Here's a couple more Arabs, this time old figures used as standard bearers. Again, both were bought fom Graham. I have no idea of the manufacturers. The first has a moulded flag, which Graham painted with something approximating Arabic characters - I've left these alone:
The second figure is an unarmoured cavalryman, to which I added a Little Big Men flag. Again, note the bendy spear!
I used my standard renovation technique to "update" the paintjobs. First, a coat of artist's varnish - quite a few old figures come with enamel paint jobs and varnish, sometimes gloss. This can be a real pain for overpainting, so a coat of acrylic varnish really helps. Second, quite a heavy ink wash. I use acrylic inks, 50-50 ink to water. Black ink for most colours, brown for skin details, leather, and any reasonably light colours. Then, touch up, again in acrylics. I'm not brave enough to use oils, mainly because of the drying time. The amount of time I have for painting is limited, and I can't afford to wait too long between colours. Finally, any transfers and then varnish:
With the figures finished, it's time for basing...
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The second figure is an unarmoured cavalryman, to which I added a Little Big Men flag. Again, note the bendy spear!
I used my standard renovation technique to "update" the paintjobs. First, a coat of artist's varnish - quite a few old figures come with enamel paint jobs and varnish, sometimes gloss. This can be a real pain for overpainting, so a coat of acrylic varnish really helps. Second, quite a heavy ink wash. I use acrylic inks, 50-50 ink to water. Black ink for most colours, brown for skin details, leather, and any reasonably light colours. Then, touch up, again in acrylics. I'm not brave enough to use oils, mainly because of the drying time. The amount of time I have for painting is limited, and I can't afford to wait too long between colours. Finally, any transfers and then varnish:
With the figures finished, it's time for basing...
That top figure rings a bell- I'm pretty sure it's a miniatures from the Arab mounted command set, from the old Citadel Dark Ages range back in the early-mid 1980's.
ReplyDeleteI had (have, if I look around) a number of these and they were great figures for their time. Not surprisingly, seeing as they were sculpted by Alan and Michael Perry!
The ones I had were marketed by Rafm in Canada.
Thanks for this, Robert, I think you're right. The guy who sold it to me has a collection that is renowned for being something of a museum of miniatures gaming...
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