Getting Started on Getting Started (1)
As life develops so does our interest and enthusiasm for the tasks we undertake. Some people love to work all hours and at all costs (more frequently the latter these days), others their family time and more their hobbies and recreation/ inspirational pursuits.
So with a University of Life degree in self-management and marshalling resources, I thought it was about time to place some simple concepts in place for other beginners.
Pre-prep
Getting prepared involves not only what you are going to do, but why? For some, this hobby is simply a short stepping stone while they are teenagers and ‘child-like' and pass on to more ‘mature' pursuits (like Uni/ education; team sports or career development).
So, ask why you are creating an army- a gaming army to play other people (assumed)? Are you following a set of rules that ‘defines' what an army is? Are you expanding on one of these, broadening the era or scope of one? Are you happy to live this limited aspect of gaming within the defined confines?
Or the road of research and self awareness and discovery? The world's a very different place from when I first started working, and earning a ‘living' at 16. Now you can get massively more information, technical data and products at the touch of a computer and phone than I ever could.
Before you can organise, paint and base up figures, you must decide how many and what types you need. Beyond that the rest is easy right? Well, get that research done first. Maybe the ‘theme' you want to follow isn't actually produced with models you want!
Well again, casting and model-masters are much better these days, so feel free to ignore the following if you only ever see ‘perfect' sculpts and figures. These comments are about metal figures as I've no relationship with modern plastics (yet).
Cleaning and Preparation
The parcel arrives, opened and spread around. Checking that all are there and there's nothing broken, off to the painting table we go.
Pick a unit, an easy one perhaps (if such exists) to start with. Inspect the figures minutely for flaws, excess flash and faults in areas like armpits, back of head/ shoulders, between armament/ musket and figure body, under backpacks and around swords/ upper legs. These are the most likely spots where an errant moulding will leave extra metal that isn't actually part of the figure.
You need tools- a selection/ packet of fine Swiss Files, X-Acto knives (one large, one pencil) and blades to match each. A good set of files will include flats, fine and coarse, round tapered, triangular, square shaped (with rounded edges actually) in various sizes. I've had mine over 40 years and they're still fine. Expensive but a lifetime investment as they used to say!
These basics will help you grind, carve, hollow and finesse down the crude casting to the model you want. You do this now, when it is naked, because once painted it is almost always too late (especially if you are doing a ~20+ battalion in one go).
Seam lines, where the two halves of moulds join will leave a tiny raised lip- front and back thighs, hats and top of hat, next to plumes etc depending upon the masters ‘orientation' for moulding. The bases bogged with stringy bits of metal underneath where a figure is supposed to stand straight are quickly and easily cleaned by laying on your painting surface mat (you have one don't you?) and trimming with a decisive firm push of the large blade knife. Finish flat with a few strokes of a broad rough file. Here I use a cheap import 'knock-off' though these have lasted surprisingly as long as the Swiss ones. But the coarse stripes they leave are irrelevant as it's the base! I wouldn't use the same on a figures visible parts unless I was removing a large amount of metal (like replace heads/ arms etc.) and going to ‘fine finish' it afterwars.
Oh yes I also invested 20 years ago in a moto-drill that doubles as a portable grinder. Even better for those hard to reach places (armpits and legpits!). A basic set is fine. Guess what? Your friendly dentist can provide you with used ‘bits' of various sizes and lengths to aid this motorised adjustment to figures, making a smoother and quicker process. (Human teeth are not unlike models when it comes to the need for ‘refinement').
Flash often fills the area between a soldiers body and the musket or firearm/ weapon he bears. Sometimes this is a think skin of metal, easily swept aside with the narrow bladed knife and the scrap cleaned away (put away into a small container). Others, with more ‘age' on the mould may develop larges as the casting goes for years with a much thicker and progressively growing metal ‘bar' that eventually reaches the waist/ thigh region.
These are now where, having created a hole with the knife first, I use a broad tip grinder to flow back and forwards, along the forearm, then skin the stomach area, then from underneath try to ‘re-carve' the acceptable shape of coats, belts and thighs meeting. Getting this area trimmed down adequately means easier painting, faults are more hidden in the shadows (as we generally look at figures from above- seagull view which is now droneview…).
The work spent here will pay dividends in the overall ‘finished' look of figures. Other ‘flash' to remove is at the back of neck, between hat and backpack/ greatcoat depending upon your models type. A fine file usually does the trick here quickly. Another is between the legs, and the rear where coat tails accumulate; this triangle area catches metal and retains a lump here sometimes. In my earlier days I ignored these and painted over them, but I can still see them!
Another trip place is between backpacks and the cartridge box, and/ or sabre/ bayonet just below. Again a swipe with a narrow knife should be sufficient.
On top of shakoes, and sides of bicornes, the ‘line' is usually present. Again once ignored, I now diligently use a fine file to make these disappear. Not the flat, but the more agile triangular file can be swept in long slow strokes, rotated sideways, and drawn back and forth in a gentle erasure of the casting lines. Usually those on the sides only require 2-3 light sweeps to completely remove them. The top (lid) may require a flat file to finish to remove any mistrokes and ‘degouge' excessive marks.
If I've done a real botch job on a shako for instance, I'll make it better by enlarging the damage, like a sword or weapon damage strike.
Bicornes equally may need a light flat file, suitably curved over the surface a few times to make the whole side even. Remember we are removing lines, not intending to add others (yet). You don't need to ‘flatten' the entire surface, just the portion affected.
BTW this is the time to flatten that area on top of hats where pompom/ plumes are attached- they often ‘glump' metal at the base, so the triangular file fits the purpose with a draw and rotation stroke around the base of said item, removing a little metal and smoothing as you go.
In all these movements you are using the touch of a feather, not a hammer!
The general ‘review' of figures conditions at this stage should include hat peaks and faces, bayonet security (ie nearly broken off?), hands and slings positions and any other flash appearing.
Legs for gaiters, buckles and side buttons (these fill rapidly with metal in casting). The latter, being represented by actual holes mostly, get out of control but again a sweeping action with a narrow file (my trusty triangular first, or perhaps the round file) up and down a few times may be enough to clear off surface flash.
Next time we'll look into ‘enhancing' details on a basic figurine.
Regards
≠davew≠
builds a cutter and a corsair, both in 1/1200 scale.
