A Gordon for Me (2 Viewers)

[thebritfarmer]

Good job sir !!

Now reward yourself with a couple of these

 

[johnnybach]

Good lord - that did make me smile - and then..............feel thirsty!

I wish!

That's one of the things I really miss over here in Grape-land

- Ferrets!

Whilst I can buy and drink all of the Bordeaux I like ( I'm partaking as I type) at very reasonable prices - straight from the producer, (Gustaf is my friend) - you can't beat a good honest special brew like that!

The Thirsty Ferret eh?

Will treasure that thought until June and July - Then

The sound of willow on leather and a pint (or maybe two) of Ferret Ale.

Ahhhhhhhhh! something else to look forward to. {sm4}jb

 

[johnnybach]

Got me to thinking and dreaming that pic Scotty - Don't know if you have ever tried this one - Made in Cardiff - and my absolute favourite Toy Soldier making lubricant. Reaches parts of the body that other beers cannot reach. Uh-oh - getting that homesick feeling johnnybach - will have to pop in to the back bar of "The Old Arcade" in Cardiff, (Better known as HQ to Welsh Rugby fans - the World over), for one when I'm over again.^&grin

 

[johnnybach]

Stop dreaming of beer - and get on with it!

I thought that I would just snap my desk, instead of carefully posing - (and then getting out of focus) - and see what happens. This is what the tidy corner looks like at the moment. Figures at various stages of painting and assembly - with little bits and pieces I use to help with it. Down at the front is the Bell Lyre player - with tartan now painted and some detail applied to the doublet. Needs to dry a bit more, then will do buttons and then maybe think about arms/instrument on.

Furthest right is Bass Drummer at a similar stage of development - just one arm on - as his hair is still wet ( no - not shampoo - the paint!). Have to be careful - I have fitted both arms to a drummer before now - only to find the drum wouldn't go in!. Safer to paint up the drum - fit it in - THEN put the last arm - or both arms on!

The second French Horn player is all but finished - but I smudged the buttons on one spat - so had to repaint it white - then apply buttons again. Will wait 24 hours before applying a thin swipe of varnish over the spat - to keep it sealed in.

It's quite handy having this many figures on the go - as when painting bits, if there is a bit of paint left on the pallet (marge tub lid), you can add a dab or two around the other figures - that's why you can see bits of green around bses - left over bits of paint. As there will be 30 figures - there are plenty left to go - and I know the painting order of the figures now ( which colours to apply where - and in what order). johnnybach.

 

[thebritfarmer]

I'll grab a shot of my workspace when I update my photos. Like the cradle idea!

 

[johnnybach]

Handy for pieces to "lie down" occasionally. Wooden support stuff is much more forgiving than other materials - and easily produced and replaced from odd scraps. Cardboard is good too - but a bit flimsy. Sometimes you need to support something for just a few minutes - whilst the glue sets. Other times, you may wish a piece of work to dry flat when painted - so I frequently make up something like that - to suit.

 

[johnnybach]

Hey Scott - just had an amusing thought. With all this talk about beer - I was just looking back at my french horn player - laying on his back and giving his horn what for! Too much "Brains" - or too little, perhaps! jb

 

[thebritfarmer]

Hey Scott - just had an amusing thought. With all this talk about beer - I was just looking back at my french horn player - laying on his back and giving his horn what for! Too much "Brains" - or too little, perhaps! jb

Who knows ^&confuse but it seems "Brains" has the adverse affect on toy soldiers as yours seem to have retained their legs but have ended up armless. {sm3}{sm4}

 

[johnnybach]

Ha! Nice one ! Just for a short while, though - just wait until they are all done. Should look quite colourful - I hope! He's back on his feet again now. ( I always paint the underside of the stand - and seal that with varnish too.).

Currently - all the unfinished look like this - though some are now not as "armless" as they first appeared! I will sort out a few more by tomorrow - and retake a pic showing all finished to date. Will give a better idea of what is to com - perhaps. :smile2:

johnnybach{sm0}

 

[johnnybach]

Every now and again, when working on a large project, things seem to become rather slow - usually when a lot of detail is being added - so pieces begin to take some time before getting "finished". I'm at such a point now - so usually get out the finished brigade - and have a little play around with them.

Well, that's what toy soldiers are for isn't it?

They currently look like this - which has enthused me to crack on a bit with some of the others nearing completion. johnnybach

 

[johnnybach]

Must have worked - as just realised I could fit the arms on the Bell Lyre player, at last. Having never done a Scots version before, I was wondering how he would come out. Lots of detail to add yet - but I'm generally pretty pleased with the outcome so far - and the figure is beginning to "come alive". Things to clean up include the piping on the doublet, black lines on socks, spats to paint white and add black buttons - wings for the arms to fabricate, fit on and then paint etcetera - but I feel that a turning point has been reached with this possibly unique piece.

Well, I've never seen one before.

 

[thebritfarmer]

Looking good jb, don't know that he is unique. I have a box full of em under my desk, you should have asked and I would have mailed you one. {sm3}{sm4}

Are you making a little holder for the bottom of the lyre?

Enjoying seeing the progress !!!

 

[johnnybach]

Hi painter - enjoying watching your Assets grow too.

So, you've been holding out on the supply of Scots Bell Lyre-ists then eh? I had to look up what the thing was called when I first saw one!

Yes - will use a little piece of milliput to mould around the bottom of staff - to suggest its sitting in a small cup attached to the support belt. Just waiting for the arms (and wings - which I have just put on) to set solid before fiddling too much with it. Nice little touch that belt - good suggestion from trooper.

