Painting process - the research phase

[Aksu]

I sort of enjoy the initial research phase when starting on a new project. All those hopes of what and how to paint, before dashing them on the stark reality of wobbly hands and failing eyesight and lack of time
Anyway, starting to re-read my aztec sourcebooks to figure out which colour feathersuit goes with which shield, and who gets which back banner after capturing how many prisoners Much more complicated than what I remembered from the last time I painted Aztecs 20 years ago.
Cheers,
Aksu

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Looks like a decent start.
The research stage is an awful a lot of fun.

[Steve J]

I love the research stage too .

[Ithoriel]

The research phase is about as far as I get these days.

[FierceKitty]

That Osprey includes the memorable reference to "razor sharp" copper weapons. In Hell, the author's punishment will involve shaving with a copper razor!

[Aksu]

Looks like the Ian Heath "Armies of 16th Century 2. Armies of the Aztec and Inca Empires..." may have been a major inspiration for the sculptor

I wonder if it will be within the rules and spirit of the 2021 painting competition if I add some home-brew back banners to some of the figs?

The twin-banner teocuitlapantli and the thriple-banner version worn by the tlacotchacalcatl might look nice. (That was a hard word to remember. I wonder if Nahuatl ranks the same as Finnish on strange words. I suppose tlacotchacalcatl - "captain of the armoury" translates into "Asevarastonpäällikkö").
Cheers,
Aksu

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Aksu,
If its a conversion, its fine I'm sure. 

Means I would lose to you again too! 

[ronan]

The research phase is about as far as I get these days.

+1 

[mmcv]

Looks like the Ian Heath "Armies of 16th Century 2. Armies of the Aztec and Inca Empires..." may have been a major inspiration for the sculptor

I wonder if it will be within the rules and spirit of the 2021 painting competition if I add some home-brew back banners to some of the figs?

The twin-banner teocuitlapantli and the thriple-banner version worn by the tlacotchacalcatl might look nice. (That was a hard word to remember. I wonder if Nahuatl ranks the same as Finnish on strange words. I suppose tlacotchacalcatl - "captain of the armoury" translates into "Asevarastonpäällikkö").
Cheers,
Aksu

Someone else doing Aztecs 

https://balagan.info/painting-guide-for-aztec-and-texcalan-shields

Some good stuff there if not already found.

I do enjoy the research phase, but for Meosoamerican stuff I've used it more as inspiration than worrying too much on specifics. I plan to use mine for pre contact stuff as well as later, and most of what we know comes only from the later period when it had been all strictly codified by the Aztecs. Earlier Nahuatl states were likely less stringent in their definitions.

Please share what you do, they're great figures to paint. I was just painting some I'd modified as Tarascans tonight.

[Glorfindel]

That really is an excellent site with quite wide coverage.   I've also found the info he's added
on the Spanish Civil War very useful.


Phil