Argonor's Colonial Calamities

[Sir Rodney Ffing]

Hard to believe that something which starts off like that can end up looking so good when you have finished with it.  My hat is off to you sir!

[Argonor]

Hard to believe that something which starts off like that can end up looking so good when you have finished with it.  My hat is off to you sir!

Thank you, sir! 

The models are actually quite nice 'in the flesh', and easy to assemble, but naked plastic always looks a bit... well, dull. Very happy with them as is, and bless Warlord/Empress for bringing these out so I wouldn't have to buy the WGF plastic Zulus 

I hope to keep up the quality, at least with the models for the IHMN Impi. I may have to cut some corners, painting wise, if/when I decide to go full Isandlwana, though 

[Argonor]

Veeeery slow progress, as I had a shedload (virtually) of other things to do today (household accounting, mead bottling, and piling firewood in the shed, most notably).

[Sir Rodney Ffing]

Far too fiddly for me, and I think gluing body parts on (and presumably filling cracks) would quickly drive me mad.  But if I had your choices to make, personally I would stick to mead bottling!

[MaleGriffin]

Your are officially my hero!

As a long time AZW player, it's great to see how good the plastics can look!

[Argonor]

Far too fiddly for me, and I think gluing body parts on (and presumably filling cracks) would quickly drive me mad.  But if I had your choices to make, personally I would stick to mead bottling!

No visible cracks on these, really - the joints are concealed by the arm 'rings' and 'pelts'. Mead brewing is a rewarding activity - and VERY easy, just a tad time consuming.

Your are officially my hero!

As a long time AZW player, it's great to see how good the plastics can look!

Thanks! I think most sculpts can be made looking good with a little effort, though, but of course some minis are just bad. These are reasonably nice as plastics go (I think the Perry medievals as seen in the back are far more fiddly to assemble, and can be outright frustrating to work with).

Here is the tiny bit of progress I made today:

[syrinx0]

I thought the warlord Zulu and Natal natives plastics were easier to assemble than the British as the joins were well hidden.  Your progress on the Zulu won't be as rewarding as your mead brewing but they are looking good.

[Argonor]

This has been on slow burner for a while as I have been busy tending to another project for this year's Horisont convention (which went down this weekend).

I did, however, play a game of Congo, which convinced me that I am going to get those rules!



There's a short AAR on my blog!

[Argonor]

Have been painting a bit.

I am not completely content with this one (Foundry Dusky Flesh palette is not really growing on me), but he will have to do.

Anela reports for bloody duty.



Couple more pics and thoughts on my blog. I expect to finish the last of my four initial Zulus one of the next days - I hope his skin will turn out better.

[Hu Rhu]

I am not completely content with this one (Foundry Dusky Flesh palette is not really growing on me), but he will have to do.

I agree the Dusky Flesh is more suitable for North Africans.  I would try Foundry's African Flesh shade 126.  It gives a much more suitable colour.

Nice painting all the same.

[Argonor]

I agree the Dusky Flesh is more suitable for North Africans.  I would try Foundry's African Flesh shade 126.  It gives a much more suitable colour.

Nice painting all the same.

I used the African Flesh palette for my first two Zulus, but I am experimenting a bit, trying to vary the skin colours. Some of the results I get will probably not get repeated on sub-saharan natives, and some may have to be augmented by a brown wash - but as long as the skin looks 'dark', it is not likely to be completely re-painted.

[Argonor]

The last of my first batch of plastic Zulus, Bhekizizwe is now ready to massacre some European grunts.



There will be a short break from painting Zulus, as I want to paint a couple of Christmas-related minis and have them ready before December 19th, and I actually also need to finish the bases on the four Unblooded rifle-armed warriors, and add a few details, such as powder horns, and maybe sculpt on some belts/straps for those.

There is a couple of - slightly better - photos on my blog - and I also wrote a bit about my endeavours with the Foundry Dusky Flesh palette.

[Argonor]

I thought I'd just pop by and post this group shot (lacking something better to show):



From left to right:

Anele - Siyanda - Bhekizizwe - Bheka

[Argonor]

I have gotten some North Star and Copplestone Africa stuff since my last post (one batch from North Star, another from Caliver Books).



This is just one of the sets - more info/details can be found on my blog.

[pocoloco]

Can't wait to see those witchdoctors painted!

This would be yet one more interesting period to have a project about, BUT maybe it's better for me just follow your progress for time being. Have you got a separate thread for scenery and terrain?