Sunday 4 December 2011

Fabricae Scutaria


...a quick post to show progress on the shields for my ex-Marines.  I want to achieve an irregular look, and so I'm using a mix of 4 styles- oval BTD at top (as perhaps used on shipboard), BTD clipped scuta, a few round parma for the standard bearers and the bulk of the legion with rectangular A&A scuta (mix of round and square bosses).  All of the designs are LBMS.

First I sprayed the shield backs brick red, then the fronts white (with a quick coat of gloss varnish to help the transfers stick).  I then retouched the back of the shields with GW terracotta, anad cut out and applied the transfers.  The next stage will be to extend the blue to the edge of the shields, then paint the bosses, rims, ink, varnish and so forth.  Lots left to do, but good progress, this weekend, I reckon!

6 comments:

Ray Rousell said...

They look excellent, how long much time have you spent on the shields so far?

BigRedBat said...

Hi Ray, around 4 evenings, I reckon, with 3 to go...

Cheers, Simon

Paul´s Bods said...

EEK!! I remember doing this sort of conveyer belt painting..rather you than me.:-D
How do you hold them to paint them ?
Cheers
paul

Craig said...

Red oxide primer is your friend!

Cheap and effective. I use it almost exclusively for the backs of shields, be they Roman scuta, Greek aspides or Macedonian pelta.

I'm also interested in how you hold them; I use a piece of card and blobs of blu-tac.

Regards,
Craig

BigRedBat said...

Hi all, fingers! Paint one end, allow to dry, paint t'other. Low tech. ;-)

Good stuff that red oxide, Craig.

Cheers, Simon

Willie Anderson said...

They will be a cracking looking unit when completed, like the idea of mixing up the shields!