My new project extension - the addition of a small contingent of troops from Hesse-Kassel - is under way. For this phase I'll be including a few more Irregular figures in the mix, to add variety and also because I have a lot of them, and I'm starting to run low on some of the Les Higgins stocks.
To help the Irregular boys fit in nicely, I have purchased a supply of 12mm brass discs, to add a little height to the Irregulars, and also give something closer to the standard Higgins bases.
The other thing I need, before painted soldiers start arriving, is a set of laser-printed flags to cover the units I am intending to field. I knocked up some flag images and emailed them yesterday to my man Malcolm at the local print-shop. He rang me this morning to tell me my flags were ready, and I collected them this afternoon. I don't have anything similar to compare this with, but that is an impressive turnaround by my usual standards.
I am more than a little shame-faced to air my home-brewed flags where comparisons might be made with the real deal, but felt that they might be of interest, and might even be useful if anyone else is considering a Hesse-Kassel force.
The Leibfahne flags are mostly guesswork, and the rest are sort of OK at best. Please note that the green surrounds on the white flags are not part of the flag, they are to make it easier to cut a white flag out of a white sheet (an eternal problem). From starting to think about this, these flags have gone from sketches to laser-printed sheet in about 48 hours. What they lack in quality they made up in rapid arrival! The small items at the bottom are cavalry flags.
These are intended for use with 20mm figures - I would certainly not recommend them for 28mm or larger.
Oooo I love the Grenadier flag!
ReplyDeleteHi Ray - like much of this batch, it is borrowed in bits from Robert Hall and tweaked. A purist might point out that the two sides of the flag should be mirror images of each other, but I didn't have time to put the motto the other way round, and in any case I shall be pleased to hide behind the oft-overlooked fact that it is unlikely that anyone who is not a praying mantis will be unable to see both sides of the flag at the same time. No offence to praying mantes, of course.
DeleteI am reminded that I was once taken to task by some zealot over one of my ECW flags (I was adding texture to these at the time), who said that the ripple pattern should be in negative on the other side. I didn't even bother being sarcastic, as I recall.
Reverse ripple patterns? Gosh, that is pedantic!
DeleteJon - I thought so too - he hadn't even taken into account where the sun was, or in which direction the wind was blowing! I didn't reply - I just killed him with my mind.
DeleteYour flags look like the real deal to me.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jon. If I'd had time, I'd have used PhotoShop to add some ripples, but it would have drawn attention to the fact that my Austrians and British already have plain flags! If the Hessians had been on the French side, of course, I might have thought about it for longer.
DeleteThe flags look great, but I agree they would be too small for 28mm! House looks very spiffy too, in the previous post!
ReplyDeleteYou can print the flags any size you like, of course, but they may not be accurately detailed enough for larger figures. House grey and wet today, so it was nice while it lasted!
DeleteA very impressive turnaround indeed! The flags look good to me, they should look great when added to the miniatures, look forward to seeing the completed regiments.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donnie. The first figures should be coming along in a week or two. It would be nice to try to get the Hessians finished by the end of the year, but that might be a bit ambitious.
DeleteThese are very impressive Tony! Do you do all the art work yourself or does your man Malcolm assist?
ReplyDeleteHi Ian - no, I do the graphic work with the flags, but the actual "drawing pictures" bit usually consists of scanning images elsewhere and otherwise nicking stuff. I do all the cleaning up, drawing out the designs and odd lettering (within limits!) - I sometimes do fancy texturing with PhotoShop; normally I'm more comfortable using PaintShop Pro, which is definitely a bit old-fashioned now, but does most of the things I need, and doesn't require a course in object-oriented design. If I can get the flags clean and symmetrical that's an achievement in itself.
DeleteMalcolm does trouble-shooting on the files, scales the images (19mm high for my WSS infantry) and does the business on his mighty laser printer! At one time he used to do a lot of printing for me, producing a monthly community magazine and the occasional historical booklet, so he still does nice simple jobs for me quickly, and doesn't charge much.
They look very effective. :-)
ReplyDeleteCheers,
David.
Thanks David - the laser printing has certainly raised the bar for my own efforts!
DeleteThe flags look beaut and the turn around from conception to receipt of printed article most impressive*.
ReplyDeleteRegards, James
*I am still waiting for a pair of boots that I ordered on 30/9, were shipped on 6/10 and took nearly two weeks to traverse the country!
Hi James - did your boots walk all the way? I suspect that the very rapid turnaround of my printing may be because my man Malcolm, like a lot of businesses around here since Brexit, is not very busy. We may reach a stage later in the Winter when passers-by go into his shop to look around, just to save on the heating at home.
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