ImagiNation Diversion Finished.

Last year I did a deal with Andy McMaster of Another Slight Diversion fame. He gave me a rather nice hill village for my Iberian Napoleonic project and I paint up a few units for him in 6mm. The figures are Baccus Seven Years War originally but Andy wants them for his ImagiNation project. Andy has this great 28mm force called The Savage Swan's but for some mad reason wanted to reproduce them in 6mm. I got the job of painting up four infantry regiments to face these Savage Swans. Andy has about 100 figures per regiment so they really look something. 

I did the first one as a test to see if I could do them to the standard required by Andy. Andy highlights even his 6mm and they look superb so it was a bit of a stretch for me. For instance he paints his faces in red leather then dabs spots of flesh on the nose, cheeks and chin. The effect is rather stunning when completed but it's a style that can not be rushed. I took to it and enjoyed the experience and whilst I do not paint my own figures to that level I have taken some of the disciplines and made them my own. 

It's a bit ironic that today I have finished the equivalent to this lot for Matt who again will be basing his own and from the same rough time period of the War of Spanish Succession again adapting my style to another painter and again feeling I can take some of those skills to use in some of my other painting.

Around the time I was finishing the figs for Andy he hit a period where his mojo went on holiday and took it's time coming back. We have still met up at Cons and had a laugh and his interest was still there, just resting. This started to stretch out but with a new year it seems to be making a come back. Something that always helps with the mojo is finishing off a project or long waiting units.

I'm not just talking about these boys but also his excellent 1/300 micro armor  Nip over on the link above to see the detail of the models and skill with the brush. Andy also finished these units off with the flags and the command figures which are Adler.

So thank you Andy not just for letting me use these images but also for stretching me as a painter. And another BIG thanks you for finishing these guys in style, the basing, flags and command really lift the work I did and gives them the finish I felt they deserved.