Introduction



Thanks for visiting my page. To help with navigation, here is a list of popular pages all about Marching in Colour

* The History of Marching In Colour - who is the man behind the words and service, how did it all come about

* Commissioning Models for Painting - how the process works, start to finish, and what you can expect

* Gallery of Artists Work - with over 20 years experience, here is a small sample of finished commissions

* ITEMS FOR SALE - as well as painting models, I also sell pre-painted models and assorted loose models and scenery on Etsy and Ebay. Links here!

* Trade in your old models for Painting Credit * click here for details

* To see details of all current commissions booked-in and estimated completion dates - click here

SCENERY and TERRAIN - for pre-made, handcrafted items of scenery and terrain, please click here

For TUTORIALS please follow this link - click here


Sunday 29 December 2013

Review and Painting - Wargames Foundry 28mm 'Ancient Farmers Defending'

Hi all,

This article is 2 of 3 in a series looking at packs from the Wargames Foundry's 'Ancient Civilians' range. This pack is Civ-011 'Ancient Farmers Defending', models are 28mm, and the rrp is £12.00.

 
In standard Foundry fashion, the models are a strong 28mm foot-to-eye and the models are nice casts, not much flash or mould lines to clean up. The sculpts are well proportioned with nice muscle tones.
 



Painting - Base Coat

Being generic civilians they do not have any fancy clothes or trinkets, a simple tunic and belt in most cases, with the odd model having a pouch. This makes for very easy and fast base coating, and the models could be recommended for novice level painters, whose only difficulty may be with painting the archers strap on the quiver.

 
Painting - Advanced
 

With simple and easy tunics, a nice touch is a light wash for the shade, then to pick out the raised folds with the original colour, highlighting with a simple line on the very edges. This should produce a great result with little difficulty.

 
The weapons and belts are best kept simple, with a lighter colour sufficient enough to stand out from the models main tunic colour.


Thanks as always for reading.

I am currently taking commissions. Work to this quality is priced at £2.50 per model. The six featured here would only cost £15.

Chris

Thursday 26 December 2013

Review and Painting - Irregular Miniatures Pack Horses and Cart

Hi all,
 
In this article I will be looking at a simple two-wheeled horse drawn cart, and a pair of pack horses, from Irregular Miniatures 25/28mm range.
 
The cart has a rrp of £5.20 (with assorted cargo, not pictured).
The pack horses are rrp £4.20 for the pair (with 2 handlers, not pictured).


 
The Cart
 
The cart is a solid piece of sculpting, one thing that Irregular has going for themselves is that they don't skimp on the material. With a little trimming the whole cart fits together nicely, with no parts feeling fragile or like they will snap under pressure.
 


You cant really go far wrong with the painting - a full coat of dark brown is all that is required.
 


A model like this is better finished using a 'dry-brush' technique. Use increasing lighter shades of brown until you are happy with the result. The metal wheel supports are all the detail that is required.
 

 
The Pack Horses
 
As with the cart, both these models are solid pieces, weighty enough to feel of value. Size wise they would sit fine alongside most 28mm ranges.
 
A note on the quality of sculpt - Irregular have always had a 'lower-end' image when it comes to quality of sculpts. The more laden pack horses is a good example of this. The assorted gear is a little tricky to pick out what is flash and what is detail. I must stress though, this is not a major issue, it just requires a little effort to cut to shape.
 

 
 
 
I wanted to try and demonstrate a variety of colours for the 3 horses, and so went with a dark brown, a light brown and a chestnut. 
 
 
 
The models are straight forward to paint. There isn't much detail on the satchels/bags  that the horses carry and surfaces are generally round and smooth. This makes anything special a little tricky but not impossible.



Thanks for reading.

