Perfect Six Perfect Scenic's and Other Buys

20 and 30mm Barricade sets.

I ordered a few bits from a new player in 6mm, not figures or buildings but barrels and barricades. Some of you will already be familiar with the 6mm Napoleonic's Forum which is now around a year old and a great place to visit if your interested in Napoleonic's and more so if your taste is for the small chaps like I am.

Barricades with Adler figures for scale, note figures are on 2mm base.

Well Richard who has set up the forum has been trying his hand at sculpting, first with a few figures but he has answered the call for some scenic items such as the Barricades above. These are well detailed as you will see when I get a few painted up. The prices are listed below and more details can be found here.

16 Barrel Set.

Pack of 16 Barrels £2.50

Pack of 4 20mm Barricades £2.50

Pack of 4 30mm Barricades £3.50

4 Different sized barrels.

As you can see the barrels are well detailed and will be a great fit for battlefield clutter, adding to camps and building bases.

This is a new venture, Richard already runs an excellent 6mm painting service that provides incredibly detailed work for those who want the best. More items are to be released in about four or so weeks time, so well worth keeping an eye on them.

Rosemary & Co Brushes.

After the Painting Challenge I am sure I am not the only one buying new brushes. Typically these are my most trusted supplier Rosemary & Co. It's testament to their quality and long life that I was just ordering three series 33 brushes and a dry brush (Ebony Short Flat) after three months of hard work and more abuse than they deserve. Not that all these are going into service together as two will be backups as one of the brushes is not yet spent. Indeed all brushes will be treated to a brush soap bath to see how well they come back to life.

Having bought three boxes of HaT Gaul's I would them to be rubbery so sought advice and was told this primer would be perfect. I have always been resistant to paint on primer in the past, seems a waste of time when spraying is faster but having used this on the plastics, a few buildings and the missed areas when spraying (typically horses). It's a great primer and I am very pleased to have listened. 

Stocking Up

OK no Salute for me, and even though I have never been I really don't feel I missed anything (other than the meet up with fellow bloggers).

Of course it's easy to think that when you have never made the trip but I will be honest I am not that bothered finding out the truth. It probably has more to do with the fact that I have not really been grabbed by conventions since coming back to the hobby near on three years ago. The buzz has gone like a jaded relationship, almost like you want the con's to tell me it's over and they see no future in our relationship and they need someone new to give them meaning. It's so much more about the people than the toys, I guess it's the internet showing me all these shiny things. Internet dating of the wargaming kind.

Even though I have those new and yet UNUSED Windsor & Newton series 7's I bought some old faithful's in Rosemary & Co. Series 33 zero and one brushes as well as six Ebony Short  Flat (size 1) that have really long handles. These I use for dry brushing the terrain and it wrecks the bristles but they are great for the job in mind. At just £1 delivery you can't go wrong with them and as I still have five of the smaller brushes still unused they will see lots of action with the 6mm. The W&N will finally get used on the 15 and 28mm figures awaiting my attention.

I also added to the Dark Sword miniatures, though I intentionally have taken the shot so not to be too detailed. Some of these are needed for the Fantasy Campaign I am running in the near period though others won't be needed for some time yet. In the background are the figures I am working on now, a mix of old Grenadier and newer GW Orc's, 15 all told, I bet the players are a little worried about that!!

Three For One Post

First up a big shout for Dave at One Man And His Brushes who hit 100,000 hits recently and is having a give away to celebrate. If you have not visited Dave's blog then your missing a real treat that goes way beyond serious eye candy so take this excuse to go see what you have been missing.

Keeping on the subject of Dave, I got home today to find a package from him with more of the 6mm I had bought off his mate. These are a few more of the Brunswick troops that have been painted up by no less a man than Dave himself (do you love the bridge eh?)

These chaps double the lance armed cavalry I received at Blog-Con and completes the regiment rather nicely.

I single base of eight infantry that will be added to the others allowing me now to field four Battalions if I add the skirmish elements to them. I really like what Dave achieved when painting up these guys.

Five command figures which now gives me seven command figures which means three command bases so a big smile as I tick that box.

And this curious base with the three guns and a limber with a few dead crew. I already had a base of these but with four guns on it, I can only assume they were for a set of rules to show a gun position that had been overrun? Well like all the other figures they are excellently painted.

So thank you Dave for sending the extra bit's and sending them on to me. I was talking to Lee on Wednesday and he has now sanded all his painted bases and just needs to drybrush them and tuft, some how I feel inadequate  :-)

Not that these were the only items to land on the doorstep as I also have reinforced the brushes ready for the challenge as some of the larger brushes were getting to the past it stage and given I am planning on painting more of the larger figures in this challenge I thought it an idea to be ready, though Rosemary & Co are so fast at turning orders round I would not have been without long at all.

