Getting organised

I’ve been thinking about buying a rack for my paint for a while, and finally got around to it.

I also needed some more hydro foam for my wet palette, and some new sculpting tools for a forthcoming medieval adventure modelling project, so I sought these out at Green Stuff World. Overall, including shipping, this worked out ten quid cheaper than Amazon.

The rack is easy to assemble, and with a bit of wood glue for good measure the result is sturdy and stable. It looks neat, and has capacity for 60 17ml bottles.

Tidy!

Hadendowa riflemen, and the wet palette

I began work on the second rub, constructing the first of the plastic rifle-armed warriors. Just now I think there will be three rubs, each comprising one rifle armed band, two of spear and sword armed warriors, and a mounted band.

I indulged in some minor kit bashing for one of the figures, dead easy once one has narrowed the choice of torso and arms; one of the features I really like about working with plastic figures.

The wet palette is working really well. I haven’t moistened it since first using it over three weeks ago, and although the sponge has begun to dry out in one or two places, and the hydro paper has cockled a bit, it’s perfectly servicable and has transformed my painting experience.

Hadendowa riflemen, with a minor conversion for the fellow on the left so he can rest the weapon on his shoulder, and the first command group with my Green Stuff World wet palette … which I simply love. It makes painting so much more fluid – literally – espacially on hot days like today.

Wet palette

I’ve read quite a bit about wet palettes recently, and the concept seems to offer an answer to a few issues I have had while painting. I am pretty sparing when dispensing paint on to my palette for use, but paint drying out before I have managed to use it all not only seems wasteful but also slows down painting. It’s worse in the summer here as my study is south facing, so ambient temperature can be high.

I also read about making my own wet palette using tupperware, kitchen paper and greaseproof paper, but thought to seek out something where the design and materials had been thought through … I do like a bit of form follows function where design is concerned.

I settled on Green Stuff World’s offering, selecting the smaller of the two they sell, which at 132mm x 182mm is quite large enough.

It’s nicely presented, and looks and feels like a quality product. I’ll be deploying it this weekend …

Green Stuff World’s wet palette, with sponges on the right and specially coated hydro paper on the left.

First recruits and sundries

This post marks the beginning of a project I have been thinking about for over 18 months. At the outset I read Mike Snook’s excellent Go Strong into the Desert, which led me to seriously consider the early years of the Mahdist uprising for my miniature adventure.

I like the idea of improvised armoured trains, paddle steamer gunboats, and marauding slavers, while the romance of the Nile and the desert are major draws.

Just before Christmas I received my first deliveries from a handful of manufacturers and suppliers. 

I needed some additions to my scenic palette to allow modelling of mimosa for landscaping and, importantly, zarebas. Accordingly I bought some rubberised horse hair. I also bought brown short and long tufts, and tall shrubbery in yellow/green and natural hues.

I am considering The Men Who Would Bed Kings for rules, and gave the organisation of my forces some thought, but failed to form any firm conclusions about composition for the British. So I decided to order miniatures for Naval Brigade, Royal Marine Light Infantry, and King’s Royal Rifle Corps units, with some medics and war correspondents for vignettes; I settled on early war Beja (the Fuzzy Wuzzys of Kipling’s poem), and ordered two boxes of plastic figures, metal rifle armed, and camel mounted warriors, all from Perry Miniatures.

I also bought the Blood on the Nile Black Powder supplement, principally for the Fred Burnaby miniature, but it turns out to be an excellent source of inspirational photographs.

I bought Union Flags and White Ensigns from Flags of War. I will need to buy some flags for the Beja too … The Virtual Armchair General’s extensive range looks suitable.

My first Perry Miniatures order: metal Naval Brigade, RMLI,
King’s Royal Rifle Corps, and Beja …

… more Beja, and a handful of tents …

… and Blood on the Nile for the Fred Burnaby figure, (the volume is full of great photos).

A range of accessories including Martini-Henry rifles, assorted loads, packs, and helmets, and a water cart, all from Empress Miniatures; assorted crates and bundles from Field of Glory; scale chain from Green Stuff World.

Union Flags and White Ensigns will stake out the territory the plucky Brits are hanging on to!

I needed some additions to my stash of scenics, and rubberised horse hair for mimosa thorn bush.