Friday 20 November 2009

Philolleysophy

A bit of a rant...

First of all, I won't be making promises again. By now I should have had a picture of the finished Hasselse Garde unit, but I don't, as you all can see. Real life bla bla bla...

I don't like my Hasselse Garde. I'll finish them and use them, but I don't like my painting style. It's to complicated. I posted a comment on the Blasthof Blog and got an eye opening answer from Phil Olley. He expanded on this in a next posting with some pictures. I think this is the way ahead for me. It's all a question of finding the balance between painting style, time you want to spend painting and the overall effect. In the end -and this is of course an individual choice/philosophy- I don't think that intricate painting will allow for a better game. So the plan is to finish the guard unit and start a next unit painted basic and neat, much how I finished the boys Warhammer armies and terrain (I didn't even know back then it was called Old School style). One thing I might do, seeing the pictures on the DPC RSM 95 webpage, is add some lining.

Also, I think I will be mixing figures from several manufacturers. Originally I planned on sticking with one make. But now I'll be mixing several same style minis, but per unit.  I feel units of Minden minis will mix perfectly with RSM 95, Willies, maybe even a nostalgic Spencer Smith or Huzzah unit. And who knows, if Hät Industry goes ahead with their 28mm project, even some plastics.

I recommend, really whole heartedly, to visit the Blasthof blog mentioned above and in earlier postings. Not only is it inspiring, the authors actually take the trouble to share their knowledge, ideas and even ask comments and advice. To me the Blasthof Blog is like Grant's "The Wargame Companion" but taken one step further by being interactive. I don't really mind having to miss Phil Olleys Broadsides and Cabinet now. I mean were getting more of him now: his new philolleysophy certainly hit the mark with me.

Now if only someone could persuade someone else to do the same for "The Wargame"...

End of rant. Comments welcome...but, I beg you, no more comments on the dog...pleeeease...

Happy Gaming
Pjotr

PS: I' m applying for copyright on the new word "philolleysophy"...

5 comments:

  1. As a gamer who cannot paint I have to agree with Phil's "mass effect" approach - squinting from distance my figures look the part!!

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  2. Pjotr,
    in my wargaming days I was an awful painter; having painted some 1,200 minis I still was a very slow painter who got awful results! For minute details such as eyes, lips, nipples... I got, if not better, at least 'less worse' results with an ultra-fine felt pen (waterproof ink -used for overhead projections, in those pre-Powerpoint days) than with a brush. Also, finally dipping the painted minis in 'clear oak' wood varnish increased 'volume' and contrast: "Army Painter" 'Quick shade dips' are now a commercial proposal.
    Thus I had to get some solace from the idea that my minis were not display cabinet pieces, were not intended to be observed under a magnifying glass, but on the opposite were intended to be seen 'en masse' from a distance.
    Indeed my painting never get negative comments, while my troops get a lot of undeserved attention. But I'm not naive: they were Amazons, most of them bare-breasted, and I suspect their (quite unrealitically) bright red nipples distracted the testosterone-saturated young males that were the other players from any other painting details...

    Cheers,
    Jean-Louis

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  3. Jean-Louis

    do you mean those fine tipped permanent markers from Steadler I think, available in several thiknesses and colours?
    Does the ink stay on? Is it colour fast(sunlight?) and doesn't it start to run when applying varnish?

    Pjotr

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  4. I have used ink pens on a few things in the past - such as drawing a shield design. Look for pens with waterproof ink. As for running when applying varnish I never had any problem, but you might want to try a test piece - paint some old piece of "lead" or even the bottom of one of your minis, draw with the pen, then varnish.

    My style is probably a bit too much for tabletop games, but nowhere near "display" quality. I usually don't bother painting eyes (except for female Celtos minis and a few others, elves, and red or occasionally yellow dots for orcs and goblins and such), but I do shading and picking out some of the finer detail. I have learned to be a bit less finicky, but I do paint over mistakes. I am a pretty slow painter, too, judging by the output of many others. But I do enjoy painting as much as gaming.

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  5. Gentlemen,

    thanks for visiting and commenting.
    I'll repeat what I discussed with Keith in the second last post comments
    I agree, don't paint what you can't see.
    Maybe just now and then, on a special "character" or a unit of note I can let myself go.
    On the other hand, with basic neat painting, one can allways, even in a few years time , pick up the minis and enhance them.
    I'll certainly experiment with the pen-lining idea. Thanks for the tip.

    Pjotr

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