QuoteThanks for the useful responses.  Much food for thought (and for use).

Paulr, when you say "a dusty dry dry dry brush highlight", is that with a grey or other colour paint?

I use Vallejo Deck Tan (VAL986) https://www.pendraken.co.uk/vallejo-model-colour-acrylics-deck-tan-val986

It is warmer than a grey. I apply it with a 1" artist brush. I apply the paint to one side of the brush, as a very dry brush. Then use the back of the brush to do a very very light dry brush. If you can see it going on its not light/dry enough

You can see some 10mm ECW results here https://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,17480.msg262344.html#msg262344

We're already near the end of November so it's time to remind everyone about any Christmas orders!  Royal Mail have brought their deadlines forward a bit this year for Standard international post, so we'll need your orders a little earlier than normal.

There is the potential to receive orders after these dates but you'd need to select our Tracked option to make sure that they arrive safely.

So get those Christmas orders sent in to us as soon as possible!





And just for info, if you're sending any packages yourself, these are the Royal Mail's official posting deadlines, NOT to be confused with our own deadlines above!

Royal Mail Posting Deadlines
   
UK 1st class - Wed 18th Dec
Europe - Thurs 5th Dec
USA & Canada - Fri 6th Dec
Rest of the World - Tues 3rd Dec

More info on the Royal Mail website here: https://www.royalmail.com/christmas/last-posting-dates

Video interview with KD on Utube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=8qDyR9x4ll0

Another KD 'how to paint' PDF free download (EIRs legionaries this time): https://nstarmagazine.com/PDFS/PAINTING%20FROSTGRAVE%20Necromancers.pdf?fbclid=IwAR03D5GBNLKISN2D1PRLgJRK-Dvlyz1SBN9VhlfjGnJ61VT4-pABsJPkVZo

Apparently KD has written a very extensive and well reviewed book on how to paint figures - that might also be worth tracking down.

I did a bit of a search and found this link to one of Kevin's painting guides - for the Frostgrave 'fantasy/role-play' game figures:
https://nstarmagazine.com/PDFS/PAINTING%20FROSTGRAVE%20Necromancers.pdf?fbclid=IwAR03D5GBNLKISN2D1PRLgJRK-Dvlyz1SBN9VhlfjGnJ61VT4-pABsJPkVZo

Not Napoleonic's but plenty of useful tips and ideas that can be transferred, although I'd forgotten that Kevin uses a 'black-up' technique.

I'll do some more searching.

With figures that are 'mostly' wearing cloth - I tend to go for a white matt spray undercoat - sometimes a light/mid (German armour) grey, but I find painting onto white is cleaner. I paint mostly either large 28mm or 15mm, with less 10mm and 6mm is my micro-armour scale.

My 'methodology' is as follows:

1) clean up and excess flash or casting sprue 'stubs' with a sharp modelling knife and mount on large coins or discs individually (with cheap glue like UHU) - I use UK 2 pence pieces. It helps to hold the figure.

2) always wash your figures in a very weak solution of washing up liquid and warm water - to clean off any residue casting release agent - make sure they are thoroughly dry before undercoating

3) spray with a white matt undercoat evenly and allow to dry thoroughly - I always allow overnight where possible. A white undercoat will favour a more cloth covered figure and this 'white-up' approach is a good way to start engaging with figure painting as it is more forgiving of mistakes. But as Steve says - avoid cold or damp weather or the undercoat produces a beautiful crackle-glaze effect!

4) make up a very thin wash of either Black or Burnt Umber and carefully brush each figure all over, and leave to dry. This will help pick out all the detail and allow you to see what needs painting in what order.

5) I have learnt to paint in what is called the 'inside-out' method. I start with the visible human flesh - so with Napolionics this will be faces and necks and hands; then I move on to the next layer outwards on the figure - the shirt and hair, stockings and shoes; then coats and breaches and hats; then the cross-belts, ammo pouches etc, and then finally the weapons and plumes etc. The Black or Burnt Umber wash can be left in certain areas as shadows. Coloured cuffs and turn-backs, gold, brass or silver (pewter) buttons and buckles are the last thing to be painted.

6) I use a layered wash approach for the main colours - so if a jacket is red - it mix up a coat of red paint that is diluted c.50% with water, I then work into the creases and shadow areas using less water and more paint. With a final darkest coat that goes into the deep creases or around back-packs or under arm pits etc. Obviously, let each coat dry before painting over it and also make sure the washes are well mixed all the time. NB: with 28mm I tend to paint no more than 8-12 figures at a time. It stops it becoming overwhelming & dull.

7) for the flesh I paint the area with a dark flesh colour 1st, then dry-brush over a mid-tone and then use a  lighter one to catch the highlights (forehead, nose, cheeks, chin, knuckles & fingers); and finally I use a Games Workshop 'flesh wash' and carefully run that around where the hands go into the cuffs or necks into shirts to add some depth. NB: I use the same technique for painting (brown) horses, but use a chestnut wash as the final coat in the deepest shadow areas.

The white-up approach works equally well for horses and equipment - such as artillery & wagons etc.
But you need to be bold and decisive - if you make a mistake and accidentally paint an area in the wrong colour, you can rectify that by over painting the area carefully with white paint again. But you are not trying to completely block an area in deep colour. This technique makes the cloth look fluid. For white gaiters I will paint the larger areas with a very light brown and then paint white on top, so the Umber wash and the light brown provide a dusty appearance.

Again, this is just a thought - you'll no doubt have your own ideas and style.

The Wargames Foundry website used to have a number of really good painting guides, written by a professional figure painter called Kevin Dallemore. Whilst they were designed to promote the Foundry 3 colour tone painting sets (which, whilst they are expensive I have always found to be very reliable) I think the guides were available for free. I think Kevin may have even done some uTube tutorials, which might be worth trying to track down.

NB: I tend to use the Foundry 3 tone system for things like: Flesh (& they sell the Flesh ranges in a variety of human tones - I used the African tone on some Nubian/Sudanese mercenary troops for my Ptolemaic and it was fantastic); or spear-shaft wood tones, or leather. Things I use regularly and across a lot of periods. I have used their 'uniform' colours as well and found the British Scarlet pack very helpful in painting my Opium Wars British. But many painters hate them as they see them as 'cheating'. But I value to consistency personally.

But hopefully it will be a fun project for you.
Cheers
Mark

I wonder if

   FM 19-15 Domestic Disturbances

could possibly be caused by

   FM 3-05.40 Civil Affairs operations

 

I've earmarked "Human Ressources [Sic] support 2007"

But not-joking - thanks

Thanks for the useful responses.  Much food for thought (and for use).

Paulr, when you say "a dusty dry dry dry brush highlight", is that with a grey or other colour paint?

It is available in 3d resin from Battlefield 3D, if you ask nicely he'll do them in other scales than those options listed. For compatability with existing Pendraken I'd suggest 1/150 scale.

https://battlefield3d.com/product/c4p-artillery-tractor-wargame3d/

Mark