The washing of the longbows*

Just a short WIP update. With the launch of the Perrys WotR range looming somewhat (circa 12 weeks and counting down), my focus is now to get both armies to a stage of semi-completeness asap. First up are the English longbowmen, which need several more figures adding to get them to a close-to-planned state, ie 20 bases rather than the 24. I'm testing achieving this by a possibly speedier painting process, on a psuedo-production line basis, as the finished figures will get mixed in when based to achieve a non-uniform medieval appearance.
So I've tried is to use washes more than I've ever done previously - not the complete dipping process (which personally creates a finish to my liking) - but Games Workshop washes, as I've read generally positive reviews about.
I stared using them on the padded jacks of these archers. The jacks were painted in Foundry Buff Leather (mid-tone 7B) and then had GW Devlan Mud & Sepia 50:50 mix washed over. This adds deep shadows in the thin creases of the jacks - which is difficult to achieve by hand - as well as dulling the overall colour and creates some contrasts with the raised surface areas. I've then picked out highlights using the Buff 7B straight from the pot.
For hands and faces I've applied the same method. Foundry Flesh mid (5B) with GW Orgyn Flesh wash and then highlights on nose, cheeks, chin and forehead with 5B again. Not much facial details show with these helmeted figures, but I think next time I'll pick out shadows on the eyes, nose and mouth with my usual method (Plaka Red Brown) post wash and before the highights to achieve more depth and contrasts - although this will add to the overall time to finish a figure.
Overall I'm satisfied with the final figures, and which feel like they've been a little quicker to complete (although no stopwatch was set). Am now contemplating using the washes more; on the other clothings at least. They do create neat natural shadows and exploit the fine sculpting of the castings. However the trade-off is that washes do 'dull' the paint they're applied over and I don't want a 'dipped' finish, so adding the highlights as I'd usually do, will still be needed.
I'll post up the next batch and we'll see...

* with apologies to Donald Morris.

Starting off

So I thought I'd have a go at joining the digital age and give the world the insight into my current wargaming project. I also hope that blogging will provide me with the motivation to maintain some momentum with my painting and collecting, perhaps driven by a feeling of guilt if I fail to post with some regularity. We shall see how this all pans out over the next weeks and months.

So what's the project? Well, to create two modest sized medieval wargame armies , covering the Hundred Years War - specifically the Agincourt to Orleans period of 1415 to 1430. The scale will be 28mm and the prime motivation for this, as I'm sure it is for many of us, is a range of model figures - the Perry Miniatures 'Agincourt to Orleans' range designed by Alan Perry. Another appeal are the beautiful flags and pavise transfers from Little Big Man and GMB. Also the medieval period is a favourite of mine, particularly the fifteenth century; having a Burgundian Ordonnance and a part-completed Swiss Confederation armies. They always have high visual appeal with the heraldry, but this comes with the challenge on time and painting skills to deliver convincing looking rampant lions, Fleur de Lys, etc.

I intend to narrow the armies historic context to the 1420s-30s period; the post-Henry V period, when the English, led by the dead King's brothers attempted to sustain the military and political momentum achieved by the Agincourt victory to extend English dominance in northern France against the weak French, exploiting an alliance with the Duke of Burgundy. This period includes the battles of Bauge, Cravant, Rouvray (the Herrings) and Patay, as well as numerous sieges of walled towns and castles, culminating at Orleans and French resurgence of morale following the rise of Jean of Arc. As I say, armies will be modest in size - partly reflecting the small size of the historic armies and because I need to be realistic on how much painting and modelling spare time I have (plus this is not the only wargaming project I have on the go - more on that anon perhaps).

So, there will be an Anglo-Burgundian army and a (larger) French army, with Scots allies.

My current plan is to create figures on bases that will be 'rules agnostic'. At this stage I have no preference on what rule I will one day use. As my prime interest is in the painting and collecting - rather than the gaming - I intend to base all figures on 50mm square bases, already purchased from Litko, and to work up relevant groups of figures, using badges, flags and heraldry to denote the various armies. I'd rather work up interesting bases of figures, that broadly reflect the type of fighting man, than be constrained by specific numbers of figures on specific base sizes.

As a taster to initiate the blog, here are some WIP pics.