It's all about the research. . .

My project of Athanasios Diakos underscored my largely basic knowledge of Balkan weaponry in the first half of the 19th c. AFAIC, this was unacceptable--and thus was I thrust back into the historical arena from whence I came. . .

After wringing as much as I could from the Web, it was time to delve into print. Today I received Robert Elgood's The Arms of Greece and her Balkan Neighbours in the Ottoman Period (NY: Thames & Hudson, 2009). 

I will simply refer you to Dr. Elgood's site to learn more about the man and his publications.

Sometimes it's good. . . VERY good. . . to go back. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

HCFR Technician - Painting: WRAPPING-UP!

With the blessed day 48 hrs. short of a fortnight away, I am well on the home stretch with the HCFR bust. . . 

While things are drying and settling down for the final push this long weekend, I thought I'd share my experiences with DIY custom decaling--including PAPER-CALS!!!

The Special Ops turnout gear is significantly different than the firefighter's bunker gear, at least in HCFR. One of the distinguishing aspects are the unit/departmental patches: while these provide abundant visual appeal, they are also virtually impossible to render in scale--at least for this ol' dinosaur!  

Enter the custom decal--or in the case of the patches, the PAPER-CAL!!!

Needless to say, you have to create an in-scale digital file of the item you want to reproduce. How you go about this, I will leave in your good hands; however, 1) not having access to vector graphics is not a deal-breaker in most instances; and 2) work at a minimum of 300 dpi.

PAPER-CALS. It is always a good idea to print a trial run on regular paper before committing to the decal paper: this is where you will determine the acceptability of the size, color, and legibility of your creation. HOWEVER. . . in the case of patches, especially silk-screened patches, this is as far as you will need to go!

Decals are great for reproducing painted "insignia"; but lose a significant amount of depth and relief when the item to be reproduced is a cloth patch. SO. . . just use your paper print-out! Sim- ply treat the plain paper exactly as you would the decal paper (see below), use white glue as an adhesive, and you should be good to go!

Back to the decals. . . First and foremost: DO NOT handle decal paper with your bare fingers! The oils on your fingers will cause the ink to “smudge” and “bleed”. I would suggest wiping the printing surface down with a soft clean cloth prior to printing.

Printer settings. Testor’s recommends Plain Paper, “Normal” (360 dpi) print quality. This appa- rently works with some printers and/or inks; but with an Epson Stylus Color 740 Printer, your settings should be: Photo-quality Glossy Paper, “Best” (720 dpi) print quality.

Let dry at least overnight (I let mine dry 18 hrs.; some people swear on a minimum of 24, prefer- ably 48). Then apply the Decal Bonder Spray (many swear by Krylon, but I have zero experience with that product): I would recommend 2 light mist coats, allowing each coat to dry before apply- ing the next; let dry 24 hrs.; and then apply one wet coat. Eh. . . VOILÀ! As to the application, follow the instructions of the decal paper you are using. . . 

In closing, as you might have read elsewhere, there is indeed a quite narrow window where paper, printer, and ink will synergistically work to yield decals that are not only usable, but better (read: more realistic) than their commercial counterparts! For small, specific applications, it is an invalu- able tool with a relatively flat learning curve. ENJOY!!!

UPDATE 08.10.16. . . Bust is permanently mounted on display base. 

UPDATE 10.10.16. . . Bust is DONE! 

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

ICM's 1/16th World's Guards -- UPDATE

By way of update to my original posting, the first issue, 16001 - British Queen's Guard's Grenadier (or Queen's Guard, Grenadier Guards), is now available Stateside! MSRP is just under US$40--you can easily find it 20-25% below that.

I hesitate to review the piece as I do not have it, but there are plenty of pics available on line (e.g., manufacturer's site). If they are released in numerical order, I am definitely in for the next release!

FOLLOW-UP. . . Some of you might have noticed the link for the Swiss Papal Guard I added last night. Based on the images provided, I am on the fence about this one; however, I don't know if this is a preview, or the production prototype. If the latter, there will be quite a bit of work required to get it up to speed. For starters: the head, leggings. and belt buckle. Having said that, ICM did do their homework. . . they just cut some corners which for this reviewer are unacceptable. If you "like" what you see, I would suggest that you start doing your research: there are more than enough hi-res images on-line to get you through this project! Full review to follow upon release. . .

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

ICM's 1/16th World's Guards

Well. . . Happy New Year indeed!

ICM recently "published" their 2016 catalog, and they have announced a new series of World's Guards units (p. 19)! Those of you who know me well know that I have been clamoring for such a series since well-before the turn of the century--all good things indeed come to those who wait!

