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| A selection of the Ghost Army in the field |
Something I am frequently asked is "how do you manage to be so productive?". The answer is quite simple. I don't have any spare time.
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| Lukas Strom takes an aimed shot |
My day job keeps me away from home about 180 days per year on average. I long ago abandoned my portable painting kit which included about two dozen little Vallejo bottles carried around with my brushes, files, glue, scalpels and a portable lamp.
When once at Riyadh airport two soldiers made me unwrap a dozen painted horses and asked
"What are these?" I realized the game was up. I tried to explain. I showed them some unpainted ones. I showed them the paint bottles. When they started sniffing the painted horses I thought to myself... jail here I come. At that point, I decided to confine my hobby work during travel to writing.
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| Some of the tricorned chaps |
This means when I am home I lock myself in the man cave and pump it out to endless re-runs of Jonathan Creek, Morse,Lewis the IT Crowd, Bergerac et al. Having no spare time really focuses the brain. You use every single minute. I do not piss about in bed or surfing the net. I work to internally set deadlines and so.. to the subject of the Ghost Army.
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| A wide variety of head wear (or not) |
Idea conceived on a night flight from JFK to LHR on June 17. Conversions done on June 18 and 19. By June 24 I had used my evenings to paint fifteen of the thirty models having converted about two thirds of those.
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| Some of the distinctive Character models |
Departure on the June 25 for DXB and not home for three weeks, I wanted to break the back of this project before I got distracted on the inbound. Three weeks without a paint brush in hand to think of new ways to waste my time at home is dangerous. I had to get most of it done!
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| The conversions were simple and fun - even Clib like 'em! |
Proof of concept here and I must admit I really enjoyed taking the photos.
I hope to finish all of the remaining models on my return including the five cavalry and the all important force leader.
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| Here are the remaining nine Foot models waiting for me at home. |
Putting it all together for an article for WI. Onwards.. I can smell my dinner cooking... chilli tonight.