Before I even left the house I had my first item in my hands. Lee thought he had a spare copy of a book I was looking at on Saturday but whilst it was from the series it ended up being a different book. Not that I am complaining as he passed it over.
First purchase of the day was not the bricks shown above, but yet another pack of Baccus skirmishers. I was short by a couple of bases worth so grabbed a second pack. THEN it was over to a stand I had only noticed as I left the show the day before. I will be using these bricks with the Linka odd bits for the Sniper reminders.
The same guy sells these and it counts as the must do, impulse purchase. It's a 54mm resin cast figure who goes by the name of Rose. As you can see it's by War Griffon and is supplied by model display products. They do lots of really nice figures, bases and well just lots. Well worth a nip over.
I was drawn to this one as she has a cat, I will be painting this up at some point for my wife (who loves cats) but I have a date with three chaps first LOL.
This is the book Lee thought he had two of, so I bought it in any case, just £5 so I can't complain at all. Both books have lots of illustrations and look to be useful if only in dragging me further into lots more 6mm figures once 2015 is all done with.
The show itself though was deadly on Sunday. There was a bit of life in the morning but by late lunch it was dropping off by the minute. I spent a fair part of the lunch till home period painting with Dr Mike. Having two of us sat down painting seemed to attract more over to the table and we spent chunks of time talking to various wargamers though most of these already painted 6mm or would not paint 6mm. It was great getting to talk to guys who were interested in the paint it quicker style of painting especially when they realised the results can still be good looking. My style changed a great deal post sitting down with Ian last July (another of Mike's little helpers) but I have slowed right back down and so the sit down with Mike really was a benefit.
These just got about an hour of my time yesterday, I plan to finish them tonight ready for basing. These are some of the new Baccus French but Mike has a new slightly changed method that again seems to shave that bit more time off the time taken.
The day started and ended with gifts. Mike gave me a bottle of his special mixture. 20% flow aid and 80% distilled water (you get the flow aid from Winsor & Newton and the distilled water from any large Auto Parts/tools shop, or Halfords as we call it). Mike actually dilutes his Vallejo pots with this. He decants the paint into bottles like the Coat de Arms and adds some of this to the mix.
I will be using it to mix with the Vallejo in my bottle caps instead of water. you see tap water has lots of impurities that attach themselves to the pigment and rather than the water thinning down the paint it tends to make the paint slightly thicker whist separating some of the colour so you end up with one part thick and a second part runny. I have noticed this at times but did not know the science behind it.
So an enjoyable two days and now back to the program of getting some lead out.
Good stuff; especially like the books. I've been toying with the idea of doing Jena and Auerstadt, but moving it forward to 1813. I think the later armies are more fun.
ReplyDeleteSome splendid swag and great tips, thank you Ian.
ReplyDeleteThe two Napoleonic books are excellent, the colour plates are very useful indeed! I may give the flow aid a go myself.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. And a good tip on the flow aid. I shall be dipping my brush in that instead of water to get the paint the consistency I want.
ReplyDeleteGood tip on the flow aid. I have two 16ml dropper bottles in my paint rack. One is 100% Distilled water and the other is what I call my Blending Medium which is the same as your's, 20% Flow Aid and 80% Distilled Water. For thinning and layering I use up to 4 parts Blending Medium to one part paint. For washes the ratio is up to 10 parts Blending Medium to one part paint. Theses are only rough guidelines as the consistency of paints from pot to pot can vary and the exact dilution needs to be determined at the time of use.
ReplyDeleteThat vallejo tip was good Ian, glad you had a good time!
ReplyDelete@ Andrew, yes Dr Mike is responsible, I am just repeating his good advice.
ReplyDelete@ Mike, that's an interesting idea, the French being less of a war machine I assume
@ Michael, I do like the swag, though a lot less than the first day fortunately.
@ Ray, I have to say I have not had a good sit down with them, but books full of pictures suit me well. Try the flow aid I was really surprised at how well it works once I had it at home in my own environment. I will replace the little bottle when I run out for sure.
@ Sean, well it's best watered down with the distilled I think. Also Mike was using just distilled water to thin paint as that on it's own is still much better than tap water.
@ Lee, Thanks, now that's another top tip.
@ Fran, yes I had a great time. Now I have to get some of these figures painted!
Ian