Hang on I'll take some pics: Front view - just made a small cup from milliput and formed it around the staff and attached to where thbelts cross. A dab of super-glue helps it harden off - ready to paint in an hour.

Rear view - Note the wings attached to the shoulders - not painted yet - waiting for glue to go off hard - if you try to paint too soon and before the glue has set - - another fine-tip brush goes up the creek!! Note that I overpainted his socks and painted his shoes with black. Will need to paint the wings next - white first - then yellow - and give him a tidy up - but getting closer to being finished is this laddie.

 

[thebritfarmer]

These really are cool johnny and you work fast !! Guess being retired helps though

I am having a devil of a time with the red seems likes it takes longer to dry than the other colours even though they are all the same make. Usually red takes up to 2 days {sm2}

 

[johnnybach]

:salute::Hi - welcome to the World of Painting! - and of same make paints taking longer than others to dry. Yes, I know - you just have to get to know which ones take the longest. I use Humbrol - and also get similar problems with various colours. I keep mine near my window - and when the sun makes a welcome visit - I put my "dryers" into it - if I want them to dry quicker. In winter - bung 'em under a lamp if you're in a hurry!

If you have a few "on the go", you can also juggle with the parts you want to paint a bit. It's all just experience. I have been painting for a bit over 10 years now - and am still learning how to do it as I go.

I do hope you get that "It's coming alive" feeling though - and am pleased that you appear to be getting over the "fright" bit and beginning to really enjoy the creative feeling. Your two look to be coming along okay to me. My tip is - just don't rush them - take your time and REALLY enjoy it. Once they are done - you will be champing at the bit (Cavalry see!) for more.

Being retired is just great - as long as you have something absorbing that you like to do - which I have. I still like my garden - and funnily enough, growing really nice healthy things to eat - gives a similar feeling to producing one of my lads. The difference being, once you have eaten a home-grown tomato, still warm off the vine - it's gone! But my Bell Lyre player will hopefully be around long after I have gone! So...........gotta get 'em right!

Glad you're liking the Gordons - I am thoroughly enjoying them, I must admit. They are just that bit different from the usual - and I keep checking with the Simkins illustrations, to make sure I'm not departing too much from how he saw them - all those years ago.

Glad you joined "The Painters & Decorators Club" though. Well done bach - johnnybach (hello - where's salute gone?){sm3} that'll do!:salute:: (found it)

 

[johnnybach]

Quite a lot going on in this photo - so will take it one bit at a time.

At the back are the usual suspects - finished off pieces. Towards the front are various painted pieces now being assembled and a bit more finished - but with some detailing to go. All have now had arms and wings to arms fitted. Bass Drummer is having his first bash - Bell Lyre nearly there and second french horn needing socks painted. To the right are several more musicians in early stages of painting - as you will have seen before if you've been following.

As you know - I have been painting one of the side-drummers from the Drum element of the Pipe & Drum Band (hence the red doublet). There are also a couple of side drummers in the Military Band - and will wear the white doublet - as does the Bass drummer. I decided to make two of these up - using the half-size drum ( also popularly called the "cheese" drum) which was in vogue at thtis time (1865).

Thus the casting in front - still unpainted, had to be adapted from the standard figure I am using for the band - with which, you will now be familiar. He does not have a sporran - which would interfere with the drum, so I have removed it by surgery ( see some of the surgeons tools about) and drilled a hole ready to take the cheese drum in an appropriate position. Note my small electric drill, various drill bits, craft knife, files etc.

I have put the filings produced on a scrap of paper - which I have used to draw various details I am painting. I often do this, as it is useful to fix in my mind how I am going to do each detail. You may also note the arms with drumsticks, and a bugle - which I will use to build up this figure ( there will eventually be two of them). Note that this is not a catalogued figure - but a compilation from various pieces to be found in Dorset Soldiers range; - and I am very grateful to Giles Brown ( the proprieter) for his assistance in discussing what I wanted - and then supplying the bits to make them up. I will show how I will adapt him - to make the piece I want - in future instalments. johnnybach

 

[johnnybach]

Continuing with the cheese drum figure - I decided to give him a short drummer's apron - which I made up from a small piece of milliput - rolled out (use the handle of a craft knife like a rolling pin,) then shaped and cut to fit. A small dab of super-glue helps keep it in place - and a small dab on it helps it harden once it is modelled in place. It's a bit like using plasticine. No need to get it too smooth, as the drum when fitted into the fixing hole that I drilled, will cover most of it. next step is to fabricate the shoulder belt, which will "disappear, underneath the plaid - which I decided to retain on the figure. Before that - I need to take the dog for a walk - see you later. jb^&grin

 

[thebritfarmer]

Those electric drills are fun !! I had one bought as a agift I finally got a chance to use it. Note to self, dry fit the arms first before painting as I had to drill them deeper afterwards, oh well live and learn !!

 

[johnnybach]

I still forget occasionally. I think - they look deep enough - and then.............. No they aren't! Good job I regularly paint the arms first anyway. But yes - the moral of the story is - if it can go wrong - it will!. Check first - it only takes a moment or two.

 

[johnnybach]

Modified cheese side-drummer is now looking like this. Note that the sporran has now been removed, and a short drum apron has been put in place. Belt for the drum has been fabricated and can just see the bugle attached at the rear of the kilt. I will work out some bugle cords later, once the figure has been developed to the completed tartan stage. Note the peg on the cheese drum in front, which attaches the drum into the pre-drilled hole I did earlier with super-glue, later on.

Four more instruments are nearing completion - but I haven't pictured them yet - as I hope they will be finished later today - so can show a completed pic later - maybe with the four already shown at the rear of the above pic. johnnybach