved)!
I must say I love the idea of a window full of posters, postscards etc. that you had in the old version of the Post Office, maybe something you can redo for another building?
-
Nice work - and takes a bit of study to see some of the changes but all good. Though I'm in the camp in favor of the posters. I liked them, a bit of 'character' to the scene. But it is your world and ultimately you are the one who has to be satisfied with the results.
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Every thing in this thread is just amazingly inspirational.
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Magnificent! Absolutely top notch! Fantastic buildings with gorgeous figures! Inspirational!
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Thank you all for the kind comments!
[…] I spy some crates.
Inquiring minds would like to know? :-X what is in them.
I see lots of possibilities. Some body up to no good. >:D,
or other dastardly things. Oh, the stories the crates might tell. :-X :D
The best part? I have plenty more crates to paint! lol I think they add a great sense of scale, and are very useful in filling otherwise empty spaces! (And yes, very useful to hide your ill gotten gains, secret loot, or… former enemies…?)
[…] I must say I love the idea of a window full of posters, postscards etc. that you had in the old version of the Post Office, maybe something you can redo for another building?
[…] Though I'm in the camp in favor of the posters. I liked them, a bit of 'character' to the scene. But it is your world and ultimately you are the one who has to be satisfied with the results.
Not to fear gents, the posters will return! Fully agreed that they add a good bit of character. Once all of the other bits are in (street lanterns, bollards, etc) I will surely add posters too!
Thanks
Shtim
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Tin-Tin, ooh she was so hot!
I remember her. Thunderbird! Smokey is GO when it comes to her!
-
Ah yes - well done to all that! It all looks quite proper-like...
-
Absolutely fantastic! :-*
-
Really love the work - excellent. The Dutch colonial period was one of those I never got to game.
One thing, which company makes the Peter Lorre figure (the one you painted in light purple)? Great figure.
Regards,
Bob
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Wow, these buildings are stunningly good. They are so beautifully finished and they give such a sense of place.
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Quite amazing stuff. UV resin water effect to go in the fountain?
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Thank you all again for the kind comments!
One thing, which company makes the Peter Lorre figure (the one you painted in light purple)? Great figure.
Apologies for my delay in reply... He's from Sally 4th: https://wargamesbuildings.co.uk/product/cafe-americainpart-2/
Just a small update today from me.
First of all, mainly for those who don't follow me on Instagram (@PulpAdventure), hereby a photo of the refurbished post office, now fully done.
Very happy with the new look - added some posters back behind the window, may add some more.
On either side I added some "Anno - 1902" stonework details to add some visual interest - very happy with the results. I also added some blinds behind the window, again quite happy with the result:
(https://i.imgur.com/adKm1C2.jpg)
In the meantime, I have also started work on a new build - the Wongso Brothers Pharmacy (Gebroeders Wongso Apotheek). Some details and weathering left to add, but happy with the results for now. As always - a combination of materials and kits. The upper wooden extension is actually a 3d printed tram compartment. The lower windows and door come from a Sarissa European townhouse kit. The signs were 3d printed, and the rest is all wood, plasticard, and foamcore.
The lantern and plant pot are both wooden beads - quite versatile!
(https://i.imgur.com/SKv5Iyi.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lRDtQ3x.jpg)
Finally, I have recently been distracted by a different project... :D
A family member's 60th is coming up. He is an avid collector of King & Country's 1:30th scale 'Old Streets of Hong Kong' range. In addition to purchasing some goodies from King and Country itself, I thought it would be a nice project to build something for them - different scale to my usual stuff, but good fun nonetheless. I have a week more to finish it.. just a few more details... then paint... then weathering...
(https://i.imgur.com/9fMPcBE.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/6n7APeJ.jpg)
Thank you for reading, as always!!
Shtim
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Great fun as always! The pharmacy is great and I appreciate the cleverness of combining the different resources. I can see the tram car now that you have told us the component but would not have been able to identify it otherwise. Nice painting as well.
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Superb work! :-* :-* :-*
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Love your work on the Gebroeders Wongso Apotheek, gives me ideas for my own. I have been focused more on village style buildings in Java but with a current hol in Bali, there are lots of ideas for more urban styles.
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Lovely :)
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Quite lovely, all of it!
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That looks fantastic! What a city you're putting together there
Cheers
Matt
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I just discovered this thread and I must say I love it all! :-* :-* :-* Fantastic work on that city!!
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Another beautiful building,and the tram car window is very clever.
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Wonderful work :-*
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I feel like being transported right into an album of Tintin or Blake&Mortimer considering the quality of the scene you are setting! Beautiful clean and precise execution with a great attention to detail! You also nailed the bigger scale terrain piece! :-*
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Thank you all! Always a pleasure reading your kind comments!
… I have been focused more on village style buildings in Java but with a current hol in Bali, there are lots of ideas for more urban styles…
Ah yes, the best source of inspiration is surely found when on holiday! I had a quick look through your post history, but couldn’t find any posts on your Java village terrain. I’d be curious to see!
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I'm such an old fogey that I don't know how to post, more a follower and commenter than a poster. Current focus is on Mediterranean terrain but that will shift when the TFL Far East theatre book comes out and then the race starts. Following a KNIL KS from Holland atm.
Ah yes, the best source of inspiration is surely found when on holiday! I had a quick look through your post history, but couldn’t find any posts on your Java village terrain. I’d be curious to see!