Keeping on the subject of gathering forces for the Challenge I am off to Caliver Books on Saturday to pick up more primers as I am down to the last two cans an well if I see something that looks right for one or more of the themes I will be grabbing some more lead, well it would be rude not too after all.

I also have been cleaning up figures and have added three Legions in 15mm that will be ready to roll on day one and I expect any day my Winter War package, oh it's sure exciting.

Rosemary & Co Giveaway Draw (Again)

Well with one of the prizes still unclaimed I have redrawn from the original entries and got a replacement winner. So who you ask is the winner of the set of Rosemary & Co brushes? 

Ironically it's someone who from the very start had said that they would be winning a set of these brushes, maybe she somehow had foretold her destiny?

Yes it's that mad lass Anne O'Leary over at O'Leary Miniatures. Anne became an active painter only just over a year ago but with her natural artistic skills has applied her knowledge of blending colours and self discipline to create some truly excellent work. No one looking at Anne's work would guess she only started a year ago.

So hats off to Anne and if you can get in touch chuck I will get the brushes on the way to you as soon as.

Anne also had won the reserve prize in the £20 give away so has £10 credit with whichever supplier she wishes to buy from. This was to be funded from my first pay pack in two years! It sure felt good to get that paper slip ;-) This brings to a close the giveaways. Many Thanks to all the supporting suppliers and to all of you who joined in the fun.

Rosemary & Co Giveaway Winners

It's another day so it must be another give away, today it's the very well thought of Rosemary & Co brushes. This giveaway attracted just one less entrants than the £20 giveaway which proves just how well thought of these brushes are. Again I bring your attention to the Series 33 Kolinsky Sable brushes, these are far superior for figure painting than any other brush of all their ranges. The sable is able to handle the rough surfaces of our figures (consider brushes are made for use on paper!) and these are the real deal. That is pure Kolinsky sable, many a brush that says they are Kolinsky are in fact just sable. Some that state they are sable end up being a blended brush. How can you tell? Well for a start Kolinsky is a red brown colour when you buy it. When you throw it away totally worn out, the bristles are still red/brown. Those that are a lighter brown, well they simply aren't. They are at best sable dyed the required colour. Kolinsky comes in grades so you can be buying Kolinsky but end up with a poor quality brush either because of low grade hair or poor finish but most often a mix of the two. Rosemary & Co.'s reputation rests on maintaining high standards of bristle, product and service. As such we as users get a brush that has many man hours of life in the brush. Sure if you misuse it your brush will have a limited life but I am glad to say that whilst I am no brush slayer I am not the kindest sole when it comes to brushes but I am getting hundreds of hours per brush.

So after all that, who has won? First up is Michael. Unfortunately Michael does not have a blog and just goes by this name as a follower. I have left a comment in response to his so hopefully will get a response soon. The second winner was Tim who does have a blog called Fidus et Audax and has won a giveaway once before when I painted up some 20mm Naps for him. Well Tim, it's your turn to do the painting hope you don't mind.

If both of you can get in touch at ian   _  willey       at   ignore this bit  hotmail   ignore this bit    dot    com


Fell free to leave the gaps in, though it won't get to me. Drop me a line not forgetting it's underscore and not a tired dash having a rest, give me your address and I can get these on the way soon.

After this giveaway it's the 3D sniper reminders followed by the Arena Rex model and then after a days break I will start up the Baccus French Napoleonic giveaway.

On the subject of the Arena Rex figure I have received one as a Birthday Present from them and I have to say it's so very excellent. If you are not in for this one yet then get your skates on, the detail is increasable and just shows what can be achieved with great sculpting and excellent casting. The flash is next to nothing and I have yet to see any mould lines. Top marks indeed.

Rosemary & Co. Brushes Giveaway

It's another day so it must be another Giveaway and it is, it is. Actually it will be two giveaways of four Rosemary & Co. brushes. I wish to thank Rosemary for backing this giveaway with two sets of brushes that retail at £16.55 for each of the four sets offered.

Not just any brushes though these are the Pure Kolinsky Red Sable Series 33 brushes. Rosemary & Co. have supplied two sets of four brushes size 1 through 4 so this giveaway is aimed at the 54 and 28mm sized figure painter (to balance the 6mm Leven Buildings we started with). Though if either set are one by 15mm painters I will order a couple of the smaller brushes to go with them, yes I'm all heart.