If you like the models you can find them for sale on the Irregular Miniatures website - http://www.irregularminiatures.co.uk/

If you are looking for a painter, please consider using 'Marching in Colour', this commission would have only cost £10 (4x £2.50)

Chris



Tuesday 24 December 2013

Review and Painting - Wargames Foundry 28mm 'Ancient Revolting Civilians'

Hi folks,
 
In this article I will be taking a look at CIV-016 'Ancient Revolting Civilians', part of the 'Ancient Civilians Collection' by Wargames Foundry, rrp. £12.00

 
 
As is usual with Wargames Foundry the models are a 'strong' 28mm. Even foot-to-eye level is closer to 30mm. The sculpts are solid, the models look and feel like good quality.
 
 
Wargames Foundry always seem a tab expensive when compared with other historical manufacturers, but usually feel worth it once you open the pack. The only reservation I have with this pack is that it doesn't include the weapons for two of the models. For an avid gamer (with an extensive 'bits box'), this isn't a problem, but it could be annoying if you don't have spare weapons on hand. 
 
 
Painting - Base Coat
I really enjoyed the simplicity of these models and would recommend them for any level of painting skill. Aside from skin and a simple tunic, the only small details are belts and pouches.



 
 
Painting - Advanced
Thanks to the good sculpts, these models shade/highlight very easily. The tunics are good enough that even a light wash would suffice for shade.



Thanks for reading.

These models are part of a current commission. I will be painting the rest and featuring them in the same style over the next few days.  Price for commission: £15. (6x £2.50)

Saturday 21 December 2013

Trade items for Painting Credit

We wargamers are a funny bunch, we just cant resist hoarding, buying deals, or saving for that period we have always fancied doing.. though what usually ends up happening is we stockpile lead in a dingy dark cupboard and never get around to doing anything with it!

Now there is a solution - trade your unwanted models for painting credit!

You can now pay UP TO 50%* of your painting commission in miniatures. Exact credit value is always open to negotiation and dealt with on a case-by-case basis, but a general rule of thumb is as follows -


100% of the RRP for decent standard painted models.
By 'decent standard' I mean any model that doesnt look like it was painted by your kid brother on his first sitting...

70% of the RRP on any items that could be considered 'as new', that is - still sealed, or open but undamaged. Blister packs, boxes, or loose complete sets (like complete Saxon Warband, or a complete Foundry set but without its blister)

50% of the RRP for any and all 'assorted' miniatures.

30% of the RRP for any models that dont fall into the 50%. Minis here could be old GW long oop plastics, the sort of models that dont fetch much demand anymore.

A few examples,

100%
You bought a 'Bolt Action, WW2 British Force' from Warlord Games for £39.99. You painted it to an ok, quick uniformed colour, to play a few games at your local club. You then decided you like the look of the Soviets instead. As the models are painted to decent level, I would give you the full RRP - £39.99 in painting credit. You could use this credit on any commission of £80 or higher (based on the 50% rule below)

70%
You picked up three of boxes of Perry Miniatures ACW Cavalry from a show. On reflection, 36 Cavalry are probably more than you need. The boxes are open but the models are still on the sprue.
They have an RRP of £20. You could get a 70% trade value - £14 - for each box.

50%
After an impulse purchase from Ebay, the 'Assorted Dark Age' lot contains several loose miniatures from a mixture of manufacturers - some look like Foundry, a few are Gripping Beast - and you dont have much use for them. They arent complete sets, but the models are still undamaged. For these models I would extend 50% RRP in credit.

30%
Digging around the loft you come across a box of very old Games Workshop plastic Wood Elves. You cant find them listed on the website anymore, but you remember they were around £20. You could get 30% of that in painting credit. 



How it works

When considering ordering a commission, simply drop me an email with the details (scale, quantity, period, manufacturer etc) of the items you are thinking of having painted - remember, an enquiry is free, there is no obligation to commit to the commission - and let me know what you have to offer in  payment.

Using the scale above as a general guide I am certain we can work something out!


Thanks
Chris

*Why 50%?
MiC is my only source of income, and often I spend all my working time painting. I sometimes don't get the time to list and sell items I take in trade, or I do list them but cant find a buyer immediately. As I have regular household bills like the rest of folks, 50% trade, and 50% money helps to keep things ticking over. 

Items for Sale or Trade

I currently sell on TWO places - Etsy, and Ebay, where I have stores for both.

