Hello K.B., I think the basing really adds to the completeness but it's more up to you in what you find pleasing of course. I did send a Pm but would prefer you email me back.
Cheerio,
Bessiere
Gallery
Miscellaneous Napoleonic Cavalry
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Bessiere
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23 May 2019, 15:50
Fantastic work. I can't pull off those dark hocks on the horses like you do, I think they're a great touch. I can add white and it looks ok just not the dark, strange eh? I would like to do one representative figure from each Hussar regiment and put them in a display case, I think that would be awesome. I'm just taking a painting break for a while but I have plenty left to do for myself to be satisfied.
Cheers,
Bessiere
Cheers,
Bessiere
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Bessiere
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23 May 2019, 15:50
Good evening gents i was taking a look at some of my most recent posts and noticed i hadn`t shown photos of another regiment, the Akhtyrski Hussars that i have painted up for my collection. The photos aren`t very sharp but they show the very attractive brown uniform of the Ahktirska.
For those eagle eyed friends of mine who might have noticed in the first photo, there is a split in the plastic on the hussar`s left shoulder, let me add that this chap was the very first Zvezda Russian Hussar I painted and the split was caused when trying to test fit his pelisse to his shoulder but the pin in the pelisse was too thick which subsequently caused the plastic to split when i applied increasing pressure. The lesson to be learnt was obviously not to force fit the pelisse and in fact, I`d say it is wiser to cut off the pin altogether and glue the pelisse onto the soldier`s shoulder whereby avoiding any splits or cracks in the plastic. It goes without saying i am presently in the early stages of painting a brown pelisse to cover the damage.
For those eagle eyed friends of mine who might have noticed in the first photo, there is a split in the plastic on the hussar`s left shoulder, let me add that this chap was the very first Zvezda Russian Hussar I painted and the split was caused when trying to test fit his pelisse to his shoulder but the pin in the pelisse was too thick which subsequently caused the plastic to split when i applied increasing pressure. The lesson to be learnt was obviously not to force fit the pelisse and in fact, I`d say it is wiser to cut off the pin altogether and glue the pelisse onto the soldier`s shoulder whereby avoiding any splits or cracks in the plastic. It goes without saying i am presently in the early stages of painting a brown pelisse to cover the damage.
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k.b.
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04 Apr 2010, 03:50
Here`s another Soumy Hussar, this time a trumpeter, initially on a brown mount but from what i`ve read the Russians also preferred white steeds for their trumpeters. Therefore, I`m on with priming some other horses, as i intend to experiment with a few darker colours, along with the white charger for the trumpeter.
After painting up a couple of pelisses in different shades of blue i shall most probably add an odd Grodno Hussar or two to my collection, and who knows maybe some individuals painted up in the remaining hussar regimental uniforms that i have not tackled up to now.
After painting up a couple of pelisses in different shades of blue i shall most probably add an odd Grodno Hussar or two to my collection, and who knows maybe some individuals painted up in the remaining hussar regimental uniforms that i have not tackled up to now.
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k.b.
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04 Apr 2010, 03:50
This is a delightful figure, painted with precision. Well done.
The colour of horses is an interesting one. I know about the white/grey horse for musicians & even the practice of squadrons having their own colour mounts. As well as generals riding pure white steeds.
I would say, in practice, surely this system fell apart in wartime, on campaign? Horses die or get injured and must be replaced.
Are you aware of 'The Charterhouse of Parma' by Stendhal? At Waterloo, the naive hero is unceremoniously "de-horsed" by the escort of a general to provide him a mount. They did not consider the horse's colour - just whether it was up to the job of carrying the "Big Hat".
Your beautiful, brown trumpeter's horse is fine.
donald
The colour of horses is an interesting one. I know about the white/grey horse for musicians & even the practice of squadrons having their own colour mounts. As well as generals riding pure white steeds.
I would say, in practice, surely this system fell apart in wartime, on campaign? Horses die or get injured and must be replaced.
Are you aware of 'The Charterhouse of Parma' by Stendhal? At Waterloo, the naive hero is unceremoniously "de-horsed" by the escort of a general to provide him a mount. They did not consider the horse's colour - just whether it was up to the job of carrying the "Big Hat".