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Thanks all for the kind comments!
Small update today - I thought I would share the completed gate that I made for a family member's 60th.
Not strictly Dutch colonial, but wanted to give an update on the finished piece none the less.
Here is the completed item, with miniature from King & Country:
(https://i.imgur.com/3Sdh9Em.jpg]http://)
(https://i.imgur.com/byR4Kyg.jpg)
I was rather happy with the final result, and thankfully the recipient was very pleased as well!
Separately, I finished a bit of a side project this weekend. Still within my Dutch Colonial theme, albeit not strictly historical (mods, let me know if I should remove or post on a different page).
I had become a bid jaded with the amount of painting left on all of my KNIL Dutch Colonial troopers, so thought I would work on something slightly different to get the creative juices flowing.
I present to you, the unhistorical KNIL walker - just a bit of fun before I return back to the usual stuff:
(https://i.imgur.com/TGvRhzd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/SQ8m7WX.jpg)
Miniatures from Empress and Woodbine Designs. Walker made by Ironclad Miniatures.
That's all for this week!
Shtim
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Love it 8)
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Seems to me that silliness, even in historical settings, is just fine. Why, heck, I'd even call it a necessary part of the fun.
Very cool on your Chinese gate that you found Foo Dogs with the balls on the proper feet (though I think you might have them set up opposite of how they should be - but I'm no expert).
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Thanks Gents!
Seems to me that silliness, even in historical settings, is just fine. Why, heck, I'd even call it a necessary part of the fun.
Very cool on your Chinese gate that you found Foo Dogs with the balls on the proper feet (though I think you might have them set up opposite of how they should be - but I'm no expert).
Right you are - a bit of fun adds just enough spice for me to stay engaged!
On the dogs you are definitely correct - they should be reversed!
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Continually great work! 👍
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Absolutely fantastic! Incredible! Your craftsmanship is superb!
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Thank you all for the kind comments and happy new year to everyone!
For those of you who don't follow me on Instagram, I started the year off with a quick picture of the town as it stands today.
Hoping that if you squint a bit, it almost looks like an aerial photo... almost...
(https://i.imgur.com/HF67QXv.jpg)
I finished off two small projects since my last post.
First of all, a small house produced by our talented fellow forum member Oshiro Models!
I actually managed to snatch this one from the 'miscasts' for sale at Salute50 last year, hence why it looks different to the original.
The roof tiles on the stepped gables had not cast properly, so I decided to cut them off and replace them with simple stone slabs.
(Again just highlighting that I purposely got this damaged model at a discount from the miscast bin, and that this is not to be expected from normal purchases from OshiroModels.co.uk)
Rather happy with how it turned out - it's a fantastic sculpt and will work well to plug any gaps between larger buildings on my board - highly recommend.
(https://i.imgur.com/rTVBPef.jpg)
I also finished a Vickers HMG team for my Dutch Indies KNIL troops. These are originally british WW1 troops produced by Woodbine designs, with swapped out heads.
Very happy with the result. They are similar in design and scale to my Brigade Schutztruppe which I have used for my KNIL infantry previously.
(https://i.imgur.com/gYXd297.jpg)
Finally, for Christmas I received various modelling gifts, the first of which were some Asian civillians produced by Empress.
So far they've been based and undercoated. Scale-wise they're a bit smaller than the rest of my collection, but not overly so... let's put it down to the Dutch being particularly tall.
(https://i.imgur.com/mEkspl2.jpg)
Thanks, as always!
Shtim
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Excellent 8)
Love what you've done with the miscast. I should get on to some of mine at some point lol
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Glad to see you’re still knocking it out of the park 😀
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Your town looks good so far. Great job on that miscast!
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The Oshiro house is one on my list too. Great work as always!
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I do love a Shtim post on this thread, your work is beautiful and inspirational.
A friend just picked up the Empress Dan Sur range from me as part of a group order I made. His will be Vietnamese but I think they are nicely generic for agricultural Asia. I would love to read/see your thoughts on skin and costume colour.
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On those civilians, is that the black primer and then an overspray of white technique? I think it has an actual name but I'm not sure what it is. Once painted these figures should make a nice addition to your collection.
Looking lovely as always.
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On those civilians, is that the black primer and then an overspray of white technique? I think it has an actual name but I'm not sure what it is. Once painted these figures should make a nice addition to your collection.
Looking lovely as always.
I was wondering about that primer job too.
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Thanks all!
I was wondering about that primer job too.
On those civilians, is that the black primer and then an overspray of white technique?
Yes indeed - a zenithal highlight. Although I will say that 1) my highlights are usually quite rough as I use a spray can rather than an airbrush and 2) it has little effect as I don’t use very watered down paints!
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I'm not sure I buy into the zenithal (the word I couldn't remember - thanks!) technique using opaque paints but I do believe it can help when using a black primer to give a little better definition and help lighter colors like whites, yellows, and oranges look better with less work (lighter rather than opaque in the sense I am using). Of course, I've abandoned white and black primer pretty much - just use a 'red' primer that is really a reddish brown, gets the forgiveness of black primer, doesn't absorb those lighter colors quite so bad, details still easier to see, and - at least for me - just seems to work better. Then again, I am perfectly happy with a 'good enough' paint job rather than the artwork many a LAFer shows off here.