Tag: paint what you got challenge

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wargaming

Fragment 26/1

Last year I started some posting ideas around bits of things which did not really make a post but when combined with others could justify a post in their own right.

After the first two fragments of 2025 things sorted of dried up a bit. Or rather my focus was on specific miniatures or gaming posts.

I am going to have another try this year and ironically the first driver is the same as last years – magazines. And with further irony the second idea mimics fragment 25/2 – books.

However to kick off 2026 fragments I am going to mention painting challenges. These have kind of taken over my painting activities to the extent that three define my painting year.

First up is “paint what you got”. Now this challenge by Dave Stone works for me because it drives me to dig out what I have either half painted or abandoned. It has proved its worth.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/tag/mid-19th-century-wargames/page/2/#:~:text=The%20Painting%20Portrait%2025a%201848%20Bavarians&text=The%20portrait%20approach%20should%20enable,a%20ball%20topped%20pin%20head.

Second is the Analogue Painting Challenge. I took this on at no14 and so I am on year three.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/tag/fantasy/

This challenge has caused problems in that it got my ideas flowing and instead of reducing the lead mountain I ended up scratch building models during the challenge as the “themes” caught my imagination.

On the positive side I have found a use for those magazine freebies and indulged in my recycled household junk heaps to create spacecraft.

Klim class Intra planetary trader from AHPC15

I also think it propelled me into painting a background for my model displays – retiring the painting pedestal in favour of the painting portrait. In fact I even produced a sci-fi background last year.

Ahpc invariably overruns well into spring so now absorbs about half my painting year!

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2025/04/26/the-painting-portrait-25k-ahpc15-leftovers/

The third challenge is Dave Stones scenery season which runs over the summer. Or in my case summer into autumn. This has proven a godsend as scenery production was nil and an ever increasing list of kits, models or ideas were tying me up in knots.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/category/scenery/

So three challenges which basically cover the whole year of my painting activities.

Maybe in another fragment I will say something about the impact of these challenges on my painting activities themselves.

Categories
wargaming

Paint what you got – cowboys

These figures are by Dixon except The leader who is none other than Jesse James modelled by Blue Moon 2007 slice of americana distributed by old glory in the uk.

Both ranges remain the cowboy figures of choice in my view. They have superb character even if they are slightly oversized.

Rusty Maguire’s Iron Ore gang all together the blue moon Jesse james figure centre is slightly slimmer and taller than the fulsome Dixon figures.

Facial details on these figures remain stunning given these mouldings are decades old.

The gang is led by Rusty Maguire…..

My figures were bought at the last Sheffield triples show. And then they joined the lead pile.

The bauxite brothers

Pinky bauxite
Rhett bauxite

During lockdown they finally got white primed and then craft paint red sienna washed.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/tag/contrast-paints/

Now they have had some extra washing with Windsor and Newton sepia ink plus the odd brown/cream clothing picked out.

The original very Matt sienna paint reminded me of Rusty iron so that gave me an idea for names – after all you have to give these wonderful characters names!

The ore brothers

Magnus
Sid
Lim

I varnished them with Vallejo Matt varnish and then top coat of Vallejo super Matt varnish.

Not sure when these guys will get out and about – but watch out – they carry a lot of lead😁

Based on old coins they received a pva coating then “games workshop” era stoney sand.

The gang……..

Rusty Maguire gang leader

The ore brothers

Limonite (Lim)

Siderite (Sid)

Magnetite (Magnus)

The bauxite brothers

Pinky

Red (Rhett)

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wargaming

Paint what you got Challenge Pt2 – Citroen Avant

ACE models seem to have reputation for accuracy and detail. This was my first kit by them.

The kit went together well and I am happy with the result.

Yet the glazing element was not modelled- you got some paper outlines to make your own.

I think because it’s a car and to be honest a small car sold in a standard sized kit box and at a standard price (excepting low cost vintage airfix/hornby) the omission of some glazing or say a driver feels a bit mean. Maybe we are spoiled by airfix in terms of content.

Back to the vehicle I have given it a simple green finish and have yet to decide on transfers/markings.

I made my glazing from some delicatessen hard plastic packaging. Was it German sausage or French charcuterie – I can’t remember!

I scratched the rear window to imply it’s cracked while I added some cardboard wipers to the front screen – again these are a feature of the vehicle yet omitted by the maker.

So another Fauxterre 1930’s vehicle joins the growing car park.

Categories
wargaming

Paint what you got 2026

It’s that time of year in the uk when the short days encourage indoor hobbies like wargames and there is no better way to improve your figure painting volumes than by joining a challenge or simply painting with friends online or face to face.

This years “paint what you got” has me trawling the paint queue rather than the metal/plastic mountain.

https://wargamesculptorsblog.blogspot.com/2025/12/paint-what-you-got-20252026.html

So first up are these Danish Guardsmen in their 1848 finery.

By 1849 they had swopped the late napoleonic style red coatees for dark blue tunics following the fashion set by Prussia and Piedmont in the early 1840’s. However they kept their bearskins.

So these figures show the twilight of the “Napoleonic style”.

I used British grenadiers from Strelets Crimea range. These are 1:72 plastic injection mouldings. The style is squat and bulky – note Strelets figures vary by sculptor.

Generally plastic injection figures look far better painted so don’t be put off by your visiting plastic soldier review. Indeed the reviews are candid but then again Pauls Bods blog https://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2021/03/vikingsaxon-shield-wall.html shows you that even the most unpromising figures can be transformed through a decent paint job. Pauls Bods site has numerous plastic examples of exemplary painting.

Finally strelets are an Ukraine company and continue to produce a vast range of figures and have done so throughout the Russian invasion.

So as we approach yet another unwanted anniversary go buy some Strelets, preferably at your nearest bricks and mortar model shop.