Friday 22 January 2021

Painting Rocking Horses

Looking back on the blog I see that it’s thirteen years since I last attempted to paint horses for the Greys (click here). This time around at least I have those original figures to use as a painting guide and fortunately I made a note of the colours I used.

Restoration work complete, the six figures are currently on the painting desk. I had to abandon painting tonight as the temperature outside the hut has dropped to minus 2 and the heater was struggling to get up to +8 inside, hopefully it will be warmer tomorrow.

I don’t usually make very much effort with my horses, but I’ve had to with these and in this instance they have taken almost as much time to paint as the riders. Hopefully I’ll have the whole lot finished sometime next week.

20 comments:

Rob said...

Coming on a treat, I hope you get some warmer weather soon.

Stryker said...

Thanks Rob, it's been pretty cold here so far this year but February is normally worse!

Matt said...

The Royal North British Dragoons (can I even say that anymore?) are used to such plunging temperatures! Worthy additions to the collection.

Scotland Forever!

'Lee. said...

They are lovely Ian, and the unit that got me into model soldiers all those years ago. +8 in the painting hut? Being a right Southern softy I have to paint in the lounge with the heating set at 23, that said I'm a T shirt and shorts man even through Winter!

Stryker said...

Matt, I think you can still say that (for the moment at least). I imagine that if they were currently deployed on home soil they would all be wearing T-shirts!

Stryker said...

Lee, I went out to check the temperature this morning and it had dropped to minus 7 outside and minus 6 inside the cabin. Fortunately I brought my painting tray into the house last night which has the WIP plus the paints I need - not sure what minus 6 will do to the other paints still outside!

Aly Morrison said...

They are looking lovely Ian...
I have to admit that I quite like painting grey horses...

I love the idea that we Scots don’t mind the cold.... we do...
But we have learned to wear warm coats.... and a hat ๐Ÿ˜‚.

All the best. Aly

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

Yep, coming along very well.

Best Regards,

Stokes

Stryker said...

Thanks Aly, I think they will look very colourful when finished. Being only half-Scottish and having lived all but the last four years of my life in the soft south the cold and snow are still a novelty to me but I do now own a warm coat and hat!

Stryker said...

Thanks Stokes, once the red coats go on they really come to life!

Wellington Man said...

Your dappling is delightful, Ian, albeit damnable to do! Bravo.
Best regards
WM

Stryker said...

Thanks Matthew, they're almost finished now just a bit of tidying up then basing!

Mark Dudley said...

Painting the horses is the thing that's putting me off doing my unit of Scots Greys.

Great job looking on seeing the unit finished.

David said...

Really nice work Ian. Those horses are a stunner! I am impressed beyond words that you still had a record of the colours used on the original 6 figures. Oh to be so organized! Eager to see them all based up and accompanying their brethren.

Stryker said...

Thanks Mark, the fact I only have to paint 6 to complete the unit has been a big help!

Stryker said...

David, for some reason I started to keep a notebook when painting the Hinton's and am very glad now that I did otherwise there would be a lot of trial and error when adding figures to existing units!

KEV. Robertson. said...

Nice work there IAN on the Grays. Good that you keep a note book on the colors and type of paint used- comes in handy years down the track. Regards. KEV.

Stryker said...

Thanks Kev, yes keeping the notebook has proved to be worth the effort.

James Fisher said...

They have come up a treat Ian. You made a particularly fined job of the horses, so well worth the effort!
Regards, James

Stryker said...

Thanks James, I'm currently in the middle of basing them so they should be up for a full review soon!