Wet palette

I’ve read quite a bit about wet palettes recently, and the concept seems to offer an answer to a few issues I have had while painting. I am pretty sparing when dispensing paint on to my palette for use, but paint drying out before I have managed to use it all not only seems wasteful but also slows down painting. It’s worse in the summer here as my study is south facing, so ambient temperature can be high.

I also read about making my own wet palette using tupperware, kitchen paper and greaseproof paper, but thought to seek out something where the design and materials had been thought through … I do like a bit of form follows function where design is concerned.

I settled on Green Stuff World’s offering, selecting the smaller of the two they sell, which at 132mm x 182mm is quite large enough.

It’s nicely presented, and looks and feels like a quality product. I’ll be deploying it this weekend …

Green Stuff World’s wet palette, with sponges on the right and specially coated hydro paper on the left.

The unicorn of matt varnish

I don’t have facilities for spraying miniatures – so it’s all brushwork, and I’m down to my last bottle of Testors Dullcote lacquer, and with none available in the UK, I sought an alternative.

Winsor & Newton’s Galeria matt varnish was recommended, but, like all of the matt varnishes I have tried, it turned out to be not quite as matt as required.

There simply isn’t anything to match Testors Dullcote.

However, the resulting soft sheen does seem to work for the Hadendowa warrior’s flesh and hair (which they greased), and also for Prior’s horse’s coat. (I’ll post images when the varnish has dried.)

After some thought I decided to only apply a matt coat to clothing, straps, belts, and so-on.

I am hoping that by the time this bottle is empty it will be available in the UK again.

Varnish

I have used Testors Dullcote for many years for its incredibly flat finish. A few years ago there were availability issues while it was reformulated to meet EU regulations (I think). I have one jar of the new formula left.

I thought to buy some more, but I cannot find any UK retailers with stock, and it is no longer listed on Testors’ web site.

So I nipped over to The Lead Adventure forum for advice:

Link: The Lead Adventure forum

The price difference between 250ml and 500ml preferred the latter. But have I ordered too much?

My first ‘follower’, and invisible progress …

Firstly, welcome Andreas, my first follower.

Blogging is a funny old thing … I have had quite a lot of page views since my first post in January, but, until today, no followers. I’m not prolific (yet) but it’s a useful log of my progress with the project. I have actually made some progress with painting (not enough to post though), but more progress with preparation and planning.

I ordered some more acrylic paints: gunmetal, steel, and brass for weapons; three leather colours; blues, a couple of grey-blues, and a khaki, for the British Empire uniforms.

Planning-wise I have been thinking about a Camel Corps company: I like the idea of fielding C Company of the Mounted Infantry Camel Regiment, comprising Rifle Brigade and KRRC troops.

Meanwhile, over at the lead Adventure forum there is a thread petitioning for a 40pdr Armstrong RBL … I could do with at least one of these for the armed train project that I have in mind:

Link: Lead Adventure forum

Paint …