New Albertine Book on Pre Order

My New Book

Here is another attempt at shameless self promotion and its about this new book. Yes the Albertine or to give it its correct title The Army of Prince Albert, Lord Protector and no book on a army on Prince Alberts, a book which I wouldnt want to illustrate. The guide to the Army of Prince Albert, the Lord Protector will hopefully be available at Partizan. This volume will have plates by me and schematics as used in the County books- so a lot of colour. In addition the back story is pretty flexable, providing pegs upon which campaigns could develop, and as promised we've built in considerable restraint to ensure the Albertines are not an all conquoring force and have plenty of problems of their own. This is available for pre order from Si at Solway for the price of Eight of your hard earned pounds plus postage and packaging. This is the end to my self promotion and advertising and back to painting and preparing for Partizan.

Introducing the Mary the Queen Mother.

Here is the last, final, the end of the Albertine book and it is as it states in the title The Queen Mother Mary. Now I based it on Queen Mary and Dame Maggie Smith, especially her as in Ian McKellan's Richard III, but for some reason it has ended up looking more like Jonna Lumley. Still I am happy with the result and so is Si at Solway which hopefully means that the book might be ready for Partizan or even Triples, we'll see. So without much further ado here is Her Royal Highness Queen Mary, the Queen Mother.

Her Royal Highness Queen Mary,
 The Queen Mother, 1938 

Royal Marine Light Infantry

Here is the latest and also second from last illustration completed for the Albertine book for Si at Solway. This chap is from the Royal Marines Light Infantry and this is not a lot I can say about him. He is based on one of the chaps in the attack at Zeebrugge in 1918, though I have aged him a little, okay a bit. I am rather pleased with him and I think he stands out of one of my best illustrations but that's only my opinion. I think though that the illustrations in this Albertine book are some of the best illustrations I have done. Here he is.

Royal Marine Light Infantryman,
Albertine Forces, 1938

I have saved the best to last, as they say, and cant wait to have it finished, which I am hoping by the end of the day.

The Wurzels!!!

Firstly I would like to thank everyone who have visited and or commented on my blog as I have reached 25000 views, which is amazing (I've gone all Prof Brian Cox). The truth is I never thought when I started this blog that I would get any number of people veining it beside me and my friends. But  I am glad to be proven wrong and a heart felt thank you all.

Secondly here is the latest illustration for Simon at Solway and his Albertine book. This chap is a Devonshire farmer, hence the Devon flag as an armband. He was after that country yokel look and I think I have managed to capture it. I think it is not one of my best works but certainly one of my most characterful illustration and is in fact based on a chap by the name of MickA who was one of the GWPer's running the Salute VBCW game.

Devon Farmer Militiaman, 1938

Here is the photo with the chap in it, see if you can spot him. This theme of adding players of VBCW into the VBCW books will continue as long as they do not mind.

And as a special treat here is rough of the final plate for the Albertine book.

Everyone Loves a Sailor

Here is the next illustration for the Albertine book and he is a Royal Marine Light Infantryman. I have based him on the uniform of the RMLI at the end of the Great War and through the Interwar period uniform and I think that I have got it. I have made him a little middle aged but thats VBCW for you.

RMLI, 1938

New Sketch for the Albertines

I am now on the last plate for the Albertine book for Solway and this chap is a Devonshire farmer complete with the straw to chew on. I have gone for a rather country bumpkin look with this fellow and I think I have got it. However Mrs PK thinks it looks like one of the Wurzels or maybe Worzel Gummidge but I dont see it. So here he is for you to decide who is right Mrs PK or Mr PK.

Devon Farmer 1938

Another Finished Illustration for the Albertines

Yes I have now completed the Mountain Volunteer Rifleman and I have to say I am very pleased with the look and pose of him. I know I say that about a lot of the ones I do but this one is very nice and even Mrs PK likes him. Actually Mrs PK wants to run away with him, so I now hate him, lol. I had gone for the civilian mountaineer look or ghillie look rather than a military one as I wanted that I know what I am doing up here feel and the sniper rifle, a scoped 303 Lee Enfield rather than a civilian rifle made sense, especially after so many of you said Lee Enfield. The scarf from St Mary's College, University of Lancaster, is to add a bit of colour and also to hint at the fact the chap was a profession before the war broke out and maybe even a amateur hunter.

Cumbrian Volunteer Mountain Rifle

Now I have to find a model figure in 28mm for him, that does not happen that often with me. If anyone has any ideas how to do this please let me know or suitable figures, etc, I would be grateful.

Mountain Troopers

I have started the mountain trooper for the Albertine book and I think it is off to a cracking start. I am happy with the civilian clothing that he is wearing and the nice tones. I am looking forward to finishing him tomorrow night and then it is three to go :-). Also it brings me closer to my goal and the start of a new of a project. Here is the latest stage the chap is at.

Mountain Soldier, 1938

Also i have managed to paint the flesh or the faces of the Napoleon of Crime and his Henchman. There are lovely models to paint and cant wait to have them finished.

