Wednesday 23 April 2014

Von Wrede 1812-14

And so a little commission . . . I exchanged a few emails a wee while back with my friend and fellow blogger Ken in regards to a Bavarian project he was working on for 1814. It just so happened I had started a similar project that had hit the breaks when I realised how many Russians and Prussians I would need to paint up to face my brother and nephew.

  A little while later the typhoon hit as you will know from my previous posts so I was looking for ways to make a little extra cash. I took on this command base as an experiment to see if there was any point in doing painting commissions to raise cash? I have to say even with Ken being very generous, with the time it takes to convert and paint figures I have no idea how the painting companies based in the UK do it! I am a very slow painter as you will know and for myself I believe it is much easier to take the odd extra shift at work so for now probably my 1 and only commission. Also I find it very difficult to part with my own work!
   
Ken planned on a command base with Von Wrede in 1814 and a couple of hangers on. I think I used the 1806 AB Prussian command set for these guys? Wrede has had his hat pinned in the forward position that appears to be the late war style plus silver braid added to his chest, collar and Bavarian emblems added to his hat . He is taken from a painting I found on line however I left off the chest sash due to the arm position and also the size (Ken I hope you don't mind that?)
  
The 2 chaps with him are a cavalry ADC and staff officer.
    
I didn't find much info on the uniforms however there are a good few pictures and figures around to compare with, most however are in the 1809 uniform. Just a little bit of work on the upper lapels and a couple of buttons added to the ADC.
   
The staff officer was a little bit of a pickler as I had to add the litzen style lace to his lapels and cuffs and also reshape the lapels as well.  I added the detail to his hat and his saddle was a mess so needed sorting. The main bother with this guy was the colour of the uniform as some sources show him with black lapels with red edging and also the saddle with silver fringe. I went for what I felt looked right (again Ken, I hope you are cool with that? Bavarians are fun to research!!!). The eyes on the figures came out well as did the Bavarian blue that I held back from being to light. I had intended to have this set on a 4 figure base with a Bavarian cavalryman guarding the high flyer's but I think it works well as a 3?

So in a day or 2 I will wave good bye to them for the last time and keep the pics as a reference for my own future Bavarian project . . .

Swings and roundabouts: So now onto troops I will keep myself, my French guard chasseur a cheval. I purchased most of these from John a few weeks back and have finally got them based.
Only 8 out of 12 to go to make the 40!!! 
   
And here they are in their scruffy half painted state! I'm slowly finding nice Vallejo shades for horses to. Once I finish this post i'll get stuck into the 1st 4 troopers!
   
And the little/big chap is on the horizon to. I am contemplating a double command base that can be for display and gaming, a base within a base. Not 100% my idea as a guy on TMP did it 1st. All I have to do is get a hold of Martin of warbases at Falkirk in May to see what he can do. Also I don't intend it to be as flat as this, fingers crossed it comes out well!
  
Finally this morning the last of our 9 boxes left on their way to our family in the Philippines. They are jam packed with food and clothes however this time it will be mostly given to the people down my the coast who lost everything as our family are slowly getting back on their feet and the farm has had a harvest and is planted again so fingers crossed!!!
  
Thanks again to everyone for their support over this passed few months, happy painting!!!

39 comments:

Ben Gilmour said...

Superb, Paul! Look forward to seeing the Little Corporal's vignette take shape too.

Great to here your family's getting back on their feet, too.

Rodger said...

Masterful work on the command stand Paul! I understand your feeling on selling off your painted stuff. I am a very slow painter too and I prefer to keep what I have painted!

Phil said...

Excellent work, as usual...nice to see these splendid minis, and glad to see these boxes!
Best,
Phil.

Sun of York said...

Brilliant work. Painting come to life (or at least 3D).

The green on the Guard is good and the saddle cloth trim is very effective. All VJ paints?

The Angry Lurker said...

Good to hear about the family and that work is amazing!

LittleArmies said...

