Shawn Messick

Andrew Cairns hand models and casts these pieces in resin and they really appeal to me. AC Models is based in New Zealand.

This set depicts the Yorkists at the Battle of Towton, during the Wars of the Roses. Yorkist forces decisively defeated Lancastrian supporters of Henry VI, securing the English throne for Edward IV. Fought for ten hours between an estimated 50,000 soldiers from both sides in a snowstorm on Palm Sunday, it was "probably the largest and bloodiest battle on English soil". The Wars of the Roses period was one of the principle inspirations for the alliances and betrayals of The Game of Thrones Series.

Painting was all by brush with acrylic paint/and inks.

Some interesting research.

The banner required an end-to-end join with the brass rod pole. I expected this to fail so I glued a plastic tube and puttied over the join. Strong join solved. The banner has what could be gold and silver elements and I went back and forth with metallic vs non metallic approaches. Until I found a great reference source that firmly noted that these were not metallic but white and yellow on the banner.

Clothing dyes in 1461.

in the 15c brilliant red dye from the cochineal beetle had not yet been discovered by Europeans (South America). Poor folks used plant dyes like madder roots. A vermillion color was extractable from cinnebar for centuries, I highly toxic process, hence this vibrant red was limited to the wealthy. Similarly for Blue, Indigo plant dye was known but limited trade made the cost very high. Blue from ground lapis Lazuli stones similarly were expensive and restricted. Woad blue dye was available, and if a large enough quantity was used, one could get a deep blue, at a cost in labor. Impact on this painting. Vibrant blues and reds would be limited to royalty. The banner will be the most vibrant colors in the scene. Clothing items of the armsmen and archers would necessarily be of lesser quality and dull colors and more worn. The challenge has been differentiating the blues and reds to mark these class differences and slight differences by clothing item and wearer.

The base has great cast grass tufts. But this was a snow storm so I attempted to show a light covering of snow, propped up by bent vegetation. The base was primed in a tan earth then dry brushed with a range of greens to represent spring grass. Smearing some AK Snow paste for some body, then dusting it with snow binder and microballoons. My sanding tray had some leftover soils/grass and these nicely mixed in to give dirty snow effects. This approach also nicely gave me the well trodden ridges, and depressions.

I really enjoyed this kit by Andy Cairns. digging into the research, painting in the the dynamic poses/expressions in the castings. I have heard these kits are not for everyone. I find magic in them. cheers!

THe Graham Turner book was the inspiration for the sculpt. OSPREY MAA filled in equipment details.

I submitted the final update but the counter keeps running on posting an update. Guess I'll just post a place holder.

Andrew Cairns hand models and casts these pieces in resin and they really appeal to me. AC Models is based in New Zealand.

This set depicts the Yorkists at the Battle of Towton, during the Wars of the Roses. Yorkist forces decisively defeated Lancastrian supporters of Henry VI, securing the English throne for Edward IV. Fought for ten hours between an estimated 50,000 soldiers from both sides in a snowstorm on Palm Sunday, it was "probably the largest and bloodiest battle on English soil". The Wars of the Roses period was one of the principle inspirations for the alliances and betrayals of The Game of Thrones Series.

Painting was all by brush with acrylic paint/and inks.

Some interesting research.

The banner required an end-to-end join with the brass rod pole. I expected this to fail so I glued a plastic tube and puttied over the join. Strong join solved. The banner has what could be gold and silver elements and I went back and forth with metallic vs non metallic approaches. Until I found a great reference source that firmly noted that these were not metallic but white and yellow on the banner.

Clothing dyes in 1461.

in the 15c brilliant red dye from the cochineal beetle had not yet been discovered by Europeans (South America). Poor folks used plant dyes like madder roots. A vermillion color was extractable from cinnebar for centuries, I highly toxic process, hence this vibrant red was limited to the wealthy. Similarly for Blue, Indigo plant dye was known but limited trade made the cost very high. Blue from ground lapis Lazuli stones similarly were expensive and restricted. Woad blue dye was available, and if a large enough quantity was used, one could get a deep blue, at a cost in labor. Impact on this painting. Vibrant blues and reds would be limited to royalty. The banner will be the most vibrant colors in the scene. Clothing items of the armsmen and archers would necessarily be of lesser quality and dull colors and more worn. The challenge has been differentiating the blues and reds to mark these class differences and slight differences by clothing item and wearer.

The base has great cast grass tufts. But this was a snow storm so I attempted to show a light covering of snow, propped up by bent vegetation. The base was primed in a tan earth then dry brushed with a range of greens to represent spring grass. Smearing some AK Snow paste for some body, then dusting it with snow binder and microballoons. My sanding tray had some leftover soils/grass and these nicely mixed in to give dirty snow effects. This approach also nicely gave me the well trodden ridges, and depressions.

I really enjoyed this kit by Andy Cairns. digging into the research, painting in the the dynamic poses/expressions in the castings. I have heard these kits are not for everyone. I find magic in them. cheers!

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one of each type/brand , all painting by brush.

lightbox pics set 2. need to sort best 10

light box pics 1

Finally fit that last three figures on to the base. Touched up the paint, Plugged holes with snow and dusted the figures.added some blood stains on snow. After all this was the bloodiest battle fought on british soil. Epoxied the flag to the pole. here are some quick photos. Next step light-booth for some better pics.

After gouging digging and repairing and paint touch-ups, all figures are mounted on the base. I ended up replacing a bow string that got bent.. Now onto patching the holes in the base and adding more snow to the base and a dusting to the figures. The banner will be epoxied in place to finish off.

Starting final assembly. Murphey strikes, pieces that dry fit well, no longer do. More digging/gouging the base, turning positioning any two pieces into a blacksmith puzzle. Using vallejo white putty to fill gaps between base and feet. Not any issue as it will be covered by more snow later. Breaking and fixing things bowstrings, bows, ugh. repaint any damage from positioning. Using tamiya metal primer liquid to prime brass rod/banner pole.

Finally arrived: "Standards, Badges and Livery Colours of the Wars of the Roses" , Pat McGill and Jonathon Jones. This has great plates and explanation of variations. Would have saved me time on the banner re metallic/non-metallic switches. There was no metallic use on the swallow-tail banners. Gold was yellow and silver was white. The banner used in this scene is that of Edward IV, whose sigil at Towton was the Black Bull. The White Boar is the sigil of Edwards younger brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Richard succeeded His brother on his death, first as lord Protector of his nephews. The children were imprisoned in the Tower of London and disappeared when Richard was crowned instead. Richard III was the last Plantagenet ruler when he was defeated by Henry Tudor (Henry VII). Yes this is the where Game of Thrones got its inspiration. I will tweak the sigils and the back livery based on this info.