French Revolution Diorama Finished

 

The project I wanted to work on for so long is now complete. The set always looked like fun and it is unique. It took me a bit longer than I expected to finish it than I anticipated but I'm happy with the overall results.

While browsing online for how others painted their Parisian mob and guillotine crew, I noticed a lot of bland colors. I really wanted to avoid that as being more of a fashion epicenter of Europe, I would expect more color. Given the uniforms of the time, this seemed like a good idea.

One figure that gave me pause was the man here in white. I couldn't figure out what to do with him with regards to painting. It does appear the sculptor's intent was to show the man without a jacket and with the white linen undershirt. It might have been boring but it had to be that way.

 The yellow dress on the lady on the platform draws the eyes to the center of the spectacle.

All the Eureka miniatures of this set were very nicely cast. All details were clear and little mould lines could be found.

The platform on the guillotine set is actual wood while the rest of the set is white metal. I did a medium brown followed by Vallejo Iraqi Sand dry brushing to get the color up to match the wood. I like how it came out and wasn't as complicated as I would have initially thought.

I used similar dry brushing on the bases of the figures. Using 1"diameter wood bases, I used Liquitex light modelling paste to even out the base of the figure with the wooden base. That also added texture which was good for dry brushing colors to match where these figures would be standing.

The corpse wagon has a couple of headless nobles in the back as the driver smokes a pipe. 

For the guillotine, I was unsure how blood should be added around it. I thought of finding a few ISIS videos for seeing how much blood spurting should occur, but searching for such videos would probably insure I make some special list. I think I got it about right.

A better overall picture of the entire set.

A lot of character went into the sculpting of the mob for this set. I chose not to rush through it even though this was certainly a diversion for any productive painting for the gaming table.

Maybe one day I'll find a scenario to use it in for a skirmish game.

Napoleoonic Headquarter Vignettes

For a few years I've been acquiring some unique camp figures for a future vignette project. The Old Glory figures were first in my little collection. For Napoleon's headquarters, the primary figures are Fantassin. Oddly enough in the set, no dismounted chasseurs were included. The Old Glory set I already had did have a few such figures and they were added to flush out the numbers.

Most gamers have a Napoleon on horse figure but having a figure on foot in a headquarters scene is different. Fantassin made multiple Napoleons but I felt this set was the nicest.

The blending of the Old Glory and Fantassin set goes very well together. The Fantassin Berthier at the table isn't wearing his hat. The Old Glory dismounted Imperial Guard Chasseur is holding a hat. A purpose for an otherwise out of place figure.

A few Austrian POW's from the Old Glory Trophies set. The hussar officer with his arm in a sling is a unique figure that I also just had to include.

This second vignette is also a combination of figures, this time from Old Glory, Eureka, a couple of Blue Moon figures and one from Fantassin. The pig on the roasting spit is from Baueda and I felt it was a neat little piece to work in.

This Eureka set is unique in that it is a French camp scene yet the sculptor seems to have been a bit confused over what sort of cavalry he was trying to represent. The single breasted surtout and shako seems to give it away as line chasseurs. The problem is that line chasseurs didn't wear heavy cavalry boots, which these figures are wearing. I added a small dog from Hallmark that had just been sitting around with no other use.

The various poses and states of dress were something different to paint. A couple of cantinieres were thrown in to add to the diversity.

And finally, the two figures that inspired me for going through with this project. The seated general with cantiniere on his lap and the female hussar in a well fitted uniform. These Old Glory figures are occasionally talked about on forums and few ever purcahse the set let alone paint them. After years of finding more important figures to paint, I'm happy to say this project is now completed.