Your beautiful, brown trumpeter's horse is fine.
donald
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Ochoin
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Thank you kindly Donald for your considerations regarding horse colours during, in our case the Napoleonic era, but your observations are undoubtedly applicable to any military campaign involving regiments of cavalry.
In all honesty I was oblivious to the Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal, which at a first glance looks to be rather fascinating albeit somewhat high brow, fanciful even, but basic common sense leads one to conclude that an army on parade bore only a vague semblance to that involved 10 days into a military campaign. Hence mounting a trumpeter on a brown steed would probably have been a more common sight than one astride a grey or white one - at least once the campaign began.
Ps/ I will do my best to read Charterhouse . Thank you once again Donald for your comments.
In all honesty I was oblivious to the Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal, which at a first glance looks to be rather fascinating albeit somewhat high brow, fanciful even, but basic common sense leads one to conclude that an army on parade bore only a vague semblance to that involved 10 days into a military campaign. Hence mounting a trumpeter on a brown steed would probably have been a more common sight than one astride a grey or white one - at least once the campaign began.
Ps/ I will do my best to read Charterhouse . Thank you once again Donald for your comments.
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k.b.
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04 Apr 2010, 03:50
You gotta love that Russian feel for pageantry. Rich, earthy tones with brilliant accents. You're getting quite the nice collection of hussars there k.b.. I also have no issue with brown horses for trumpeters. Campaigns laid waste to color-scheming. As needs must.
Cheers,
Bessiere
Cheers,
Bessiere
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Bessiere
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23 May 2019, 15:50
Good morning gents,
Just a little update on the mischief I`ve been up to over the last week.....
As you can see i felt like a change from Russian Hussars so i went back to these British Light Dragoons from Italeri that i had largely ignored for some considerable time, primarily because of their unrealistic horse poses and the fact that almost all the riders are in very similar positions. The latter was easily fixed with a change of head positions and a little filling but the horses are a bit trickier. I do remember Beano Boy giving us some excellent tips on how to improve their leg positions a while ago but those simple minor adjustments somehow don`t seem to be enough. Let`s see this weekend if i can get the scalpel out, together with plenty of photographic references, greenstuff and be inspired to come up with something more satisfactory (for me).
Just a little update on the mischief I`ve been up to over the last week.....
As you can see i felt like a change from Russian Hussars so i went back to these British Light Dragoons from Italeri that i had largely ignored for some considerable time, primarily because of their unrealistic horse poses and the fact that almost all the riders are in very similar positions. The latter was easily fixed with a change of head positions and a little filling but the horses are a bit trickier. I do remember Beano Boy giving us some excellent tips on how to improve their leg positions a while ago but those simple minor adjustments somehow don`t seem to be enough. Let`s see this weekend if i can get the scalpel out, together with plenty of photographic references, greenstuff and be inspired to come up with something more satisfactory (for me).
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k.b.
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04 Apr 2010, 03:50
I really like these chaps KB. As always, your eye for detail is top notch!
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Rich W
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05 Feb 2018, 23:40
Great painting, k.b.
as always I should add. Your own style in "oil".
The horsies can always be adapted. I had to struggle with some of the Redbox horses when I did the Turkish cavalry - there you had some cut/pasting to do. These here look well if not perfect. However, I see that you are much more of a pefectionist.
I remember a long time ago - but not the name of the contributor - who adapted the Polish Hussars for Vienna. He transformed all the "already quite perfect" Zvesda horses. He showed the way he did the cut/paste/sculpt transition. Fascinating stuff.
Maybe it is still here digged deep inside the forum
Best regards
Michael
as always I should add. Your own style in "oil".
The horsies can always be adapted. I had to struggle with some of the Redbox horses when I did the Turkish cavalry - there you had some cut/pasting to do. These here look well if not perfect. However, I see that you are much more of a pefectionist.
I remember a long time ago - but not the name of the contributor - who adapted the Polish Hussars for Vienna. He transformed all the "already quite perfect" Zvesda horses. He showed the way he did the cut/paste/sculpt transition. Fascinating stuff.
