And now for something completely different

As a bit of a change from squinting at tiny blobs of slightly uncomfortably soft plastic, here's something a bit larger and more metallic: a Copplestone Future Wars Security Guard, (now sold by EM4 miniatures).

This is the first of three models I picked up some years ago.  My original plan was to go for a pretty standard 'SWAT' type look of dark blues and blacks, but then I had a change of heart and decided to go for something a bit more garish and 'corporate security guard' like.  It was only part way through painting that I realised that I may have been inspired by a similar colour scheme I'd come across many moons before...

Oops!

This was partly an experiment in painting in a slightly different style, to try and kick start my painting mojo.  My usual painting style has pretty much evolved from a gaming background.  Mostly I paint to complete units quickly and simply, so usually a black undercoat to provide shade, washes and basic highlights.

This time I decided to build up the highlights a bit more carefully.  To brighten the colours, I started from a white undercoat, with a black wash to show up the detail and provide some base shading.  It creates quite an interesting effect in itself, and almost black and white film look!

Overall I'm pretty pleased with how he turned out, especially the shading on the grey fatigues.  Some more edge highlights on the jacket and skin might be good though.

I also have a handful of minis from Hasslefree undercoated and ready to go.  I've got to say, Kev White at HF is a sculpting god!  Here's one of his SF Troopers next to another Security Guard by Mark Copplestone.  Interesting to compare the two very different styles of sculpting, one almost ultra-realisticly proportioned, the other deliberately simplified and exaggerated.  I like them both, but Mark Copplestone's style is definitely less daunting to paint!  It's the difference between a mars bar and a swiss chocolate, both are perfect for the right occasion ;-)

Germans (and more mortars for Greg!)

Just a handful more Germans, using the Airfix Afrika Korps as late war infantry.  I tried a few basic head swaps (as suggested by Leif, thanks!), which add a nice bit of variety.

Also completed the MG34 gunner.  No loader/assistant gunner, but still a favourite figure from Airfix.

I'll finish the basing shortly.

And now, just for Greg (because he asked), here are some more shots of the Italeri US Airborne Mortar.

I'd love to see what whoever sculpted these would do with a full range of airborne.  There's lots of great detail on these, with the amount of kit they're carrying (carbines, pistols, packs, entrenching tools etc) and the gloves that seem to have been quite common.  In fact if you look carefully at the guy with the mortar round in the second to last photo, you can see that they've even sculpted on the gas testing patch worn on the upper right arm!  The needs of the mould occasionally let them down thought, particularly on the boots and the carbines, which are located where it's tricky to get much detail into them.

Back to work and catching up

Well...

Been a while since my last post.  I kind of lost my gaming and painting mojo over the summer.  Far too much going on.  M and I spent far too much of the summer getting acquainted with hospitals for one reason or another and a restructure at work meant my post and my manager's were 'deleted', leaving us both to reapply for one replacement job.  I got it, but now I seem to be doing my old job and his.  Between all this I just didn't seem to be able to muster up the enthusiasm.

But it's back now...

First a quick catch up to complete some half finished stuff. Namely some support for the US airborne in the form of a mortar and two .30cals.

The mortar is form the Italieri Anti-Tank teams set, and the .30 cals from Italeri/Esci and Revell respectively.  There is also a .30 cal in the AT set, which is a nice model, but the gunner is firing from a kneeling, rather than prone position as he should be.  Instead I've used the gunner as a second for the mortar (which only as one crewman), leaving me with a spare MG as a bonus!

As with the infantry, the Revell and Italeri MGs don't look bad together, but the Italeri is slighter (and the MG is more simplified) but with sharper detail than the Revell.  On the upside it does come with a suitable assistant gunner.  That said, there is a nice model in the Revell set kneeling with ammo boxes, so he'll make a nice pairing with the gunner.

I have to say though, the Revell gunner's feet certainly don't look comfortable...

Hopefully another post following later with some more Germans and something a bit different.