Uniform Evolution IR-Kurprinz

I have been experimenting with my 28mm Crusader Austrian fusilier figure which I am painting up as Bavarian IR-Kurprinz to bring to the Seven Years War (SYW) Convention in March. After some discussion with The Miniatures Page members and my own artistic taste I have made some modifications from the first miniature I painted for the unit, far left. The first mini has a dark blue coat and white breeches and a more pronounced separation of layers of colors. I liked the mini, historically there is some debate on the color of the Bavarian coat was it cornflower blue or a darker blue like Prussian blue which had faded a bit during the campaign season. I opted for the dark blue coat, however the first mini ended up looking more Prussian than Bavarian to me.

So on to the next mini, Center. I decided to lighten the coat a bit more and include blue breeches. I had read about IR-Kurprinz wearing blue breeches in a couple of sources and I thought it gave the mini more visual interest and less of a Prussian look. I also attempted to paint this mini with less severe separation between shade colors and highlights for more of a blended look. I also decided to paint the small clothes starting with a dark brown color building up with sand then an off-white while the straps were painted stating with medium gray building to a pure white. The thought behind the differnet whites was clothing would discolour more quickly than the straps and soldiers would be constantly applying piping clay to the straps. This mini probably looks the best up close but I have to remind myself that the miniatures will be seen en mass from approximately three (3) feet distance so no one will be holding them up to inspect them and I should paint a bit bolder for visual appeal at this distance hence the last mini on the right.

The final mini has a much brighter blue coat, blended small clothes and blue breeches, I added the gap where the stocking would show above the gaiter and believe this is the way I will paint up the remainder, perhaps not historically accurate but certainly identifiable as Bavarian. As you can tell from the picture he is not completely finished I need to paint the gun, metal, details, straps, etc. I believe my first New Year's resolution will be to not post a picture of a mini unless finished or for tutorial purposes.

I was reading on the Alte Fritz Journal his painting projections for 2009 and thought this was a good idea, so here is my attempt at what projects I will be attempting to complete in the first half of 2009

SYW Bavarian IR-Kurprinz 28mm Crusader 48 fusilier including officers, drummers, standard bearers & NCOs, 6 Grenadier, 1 four pounder and 2 Artillery crew, this will need to be completed prior to March 18, 2008 so that is an average of .72 minis per day seems doable.

Anatolian Sekhans 15mm Old Glory 50 total, Bashi Bazooks 15mm Old glory 25, 15mm Old Glory Austrian Fusiliers (IR-Jung) 50, total OG 15mm: 125 I need to complete these to have my first raid by the Bizerrcans on Cavenderian soil will try to work them in batches. The turks are very fun to paint.

10mm Old glory Dragoons, 10mm Old glory Austrian fusiliers, total 118 including horses and a general, this is my speed scale, I need to complete these and order some curassiers so I will have the Cavenderian army completed in 10mm and can either start painting up a European style enemy or contact Pendraken miniatures about getting some dastardly Bizerrcans in 10mm.

28mm Cavenderian diplomats, Eureka, I hope to get a few of these out each quarter. The initial group should be going out this week.

I hope to get a post out on the blog at least once a week and hope for more in 2009.

Final note: I spent this past weekend building the Battle of Scary creek, American Civil War battle fought in our backyard here in West Virginia in 15mm, Musket Miniatures with my 12 year old nephew for his social studies project he is not a bad painter and enjoys painting.