 deadhead  | 25 Nov 2015 7:13 a.m. PST |
The French Mamelukes sported a more sober uniform and made for a relaxing change after the officer. Must go back to the band though! They are already mounted on a cobble stoned street. My purpose in showing these is to be totally honest and say I got it wrong….the basing. It was terribly clever and hard work to produce this crop field, strand by strand (the tips are just dipped in PVA and then fine modelling grass, more like dust really, and in several shades). I used my real Waterloo mud, with PVA too, even if the crops and background are wrong for June and Belgium. But I did not listen to ‘er indoors, who always tells me not to overdo it (I do mean basing of course…..). KISS is the principle she tells me. But would I listen? This idea would have worked really well with a static group of riflemen of jaegers, skirmishing. For anything and especially riders, in motion, it just overpowers them. I may still convert the whole thing to stubble after the harvest…………. They are beautiful castings and the separate right arm is a Godsend. We all show our triumphs. There is a lesson here about scale effects……….learn from this… I might.
Few more pics here; imageshack.us/a/xFF4/1 |
| von Winterfeldt | 25 Nov 2015 7:59 a.m. PST |
I think you are too critical with yourselve, it looks great |
| PhattRhatt | 25 Nov 2015 8:46 a.m. PST |
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| wrgmr1 | 25 Nov 2015 9:08 a.m. PST |
I agree with Von W. Don't be so hard on yourself, they look great to me! |
| jeffreyw3 | 25 Nov 2015 9:46 a.m. PST |
Looks fine--I disagree that they overpower. Now, the vineyard in the background…  |
LeonAdler  | 25 Nov 2015 10:04 a.m. PST |
Think it looks brill !
I think it looks perfectly in proportion.
If you don't want it mind you I have a nice place in a display cabinet………. :) L |
| GamesPoet | 25 Nov 2015 10:51 a.m. PST |
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| ferg981 | 25 Nov 2015 12:32 p.m. PST |
Yeah I agree Don't touch it, it looks great J |
| Timmo uk | 25 Nov 2015 1:21 p.m. PST |
I'd leave it as it is and do another one to see if you can improve it based on the thoughts you've shared here. I'm all for a bit of self criticism it's the best way to ensure we keep developing. Without it we'd still be painting like we did when we were ten years old. |
| jammy four | 25 Nov 2015 1:24 p.m. PST |
Splendid work Deadhead .its good to see you go with
the 1815 uniform .you have still managed a vibrant punch of colour. the wheat is well.top notch ..as for the Waterloo
mud blimey that's step towards total realism for groundwork.
may pinch the pictures for my facebook/Gringo40s site if that's ok with you en avant!
best regards
Ged
gringo40s.com
gringo40s.blogspot.com |
| Frederick | 25 Nov 2015 6:52 p.m. PST |
Nice little diorama – like it a lot! |
| deadhead | 26 Nov 2015 9:30 a.m. PST |
Waterloo mud I used to use sparingly but, last visit, I brought back half a field from the edge of Hougoumont! The photos are strange….maybe white balance wrong? The colour saturation is too vivid I think. They are actually less vibrant in daylight and I love them for it…..realistic! Also the sheen from the spotlights….these are really matt to the naked eye, although the horses are still "satin" despite Rowney's best varnish. Delighted to see them on Facebook. Do you have a link to your site? (I admit it is complete mystery to me, even though I have seen the film) Glad everyone liked these so much….although I am genuinely surprised. I wanted to show these as how not to base something! OK, I will not crop it to ground level then…… |
| Cheriton | 26 Nov 2015 1:27 p.m. PST |
deadhead: They are beautiful castings and the separate right arm is a Godsend. Agreed on both counts and the appraisals of your work and ideas.  Can you give me any idea of how these Mamelukes would fit in with Perry cavalry on the tabletop? In their images they appear to be a bit too "heroic" for the purpose? I know the unit was before the 1812-1815 era on which have the Perrys have largely concentrated, but… Cheers, Cheriton  |
| mashrewba | 26 Nov 2015 2:20 p.m. PST |
I like the horse having a kip. |
| paulalba | 26 Nov 2015 5:11 p.m. PST |
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| deadhead | 27 Nov 2015 2:44 a.m. PST |
Must thank you all again. I am beginning to be convinced about the effect myself…the horse, like the Norwegian Blue Parrot, is only resting….. Cheriton, Now that is very interesting/important question, which set me researching the catalogue and caused some surprise. Sizewise they are totally compatible with Perrys , who may well one day produce their own Mamelukes, but, if so, these castings will take some beating. Just see the crescent and star on the head gear or note the unusually correct proportions of their anatomy. Facial definition (High cheekbones, alar margins on the nose, cleft chin) is stunning, even if the same chap appears in most roles. As their faces are so well represented, trying to create individuals may be tricky, but, in trying to portray units, might be an advantage. But you are asking about "heroic poses" and I see that is a term used by Gringos 40 themselves for the officer. A commander looking to the right is fine. A trumpeter sounding off may well do the same, as will a chap firing a pistol to his right. The snag, I then thought, was the basic, standard, trooper, who is also gazing that way. Why is no one looking where they are going, or even to the left, I asked? The surprise, the website shows MG4 looking to his left. Daft, if he is firing his pistol to the right and mine was actually looking right, as he should. But he does exist and just needs a sword arm instead for variety. Even better, there is "an ‘armless character" looking straight ahead, but he is intended to carry the horse tailed Toug. It may be that there is a random nature to what you get (and I only bought one of each of course!). Looking ahead and to either side will reduce the "heroic" look and ranks could be created. I'd be tempted to add some spare arms from my goodies box also. Horses are just as well cast, but there are really only two, one walking, one charging. Both have free legs that will stand bending or straightening, plus different markings, to create some variety. My message to Gringos is that, for a unit, a variety of head positions is needed (as as specified for Gendarmes in helmets)….indeed seems to be more available than I realised. The best picture I have seen of them as a unit is below (and in wheatfield again!). Web address embedded, but funnily I cannot now find this image there now;
For the basic trooper, who will dominate any unit, what is needed is the body of MG3, the sword arm of MG5, all on MG4's charging horse. Let us call him MG12! Finally, it is generally accepted that there was at least a company of Mamelukes attached to the Chasseurs a Cheval de la Garde, on the Big Day 1815. Their rig is said to be the plainer, later, French look as I have shown above. I have to say I do wonder if the blue frock coat (at best!) was not more likely though, remembering the challenge of supply. They were very busy in the Campaign of France in 1813-14… That is a long winded answer I fear! |
| jammy four | 28 Nov 2015 5:50 a.m. PST |
Deadhead all your comments noted and appreciated old chap and
hopefully my message to you explained the reasoning
behind the structure of each of my Mamelukes. with
the separate arms sword and pistol wielding guys can
be varied, also you can interchange between figures
you use. I may well add another trooper on a galloping horse
and have a separate galloping horse mould done. working on the next batch of Napoleonics as we speak ,,well
the commission has gone out. for these I cannot wait!
