How i paint figs. kev

[kev1964]

This is how i painted the crews on my open base entry, it is also how i paint in general.  I found this  colour scheme works well for pretty much all of the british infantry form this period through to the Zulu war, obviously a few tweeks here and there.

First i spray undercoat in black, it's my preferred colour and find it helps make the smaller scale figures stand out more, i try to leave a very thin black line between each part, ie trouser to jacket, rifle to sling etc.
First i base coat the majority of the fig, in this case i use the darkest appropriate colour, jacket and all red bits are done in Vallejo gory red ( i mostly have vallejo paints but also a few gw and coat d arms) , trouser, socks, cuffs and hat band in Royal blue, hair, weapon, belts and wooden items in, chocolate brown.


Second round are the main colours,
Vallejo flat red for the jacket and anything else red, i cover the majority of it , but leave the creases and a few small areas still showing ,if you keep very slightly away from adjoining areas with this coat it makes the end figure look really crisp. next the trousers etc, prussian blue for this , pretty much as the red leaving some of the regal showing through. Next the brown areas, i use Vallejo flat earth for this, pretty much the same process as the other colours but a bit more careful picking out bits of belts and hair. This combination of browns also works very well on horses. For the gloves i used iraqi sand as a base.


Next is the final highlight on jacket, for this i use Vallejo scarlet, just catching a few areas such as pockets, edges and crease folds, for the blue bits i mix prussian blue and white at apx 70%- 30% white and just catch the odd raised crease, hat band etc. This may seem a lot of messing about but it is reasonably quick  as your only catching small areas ,and the more you do the quicker it gets. I normally paint 30 figs per day (5 an hour) and i'm not really rushing as i have to save my eyes and back nowadays  . At this point i usually add the flesh, this is Vallejo dark flesh, the glove highlight is coatdarms linen, or gw bone.


Next up are the buttons, hat trim, shot and scabbard, Flat yellow trim, scabbard,shot, front of shoe and highlight to the hat, is Vallejo black tanker highlight. Flesh highlight is vallejo flesh highlight.


Finally the officer, the sash base was gory red then a mix of gory and white at apx 60-40, i also used cork brown just to pick out a few bits of hair, polished gold for the buttons ,sword and telescope and a bit of off white for the sock ties.







Well thats it chaps, i'm sure i have missed something ,( sorry for the lack of cannon,routine stuff got in the way today, ill try for that soon) so please feel free to ask, i'm not a font of all painting knowledge but if i can help just ask, hope this is of use. I do expect the painting competition to be even more outstanding next year though  ,

kev

[Hertsblue]

Great post, Kev, and outstanding results.

Unfortunately, you didn't explain how I stop my hands from shaking in mid-brush stroke or how I get my eyes to focus down on those tiny details. Once you've cracked that I'll have some of the best figures around. 

[kev1964]

  , thanks Herts, steeling the better half's reading glasses and drinking lots of red wine works for me,


kev

[Scolty]

Kev,

Your pics are always inspirational - I especially like the brightness of the colours you manage to achieve on the figures. I'm still painting (painfully slowly) my ACW armies, but hope to get to some redcoats later in the year. I'll definitely have a go at your technique. Please keep posting the pics!

Scolty

[toxicpixie]

Great results, and pretty quick as well - I'm well impressed and a tad jealous

[Steve J]

That's really very useful Kev . Sadly my left arm suffers from dystonia, so has a permanent shake, which makes small details hard to paint. Then my eyes are not what they used to be .

[paulr]

Thanks Kev, useful and helpful as always. I think it's the details you pick out that make you figures stunning. 

This sums it up for me "and a bit of off white for the sock ties"  sock ties!  most of us struggle to paint the socks   

[Womble67]

Excellent painting guide thanks for sharing

takd care

andy

[Thogrid]

Kev...thanks for the AWESOME "how to" for your process.  Absolutely stunning work and this will be a huge help as I jump into the 10mm world of figures.  (Back in I suppose...painted GW WM years ago)

Would you also mind telling us your process for basing your fabulous work?      

@Leon...I have to tell you, seeing all the fabulous entries in the painting competition this year is what finally pushed me over the edge as far as "jumping in".  Some of my gaming buddies were doing their best to convince me we needed to do Napoleonic Wars in 10mm and of course their choice for figures is Pendraken.  I came to the website and saw the link for the forum, joined and started browsing all the great work.  You Ladies and Gents have convinced me to give this a go.   

Can't wait for the 1809 French to arrive!!

Thanks again!!   

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Hello Thogrid!
Welcome to the madhouse!

[fsn]

Welcome Thogrid.

Good choice. I`m  waiting patiently for the Waterloo Brits.

[Hertsblue]

Welcome from me too, Thogrid. But be careful, addiction starts with one small pack.... 

[get2grips]

Welcome Thogrid; prepare to develop a SERIOUS pewter addiction

[Techno]

And a warm welcome from me, as well !
And Kev......Really excellent tutorial....Great job !
Cheers - Phil

[get2grips]

Yeah, sorry Kev: great tutorial.  I love your bold use of colour: truly inspiring