Greetings all, I have had a busy, busy week painting toys, but today I have spent my time in a selfish manner which involved deliberately staying out of my studio because to be frank, I don't get paid for working my days off. In the end I spent about 12 minutes up there dealing with a client query, but then it was a festival pf frivolity. I started wth a fortifying breakfast of eggs on toast and a shower, with a few cups of coffee, having been kept awake all night by the family feline and 4 terriers who were Similarly disturbed by the tabby bastard... Then it was to the sofa with a pile of improving books for a two hour snooze before rising invigorated this afternoon to sit at one of the iMacs we keep here at the Dark Tower, composing a couple of army lists. Roger has really got my juices flowing for the Renaissance again, and so, I have been dying to take some time to write up a couple of armies for purchasing in the next few weeks and handing off to my wife to be painte...

How it all began... A grey day in 1974. Three games geeks are thinking about sinking everything they have into their dream of starting a games company. They go for it, but in less than a year one of them leaves. The remaining two carry on and end up living out the back of a van as they can't afford to pay rent for both an office and accommodation. They're living off canned food and takeaways with all their meagre earnings going into the fledgling mail order business. The business grows, and in 1977 they make the decision to open their own shop. It was going to be a proper games shop, as opposed to the small room at the back of an estate agents they had been working out of. It was a damp day in April 1978 and the shop was about to open up for the first time. But would they get any customers? They had no idea whether anyone would turn up at all but when they opened that door on the first day they found... Ian Livingstone, Steve Jackson and John Peake were the th...

There comes a time in a man's life when he has to consider what is good in life and also decide whether more little lead dollies is a wise and prudent way to go. As you know, I had decided and in fact still have, that I am going to reduce the number of figures I buy after this year and my half century (gods willing) but, after I considered just what was good in life this week, it's going to take all my resolve. You see, now that I am not quite as destitute as I was in my younger years and because I am less inclined to buy random piles of lead, I find myself making luxury purchases of a type which would make my Methodist forebears apoplectic with rage and righteous indignation. It started innocently enough when I came across Penhaligon, the London based perfumiers to The Crown and decided that perhaps a small bottle of something as alluring as I might be in order. Starting at around £70 for 50ml on average, you use the stuff sparingly and in the right set...

If anyone reading this or known to one of my readers, is selling a collection of 25/28mm Late Medieval or Renaissance figures, please drop me a line by commenting below. Only I will see your details of course. If you are going to Vapnartak on Feb 4th we could meet there or alternatively, I am happy to do the deal by post. TTFN

So, I was distracted yesterday by this damned bronchial problem, so I was painting, listening to documentaries and mulling over a few things simultaneously to keep my mind off just how rough I feel at present. You will recall that yesterday I blamed an old, old friend by the name of Roger for my return to the Renaissance? Well, I stand by that, but it also occurred to me just why... I will point out from the start that I received a rather indignant mail from Roger this very morning as I turned on my Mac, decrying my position and claiming falsely that he could not have the blame laid at his door.  Well Roger, yes you can, and I am doing. I realised yesterday that my favourite periods are actually driven by more than just academic or aesthetic reasons. It's about who I gamed those periods with and moreover the memories that are stirred when I look at a particular type or make of figure. I think that Roger and I, along with a couple of other people, were closer than the Famous...

Well, as my friend Roger just pointed out via email, it's been 'ages' since I posted. Well, Roger, here you go old chap, a brief update... I've been horrendously busy since my return to the studio last Tuesday and doubly so because I've been working on 15mm Napoleonics for which I have an unreasonable level of loathing and which, added to recovering from bronchitis made my days hellish. By Friday I was feeling pretty good and then at around 18:10 on Saturday night I was struck down again, worse than before. The fact that I take Methotrexate for my arthritis, which suppresses the immune system has certainly not helped and I confess that  feel as rough as hell at present, with another full week of 15mm Napoleonics ahead of me. On the gaming front, whilst I am still waiting for my Elheim 20mm Cold War British to arrive, my 'Winter of '79' rules and supplement arrived on Friday. They look pretty good and are beautifully presented. I do have a few issue...

Firstly, let me open the first post of 2018 with a very warm and hearty 'HAPPYYYY NEEEEEEW YEEAAARRR!' OK, now that's out of the way, we can get back to the serious stuff :) I've spent the last week rather poorly with bronchitis, and whilst I am not fully recovered by any stretch of the imagination, the antibiotics are coursing through my veins and I am back at my desk at 6AM in the morning cracking on with another fully booked year of painting. Civilisations may rise, empires may fall, but Conflict In Colour must always soldier on regardless! Whilst I have spent many hours in hot and steaming baths this so-called holiday, I have pondered on what I want to do this coming year as I wind down my buying of lead ahead of my 50th birthday. As you may recall, VBCW was on the cards, but I confess, I don't quite 'connect' with it. But, then I remembered a blog entitled 'Winter Of '79' with the premise that after Margaret Thatcher came to power, t...