There is a slight difference between the two -

Etsy is mainly pre-painted models and scenery, and unpainted resin. Also material supplies such as flocks and glues.

Ebay is chiefly full of 2nd hand miniatures, although it also has plenty of the items which are also on Etsy.


Please feel free to browse, purchase, or make offers on either site.
Alternately I can also be reached by email to discuss sales outside of the two platforms.

MY ETSY -

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MarchingInColour

MY EBAY -

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Marching-In-Colour?_rdc=1


Email - Project_Vehemence@yahoo.co.uk

thanks
Chris


Commissiong Models for Painting - The Process

All enquiries should be emailed to Project_Vehemence@yahoo.co.uk

Enquiries are treated as strictly confidential and none binding. If you just want a quote, or have a few questions, please feel free to email me. I will endeavour to help as best I can.

This page is designed to give you a good rundown of the process of commissioning models from Marching in Colour and covers all the FaQ's I have received over the years. It can be a little hard to read in places, as I have tried to cover everything on one page.

If it ever looks like too much of a hassle to read - just email me with what you are thinking of getting painted and we can take it from there!


Estimates

All prices are given as estimates. I have been painting for a very long time and my pricing structure is very in-depth which means estimates are very close to being the actual finished price. I work on a 'per hour' basis, and only ever charge for work done. If I finish your models in under the top time I estimated for, I never charge the top rate!


Standard

(For further information and discussion on 'STANDARDS' please follow this link - STANDARDS)

I offer one of the most flexible pricing structures of any painting service on the internet. My years of experience have lead me to realise that people commission models for a variety of reasons, some want fantastic looking individual models, while others simply want another unit of 30 with a bit of colour on them so as not to field bare lead!

To incorporate the many varieties of need, I use a series of charts to determine pricing. The first of which is the STANDARD - A, B, C, D, E.

A leans towards the more simpler, basic, 'fast and easy' painting commission, while
E is for those who wish for a higher level of detail.

C is the more common choice, and my personal preference for painting. It produces fine looking models, with a good level of detail, and at a steady pace and price.


The stages - 
Clean/Prep, all models are cleaned and prepared by removing excess mold lines and flash.
Undercoat, a black or white undercoat is evenly applied across the whole model
Base coat, the basic uniform of the model is painted
2nd coat, this is an additional level of shading applied before washes or highlighting
Light wash, an ink wash used to stain the base coats and add a level of natural shading
Highlight, often using the original base coat or a slightly lighter shade
2nd Highlight, an additional level of highlighting to really bring the model to life
Varnish, a choice of matt or gloss.

BLUE - denotes this stage is included on that level of Standard
RED - shows where a stage is not included.
ORANGE - represents a choice of either stage, whichever is best deemed to suit the model.


Pricing

When it comes to the actual pricing of a model, I work on estimates gathered from years of commission painting and try to give the best value for money that I possibly can.

My pricing structures works to three individual prices, based on the 'Standard' chosen. These are as follows -

The average, or typical price - this is what I imagine the price to be based on the work involved
The 'easy' price - this incorporates a discount for the perceived ease of painting
The 'complicated' price - the opposite to ease. This is the estimated top-end price if the model is deemed to be difficult.

For a typical 25/28mm model the price chart looks like this -

The 'STANDARD' A, B, C, D, E are on the left. The three prices - Easy/Average/Complicated read across from there.


In the above examples, 

20 Dark Age Vikings - are a good example of what I consider to be 'average'. They can have pouches, and helms, brooches and jewelry, scabbards and shields, but their clothes remain relatively dull flat shades. For 20 models I would expect the estimated price to come in very close to £70. Some manufacturers are less detailed, so may come under £70, some have lots of minor detail, so may come in just over £70.

20 Ancient Egyptians - are the example for 'easy; Most models wear plain robes, perhaps a headdress, but very few details beyond a belt and maybe a pouch. To represent the slightly faster speed at which these could be painted I try to offer a slightly reduced price. An estimate for time taken/price paid would be between £60 to £70.