The Bavarians are very sweet - Ken is a lucky chap! And those Chasseur a Cheval look the business too. Good to see you painting again!

DeanM said...

Lovely work as always, Paul. A charitable gift to the Philippines too!

Paulalba said...

Thanks Rosbif, yes they are getting there slowly. Fingers crossed on wee nappy!

Paulalba said...

I know Rodger, its hard to do however I'm sure I'll redo him at a later stage! Thank!

Paulalba said...

thanks Phil,
Yes a few things ticked off today!

Paulalba said...

Thanks Mark, the green is from Von B, I just copied his style ;-)

Jonathan Freitag said...

Perhaps your painting is slow but your results are exquisite!

James MacCraggs said...

Fantastic work Paul, impressive as ever. Well done for getting 9 of those boxes sent off.

carojon said...

Hi Paul, great work. I like the way you have dotted the eyes on your command base, may I enquire your colour choice?

Pleased to hear things are getting better in the Philippines
All the best
Jonathan

John (VonBlucher) said...

Paul,
Love the Bavarians, great job on the conversions, on the 2 early Prussian Staff figures. The Guard Chaseurs will look great when completed. I've been think the same thing with Naps base, but I would be needing his base for awhile.

Ray Rousell said...

That's some fine painting Paul!

Rulane10@gmail.com said...

Paul, stunning work. Colours are superb. Very hard to part with your own work after you've spent so much time 'intimately' involved. And I really can't wait to see what happens with the Ch a Ch - beautiful uniforms but so many of the same will test your patience! Good luck! Ru

DaveD said...

Great job Paul, and good to hear the family are getting back on their feet.

Matt said...

Excellent work as usual. Glad to hear the family situation is improving.

Paulalba said...

Thanks Fran on both counts! Who is it in your group who collects the naps by the way?

Paulalba said...

Thanks Malc! Its good to be painting again!

Christopher(aka Axebreaker) said...

Outstanding bit of brushwork Paul! I'm happy to hear your family is doing well.

Christopher

Paulalba said...

thanks Dean, they came out better than I thought and every little helps with the Philippines, hope its of some good!

Paulalba said...

cheers Jonathan, much appreciated!

Paulalba said...

thanks Jamiester, you guys done ur bit to!!!

Paulalba said...

hi Alexander, thanks and I am sure he is from his latest email.
Cheers
Paul

Paulalba said...

Hi Jonathan, glad you like them. I used foundry paints, the trend highlight for the shade and mixed the bavarian shade into the french highlight for the 1st highlight then the shade neat and the bav mid with the shade fir the final highlight.

Paulalba said...

Thanks John,
I managed to get another 4 chasseurs done today! Napoleon for me will be a slow project.

Paulalba said...

Thanks Ru,
Looking forward to getting the chasseurs finished but it will be a while.

Paulalba said...

Thanks Dave, yeah they seem to be slowly getting there. Glad U like the troops!

Paulalba said...

thanks Matt, good to see U back!!!

Gonsalvo said...

I think the base with Freiherr von Wrede is excellent. Napoleon of course famously said of Wrede after his Guard brushed the Bavarians aside like so much chaff at the Battle of Hannau, "Poor Wrede; I could make him a Count, but I couldn't make him a general!" Of course, just having suffered one of the worst defeats of his own career at Leipzig a few days earlier, The Emperor wasn't in a very charitable mood!

Paulalba said...

Thanks ray, glad you like them!

Paulalba said...

thanks Christopher, some wacky weather over there at the moment for the time of year?

Paulalba said...

Lol, yeah the french didn't waste much time on the Bavarians at hanua.

Craig said...

Great work Paul. I can understand why you find it difficult to part with such works of art.

Jason Meyers said...

Paul you always do a lovely job on these little guys. Glad to hear the real life stuff is going better as well.

Paulalba said...

Thanks Craig, yes it is indeed sad!

Paulalba said...

Thanks Jason,
Good to see U restart your blog!