The series will be produced in polystyrene in 1/16th scale (~120mm). It appears that ICM intends to give MiniArt a run for their money: while I am a big fan of the latter's earlier releases, their offer- ings over the last few years have left MUCH to be desired.
      


These will be ICM's first foray into the "large" scales, so I am very anxious to see how they man- age the transition. But I am even more curious to see if they expand their series outside of the modern era! Though I would be more than happy if they were to release a companion piece to 16002: an officer with a SMG. . .

Stay tuned!  

“When the cost of a hobby exceeds the fun and doesn't attract new people, the game is over.” -
Oscar Koveleski, August 2003

The Admiral: Roaring Currents

As we were leaving Guardians of the Galaxy yesterday, we took our time strolling through the vestibule looking at the movie posters. It was then that I noticed the poster for The Admiral: Roaring Currents, with a striking close-up of what appeared to be a fully-armoured Korean warrior, flanked by the hook, "12 vs. 330 Ships". . .

OMG!!! Had they actually done a feature-length dramatization of the Battle of Myeongnyang???!!! Apparently, yes.

The film now owns most, if not all, box-office records in the RoK, and it has enjoyed a rather generous--and successful!--limited-release here in the States. The ratings are quite high for a movie of this ilk, though I would direct any interested soul to this site for a historical evaluation of the work. Not surprisingly, it appears to fall somewhat short in this category, but what doesn't nowadays?!

I definitely plan to go see this epic next weekend--if it is still playing. If not, the DVD/BR will top the want list. . .

Has anyone seen this? Comments??

John W. Higgins Armory 1931-2013

"In January 2014, the Higgins Armory Museum will transfer to the Worcester Art Museum its unique collection of arms and armor, which is widely regarded as one of the three most significant arms and armor collections in the Americas.  The transfer, which will allow the collection to remain on display in Worcester, will follow the closure of Higgins at the end of 2013. . . . "

http://www.higgins.org/integration-worcester-art-museum

http://www.worcesterart.org/Director/higgins-collection/index.html

Thanks for the countless memories!!! Fair well and Godspeed!!! And, of course, I'll be in Worcester in 5 years or so. . . :)))

"Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?" - Follow-up

The gladiator is finally on these shores, and is now on order. Full review to follow upon receipt.

On a sadder note, the first shots of Ernst Udet, MiniArt's first in a projected trio of German WWI Kanonen, have been posted and it does not bode well! As a dear friend and colleague astutely pointed out, "Why are they doing a figure of Ed Sullivan?" Sadly, he is spot on. Given that, I have to wonder if the kit will include Topo Gigio??

All levity aside, the samurai debacle by this company is somewhat understandable; and much to their credit, they publicly admitted their myopic approach to the subject and the project. But will they be as forthcoming with a subject for which there is no excuse to getting wrong? Best case scenario, they jumped the gun on the ip reveal shots, and the figure is being resculpted as I write...

Time will tell. . .

UPDATE 22.05.2013. . .  

UPDATE 08.07.2013. . .  Goering. . . Defeat snatched from the jaws of victory. . . again!

"Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?"

Who doesn't? Even if they are badly done, as most of them have been. . .

But I digress. This posting is really about MiniArt's awesome--and ambitious!--lineup for 2013. I strongly suspect some/many? will not make the cut this year--or rather, there will be a spill-over into 2014. Which is fine, as long as they are released!

One that will be released in 2013, and soon at that (25/02/2013), is a gladiator. . . a murmillo, to be precise. This appears to be an outstanding piece that will satisfy OOB--or, as the basis of a super-detailing project. Either way, it should make for a handsome addition to any collection-- AND it won't strip the wallet. It should also go a long way to helping us forget the disaster that is the Samurai! Regarding the latter, MiniArt has stepped-up and accepted the responsibility for this "thing", and have placed the sub-series on hiatus for the time being.

MiniArt's 15th c. lineup has been enhanced with the addition of a man-at-arms and 3 infantry. Personally, I was not overly impressed with their initial foray into the subject as represented by four "knights" (16001-16004), but these new pieces look extremely promising, especially the infantry.

Finally, I am jonesing for the German Kanonen, especially Udet and Goering!

Before closing, I would point out that these are injection-molded polystyrene model kits. The detail, in my experience, is quite good, as is the fit. Anyone with moderate modelling experience can easily handle these kits; and if a beginner, they are a great introduction into the hobby!

Good stuff!