20 French Grenadiers - anyone familiar with the Napoleonic period will understand that the emphasis on uniforms played a large part in that era. Cuffs, collars, turns, lace, even the colour and shine on the buttons was important for the solider and period. The time required to paint models with extra details such as these is naturally a little longer. The exact time depends largely on the level of detail so a higher end estimate is called for, £70 to £92. 


The charts for other scales also follow a similar suit, with one notable exception - the smaller the scale, the less scope for variety of standards. It is very easy to offer multiple standards of detail on a 28mm model for example, but less so on a 6mm model. The 6mm chart just has one level of standard, but the typical 3 ranges of price. Again, my preferred, and the most common requested standard, is highlighted by the red bar.





Cavalry and Machines of War

These models are always 'approximations' of the standard and price of the associated model.
It is hard to price cavalry, as often much of the detail - saddlery for example - is cast on to the rider. Some mounted models may require extensive cloth barding with heraldry, while others - plains indians, ancient numidians - have little else but a strap or harness. As with all estimates I only ever charge for the time taken. If the approximation is too high, I do not, and never will, over charge.

This is similar for machines of war. Some cannons are plain and basic wood with a metal mounted barrel, while some chariots have very intricate pattern and detail.


Style

My own style is detailed in the chart for 'Standards' above.

I work with base coats, and tend to shade with inks, and highlight with paint.

I can however work to your preferred style, and can match samples provided.

Common styles I am familiar with are,

Layered - this is where the paint is used in thick or light tones, on top of coats, to produce shading and highlighting. This can be multi layered, producing subtle shading, or more harsh to produce more visible contrasts.

Dips - both actual 'dip' and the more controlled 'brush-on'. I tend to have in stock at least two shades of dip - a light and a dark. Where a specific shade is required I may have to order extra tins in.

Blackline - an old style which seems to have fallen out of fashion these days. Shading is done by painting a thin 'black line' into all recesses and areas which connect.

Please be sure to state if  have a preferred style, or if you wish models to be painted to a sample which you will provide.



Assembly

The painting price does not include assembly.

Where needed, I charge £8.00 per hour, or part of, for assembly. You will only ever be charged the time it takes. If that is 30mins, it would be £4.00 for example.


Basing

Similar to 'Assembly' above, this step is optional. Some people prefer to base their own models to their own specifics or I can base the models before they are sent. I have numerous flocks and grasses as well as scenic items like rocks, gravel, flowers for scenic and textured bases.

If you do require the models basing I charge a base rate of £8.00 per hour, or part of. This charge also includes all materials needed unless there is something very specific that I do not have.


Varnishing

I offer a choice of Matt Varnish, or Gloss finish on all models I paint. There is no charge for varnishing.


Discounts

My prices tend to be very specific and tailored to be as economical as possible for all. I have tried to offer as best value of service as I can. That being said I do value extremely all my repeat clients, many of which are good friends and people I have known for years.

I also acknowledge and thank you for the commitment to using my service. Where possible I will always keep prices down, and try to offer a little extra, especially for large orders. I am happy to discuss this via email.


Time Scale / Updates on Progress

I work full time as a model painter. I am also self-employed. This means I put a lot of hours into painting and can be working from 8am till 8pm some days. That is a lot of models painted in a day, and a mountain in a week!

My service is also (thankfully) popular enough to ensure I have regular work lined up. This does mean that new enquires and commissions may face a short delay of a few weeks before I can begin on that commission. Once work does begin though, completion times are relatively fast.

I work on a first come first served basis from the moment we agree to terms. The best way is to email me your enquiry, and once we agree on a price and time scale I will book you in.

Throughout the actual commission you receive regular updates on the progress, including most importantly full colour photos of the work in progress.

I have two places where I post regular updates.

The first is here, on this blog, via this link - SCHEDULE which shows a schedule of all current commissions and projects and is updated on a weekly basis.

The other is updated often daily (and often several times a day!). It is a 'Facebook' business page and is used as more of a running commentary of the activities of Marching In Colour. You can join in by following this link - COMING SOON

Once the commission is nearing completion you will receive a series of full colour detailed jpeg images of the work for your inspection.

