Traeth Mawr -Building Mr Price's house , (mostly)

[Jaz]

Bach...certainly means small...I checked it out on a welsh / english translator.

[ChrisN]

Update.

No pictures I am afraid just text.  I have built the third baseboard and have found out again that all 2ft lengths of 9mm ply are equal, but some are more equal than others.  I only have two that are a problem but I will have to check the last two before the board is put together.

 

I have also bought the wood for my legs, baseboard legs that is.  I wanted 2" x 1" which I know is impossible because it is all metric but I was hoping for 48mm x 23mm.  Absolutely nothing in B&Q unless I wanted it sawn and not planed.  I have to drive a way o B&Q and it was 10% off day for old fogies.  (Still 60, our local council run activity centre has put the concession age up to 62.)  I was therefore a bit stuck and needed to buy something so I settled for 70mm x 35mm, or there abouts, 3" x 1¹/₂" in real money.  I also needed the same size wood for a job at home.

 

Various painting things are coming on, soldiers and ladies so far and when they get to a stage that there is something to show I will put pictures up.  Next however, I may put up putting academic dress on a teacher.  Just because I have done it and it will keep the interest up, perhaps, as soldiers take a long time.

 

Have a good Easter.

[Jaz]

Happy Easter

and a belated welcome to the indecipherables

[ChrisN]

I said that I would post about adding academic dress to models but before I do that I would like some advice from those of you who understand colours.

 

Painting tweed.

If you want to paint tweed this is the way to do it, well it is if you model in 28mm.  However, I have tried the following and I would like comments to see if you think it has worked.

 

This is Gladys Merryweather who was Head of Gwyneth Eldin in the 30s.

 

 

 

She has been painted in Humbrol 29 Dark Earth Matt.

 

I then gave her a wash of Humbrol 102 Army Green Matt, same as her legs, which still had plenty of colour and a thin wash of Humbrol 20 Crimson.

 

 

 

So, what do you think?  Does it look enough like tweed?  If not what could be done to improve it?

Edited January 1, 2016 by ChrisN

[Kal]

Looks very good,..... in 4 mm it is very very good. Only thing the comes to mind would be some red rust pigment, very small amount, atomised and fired at the cloths. How you do that in practice, to only create the small redish flecks though ......?

Edited April 24, 2014 by Kal

[Jaz]

4 match sticks, four rather small pieces of Square and / or rectangle kitchen sponge stuck to the ends, 4 small dabs of semi transparent paint yellow red brown sage green, and dab them over the cloth......

might take a while........ I suspect Kal's method a LOT faster.

I agree with Kal it is a nice looking piece. The cruel close ups always make them look less than there really are. Shows off her shadows well though.

I look at mine on the layout and think dogs doo dahs, then photograph them and think omg really.

I like the door way she is stood in too,

Edited April 24, 2014 by Jaz

[ChrisN]

Looks very good,..... in 4 mm it is very very good. Only thing the comes to mind would be some red rust pigment, very small amount, atomised and fired at the cloths. How you do that in practice, to only create the small redish flecks though ......?

 

Kal,

Yes that is the problem.  The reddish flecks.  The picture of the Dr is amazing and it appears that it is the only searchable method on the web, but the model is enormous compared to mine.

[Kal]

At normal viewing distance a doubt the flecks can be seen anyway. Do you have a shot at normal viewing distance?

[ChrisN]

4 match sticks, four rather small pieces of Square and / or rectangle kitchen sponge stuck to the ends, 4 small dabs of semi transparent paint yellow red brown sage green, and dab them over the cloth......

might take a while........ I suspect Kal's method a LOT faster.

I agree with Kal it is a nice looking piece. The cruel close ups always make them look less than there really are. Shows off her shadows well though.

I look at mine on the layout and think dogs doo dahs, then photograph them and think omg really.

I like the door way she is stood in too,

 

Jaz,

I like that idea.  Now would it need to be all over brown to start with and then dab the other colours?  Not sure. I will have to do a trial of both ways.

 

I stood her in the door so that there was no background as such.  Also my camera has an automatic focus, the only thing you cannot do manually, so I have to make sure I have everything in the same plane.

[ChrisN]

At normal viewing distance a doubt the flecks can be seen anyway. Do you have a shot at normal viewing distance?

 

Kal,

I am not sure that I have and I cannot really do one now as she has gone and put her gown on.

 

I know things like this are really for our own pleasure to push the boundaries of what we can achieve, but it is fun.

[aberdare]

Nice work on the figure Chris it looks just fine to me and I don't think you would see any red flecks at normal viewing distance.

 

If I was tempted to add them I would mask all the other bits and waft a fine mist of red about from the airbrush and hope for the best.

 

Great bit of painting.

 

Jim

[ChrisN]

Jim,

I had hoped that by doing the washes the different colours would show in different places and I think that is what I have achieved.  I was very surprised when I could find no links to anyone who had painted tweed except the one above.

 

I have Dart Casting, Monty's Model figure who  is obviously  a teacher and is crying out for a tweed jacket.  Ok, I know it has noting to do with my era but I could hide him in a corner somewhere.  I will use him for the trial and there are other figures I could do as well.

[Jaz]

 I agree the reality is it probably would not show....it's just our minds know it should be there and therefore we have an expectation.

 

E.G. When I copied mini drivers jacket my dots had to be way bigger than the real ones...did anyone notice? No.. they just saw the dots and thought...ah dots.Of course I was on a winner because I never showed the original photo of her in focus.

 

 

 

...edited....oooh have you considered paint on a toothbrush? 

