Friday, January 29, 2010

'Bring Out Yer Dead!' - Casualty Markers Finished

Casualty markers done.  A fine selection of dead Frenchmen for your delectation. Including one sliced and diced ex-Perry's Pommie now looking much better as a dead Frog.

I'm inclined to agree with von Peter and others that it is a pity Perry's put him in a box of French rather than make a second pose for a French casualty figure.  However, plastic is nothing if not malleable with my trusty old scalpel - the slicing on the ex-Brit fusilier for example now includes a cut that has split the shako and the head to the bone.

Bad to the bone.

B-b-b-b-baay-yad.

Sorry, just had a George Thoroughgood Moment.

Anyway, the dead'un in question.
 
Now I did say in my last post that I was deciding to experiment with the new can of Army Painter dip that I had acquired.  Matt gave me some good advice about painting it on rather than dipping.  So I tried it on the casualty markers.  I have to say it gives a really good lustre and subtle depth of shading - if you compare these pics with those in the previous post, you'll see what I mean.  Its the 'Strong Tone' can which is the middle effect one - and much more subtle than I expected.  Hit it with a good coat of flat matt varnish and the figure really comes up well.  I have to confess I had already used the usual washes before I applied the dip, but nonetheless it had a very good effect and gave them a really nice finish I think.


Second pic above not so hot - a very dark figure and the reflective light off the varnished board made it very hard to get it to focus.  But the 'cousin' casualty (Chasseur d'Elbe) marker turned out well and photographed much better under exactly the same conditions.

As you can see below, Unlucky Pierre's had enough of my inept photography and is rolling his eyes up in frustration...

..sorry, my mistake - that's the early onset of rigor mortis! (8-o)
Well enough of this morbid fascination.

Next week boys and girls, my zombie battalion...

No really, I hopefully will have made some progress on my cuirassiers.  Got some stiff competition out there in blogland too - never mind pro painter Sasha Herm, blogger Dean Motoyama has posted some absolutely beautiful Perry's cuirassiers and carabiniers on his 'WAB Corner' blog, the horses in particular are excellent! 

His results have inspired me to extractus digitus, put aside the scalpel and get cracking with the brushes.

Cheers,
          Doc

6 comments:

  1. Very nice! Aren't we all morbid this week? Casualties everywhere!

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  2. Indeed we are BRB - indeed we are! But nobody can compete with your dead Nellies - that's a whole new scale of dead'uns!

    Cheers,
    Doc

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  3. Doc-very impressive results. I have been toying with the idea of using dip on some 15mm figures as well as vehicles... the results on these guys have tipped the balance and I will be going for it on my days off! (Personally, I am trying desperately to resist the Perry plastic Napoleonics, however the upcoming Hussars could be converted into later 19th century types very easily-and I am just not that strong!).

    Matt

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  4. Thanks Matt - I'm sold on it with these results, although I don't like the min turps clean up, fumes etc, I'll be using it to finish all my figures I think.

    I too am but putty in the face of new Perrys - can't wait for the hussars and then dragoons!

    Cheers,
    Doc

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  5. Great looking markers Doc. I think I'll need to make up some to play "Black Powder" with

    I too am awaiting the next installment of Perry French cavalry to feed my Nappy habit. I've heard rumors of plastic Austrians this summer but I'm not sure if they'll be from the Perry's or Victrix.

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  6. 'Rumours of Austrians' has a nice ring to it! Maybe Victrix? Dunno - there's nothing on their site to suggest it BUT they are putting out Dragoons and artillery (French & British) this year which I am looking forward to.

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