Another 28mm medieval knight walkthrough

Having finished the 54mm French Hussar (more on this in a future post) and not really having any particular thing going, a couple of weeks ago I decided to paint another Front Rank MAA just as a filler between projects. Rather than present the finished figure, I am posting a set of step-by-step pics showing the gradual build up to the finished knight. Now I know I’ve already done something similar in the past but I like presenting these kind of ‘tutorials’ in the hope that someone might find them useful or somehow inspirationanal. And it's my blog anyway, so there! All pics are taken by mobile phone so apologies for the low quality. Hope you enjoy anyway!

I failed to take pics of the initial phase but it is mainly black primer followed by a base coat of black brown for the horse and saddle. The caparison will be showing a rampant bear motif on a green field with a dark red border. The process kicks off by sketching a basic figure of the bear in brown earth. The first pic picks up from here. All colours Vallejo except for Games Workshop Nuln Oil wash.

 

The rampant bear on the right is filled in with details using a mixture of browns and buff on a field of black green. The border is black red. The basic sketch which forms the basis of the front of the caparison can be seen on the front quarter on left.

To create a separator between the rear quarters I created an ‘embroidery’ pattern with a petalled flower motif

Once highlighted, the green field seemed too bare (excuse the pun!) so I added a yellow cross of St Andrew. The ‘embroidery’ pattern is carried on around the caparison border.

 

The front sinister quarter is completed but the bear resembles more of an otter!

Starting dexter side now. Same process. Sketch, detail, field, border, and finally cross.

Front dexter bear rampant detailled.

Field, cross, and border all base coated. I used brown earth as a base for the yellow cross

Front caparison dexter quarter complete

A plant & flower motif is added to the interior lining of the caparison to make it look that little bit richer

 

 

Front armour and main saddle strap added

Same stage sinister (left) side

 

I added some random curly patterns to the saddle to represent wood inlay. Armour washed in GW Nuln Oil

 

 

Saddle 'wood inlay' rear view

 

 

 

Base is flocked and horse is complete. Note the saddle pin.

Work now starts on the figure with the face and jupon. I went for a simple linen look so as not to elaborate the model too much.

Lance arm, armour, scabbard and all leather belts still to be done

Added lance pennant and finished!

 

 

 

 

 

 

28mm HYW Front Rank MAA

The recent visit to Innsbruck and the armour displays there have inspired me to pay a quick visit to my medieval war chest where I have a number of Perry and Front Rank miniatures still awaiting the Brush treatment.  The choice fell on a 28mm charging mounted Man at Arms from Front Rank, which was an easy choice really as these minis are always a joy to paint with their beautiful animation and flowing lines. The ample horse caparison also allows for the intricate heraldry we all love so much and after tons of deliberating the choice fell on a quartered design with a central shield bearing a continental type of chevron. Anyway, here it is. Apologies as some of the pics don't have optimal exposure but I hope you can appreciate it nonetheless.

Federico di Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino and his merry men

 Although it's been some time since I last posted I was still busy at my painting (and modelling) desk. One of the projects I completed recently is a six man MAA unit of Italian knights, specifically Federico di Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino between 1474 and 1482 together with a handful of his closest and most loyal knights. Being late fifteenth century MAA's, they are mostly clad in full plate with Italian and German armour styles for both mount and rider. The Duke's livery is especially intricate and was a challenge to paint but it is such challenges that I relish. I also tried my hand at a piebald horse and am particularly pleased at how it came out, never having done one before.

Figures are 28mm Perry multipose plastics and are exquisitely cast although my usual gripe of having to construct multipose figures still stands. Also, I noticed that they are built smaller than Front Rank 28mm MAA's but on the table the difference shouldn't stand out too much.

The Duke  and friends

 

Top-down view

The big cheese himself

 

 

 

 

 

Fireforge Templar sergeants

Still coming to terms with the emptiness created by Jack's loss and trying to stay busy as much as possible in an effort to keep the sadness at a distance.  These Templar sergeants were finished last week but I am only posting them now as I could not find the drive these past few days.  As a six figure unit they can be used for Lion Rampant but also for any other ruleset such as Impetvs. Or they will stay put in my display cabinet which is where my 28mm minis usually end up !

The figures themselves are the usual finely detailed multipose plastics from Fireforge. My only criticism would be that the lances seem to be a bit too long and the arms grip them from a seemingly impossible low position but this detail gets lost in the big picture. I have attempted to create the arid terrain typical of Mediterranean / Middle Eastern desert for these figures and I am happy with how the bases turned out. All Templar crosses and shield designs are hand painted.

Another week, another knight

I've taken a liking to these mounted Men at Arms. Admittedly, I'm not churning them out at anything more than a snail's pace but I guess the reason is there for all to see. As usual, the figure is from Front Rank's excellent Hundred Years War 28mm range.  The pictures have been taken with a low exposure setting on purpose as the caparison detailing seemed to come out better this way, so I apologise if certain other parts of the figure are a bit darker than would normally be expected.

I have to say I really enjoyed painting this figure but painting the rampant lions on the right (dexter) side of the figure was a pain in the beginning as they are essentially mirror images of the ones on the left which were the first ones to be painted.  Once I got the hang of it, it was fine though.

I am cross posting this one on the The Analogue Hobbies Quarantine Challenge.

Hope you like it and take care y'all.