Author Topic: Flats and you  (Read 1670 times)

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Re: Flats and you
« Reply #11 on: October 23, 2018, 08:34:27 PM »
Hi guys well I am now in VA at my daughters I haven't set up yet . I well send you my new address for the last Journal , Let me know about the planes for Kulmback   Wille




plyoung

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Re: Flats and you
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2018, 01:58:27 PM »

You've done nothing to worry about Brian.  If the other members are anything like me they will attempting to reply to your request once they can remember when this love affair with flats began.  Mine began in the 1960s when I discovered the Gottstein flats at the Royal United Services Museum in London.  I bought my first flats about 10 years later from a model shop in South Kensington.  These were 18th century Scottish Highlanders by Scheibert and engraved by Kovar.  In the 1980s I was buying Golberg figures from Dick Jenkins at Western Miniatures; mostly early 18th century period engraved by Lepeltier and Grunewald.  When I became a parent collecting flats went out the window and so I didn't start again until I visited Kulmbach in 2015 and 2017. both times I was armed with a shopping list and bought more Highlanders by Scheibert; Crusaders and Saracens by Menz; The Schleswig Holstein War figures by Rieger and more early 18th century figures by Neckel and Maier.


I only have about 300 figures but the beauty of the engraving on most of them, especially those engraved by Frank and Maier, is incredible - the anatomical detail of horses and men - it takes your breath away.  I can't wait to get back to Kulmbach again in 2019.

johnb

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Re: Flats and you
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2018, 02:16:08 AM »
I saw my first flats about 25 years ago in Military Modelling, but living in Australia there were none readily available. I joined the society and an Aussie member, Des Gay was selling much of his collection, so I saw what they looked like in person and was hooked.  Shortly after I met the late great Reverend Harold Smart and he thoroughly converted me.  What a wonderful guy - so generous and enthusiastic and treasure of knowledge.  I have steadily accumulated 2-3,000 figures (stopped counting) and I now have some time to paint them.  I have started using Citadel and Vallejo acrylics and have knocked off around 100 figures in 4 months - more than I achieved in the last 20 years.  The standard may not be show but they make me very happy.


regards
John Brewer

Brian

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Re: Flats and you
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2018, 01:36:33 AM »

Thank goodness!! was starting to think I had done something wrong again,
But just a line or two of how you fond Flats and the BFFS would be good
Thanks guys  ;) 

Gerald

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Re: Flats and you
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2018, 11:37:54 PM »
About seven years ago, my marriage dissolved. My wife moved with the kids to her new boyfriend. I had to sell the house. I needed a new hobby that distracted me and did not remind me. On eBay, I found pewter figures from Schneider. I did not know how to paint and asked at work if anyone knows. A colleague was chairman of the Zinnfiguren club in Nuremberg and invited me to visit the club (VFZ Nuremberg). That's how the hobby started. Today I have many slateforms for 2D  figurines and every year there are more.

Hannibal

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Re: Flats and you
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2018, 02:37:51 PM »
So, sofar among you all veretans, I am the youngest !!

But curious to read the story of the other 701+members - us four!! (or at least the 104 who read this subject already)
Michel
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Men are a bit like God: everything they can do, they do it. Or they will do it.  (Jean d'Ormesson)

kevind

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Re: Flats and you
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2018, 07:22:20 AM »
Started on 30mm about 25 years ago. Honestly, I started because i was tired of all the work of assembling, cleaning etc on round figures. Still do both but prefer flats. Can no longer see 30mm well enough to do them but 75mm and up...am ok. Prefer Benedikt Widtmanns work as i like the caricatures.
Its been a fascinating journey for me, made all the better by the better by membership in the BFFS.

BobLeighton

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Re: Flats and you
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2018, 07:07:12 AM »

Hello
Well obviously we have many shy members, this is my second attempt at posting some sort of reply, my first "opus" was lost when I pressed the wrong button, story of my life really, always pressing the wrong button, glad I never got the job of nuclear safeguard officer??


Wells lets try again, I first started collecting flats in the late 50s, early 60,s cant remember exactly when, Hamleys has a sale on they were selling off all their stocks of Britain's soldiers as someone had pontificated that lead was harmful so lead soldiers went. While there I saw some small box's of Ochel figures selling at one shilling and eleven pence for twenty or ten figures depending whether you bought infantry or cavalry four  were bought bearing the legend Made in Western Germany, they formed the bases of my collection and still sit buried somewhere in the vast hall of treasures stored away safely, to be bought out at that time of life when everything classed as "junk" gets sold by the younger generation


Then followed a number of years of buying figures with the tedious method of writing letters, waiting for lists., ordering figures going to the Post Office to purchase vouchers to pay for them, by the time they turned up forgetting why you wanted them,  Eventually a collection was formed very random in the selection, if it looked interesting it was probably bought.


Any way I met with Jim Woodley  and a few like minds at the old BMSS meetings at Caxton Hall and three of us held a exhibition of figures at a Church Hall in Leyton which went down fairly well and Jim who was collecting solid figures mainly Russell Gammage saw flats for the first  time was very interested and the rest is history.


I tried to start up a small business selling flat figures mainly at the BMSS meetings, the reaction was like I had introduced the Devil to a Church meeting, very soon, suitably chastised I gave up
let the BMSS and never looked back.


I have I guess a small collection of perhaps 2/3 thousand figures many sets from Ochel, Hinsch Gottstein, Maier etc. etc. lots of Napoleonic from Mignot, Thiel Fraundorf. and real Hodge podge of figures, still I have enjoyed collecting them.
As regards painting started  with oils found this to be very difficult, never could get the fluidity quite right, never satisfied with the finish, tried Water Colours which bought its own problems, now progressed or digressed to Acrylics which I find easier to use but again problems the blue colours are not quite right but still will press on an see what happens.


Never really painting many figures, never been satisfied with what I produced, never wanted to be to Exhibition standards, just wanted to produce a few figures that I liked and looked good, many attempts were cleaned off perhaps to start again , I suppose of alack of confidence in my painting ability is the real reason, but then I enjoy what I do so who cares.


If this is not what you wanted or expected then not doubt one of the moderators can wave the magic wand and make it disappear.
Kindest regards
Bob


Hannibal

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Re: Flats and you
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2018, 04:07:53 AM »
After a 45 years career in the medical field, in the area of quality assurance and quality systems, at 65, I started painting figurines with acrylics,

Then I was invited to join a figurine club the next year, I painted 12 figures in 15 months.. But then I also discovered oïl painting, and painted 14 more with oil.

One year later in April 2013, I painted my first flat

and stopped the figurines.  I am now ddicated to flat painting with oïl ...

It was five years ago...  I have painted some 65 flats ever since... , I discover each day new tips, technics and I have still a lot to learn, at 72 !
Michel
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Men are a bit like God: everything they can do, they do it. Or they will do it.  (Jean d'Ormesson)

Brian

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Re: Flats and you
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2018, 02:03:30 AM »

Hello, is there anyone out there!!!! 
I see the post is being read but is anyone going the reply???
Have I rubbed you all the wrong way that that no one's talking?   


Brian

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Flats and you
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2018, 02:23:37 PM »

Over 700 of us on this site so what is it that got you here
I have been painting flats since the late 70's, 30mm was my thing and Mignot was figures of choice, then I found Jacque at Glorious Empire and I was lost to the flat figure. GE figures are still some of the best you can get in 30mm and 54mm if your thing is Napoleonic


Now I produce figures as 2D figurines but the 30mm will always be the figures for me!!