Okay, firstly: Thanks for all the support! I've got some followers, now, which is great! I'll keep the content flowing.
Secondly: I've got some pictures to be loaded later tonight of current progress. The pieces featured have had sand, cork, plaster, and sprue applied and then basecoated with Delta flat black. The original plan was to give them all a first and second coat last night, to make sure there were no white bits of plaster showing through the basecoat. Unfortunately, it went first coat, couch... as I passed out while waiting for paint to dry. So this morning before departing to Babylon, I sat down and watched Looney Tunes with my roommate, and applied a watered coat of Delta flat black. Tonight when I get home again, I'll drybrush the first two layers of colour.
Watch this space!