quick guide to painting 28mm british command napoleonics part 2

Quick Guide to Quick Guide to Painting 28mm Painting 28mm

British Command British Command Napoleonics Part 2Napoleonics Part 2Using Perry Plastics.Using Perry Plastics.

By R. McNeilBy R. McNeil

Online Guides by Ross

Getting startedGetting startedPerry plastics give you several options in multi poses. It is taken that you have already viewed the Part 1 and

this section only looks at the Command figures themselves.

The separate Command sprue, gives you an officer, two standard bearers, a drummer, a sergeant and an

extra infantry man (for those making 6 figures per base).

The End ResultThe End Result

Here is the 81st foot Command stands. The flags were obtained free from the net or by scanning and altering

the flags provided in the box set.

Preparation – base coatsPreparation – base coatsHere is another step by step guide to painting the 28mm plastics quickly in as few steps as possible.

Typically the British Command infantry figures took a little longer. I found they were painted from undercoat

to final colour on average in around 45 minutes per figure. Usually I had the 5 Command figures to paint at

same time.Suggestions for paint and brush sizes are given as before.

Depending on your skill/experience, should you find you are making too many mistakes - and its not because the tip of the brush you are using no longer comes to a point - drop to a smaller brush size, ie go from the suggested

size 1 to a 0.

The basecoat processes are the same as before. Here they are again …

Preparation – base coatsPreparation – base coats

#1

#1 : Undercoat Grey primer – Spray paint (Halfords)

Figures attached to a piece of wood (with Blu-Tack) and sprayed in a well ventilated area – as described before. Leave for several hours to completely dry.


#2

#2 : Brown wash (either Burnt Umber – Inscribe - diluted to wash so the paint has a milk consistency, or GW Flesh Wash – comes ready to use). Brush size 2

Jacket, arms, head, hands and gun initially covered.

Try to avoid trousers on the figure.

Illustration shown using Flesh Wash.


#3

#3 : Black block in (Licorice from Plaid paint). Brush size 1

Hat, shoes, backpack, bayonet sheath.

Using the shade Licorice gives a dark grey effect on the grey undercoat.

Found once covered does not need any more work when painting over the Grey undercoat – no need for dry brushing & washes. Especially if not painted on too thickly.


#4

#4 : Black Wash (Licorice from Plaid paint). Brush size 1.

Satchel under water bottle, over straps, face (to better define eyes nose and mouth), gun & hands, and shoulder pads.

If the brown you are using is darker than the wash in the pictures you will be able to miss this step out and do these areas in step #2.

Make sure these areas are thoroughly dry before next process.

Painting – Wet brushPainting – Wet brush

#5 #5

#5 : Artic Grey Wet brush over straps, trousers, shoulder pads, top of stovepipe (for centre line), and satchel bag under waterbottle. Brush size 1.

This step done first saves loads of time painting the straps in as a detail later on. Notice the grey undercoat still seen on folds in

trousers. The officer straps can be more or less painted on.

The “Wet brush” is like a dry brush technique with slightly more paint in the brush head. But like Dry brushing you are dragging the brush head across the top of the areas you want to paint.

Still leaving the edges and creases as the basecoat colour.


#5 : Artic Grey – more information on painting the trousers

The choice of paint will make a huge difference here. You want light grey or white paint that is of high pigment and therefore very opaque. It should be a consistency of cream to ensure an easy transfer of paint to figure.

The brush should still have a good tip definition. Found it was easier to paint the trousers in around the top to edge of jacket, bayonet scabbard and around the bottom of trousers. Then finish the rest of the trousers still leaving the creases showing through with the grey undercoat.


#6#6

#6 : Red (Scab Red GW). Mainly Wet brush. Brush size 0.Bottom of Stovepipe for centre of Line, waist band, standard pole, rim of drum, collar & cuffs for drummer.

Here the choice of red is yours. The darker red here worked for me as a better contrast. But even if the paint is rather less pigment the brown undercoat helps give it the shading and worn look in one layer.

Information – Regimental Information – Regimental DrummerDrummer

Another key point is that most Regimental drummers reverse their colours. As in the last picture the

Regimental Facings on the Battalion are red jackets with yellow cuffs and collar. The drummer has a yellow

Jacket and red cuffs and collar.

The exceptions to these rules are the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th whose drummers keep the same red jackets and dark

blue cuffs and collars as the rest of the infantry battalion.

More information can be gained from the back of the Perry plastic box, the internet and reference books.

Suggest you decide on your Battalions then start researching. Some starting websites are listed in the

NAWGC Links page.

Painting – DetailPainting – Detail

#7 #7

#7 : Red (Blood Red GW). Mainly Wet brush. Brush size 0.For the jackets of the officers. A brighter more scarlet red is required.

