Boy Your A Philistine

We had a teacher called Mr. Rose at my old school. I only really remember a few things about him. One was that he was a dick, another his favourite saying was the posts title. I remember his face when I politely asked him EXACTLY who a Philistine was. I had no idea myself but I gave him the impression I did, I have a feeling he never really forgave me. Oh well, I don't think I lost much sleep over that. Not that he learnt to leave me alone. Just as we were almost leaving school we had a free lesson he was watching over us (I think there was in those days a danger of unwatched 16 year olds self combusting), anyway he said in a rather loud voice "Willey you have that book upside down" I looked at the cover of my Sven Hassel paperback, returned the look that Rose was supplying and said in  more restrained tone "I guess that's why you never made it to being an English Teacher" He was less amused than the class mates.

 

I digress, so on to my Philistine which I have just painted up for my son. Now please understand that after being dropped on the floor this figure needed the flesh replacing and a fair amount of touch up and to say I had less tolerance that a shot down teacher I still wish I had don a better job but if I had put it to one side I think it may have taken weeks for me to finish it (again!!)

 

The skin tone post matt spray now looks a little on the grey side, a disappointment for sure. The figure is a 54mm New Hope Design sculpted from images of Ospreys Men At Arms. It has to be said that the quality of the castings for 54mm in today's market is not fantastic. For the time they were released I assume they were fairly good but I bought a few on e-bay and price V quality I feel the winner. Most of all it's low cost practise at the larger scale stuff. I have another to do and then I will tackle another base that I am really looking forward to with three figures on that will take weeks of work. Something for me to really get my teeth into.

 

 

The drop also ripped the arm just above the elbow. I have never seen this happen before. The arm is still firmly in one piece but it has two of these rips. I painted up the viewable side as a scar and it felt very much like I had played a get out of jail card. The hide shield was the same method as I use for the 20mm figures. This is to add the off white to the whole shield and then add the brown over the op whilst it's still wet. This allows the two to mix together a little, especially at the edges. I am reasonably happy with the effect at 54mm.

 

I will return to the base at some point, adding real sand and painting this up through a few colours. The textured base did not really lend itself to dry brushing. I also need to find a wooden base to finish it off fully.

 

Cath thinks he looks more like a Zombie that a warrior. Me I just think he is scared which I like. Still my son likes him. Not so much for the figure itself but because Daddy did it just for him and he watched it develop over the days I worked on it and that at the end of the day is what matters.

 

OK the final day before the Painting Challenge begins. I have been out all day actually playing a wargame, report on that coming up in the next couple of days. I got home this evening expecting a final parcel of 28mm WWII figures. These have not arrived so may well turn up tomorrow. Not an issue given the amount of figures I have already prepped and anyway I would do no more than take them out and look at them. So only thing left to do is wish ll other Ronin the very best of luck and see you in the field of battle. For all those who really turned off by this challenge a big sorry but I promise to be posting other bits and bobs between the wall to wall painted figure posts.