You get to change anything and everything you require. No work is final until you say 'I like that last photo - the job is done!'

Collar and cuffs yellow please! - No order is complete until it receives your final approval!


Postage and Packing

I use only quality materials to ensure your models arrive safely. I have been an avid Ebay seller for many years and have wrapped so many parcels I am practically an expert.

Where able I try to wrap every model individually, before packing the models tight and secure in protective layers of bubble wrap.

I tend to send by 'Recorded Delivery' where able. This method requires a signature upon arrival/collection and is generally a safe method of mailing models. 

I always provide full tracking details by email when obtained. 



Payment Process

My preferred method of payment is via direct Bank Transfer as this is the most economical for me to avoid payment fees associated with other methods. 

I do understand though, that this is often not practical or convenient for many people (overseas clients especially) so I also accept payment by any of the following methods - Paypal, Cheques, Postal Orders, 

No payment is ever asked for until the commission is completely finished and you have approved the final photos. Payment is then requested in full, before the models are released.

Occasionally a client may need to stagger payments (pay half one month, half the next). This is perfectly fine, as long as we both agree on this. I do not however release models until the last payment has been made.

Models may also be collected, and payment made, in person, if you are local to Stockton-On-Tees, UK, and occasionally a 'meet' at a gaming show/convention may also be a viable option.


Hope this covers everything. Any questions, please feel free to email me!



The Gallery

I have been painting models for over 20 years. On this page you will find some old, some very old, and some more recent examples of my work.

The very old - these date from the late 90's, through to the early 2000's (as you can probably tell from the models!)

You can click on any photo for a larger image.

Games Workshop Bretonnian Damsel.
A lovely model, most of the work was spent on the dress and on the hair.

Games Workshop Dwarf Character Models
Select models, chosen to escort the chief!

Games Workshop (possibly some Marauder)
Client requested a simple 'uniform' feel to the unit.

Games Workshop Chaos Space Marines
Standard non-Chaos Marines, painted in a Chaos Nurgle Theme

Games Workshop 28mm model
Painted for a client to use in table-top Roleplaying games

Games Workshop Ogre
Painted with a strong '5 o'clock shadow'

Games Workshop Ogryn
From the Warhammer 40k range

28mm Games Workshop Conversion
Requested by a client looking for something different. An Ork in Space Marine armour!

Games Workshop
Another model painted specifically for table-top roleplaying

Games Workshop 28mm Skaven
A favourite of mine from the 'Advanced Heroquest' era, and painted to be used in that game.

Games Workshop 28mm Dwarf Character
Well.. he had to have a big ginger beard of course!
 
 

The more recent, mid 2000 - to present. Many of these can be found in full articles on my blog, and some are from unpublished commissions.


15mm Peter Pig
Part of a commission based on Stalingrad. Rubble and snow bases.

Games Workshop 28mm Bretonnian Archers
Nice sculpts and easy models to paint.


Doom: the Board game
A zombie scientist and an Imp. Part of a selection of models from the game.

1/72 Plastic Egyptian Archers
Very nice detailed sculpts. Part of a larger Ancients themed commission.




28mm Napoleonic French
Small selection including a mounted officer. Based for a skirmish game


15mm German Panzer Grenadiers
A little tricky to paint such detailed camo in 15mm scale.

15mm German Panzer Grenadier Medics

1/72 Macedonian Hoplites
Armoured and unarmoured variations.

28mm EM4 Troopers
In bio-hazard suits, nice models and still very cheap.


6mm Baccus (and others) Roman Army
Part of my own collection. A small part.....

28mm Troopers
A simple khaki/brown/green colour scheme, but effective


28mm Scotlings - Impact Miniatures
A variation of the ever popular 'Bloodbowl', crazy Scottish Dwarves

15mm US Infantry
A nice selection of models. The photo below shows the same lot, prior to basing.


28mm Vikings
A small selection of Dark Age period commissions which I have undertaken largely over the last couple of years.