Monday 9 July 2012

Boer'd with Man-Flu!



Whilst work had contrived to slow progress on all fronts I was looking forward to the start of the holidays when disaster struck!  Man-Flu, that most dangerous of contagion, had infected 'Awdry Towers'.  I have to admit it was touch and go for a while but its systemic progress was eventually halted by a tried and tested method; a glass or two of the local hostelry's finest followed by a 'Burning Hot' curry!  Now fully restored to good health (I still have a tickle of a cough, but sympathy has somewhat evaporated!) it is time to get back to hobby related fluff.  


a brief intermission


These fine fellows represent the first in a series of posts documenting my progress with 'Empress Miniatures' Boers.  As part of their Anglo-Zulu War range Empress have released, to date, three packs of unmounted Boers, each with one of four different poses.  The clever bit is that there are twelve different head sculpts so a considerable amount of variation is possible.  


I've managed to get them all based and it is my intention to paint them by pose, trying to find a balance between individuality and cohesion.  A similar exercise, in many ways, as the previous posts on the rioters the only difference here being that I want a little more of a muted palette.  

All of this done by the end of the month!  Surely not a problem, I hear you say, but then again you can't see what else is on the painting queue!  July certainly promises to be another varied month. 

In other news...  I'm a winner!!!

Yes it's true!  I was fortunate enough to have won Ray's 250,000 page view draw!  This Herculaneum achievement just goes to show how popular and respected his 'Don't throw a 1' blog is.  Should I have been a little more sympathetic in my choice of miniatures that I sent to Ray to paint up as my prize?  I think we'll let Ray tell us when they arrive in the post!  A huge 'Thank You' nonetheless Ray. 

and finally!

Many of you will undoubtedly already be aware that young Master Rousell is also the subject of a painting challenge!  As part of the anniversary celebrations of 'Anne's Attic' blog, Anne herself has set in motion a fiendish plan to force Ray to paint something cute and fluffy!  The whole scenario is just bonkers, but hugely entertaining, for everyone except Ray that is, so go and read all about it here.






38 comments:

  1. Nicely done Michael, Muted perhaps but they still look nice and crisp looking, well done on the compo look forward to seeing whatever lands at Ray's place

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    1. Thank you Sir, not sure that Ray will be speaking to me when he gets them!

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  2. Thank you Michael!! I read Ray's post last night and he needs a bit of a poke in the ribs. I can't wait to see what figures you've sent him. I hope he sweats bullets over them!!

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  3. Michael

    These look terrific. I very much like the muted palette. Glad to see you're over the worst of the lurgy (nice test-card BTW….I always wondered why they used the same picture!). And congratulations!!

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    1. Thank you Sidney, on all counts. Most kind Sir.

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  4. Replies
    1. They do have a ZZ Top feel to them, don't they. ;)

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  5. Great work on the Boers and glad to hear the man-flu has waned... ;)

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    1. Struggling on... *cough, cough* but thank you.

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  6. Great looking fig's there Michael. Very well done. Congrats on winning Ray's comp too. Have to agree about Anne's challenge with Ray too, it will be interesting to watch!

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  7. I second the 'nice beards' comment. And "Well done that man" for surviving the dreaded man-flu.

    Regards,
    Matt

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    1. Thank you Matt; it has been a struggle, but I think I'm getting there! ;)

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  8. Get well soon. A damned hot curry is definatly the thing to sweat out man flu. I've some Boer conversions I'm hoping to use as Hillbilly zombie wranglers in a future project. Yours are just ace.

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    1. Thank you; Hillbilly zombie wranglers, that is a brilliant idea looking forward to seeing those.

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  9. Cracking job agaIN Michael ,and you are right a kill or cure Curry will always sort you out!

    I look forward to seeing how Ray will wriggle out of of all these little "challenges"!

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    1. Thanks Dave; poor old Ray certainly does seem to keep finding himself in these tight spots!

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  10. Excellent work, the beards look great.

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  11. Great work, Michael. If these tough guys should find themselves in Oneida, they might end up biting-off something more than they can chew; which is to say, "Have their hands full of the local wildlife."

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    1. Thanks Jay, although they certainly look as though they are up for a fight. Loved Irqan's comment about Hillbilly zombie wranglers, certainly worth a thought!

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  12. Eat as much garlic (raw) as you can stomach, Drink down 3 raw eggs with a liberal amount of scotch...then go to bed with the radio on...the ensuing heat kills off all known germs..and a few brain cells but the flu is gone in a day.
    Nice looking boers...they bore a lot back then with their large bore rifles trying to bore holes in the enemy.....:-D
    Poor Ray...I can´t wait to see what you sent him.
    Cheers
    paul

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    1. Good Lord Paul, that would be enough to finish anyone off, let alone my cold germs!

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  13. Beautiful work, Michael. Glad you are well on the mend.

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  14. Sorry to hear you've been laid low - the ladies simply don't understand that we're so hardy that only the most virulent strains affect us chaps!

    Nice Boers but rather distracting from my current projects - please stop it! :-)

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    1. You are absolutely right poor chaps indeed; so misunderstood! As for distracting I think we are both guilty of that! ;)

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  15. It obviously worked Michael, I've seen the aftermath - there is a very large hole in the road right outside our local - I'm sure the hostelry's hostess will be very understanding!

    Pip pip

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    1. Now I cannot be held responsible for the large hole in question although it is only a matter of time before one of us falls into it! ;)

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  16. Some great work Michael! Love the ginger beard or strawberry blonde as Fran calls his???
    Your figures arrived in the post today, I was a little bemused as to what they were at first??? But a quick check online as you suggested and I found your pics, they should be a very interesting paint, me thinks!!!
    Lastly as you can probably guess I'm soooooo looking forward to painting that bloody mouse thing its unbelievable!! I'm glad everyones finding this entertaining, you should see my face!!

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    1. Thanks Ray and I'm glad all arrived safely. I do hope that I haven't added too much to your woes! ;)

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  17. This looks like the beginnings for a grant application for study into that great afflicter of one half of the world's population; the Dreaded Man-Flu! If only we could deliver the curry and alcohol intravenously, or in a tablet form....

    Lovely Boers too. (Ray, in Australia redheads are known as rangas [as in orangutangs]. Try calling Fran that!)

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  18. Oh dear Bob being sick sucks - but painting figurines is a great way to barrel through it!

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  19. Sorry you're sick...hope you get well soon...It hasn't affected your painting skills, I can see that.

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