My 28mm samurai project is now really up and running at last. After completing the first of my Kingsford figures last week, I’ve now painted four more of them, plus done a Kensei geisha as well. Whilst the Japanese armour is challenging to paint, doing them one-by-one has made it an enjoyable pastime.
As you can see, I’ve completed the figures fully apart from the sashimono (back banners). I’m leaving these in their plain black undercoat till later, once I’ve decided how to divide up my force and what clans they’ll belong to. I’m also waiting to see the sashimono decals that Steel Fist have advised they will be producing next year.
Purely by chance I’ve ended up painting one each of the common colours of samurai armour. From left to right you can see rust-coloured, black, multi-colour laced, bare metal and red. While some colours could be a bit gaudy, I’ve tried to use muted shades of them in order to obtain a campaign look.
The Kensei geisha is a nice simple figure. I’ve kept her kimono quite plain at this stage, but maybe I might go back and try to add a blossom pattern if I can pluck up the courage. The bridge, by the way, like all my other Japanese structures, is a foam-plastic kit by Plastcraft/Fukei.
I’ve experimented by adding some fallen blossoms onto the bases. I’m not sure if this has really worked out as effectively as I had hoped, but it does add to the Japanese garden theme.
DRESSING THE LINES 
These all look fantastic. Very well done indeed, sir.
— Jeff
Thanks, Jeff … I’m pleased you like them. They’e fun to paint, but more than just a little challenging, both in how to physically paint them, and researching out what way to paint them (colours etc).
These are coming on very well Roly!
They’re coming along very slowly though!
They look tremendous Roly.
Thanks, Michael.