Horse colours

I’ve been using Howard Hues paints for my horses for a very long time. The large pots have lasted ages, but when it came to needing to replace them I discovered there was no longer a UK distributor.

I really wasn’t prepared to pay the crazy cost of shipping from the US, so I sought an alternative, settling on Coat d’Arms. I thought to try one of their Superstar brushes too, to replace my by now very out of shape Rosemary & Co size 2 brush that I use for blocking in.

I’m looking forward to trying these out soon – I have quite a lot of horses to paint.

Coat d’Arms chestnut, brown, dun, and roan, and a new brush to try.

Progress on all fronts

This week I assembled the men-at-arms and bill armed men for Hastings’ contingent, finished the bridges, and thought to take stock.

I have a fair few figures with a fair bit of paint on now, and I really need to get on with finishing these, since I don’t have room to assemble Hastings’ archers. A clutch of command groups, Wenlock’s two companies, and Clifford’s mounted archers are in the frame for finishing next.

The two bridges are finished, and I am waiting on delivery of custom MDF bases for them.

Left-to-right: some of Clifford’s dismounted archers, a headless Clifford (in Or – yellow) and his mount, Hastings’ companies of men-at-arms and bill armed men, and nine as yet unassigned bill armed figures.

Left-to-right: Edmund Earl of Rutland, Edward Prince of Wales, Margaret of Anjou, John Baron Wenlock and his companies of bill armed men and archers.

A pair of Clifford’s mounted and dismounted archers, and Hastings, his standard bearer, and a man-at-arms holding Hastings’ helmet.

The finished bridges.

The river runs away …

Firstly, welcome to my first follower! My river project really took over these past days, becoming my sole focus so that I could get my desk clear for more figure assembly and painting. Oh! And work.

I finished the additional short curves and 150mm lengths, giving just over 2300 mm of river.

I have also modelled stone and wooden bridges; these will be based on custom 3mm MDF bases from Pendragon, with modelled banks and route ways. I’ll make a ford too.

The complete Trevor Holland river sections.

The stone bridge and the wooden bridge – with a removable section to simulate damage, both ready for painting.

More river sections

I liked the Trevor Holland river so much I simply had to have more of it!

At around 1300mm, the set I bought (TH63) didn’t give quite enough length, especially if the long curves were not used.

So I bought another five 150mm sections and a set of short curves. I set about removing the rocks cast in the rivers so that there would be more variety when matched with the original set. This gives around 2400mm, which should be enough.

I have begun to make a stone bridge, and have plans for a wooden bridge and a ford. A small water mill would be a nice feature too, I think.

The slightly modified 150mm straight sections (TH03) and short curves (TH16).