The Battle of Walkerloo Rages On As 1.2 Million Toy Soldiers Prepare To March East! (1 Viewer)

[Christopher Walkerloo]

hmmm... retirement.... hmmm. Walkerloo isn't a business and I'm not a business man... it's too abstract for me... I make sense from pictures and patterns and the resonance of making them in the world (even if the picture stays in my studio it still counts cos it is the world). For the last few years Paper soldiers have been my favourite 'sense' for this. With them I am at real pretend war.

200 years ago about now that bloke Napoleon was getting his gang together to invade Russia. hmmm. I'm not sure 600,000 men was enough but it's a good start. In January I was approached by a Russian publisher who were interested in republishing my Waterloo pictures/toy soldiers but also commissioning a similar series of pictures for Borodino - for the last few years my website has been getting more and more popular with Russian visitors.

And so I'm now just over halfway through the Borodino paintings - I'm painting all day everyday... In June (I think Napoleon left it a bit too late going in July) the first wave of my force about, 600,000 troops (A New Russian edition of my original army) shall cross from Latvia in to the Russian Federation. My publisher and ally has arranged to have them strategically available at over 170 locations throughout Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. From these dispositions I hope they shall engage and wreak havoc with the infinite ranks of movie related mega corp. plastic toys that are their sworn enemy.

HURRAH!

here are some pics Polish Voltigeurs, Russian Infantry, Russian artillery, Russian Jagers of the New Borodino force. Right now I'm on French Horse Artillery, in the lovely pre Bardin Hussar style suits! ... then it's time for the cavalry! Saxon Garde du Corp, Carabiniers, Chevalier-garde ? hmmmm.

I personally will have 45 full sets of the Borodino version available - My ally and I will be launching them at the Bicentennial re-enactment of Borodino and in Moscow in September. But they will be available in the Russian Federation there after... ...

Including postage each full set will be about £220... $300 anyone interested can contact me through Treefroggers or my website.

HURRAH, HURRAH!

sincerely,

chris.

ps. as I get into a project the heads of my soldiers have a tendency to swell... I'll moderate that digitally afterward... ... although I've always maintained walkerloo is a self portrait.

 

[Christopher Walkerloo]

L'artillerie à cheval de la ligne , Carabiniers and a Movie!

As I complete the pictures for my new army I'll post them here...

The 'L'Artillerie à Cheval De La Ligne' shown as pencils last week are now ready as gouache paintings for pro scanning in London. These are my studio scan previews and will have more work done to them digitally before publication.

Although usually depicted on campaign in Russia in their duller habits and overalls I decided that on the big day they would want to look and feel extra special! So I present them in their Hussar style parade gear. I think those sash cords would make the difference in a mad dash forward.

I'm about to start painting the very shiny 2nd Carabineers... here's a preview... the pencils...

Oh, Thanks for all related enquiries.

The full Walkerloo Borodino set will have over 100 infantry figures, over 50 Mounted figures, and 6 guns with crews (that includes about 100 different figure images). A floor filling spectacular!!

Oh and check the propaganda film which shall accompany Walkerloo's release in Russia. The film was made by a talented young Russian director, Svyatoslav Verpovsky ... Nice job!!

...and don't forget my original army is always available as 1:35 DIY pdfs on 'Wargames Vault'...

The future!

chris.

 

[Christopher Walkerloo]

and in stamp the wagnerian heavies that are the French Carabiners!

They must be one of the most splendid Napoleonic regiments. Although their striking appearance in sky blue and white was apparently an accident due to the unavailability of red die - for French uniforms that is! This week it's Russian general staff, and horses.

The wounded figure was influenced by the extant cuirass of carabinier Antoine Faveau. There's a terrible and profound contrast evident in the gleaming polished brass plated carabinier cuirass and the hole a cannonball has punched... right through it...

ps. Oh, I've already added the small white piping ring to the top of epaulettes!

 

[Christopher Walkerloo]

Saxon Garde du Corps,,

These have been favourites of mine for ever - they look so good and as Borodino proved their last outing this was perhaps the only chance I'd have to paint them!

Now I'm on Russian cavalry. I've decided to do some fancy Hussars, otherwise the Russians would have been in serious danger of loosing the early round of the battle in the 'fashion' skirmish stages.

In one weeks time my the first part of my Russian plan shall be in effect... The original Walkerloo Waterloo figures shall be in children's book and toy shops through out Russia. 'TOY SOLDIERS' ....

I wonder if Napoleon had begun in June whether he'd have had more success? In hindsight it seems very difficult to see how a Russian campaign could ever succeed... unless it's made with toy soldiers!!