15 mm Medieval Russian Light Cavalry

I have finally finished something! I seem to have been painting for ages and yet , until now, I haven't managed to finish even a mini-project.  

So here they are: a collection of assorted Russian light horse to accompany the heavy cavalry I finished one year ago.

Apart from other distractions and commercial work, some of the delay was the complex shield patterns favoured by the Russians.  I had to work out how to simplify them for 15 mm which took quite a few attempts.  If anyone has any tips or illustrations do leave a comment.

Anatomy of a Painting Desk

Photos of hobby desks are quite common.  Some hobby forums run "show your desk" threads and I enjoy them immensely.  I'm always curious to see what people's desks look like be they tidy or chaotic, dirty or clean.

The above is a slight twist on this recurrent theme.  I've numbered the various items so I can add extra detail below and illustrate how I work. 

I didn't want to add a written key to the image: you'll see why when you read the key.  To identify things you'll need to switch back and forth between the larger linked image and the key.

This is easy for me because I use the HoverZoom extension on Firefox and I can pop up the larger linked image just by placing the mouse over the image.    For those without this facility it'll probably be best if you open the large image in separate tab or window and switch between them.  Let me know how get on in the comments.

Book Reviews - Western Desert 1941-42

It's been a while since I posted a book review.  Over four years in fact.  Not that I've stopped reading or buying books.  It's more that I've been reading mainly fiction and the non-fiction books I have read haven't really inspired me.  Until now.

These continue my fascination with the Western Desert during WWII.  My reading list is quite lengthy; so long that that I've reached the point where I'm looking for something a little different.

Lockdown Diversion

At the moment I have three painting projects on the go: American Civil War (ACW) Confederate infantry, War of the Roses retinue men at arms and a largish unit of medieval Russian light horse.   My current lack of focus means that none are complete. 

Of course, my painting commissions for Ian at Fighting15s has slowed down my personal output a touch but I enjoy the variety that Ian's figures provide. They are a nice break from working through a couple of dozen figures that are essentially all the same.

As a seasoned wargamer I responded to this "pressure" and lack of focus by starting a completely new mini-project that may lead to another full blown project: