A Gordon for Me (1 Viewer)

[kogu]

Hi Johnny,
just went throught the last 5 to 6 pages in this thread.
Great to see your astonishing "output" :smile2:, no kidding, you are the man of the masses {eek3}
I am also very interested in the cupcoming, Canadian stuff from Yeomanry Miniatures.
Will be great to see you going at 'em :wink2:
Konrad

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Konrad - well t's not Rocket Science you know - just sploshing a bit of paint around when I have a bit of spare time (and can sneak off gardening duties!). Seriously, I do quite a bit in the evenings - and usually get so absorbed, I have to be reminded that it's time for some sleep. Its just that the more you do - the more you long to see what they are going to look like when they are finished! Should get the Military Band element finished today - with a bit of luck! Facinating hobby - don't you think?

Well - I had an e-mail from Brian at Yeomanary that he would probably getting the "masters" at the upcoming London Show from his sculptor - Alan Caton. I won't be able to make the Show - but will be in the UK for part of June/July - so hope to be able to get more information as to their avaiability around then. These of course, are The Mounted Canadian Pipe Band - ( or as Martin Tabony puts it - Infantry that got fed up with walking!), complete with mounted drummers as well. Should prove to be an interesting outfit to paint up - though as I write, I have no idea what tartan design (if any) is on the bag to the pipes! Should be fun to do though.

How about your "output"?? Have you made a start yet with painting anything?? As I recall - you were off to buy a few brushes and stuff?? Best of luck with it - if you have - :smile2: johnnybach

 

[kogu]

Johnny,
got me some brushes, got a set of figures (already primed), got the necessary paint, so I would be good to go.
Unfortunately, concerning the hobby and painting that is :wink2:, my wife along with my sister-in-law took the plunge to open a restaurant. My wife's lifelong dream, and somehow I got involved in that, remodelling, refurbishing the place they decided to pick.
I see no way out of it for me, so the next 3 to 4 weeks, beside my regular work, will have me occupied with paints, brushes and modelling stuff of the larger kind :rolleyes2:
But I will start painting figures, seriously. Just not right now yet.
Looking forward to see what Yeomanry has to show at the upcoming London Show.
And since you mentioned Alan Caton, that is one awesome sculptor and pretty much all of my John Firth collection figures are his sculpts.
Will check back with you on a regular base and let you know and see what I can come up with, but my "La Commandante" is in charge for the near future first {eek3} ^&grin
Konrad

 

[johnnybach]

So - looks like it will be a six inch brush for a while then Konrad! At least you should eat well - whilst you're at work!!! Good luck with the venture - and hope you get to enjoy some of the smaller stuff when you can. I can just imagine trying to do some eyes - with a six inch brush!

Yes Alan 's work covers many of the castings that I like to paint - these will be yet more - which I'm looking forward to enormously. I ordered from an old photo - so still haven't seen them as castings yet. However, having bought plenty of his work in the past - I know they will be great.

All the best - johnnybach

 

[johnnybach]

At last! Firstly - apologies for the pictures - I'm keeping up my usual standard of dreadful - but had to put the flash on today - to get pictures at all. Turned into a dark overcast day - after one of the best Spring weather periods in years! Managed to wait until I varnished the bases this time - does this mean I'm growing up at long last?

Anyway - at last I have finished the second part of my project - and the Military Band of the 1865 Gordon Highlanders is on parade - behind the (very shiny) Colour Party. I have even included a restored "Johillco" Drum Major that I found lurking in a cabinet, to accompany them - along with their regular drummie. You can't miss him - he's the only one out of step! First pic concentrates on the Band, at last 30 strong - with no absentees.

Next pic shows all completed so far - and includes a couple of drummers from the drum & Pipe Band ( yet to come ) and the officers and three of the Regimental recruiting party - rifled muskets at the slope - bringing up the rear.

The final picture is - well - the same again - just because I can - and is my favourite shot. I think they are getting to look pretty good - and hope you like them so far too. 45completed so far - with 23 to go. I will be playing for hours yet - and will try for some better pics of them too - just couldn't wait to snap 'em.

 

[johnnybach]

Further to my earlier post - I tried this without the flash - but it is too dark and late in the day for a decent picture which will do them justice. I just don't have the lighting kit. I will try another in better daylight - on a bigger surface area tomorrow. johnnybach

 

[thebritfarmer]

Well I think they look bloody fab!! and a real credit to you, jb.

 

[MapleLeaf]

So far AWSOME Johnny
Maple Leaf

 

[kogu]

Very, very nice, Johnny,
great work :salute::
Konrad

 

[johnnybach]

Thanks chaps - that was a big moment for me - as it was finding out about the white doublets from a book in the library, that started me off on this journey in the first place. So that's the last white doublet I will be painting for a while - as the pipers are in "Archer Green" - and the others I have left to do will be in red.:smile2:

As my original idea was to make up a group with Four elements in it - the rest should be just filling in the gaps from now on. Should be quite a sight when completed though - and will neatly fill a shelf of my new cabinet - because I thought about how I would display them - before I began. A rare case of forward planning from me.

Scott (britfarmer) has also planted a little seed of an idea in my head - which won't go away. The Gordons were in Edinburgh in 1865 (the date for my group) and provided an Honour Guard for Queen Victoria in August - when, still in mourning, she unveiled a statue in honour of Prince Albert. I have seen a model of an Ivory Phaeton - and think that Vickie could be an optional figure for it. So......could be a little scene from the past to add on to my mob???? Just have to remeber where I have seen it now. Something for the future there, perhaps.