Vive l,empereur!! best regards
Ged
gringo40s.com
grino40sblogspot.com
facebook."Gringo40s"
twitter "Gringo40s" |
| deadhead | 28 Nov 2015 7:43 a.m. PST |
Breathless anticipation then! We await your news….. The separate arm I keep praising, since that first, largely green, Gendarme picture appeared here. I love the variety of head positions, but how do I get one looking left then…which MG is he? I suspect the best seller for wargamers will still be straight ahead, sword arm, galloping horse. I can see him next to Perrys Chasseurs a Cheval, where he belongs, already! Keep up the great work |
| jammy four | 08 Jan 2016 10:49 a.m. PST |
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| deadhead | 08 Jan 2016 4:08 p.m. PST |
Well I now have a dozen more looking at me lacking even undercoat…accusingly. I blame von Winterfeldt. It was surely not my fault that my musicians were not on white horses….surely. Now I will have four Toug bearers though… At least Ney's charge is finished. Must post some photos when I get some time off work….if…. |
| Gunner Dunbar | 08 Jan 2016 5:52 p.m. PST |
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| jammy four | 09 Jan 2016 7:09 a.m. PST |
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| archiduque | 10 Jan 2016 4:45 a.m. PST |
Fantastic work my friend!!! :-) |
| deadhead | 10 Jan 2016 10:27 a.m. PST |
I learnt from the master. I got your book last Christmas (2014) and you taught me how to paint white. I never knew one highlighted green with a khaki shade, till I read that. I now use three shades on red…the difference is incredible. I know you do not use washes…I love them….gravity makes up for my lack of skills in high lights. My finished product is much more dull than yours (I have now finished Ney's Charge, from the Waterloo Diorama, but must photograph them. They are very….dull, I guess. The only word, but I only make dioramas, not wargame figures.) They are certainly not like the Austrian Hussars you did. How many layers on their shakos for that effect? |
| jammy four | 03 Feb 2016 10:34 a.m. PST |
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| deadhead | 03 Feb 2016 5:37 p.m. PST |
They are done. The musicians are redone on white horses. The six charging Mamelukes are done, but need basing. Actually, they all need their facial hair and gloves doing too…..plus highlighting of black. Lace is done. That has been really good fun to do. I honestly think they are the best thing I have ever done in 28mm (or any scale). I plan to move the occifer and trumpeter out of their grain field. I know it is clever and just so skilfully modelled….but I think it is a total mistake. I will photograph and then rebase. Snag is the overtime I am working at present. Seriously. I am meant to be retired and working part time……..two days a week was the idea. Joke… if you know anything about the NHS and cancer screening targets, you will understand………… |
| jammy four | 06 Feb 2016 4:12 a.m. PST |
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| deadhead | 06 Feb 2016 9:53 a.m. PST |
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| Ben Avery | 06 Feb 2016 10:28 a.m. PST |
I like the first ones Deadhead – I have some photos from Waterloo last year, in which you can see cavalry almost 'wading' through the field before it starts to get more trampled. |
| deadhead | 06 Feb 2016 1:34 p.m. PST |
What I find extraordinary are the accounts of just how high crops could grow, in 1815, pre GM. These days they are bred to avoid unnecessary vertical growth….just grain yield. At Quatre Bras, especially, the concealing effect was particularly significant, tactically. |
| von Winterfeldt | 06 Feb 2016 1:45 p.m. PST |
not only a Quare Bras, in the rout at Bella Alliance – a lot of French soldiers disappeared completly when moving through the wheat fields |
| jammy four | 06 Feb 2016 4:31 p.m. PST |
Splendid Deadhead……….I couldn't agree more I was amazed the 300 or so cavalry at Waterloo could move so freely
…the cut crops twisted many a foot soldiers foot so
god alone knows how they coped with 5-6 foot cropage love the head on effect of the column! En avant! best regards
Ged
gringo40s.com
gringo40s.blogspot.com |
returns to Flintloque to paint an Ogre.