When I came back to the hobby around 18 months ago I bought the triangular Red Sable Kolinsky Creative Models and felt they lasted a fair amount of time given the hours I was using them for. But the bristle wear was always problematic and hairs would come loose even from a early stage. My mother who is a real painter (snigger) had a Rosemary & Co. catalogue and passed it over. Originally I was not sure which to go for so I bought a few Series 401 Sable Blend and the sexier but more expensive black handled Series 33 Kolinsky Red Sable. The price difference was quite steep with what I was at the time sitting between the two. I was hoping the cheaper blended brushes would do the job.

Postage was actually cheaper than calling at the local games store as it's just £1 delivered to the UK. Speed of delivery was very quick, I received updates all the way along, very professional. The brushes (and all since) was delivered in a small jiffy bag, the brushes in a sealed plastic bag in a reinforced card sleeve with the tips covered with the usual plastic collar. 

It was immediately clear that series 33 was a better quality brush, the handles being a better shape and the weight of the series 33 was noticeably heavier. This was backed up by the fact that the series 401 tips tended to curl within a few weeks of use. To help remedy this pour just boiled water into a cup or other container and dip the bristles in for just two seconds, remove and re-point this can extend the life of such brushes.

Given that I have been unable to work for 20 odd months paying more for brushes is a no no, but the thing is series 33 brushes may cost more than the ones I was already using but the life span of them was so much longer. In fact so much so that given good care they can last many hundreds of hours. I have just finished the three month panting challenge and estimate I painted for over seven hundred hours (yes really) and all on the same three brushes, I have just bought replacements though I am still using the old ones as they still have some life left in them.

So it's fair to say I am a fan, as with many things if you treat them well they last longer, the very fact that we are using them to paint metal figures really adds to the wear and tear. If used on good paper with good paints you get years of use out of them. For us it's a much shorter shelf life but we can extend it with care.

If you want a crack at this giveaway then just like the others before, you need to be a follower and you have to leave a comment below for this giveaway. Feel free to have a go at as many as you like, winning one will not mean you can't win another so go for as many as you can use.

So far we have on offer 6mm Leven Miniatures buildings, 2x 3D snipers sets, £20 to spend with any company that you can find to take money off me and now 2x sets of brushes, each set would cost you £16.55 so well worth getting these great brushes.

Rosemary & Co Brush Review

I have been using the Rosemary and Co. brushes for about a month now.  started off with the series 401 Sable Blend hoping for the best of both worlds. The extra quality and wear of Sable with the lower price points of, well anything else. Price point wise these are on the surface a great brush. They hold paint well and keep a point and when they do seem to splay just a quick dip in the water pot and a suck and twist of the brush and the hairs are back in place. Sounds a match made in heaven.

Kolinsky Sable top three. Bottom three are Sable Blend.

Well possibly, but as you will see from the photos the brush has a very annoying habit of curling at the tip. A closer view is below. The brush itself is lighter than the series 33 Kolinsky Sable as I suspect they use a different wood in the handle. It really is a shame the brush can't stop from curling, yes for me it's too light but that aside it would be a good brush except for this one fault. I am sure for other than miniature figure painting it does the job well. However I bought three of the Kolinsky Sable (originally one)  to see how much better the posh brush was. Well I have painted with the Ser. 33 brushes far more than the Blended Ser. 401 and have been far more impressed. Not only does the brush hold the paint well allowing less trips to the paint but it needs less tweaks to keep the point well dressed but no sign of curling of the point. The 10/0 has a habit of the whole bristle head being pushed to an angle from use but returns to a central position with a quick suck and twist (I say Vicar).  See below for a close up.

The sizes from top to bottom 10/0, 3/0, 2/0, 3/0, 2/0 and 1. As you can see I have zoomed in really close and no sign of curl on the Ser. 33 but a fairly pronounced curl on the less used and cheaper Ser. 401. I guess you simply get what you pay for in this case. Of course these need a lot more use than they have had to this point to prove that they are indeed the best brush for the money spent. I obviously have not compared them to Winsor & Newton top brushes but would only be too happy to do so if they want to send me a few to try ;-)

 

It's a shame about the Ser. 33 as that would have been a fantastic result but really I am happy with the results that seem to be coming from Ser. 33. Give me another month or two of hard working of the brushes and if they are still standing up to the work then  will be a very happy bunny. The Creative Models triangular brush always kept it's point for me but the bristles wore down at a fairly quick pace so I tended to carry on using them way past becoming the 10/0 size of brush!

 

Price wise Series 33 starts at £3.40 for size10/0 and goes up to £325 for the size 22! Relax though the largest most of us would want is the size 1 at £3.70 Due to my findings I will be offering the Series 33 brushes in the give away and not the 401's originally stated.