Anyway, thanks for your continued interest in my Gordons - not there yet - but certainly a big passing moment for me. I'll be collecting the correct pipers soon ( in Glengarries) - as my daughter collected them from Giles of Dorset Soldiers for me - until then, I'll be continuing with some of the other figures. johnnybach^&grin

 

[johnnybach]

Well - that's a bit better - morning light and changing their formation to six abreast just makes them fit on the desk-top - and the light is a bit better. As the group is still growing, I will have to find another place to take a photo soon though. That Johillco re-painted Drum Major is still out of step! Good job he's only a guest at the moment!^&grinjb

 

[johnnybach]

I have decided to progress the Regimental Escort group which follows the Military Band - headed by the Colonel and his other two officers (already completed). One feature of the Highlanders - who come without arms - (arms of various types can be ordered seperately) - is that when they are carrying muskets with bayonets fixed - as I wanted - they do not have a scabbard for the bayonet, cast into the figure. It is however, a relatively straightforward task to make some up from a piece of scrap material - or even milliput - and glue them on to the bared metal. I must admit, I forgot all about them until I had painted some to this point - so simply made them from a piece of old metal base, scraped off some paint and glued them securely into place. A coat of black paint will finish them off - and back to painting.

As you can see, these are relatively straightforwrd pieces now - as the cross-belt and pouch and bayonet have all been fitted. Ivory paint is done first on belts and pouches - then Oxfod blue for the basic colour for the kilt - then red doublet (cutting in to the belts which stand slightly proud). I usually touch in the plume and headband with Ivory whilst doing the belts.

Note the sergeant who is a slightly different figure - as he is wearing the shoulder "fly" plaid, (another conversion of the musician figure). No bayonet shows - as it is covered by the plaid. I will wait until later to choose how he will hold his weapon - as I have a different arm/weapon on order - so that he can carry the musket in his right arm, at the shoulder. I will see how this looks - and may choose hto have him that way - by way of a change. jb

 

[johnnybach]

Black now added to Feather bonnet, scabbards and sporrans. Other detail added to the figures - as required. This is really "production line painting" - where each figure is given the samr treatment. No fun! - but gets you there!

 

[johnnybach]

I always think that at last I am getting somewhere, when I get to the stage when the green is overlaying the Oxford blue of the tartan. I have also applied a coat of yellow around the neck and the epaulette that is left showing of each figure, ( the other is covered by the feathered bonnet). Note the fly plaid of the Sergeant. Leave to dry for a while before continuing - so can begin some arms now.

 

[johnnybach]

I had hoped to be able to develop the tartan a bit more today - but it is one of those days when the paint is slow to dry - so must leave it for now. However, some of my drummers can be progressed. Below, see some at different stages of development.

The first is most developed - and I have started on the drum detail. I paint the outside with all yellow (several coats) until I am satisfied with the depth of color. No attempt to go around bits - all over. When dry - I start with top and bottom rims which are all red. You may just be able to see outlined with a fine waterpriof pen some details I want to show - this is to give me an idea of where they will go only.

Note also how "bitty" the jacket is, I am not trying to keep braid unpainted at all - except for keeping the red off the white belts - which were done first - and also the yellow cuffs. The last items to go on are the dark green braids - so that will cover any red that has leaked over - as it is a strong enough colour to cover any.

 

[johnnybach]

Well, it did warm up a bit - enough to allow me to apply the yellow stripe over the green on my Highlanders, who are now standing in front of the drummers, who have also had bits and pieces added. In front are the arms/weapons - which have a coat of red to start them off. jb

 

[aujj65]

Johnny, you are getting on well with these aren't you. You will have a very impressive grouping when complete.

Jeff

 

[thebritfarmer]

Very nice jb

RE: the Ivory Phaeton, it's available from RP World Models and comes with a figure of Queen Victoria.

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Jeff - Yup - I certainly hope so - that was the idea from the start. You see, I bought a new cabinet around 2 years ago - and converted it recently by adding extra new shelves. Now, each shelf can hold up to eighty soldiers (or so) - and can have about 18 ranks of about 5 deep, so 90 in theory. (Hope this makes sense - so far).

I worked out that I could have my 68 figures comfortably spaced out on one complete shelf with: Colour Party, Drum & Pipe Band with Drum Major in front, Military Band, and a Regimental Escort with two ranks of Soldiers - following a Mounted Colonel and a couple of marching Officers.

They all will fit neatly onto one shelf. Very colourful, shiny, glossy - with bags of swank! Just how I like 'em - and with TWO bands. I hope it will all look FAB!

Hi Scott- Yes - I beat you to it by a nano-second. I'm beginning to realise that you have a VG memory though! I woke up this morning and got straight on to the web - as I must have been dreaming about that Ivory Phaeton - and sort of half remembered it was Staedfast Soldiers kit from RP World Models where I had seen it. (when I was trying to review all of the UK Castings Providors). Apparently Queen Victoria is an optional figure for the Phaeton - so I will investigate that one to go with my Gordons - BUT - see above - it won't fit on the same shelf!! So much for my "forward planning". Here it is - with QEII in it - Vickie is an option.

Never mind - when they all come out to play - I will nick a bit of La Commandante's extra-large sewing table to hold them all - as she goes out to sewing club on Saturdays! Ha! johnnybach.

The only snag to all of this is - I seem to have a backlog building up in a "Stash". So - Queen Vic will just have to get in the queue!

 

[johnnybach]

With this latest pic - I show the development of the marching highlander figures - and also the side drummer. I have included the two completed drummers again - so that you can compare how he relates to those. I am also beginning to develop the drum detail.

The rest of the gang are just having details added - though one or two need touching in with red - especially around the white belt areas. Will need to do faces and hair on these shortly - but still not quite dry enough to handle yet.