Edited April 25, 2014 by Jaz

[Gordon A]

Have you thought about diagonal bracing to stop your base boards from twisting, or have I missed that bit?

 

Gordon A

Bristol

[ChrisN]

 I agree the reality is it probably would not show....it's just our minds know it should be there and therefore we have an expectation.

 

E.G. When I copied mini drivers jacket my dots had to be way bigger than the real ones...did anyone notice? No.. they just saw the dots and thought...ah dots.Of course I was on a winner because I never showed the original photo of her in focus.

 

 

 

...edited....oooh have you considered paint on a toothbrush? 

 

Jaz,

I have not considered a toothbrush, as a sort of dabbing effect?  Umm, possible.  Base of brown and dab the others, or brown base, dab red & yellow, green wash?

 

I think my wife might notice though next time she cleans her teeth though.   

[Jaz]

surely you replace them periodically, use an old one, i use my old ones to clean around the taps...etc  and occasionally for painting;)

[ChrisN]

Have you thought about diagonal bracing to stop your base boards from twisting, or have I missed that bit?

 

Gordon A

Bristol

 

Gordon,

 

Thank you,

Diagonal bracing.  To be honest, not sure.  I have discussed it with my sons Father-in-Law who is an ex woodwork teacher and he did not suggest it.  I am really following how Phil Parker built his baseboard for the BRM supplement and am hoping that the box shape will supply rigidity.  The four baseboards will have metal dowels to position them to each other and be clipped together.  The legs will be in the corners where the diagonals would best go.  They will be bolted onto the frame, resting on the top.  I have thought about it and the inside legs will be bolted through both side supports.  (Front left and back right will have four legs, the others two.)

 

I am also a bit concerned about fouling where my points are going to go.  I shall think further.  Maybe I can add it later but I do not want to make them too heavy to carry.

[ChrisN]

surely you replace them periodically, use an old one, i use my old ones to clean around the taps...etc  and occasionally for painting;)

 

Yes we do.  We also accumulate them.  There are 5 in the bathroom at the moment, and there are only 2 of us in the house, well apart from the cats, so unless there are lodgers that my wife has not told me about I could probably take one and see what happens. 

 

Would it not be more difficult to control the amount of paint on a toothbrush?  Umm, practise I suppose.

[Jaz]

Gordon,

 

Thank you,

Diagonal bracing.  To be honest, not sure.  I have discussed it with my sons Father-in-Law who is an ex woodwork teacher and he did not suggest it.  I am really following how Phil Parker built his baseboard for the BRM supplement and am hoping that the box shape will supply rigidity.  The four baseboards will have metal dowels to position them to each other and be clipped together.  The legs will be in the corners where the diagonals would best go.  They will be bolted onto the frame, resting on the top.  I have thought about it and the inside legs will be bolted through both side supports.  (Front left and back right will have four legs, the others two.)

 

I am also a bit concerned about fouling where my points are going to go.  I shall think further.  Maybe I can add it later but I do not want to make them too heavy to carry.

I think bracing AFTER adding points is a good way. I have seen Kal seeth when he has had to cut out wood work that interfere with the operation of a point.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Jaz

[ChrisN]

I have just finished painting 11 scarlet jackets, along with white helmets and strapping on all of them plus red strapping on 5.  I am not too pleased with the results so far so they will need touching up.  That will be after painting blue trousers, matt black leggings, satin black shoes, black collars and epaulettes, garter blue flashing on the sleeves, bronze scabbards, brown bags and holsters, silver buttons, steel sword, brown rifles, brass buckles and oh yes the bayonets.  I am glad these are not reinforcements as the uniform will have changed to khaki before I have finished. 

 

Then of course is the flag pole and the flag.

 

When I get a little further I will post pictures.  I will also try and double up painting other figures with the same colours to move things along

 

The primer has not stuck very well and I am hoping to get them finished and then varnished without too much mishap.

 

More later in the week

[ChrisN]

Following on from my last post here are the half painted parade.

 

 

I was going to start painting the trousers last night but we went out instead.  Notice that the Colonel appears to be about to skewer one of his sergeants.

 

Now this is the main reason for the post.

 

 

Here we have an Ensign who carries the flag, who like all good Ensigns, is dressed in red, and was probably a Second Lieutenant. He had to guard the flag with his life, and often did.

 

The other two are sergeants, one is the colour sergeant, who guards the ensign.  The one on the left has full sideburns and moustache, the one on the right has a beard.

 

Now Kal, do you recognise yourself?  Are you the young officer carrying the flag, one of the two sergeants?  When I know I can paint one accordingly with a yellow blob above the stripes.

 

More of the railway soon

[Kal]

Cool Chris. I will have a couple of pork chops please.

 

 

 

 

 

For clarity the one on the left

Edited April 30, 2014 by Kal

[ChrisN]

Kal,

I thought you might.  I assume dark brown?  I could do it lighter if it is more appropriate?

 

The white collars are actually the facings so they will be painted black leaving a white line either side, well, that is the theory.  The models have the fancy facing on the arms moulded on which is interesting, along with the sergeants stripes and the piping stripe on the trousers. 

 

When they are finished I will try and take close ups, just to embarrass myself and to get the wargamers to tell me I have done it wrong!      

 

I find it interesting that the quality of model soldiers is usually higher, sometimes much higher than the figures for model railways, but that is a discussion that has already happened on another thread.

[Kal]

Brown to grey as you see it

 

[ChrisN]

Never fails to move me that scene.

 

Brown to grey.  Ok.  Brown with a white wash then.  Umm, interesting.  Unless Jaz has any other brilliant ideas.