Maybe it is still here digged deep inside the forum
Best regards
Michael
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Michael Robert
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14 Oct 2009, 19:22
Good evening Michael. Thank you kindly for your interesting comments. I do indeed remember that talented contributor who produced an incredible diorama with Polish Winged Hussars versus their Turkish enemies on a large battlefield. I vividly recall his conversion work on riders and horses alike. (If anyone can remember his name I would dearly love to revisit his diorama).
However, in all honesty, I know how to sculpt better horses, I have Bill Horans Masterclass book showing how he sculpts and the only difference between his work and our work in 1/72, is the scale. I believe exactly the same techniques can be used. That is cutting figures into pieces, inserting metal rods/thick wire to connect the individual pieces and using good reference photos establish the desired pose. The wire acts as a skeleton to which one can then add putty and sculpt the horse realistically keeping one’s own sculpting in a similar style to the original horse.
Now that is the theory……. but to find the time to actually get down to business and put it into practice isn’t quite as easy. Especially for procrastinators like yours truly. Plus the fact that at the end of a full working day not many marriages will survive a husband disappearing into his workshop for another 3 or 4 hours to get to grips with his toy soldiers never mind escaping back to his den at the weekend. At least mine wouldn’t !
I believe that’s why many of the big talents in our hobby have managed to transform that hobby into a lucrative business. I’m thinking of the likes of the Perry Bros, Paul Hicks, Franznap, Massimo and Sho to name just a few.
However, in all honesty, I know how to sculpt better horses, I have Bill Horans Masterclass book showing how he sculpts and the only difference between his work and our work in 1/72, is the scale. I believe exactly the same techniques can be used. That is cutting figures into pieces, inserting metal rods/thick wire to connect the individual pieces and using good reference photos establish the desired pose. The wire acts as a skeleton to which one can then add putty and sculpt the horse realistically keeping one’s own sculpting in a similar style to the original horse.
Now that is the theory……. but to find the time to actually get down to business and put it into practice isn’t quite as easy. Especially for procrastinators like yours truly. Plus the fact that at the end of a full working day not many marriages will survive a husband disappearing into his workshop for another 3 or 4 hours to get to grips with his toy soldiers never mind escaping back to his den at the weekend. At least mine wouldn’t !
I believe that’s why many of the big talents in our hobby have managed to transform that hobby into a lucrative business. I’m thinking of the likes of the Perry Bros, Paul Hicks, Franznap, Massimo and Sho to name just a few.
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k.b.
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C M Dodson
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Santi Pérez
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Thank you Chris and Santi for taking the time not only to look but to write a few words of encouragement.
Here are a few Russian Grenadier musicians preparing to get to grips with Napoleon`s own Old Guard Grenadiers, by the looks of things. The standard bearer is almost finished, other than the base which still needs painting.
For those with a sharp eye there are some Russian pelisses also in the early stages of painting.
Below here they are a little bit closer to completion.
I feel I`m now getting closer to mastering the fur on the pelisse (but am still struggling a bit to do the braiding - pity i don`t have the eyes i had when i was in my twenties).
Here are a few Russian Grenadier musicians preparing to get to grips with Napoleon`s own Old Guard Grenadiers, by the looks of things. The standard bearer is almost finished, other than the base which still needs painting.
For those with a sharp eye there are some Russian pelisses also in the early stages of painting.
Below here they are a little bit closer to completion.
I feel I`m now getting closer to mastering the fur on the pelisse (but am still struggling a bit to do the braiding - pity i don`t have the eyes i had when i was in my twenties).
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k.b.
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04 Apr 2010, 03:50
An oldie.........the photo.........not me
..........a couple of more recent but unshown photos.......
.......and a couple of piccies of what is on my workbench right now, including an 18mm AB Marshall Davout, if I`m not mistaken, and a Franznap French hussar horse on the extreme right who I`m looking forward to painting this weekend.
..........a couple of more recent but unshown photos.......
.......and a couple of piccies of what is on my workbench right now, including an 18mm AB Marshall Davout, if I`m not mistaken, and a Franznap French hussar horse on the extreme right who I`m looking forward to painting this weekend.
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k.b.
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It’s strange how finding this little white steed and Davout to paint has given me an urge to get back to painting some of Tony Barton’s magical little 18mms. I apologize but I might be absent from this thread for a while……..
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k.b.
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