Maryport Artilleryman

Here is the next finished illustration this time of the Maryport Artillery. I have painted him as a semi-Victorian artillery uniform with a modern Bordie Helmet and a purple band to identify him as an Albertine.I am rather liking this Victorian influence in my painting and it has dot me thinking to doing some more of these Victorian Uniforms in the future. I am a lucky boy as I have landed me another couple of books to do which are on the English Civil War and will be published through the Shot and Pike Society. These will be a little different from these as them will be firstly historical and in black and white,and this should be fun. More on that a little later.

Maryport Artillery, 1938

Skiddaw greys Volunteer Rifles

Here is the next finished illustration for the new Albertine book from Si at Solway. This chap is from an old 19th century Volunteer Rifle unit called the Skiddaw Greys and this unit has be revived by the locals to raise the unit again. He is based on a Victorian Militia uniform from the 1880s/1890s but I have given him civilian trousers, tweeds, for that more volunteer militia feel. I rather like him, as he is a middled aged volunteer who has fought in the Great War, has the medals to prove it and I think that there would a number of these gents in most volunteer units.

Skiddaw Grey, Albertine, 1938

Dinner Parties and Paintings

No this is not a new song from The Crash Test Dummies but a rather good, if boring, description of my evening. I started rather stupidly this illustration before friends were coming over for the said Dinner party. Well the best part of the evening, besides their wonderful selves and conversation, was the start I did on this illustration. No the rest of the evening as a bit of a disaster, but still a very enjoyable evening with plenty of red wine and Guinness.

Now back to the the illustration I can not decide if the trouser should be plain, cord or tweed. I am leaning toward tweed, because I "love" a challenge, but I am not sure. Anyway here is the latest stage and hopefully I should be able to finish him today.

Skiddaw Grey, 1938

Carrying on with the Theme

Yes indeed, carrying on with the Albertine theme here is the next in the series and here is a volunteer artilleryman. I have given him a Victorian influenced uniform again to keep with the theme on the rest of the plate but he has a modern Bordie helmet and trusted Webley service revolver to finish off the look. I keep thinking about him having a couple of medals or not. Well here he is.

Maryport Artillery, 1938

Plate C

Another New Sketch for the Albertine Book

Yes indeed, not one but two new sketches for the new Albertine book with a third one hopefully being completed this evening. This fella is based on a mountain soldier or rather a 1930s mountaineer. I am rather happy with this one but cant decide on Lee Enfield 303 rifle or a civilian hunting rifle, can anyone help here?

Mountain Trooper, 1938 

Next Sketch for the Albertine Book

The next sketch for the Albertine book is a chap from the Skiddaw Greys, a volunteer rifle company during the Victorian times and revived during the VBCW. Their uniform echoes there past heritage of the Victorian volunteers with the high collar Victorian cut to the jacket. I think this will look rather nice and a little different from the other I have done recently.

Skiddaw Grey, 1938

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Here is the next of the series for Solway book on the Albertine forces, this being a mounted Canadian Yeomanry. I have based the chap a lot on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police taking elements from them to create this chap. I think that it has worked out well and I am again happy with the stance and pose of the individual. So here he is.

Canadian Yeomanry, 1938

The Canadian Yeomanry

Here is the next one of the series this one being  Yeomanry or cavalryman from the Albertine cadre force. He is dressed in the greenish khaki jacket of the Canadians and has the blue trousers of the RCMP. I have based he a lot on a RCMP and I think that it works.

Canadian Yeomanry

The Completed Essex & Kent Scottish, 1938

Yes I have finished the blighter, yahoo. No more tartan for a while :). Yes here is the finished Canadian Highland, the Essex & Kent Scottish, fighting for the Albertine forces as part of a cadre. Like I said I painted him in the uniform of this regiment, in kilt, the MacGregor tartan, with the greenish khaki colour of the Canadians as opposed to the brownish khaki of the British uniforms. He is in marching order, with backpack, and has 08 Pattern Webbing. He has a purple armband on of the Albertine forces. I have to say I am rather please with him, the pose, the face and the tartan. It now is starting to make me think that I might be good enough to illustrate for the likes of Osprey Publishing or alike. Well here he is and you can decided.

Essex Kent Scottish Regiment, 1938

The Canadians are Slowly Coming

Here is the latest stage the Canadian Highlander is at. I have got the webbing and rifles sorted. Just got a couple of things to do so I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. So hopefully I should have him finished the the end of the evening.

Canadian Highlander, 1938

The Essex and Kent Scottish, Well Maybe

Here is the latest stage that the Canadian Highlander is at. I have as you can see managed to get the jacket is the greenish khaki colour of the Canadians and yes I have painted more tartan, lol. This time I have painted the MacGregor tartan of the Essex Kent Scottish Regiment. So far I am pleased with the result and very pleased with the kilt. He here is.

Canadian Highlander, 1938

Plans and Great Things Coming to Waste, etc

Well it seems that the sketch I did earlier was not good enough or rather is looked too 18th century so i have done a new and improved version of it.  I have to say that this version of the Canadian Highlander is better that the one I have done before, I like the pose and face better but the other chap might still get reused in the Scottish book which comes out later this year.

Canadian Highlander 1938

Plate B