Napoleonics question

[Bendy_Straw]

I recently tried to implement layering techniques in my painting, instead of base/wash/highlight and I realised it doesn't work well. When you are working with napoleonics in such a small scale, there are a lot of stuff going on in that kind of uniforms, and there's just not enough space to maneuver, compared to let's say a dnd figure, where there are generally larger areas to work with. Do I need to just do a finer job with thinner brushes, get "closer" to the mini etc, or is that a problem other people face too?

[Minuteman]

Hi Bendy,

One thing you might want to think about and which might help is painting Napoleonics in a 'darker-to-lighter approach. If I may explain, taking, say, a late Napoleonic Prussian infantryman as an example.

Prepare the figure: primer or PVA
Then: a dark greyish/black wash all over the figure, with a darker brown wash for face and hands.
Then: base colours ie: dark blue for coat, grey for trousers etc. Keep the dark base wash as the shadows
Then: face and hands: flesh tone to highlight (nose and cheek-bones, fingers on hands)
Then: shako, gaiters, equipment: don't paint these a pure black, but a thicker mix of the base wash colour'
then: highlights and details: musket, highlighted slightly lighter blue on coat where light would catch the folds and lighter grey on trousers. Metallic details and details on headgear.

Done.

[Bendy_Straw]

That's the way I am painting them. My issue is the lines between the colours, which only look good when I use a wash after I put the base colours and before the highlights. But I've seen several people paint minis without washes and they look a lot better than mine, and I just can't see what's their trick

[Minuteman]

That's the way I am painting them. My issue is the lines between the colours, which only look good when I use a wash after I put the base colours and before the highlights. But I've seen several people paint minis without washes and they look a lot better than mine, and I just can't see what's their trick

There is no substitute for practice. Painting figures is an art form. Good luck!

[Ochoin]

There is no substitute for practice.

Totally agree.

I used to be a woeful painter but after years of practice, I'm only bad now.

donald

[Bluefalchion]

Totally agree.

I used to be a woeful painter but after years of practice, I'm only bad now.

donald

Same here! Mostly bad, but occasionally decent.

As for bendystraw, I think shading on nappies is a bit less important than on other figures because there is so much going on and only few areas of unbroken surface.
The main thing is to make sure the horses look good!

[tullo]

hello
do the wash when you have made the base colour thin, only in the recesses not over the whole figure and then rework again greetings