In early 2009, a thread on planetFigure showed an image of a new sculpt of a Napoleonic era Highland bagpiper. No size info was given, so I assumed it was a 54mm-size sculpt. The proportions, the face, the uniform details – all were excellent, perhaps the best piper figure I had seen. Hopefully, this would be a future production figure, and not some twisted sculptor’s tantalizing but unobtainable one-off!  

In April 2009, a single image appeared of Danilo Cartacci’s painting of the piper figure, which had been sculpted by Maurizio Bruno. It was . . . superb.

This was the box art for Romeo Models’ soon-to-be-issued 75mm kit of Piper Kenneth MacKay, who stood and played outside the defensive square of the British 79th Regiment of Foot (Cameron Highlanders) to inspire his colleagues during the many French cavalry charges at Waterloo on June 18th, 1815. [Romeo Models image]

I knew that I would buy this figure at my first opportunity. I also knew I would have to push my painting skills very hard to do justice to this miniature.

Fortunately for me, starting in Feb. 2010, Planeteer Ray Farrugia, an excellent painter from Malta, posted a SBS (step-by-step) chronicling his painting of this figure, including several dozen images of the well-planned steps and sub-assemblies. I copied those images, and studied his approach, preparing for the time when I would paint this figure. Ray ultimately showed his version at EuroMilitare 2010. [R Faruggia image]

Notwithstanding Ray’s obvious brush skills, one aspect of his painting of this figure needs to be mentioned – in his (obvious) madness, he created the tartan not with lines of paint (as any normal person would do), but by making thousands of minute diagonal strokes, imitating the actual thread pattern in the cloth!!

I tried to duplicate this (insane) method. I failed. Several times. Intellectually, I accept that, with a brush possessing an abnormally sharp point, and with super-human patience, this method is possible. Emotionally, however, I’m scared to admit this can even be envisioned, let alone accomplished!

Nevertheless, armed with a new Series 7 00000 brush, and a sizable rack of Vallejo acrylic paints, I tackled this figure, with the goal of having it complete for the MFCA (Miniature Figure Collectors of America) Show at Valley Forge in late April.

The head and bonnet, with its diced band, was completed with a minimum of fuss. I painted the tartan on the pipe bag first, figuring I could repaint it as often as needed to get the technique down. Relying heavily on Ray’s SBS, the tartan came together on both bag and kilt (actually the easier of the two) in stages. The red and yellow stripes would need a black wash to tone them down, but I deferred that step as I worked on the diced hose, the coat, and the pack. [author images]

Finally, the show was less than a week away, and with everything else completed, the kilt and bag still needed their black washes. The idea of potentially obliterating days of work in an instant induced a level of terror not often experienced.

I used the “back” of the pipe bag (the side pressed against MacKay’s ribs) as a test area. The first wash was far too strong, with the second and third versions covering less but still too much of the tartan. The fourth mix seemed to be acceptable. Without pausing to think, or even breathe, I flipped the bag over and swiped a brushful of wash over the front of the bag. The stripes were visible, but more in harmony with the background of the tartan. The kilt was next – a few brush strokes, and . . . it worked! Oh joy, oh rapture!!! I would NOT have to repaint the kilt in the hotel room the night before the show!!

In retrospect, the hose could have been executed better, I wish I had been able to replicate the correct lace pattern on the jacket, and I forgot the final hot-spot highlights on the face that Sensei Greg DiFranco had recommended, but overall, I am pleased with my painting of this wonderful figure. It is the best figure I’ve painted to date, and the process was enormously fun and satisfying.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Ray Farrugia for sharing his methods with the readers of planetFigure. The path would have been a LOT more difficult without Ray’s images and descriptions. I hope he travels to a future MFCA Show, so that I may thank him in person for his assistance.