ACW thoughts - Who makes a credible "Union" blue?

[Waremblem]

Over the span of my wargaming career I've gone though several stages of painting. I was at first a black primer guy. Then I converted to white. Now I'm sometimes white, sometimes gray and can't believe I ever primed black. As I've begun laying the foundation for my first ever 10mm army, I've been searching for the perfect blue for the Army of the Potomic. For me, the perfect blue is the Hollywood blue. I'm not interested in the faded campaign look. I want my army to look like it stepped out of Gettysburg or Glory. Normally, the shade of a soldiers coat doesn't bother me so much, my main area of gaming is Napoleonic and there is such diversity to an army from that era that individual color really doesn't matter. Ah, but the Army of the Potomic - well most of it will be infantry wearing this blue so this is more or less going to be THE defining characteristic of the army. I've looked at blues from Reaper, Foundry and Vallejo I've even looked at the ridiculously expensive Games Workshop colors (Kantor and Nightlord Blue look interesting). However, never painting in 10mm before I'm not sure how dark I should go. I'm aware that you need brighter colors the smaller scale you go otherwise everything ends up looking murky. For those who have already drafted 10mm Union soldiers into your ranks what shade of blue did you use and were you happy with the results?

[FierceKitty]

Chuckle...I can't believe I once primed in white! Each to his own.

[Steve J]

I've found that I need what used to be called Ultramarines Blue from GW to be the base colour, with highlights over that to stand out on the table. Anything else looks almost black when more than a foot or so away. Note I use a black undercoat.

[DaveH]

I use Vallejo Prussian Blue from their Model Color range on my 15mm ACW figures.

It probably looks a bit dark on these figures on my blog as I used a black wash over them and didn't highlight after.

[Westmarcher]

I've also found getting the 'right' Union Blue elusive. I'm also not a subscriber to the theory that lighter colours should be used for smaller figures. I've watched movies like Glory, Gettysburg and Gods & Generals and even scoured photographs of uniforms on the websites of re-enactors clothing supply companies. Somewhere out there in YouTube land, I think there is some video of 'colourised' photographs from the ACW. Union Blue is very dark and I'm sure I read somewhere that is was a dark Prussian Blue.   

I used to use a Dark Prussian Blue supplied by Irregular Miniatures but half way through painting my Pendraken SYW Prussians, they stopped stocking that manufacturer's paints so I had to settle for Vallejo Dark Prussian Blue for my 15mm ACW collection. To be honest I'm not completely happy because sometimes there appears to be a slight sheen depending on how the light catches it (perhaps a black wash as suggested above by DaveH would have been what was needed) but the result is reasonably credible, imo. If you provide me with your e-mail address using the forum's personal message facility in your Profile, I can send you some photographs to let you see how it turned out.

As for trousers, I used Vallejo Grey Blue which gives a very satisfactory result, imo.

[Norm]

There is a good video tutorial that describes colour and technique for ACW Union (link below).

Some painters may need to look away from the screen now ..... However, while I know they should be dark blue, I go for several tones lighter, I know its wrong, but I just like it that way. After block painting and inking, I highlight with prussian blue with a dab of ivory mixed in to lighten it.

Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eP0aJnpBww&t=1s

[Ben Waterhouse]

I Always prime in white/cream/light grey. Black gives a dull dirty look to small metal fellows, IMHO.

[Noktu]

If I'd need to paint a dark blue union coat.

If I do not have the colour available, I'd mix ultramarine blue with dark grey.

I always do a full Army Painter soft tone wash on my miniatures.

Then highlight the jacket with watered ( just slightly watered down ) down ultramarine blue on the most raised areas.

Could yield a pretty decent result that also pops a bit?

Or highlight with a lighter mixture of the ultramarine and dark grey.


I might actually try the colour out later today, I'll post the results here.

[T13A]

Hi

I think the bottom line is use what looks right for you. I have seen real Union uniforms in museums from Vicksburg to Gettysburg and the reality is that they were various shades of dark blue (and I'm pretty sure that there was more than one shade of dark blue used in the films Gettysburg and Glory as well).

Here is one of the 'colourised' photographs mentioned by Westmarcher:



Although there is no guarantee that this is the 'correct union blue either of course.

For what it is worth I always used 3 different shades of dark blue for my (15mm) Union troops, even in the same unit:



Cheers Paul

[Waremblem]

Thank you for the suggestions and pictures. Paul - what color is the dark blue you're using on the figures and what color primer is that over? I have seen the colorized YouTube video. it's interesting how much different McClellan and Grant's uniforms are.

[T13A]

Hi Waremblem

The primer would have been Humbrol grey primer, as to the dark blues I'm afraid that I painted them so long ago that I cannot be specific, sorry. As I said I used 3 different dark blues, one was from Cote d'arms, one Humbrol and I'm not sure of the other one at all (all acrylics). If I was painting Union figures again I would use Vallejo Oxford Blue as one of the dark blues.

Sorry again that I cannot be more helpful.

Personally I think having different shades of dark blue in the same unit actually looks better (and probably is more authentic).

Cheers Paul

[Nick the Lemming]

I use Vallejo Oxford Blue for the coats, Deep Sky Blue for the trousers, with an occasional bit of Prussian Blue in there for the coats too.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

I've always thought that Union Blue is blue as formal British police unifors are, ie Black !

[jimduncanuk]

At the end of the day paint them any old dark blue and get the figures on the table and play.

[John Cook]

There is probably no such thing as the 'right' blue for Union uniforms.  The coats were dyed with natural indigo which was quite fast but the finished article varied in shade depending on how many time the cloth was immersed in the dye.  As I remember it was supposed to be 7 times officially but manufacturers cut corners on army contracts and immersed the cloth fewer times and often diluted the dye.  

So, almost any dark blue will do.  Vallejo Model Colour paints, principally Dark Prussian Blue, but also Prussian Blue and Oxford Blue are fine for jackets.  I use a Sepia wash and finish with a light dry brush with Khaki Grey to bring out the highlights.  White is too stark.  Similarly avoid black, either as a wash or paint for much the same reason.  For boots and leather equipment I prefer Black Grey.  I use either Pale Blue or Pale Greyblue, occasionally Light Grey or Prussian Blue, for trousers.  

Priming and/or undercoating is essential but for small metal miniatures you don't need a specialist primer, though there is nothing to stop you using one.  Ordinary model paint will do the job, although I do use a specialist bonding primer on plastic and resin models.  The purpose of priming is manifold.  First it discloses any flaws that have been missed during preparation and for this purpose it needs to be white, or light grey.  It also seals the surface and provides a better bond for subsequent coats.  

I have never understood why black is used as an undercoat.  It makes coloured paints, particularly those with more transparent qualities, typically reds and yellows, very dull.  I prefer a white undercoat as it makes the coloured top coat stand out much better, and can also serve as the primer.  The truth is that any colour can be used as an undercoat and for my Union ACW I used a dark blue undercoat over a white primer.  I tend to thin most paints so there are usually at least two top coats.  Two, or even three, thinned top coats are, in my experience, always better that one thick one.