Here the choice of red is yours. The paint may have rather less pigment the dark brown undercoat helps give it the shading and worn look in one layer. An additional touch up on the top surfaces may be required to make it brighter. Give the original lighter red a few minutes to dry first before applying next layer.


#8 #8

#8 : Flesh (Tallarn Flesh GW). Brush size 0.

Face, ears, hands and fingers.

Use the wet brush technique for the fingers. Pick up the top of the fingers leaving the shade between. Take care with face try a T shape above eyes and nose – leaving the eyes. Then block in the rest of the face and try and leave the mouth as shown.


#9#9

#9 : Overcoat (Storm Blue Light - Foundry). Brush size 0.Rolled up and sits on top of backpack.

Use the wet brush technique for the end of the overcoat. Try and leave the straps black, and any creases try and leave the black to bleed through.

Notice the Drummer and Sergeant have different backpacks to the rest of the Battalion.


#10

#10

#10 : Collar, cuffs and lapels – choose Regiment Facing colour (Illustrated here is Bad Moon Yellow GW). Brush size 0.

Notice on the cuff - block in most of the area. Then just the section around the top of the cuff. Leaving the section for the white trim untouched.


#11

#11 : Water bottle (Tomb Blue Shade - Foundry). Brush size 0.

If you treat as a wet brush and flick across the top edges of the water bottle leaves the grooves of the wood effect.


#12

#12 : Wood (Scorched Brown – GW, Light Drab - Foundry). Brush size 0.

The Sergeant spear, drummers drum sticks.


#13

#13 : Hair (Any shade of brown, or tan - your choice, or even just a brown wash to darken it again). Brush size 0.

If you have brown undercoat and black wash. You might want to leave this step out as the hair already looks dark brown. If you have caught the hair in another step now is the chance to fix it.


#14

#14

#14 : White detail (Artic Grey Foundry). Brush size 0.This the most time consuming part of painting the 28mm Napoleonic figure. Any bits of the straps requiring fixed do at this stage.

Take care catching the straps on the back pack, overcoat. Pick up the white trim on the cuffs, and along the edge of the collar (only try this if you are sure to have a steady hand). Remember to get the drum straps, ties on the Officers Bicorn hats & neckerchief and the turn up on the bottom edge of the jacket.


#15

#15 : Black detail. Brush size 0.

For the water bottle strap on drummer. Goes behind backpack and seen on the front.

Also fix any bits on back pack, hat, shoes, sword scabbard, ammunition pouch, eyes on face or edges of straps / fingers to recapture any lost definition.

#15


#16

#16 : Silver Metal detail (Boltgun metal GW). Brush size 0.

For the tip of spear, tip of standard pole, end of scabbard, sword, circular rim of water bottle, top of straps on overcoat. Depending on figure pose.

#16


#17

#17 : Gold Metal detail (Metallic Gold Humbrol). Brush size 0.

For the hat badge detail, sword hilt, Officers hat along the top edge, rope strands at top of standard pole, and the clasp on chest straps.

#17


#18

#18 : Black or Dark Brown wash. Brush size 0.

For the lower half of the water bottle, overcoat on edge nearest the back pack.

Or any metal sections you may wish to dull down a bit. If you prefer you can replace this step with the Army Builder varnish that also shades.

For Plastic figures with acrylic paints I would not varnish them.

At this point the figures are finished.Attaching the Flag should be done

before basing. I prefer printing the flags onto A4 labels so they

come with self adhesive. All of the flags I used we downloaded free

from various websites. Or scanned and printed from the

Perry box set sheet. These will be provided on a separate

PowerPoint “Flags and Back Pack Badges”. Some editing was

required to change the Regimental number for specific flags I wanted. You can do the

same. They were scaled to size to fit the 28mm – but check your

printer settings.

The Flag below for the 44th Foot has been enlarged – not to scale suitable for the actual Standard bearer figure. To used here illustrate how to attach.

The flag needs to be cut accurately as above. Aim to get the centre of the flag on the standard. You will need to get one half

under the gold rope at the top as well.With the self adhesive label this can be tricky as it adheres quickly. But the more you do the easier it gets. Applying a small amount of

PVA glue to one half will allow more manipulation and trial and error. Get the outer corners of the flag matched up as the adhesive

contacts move towards the pole itself. With no PVA used the flag can be immediately folded and crushed to desired affect. With PVA

leave until completely dry.

The EndThe End

Next I plan to show a step by step process on painting the the Rifles, and Victrix Highlanders.

I would remind you

again to paint the circular

bases, around the shoes, a mid green

before mounting them on a

base. Basing techniques

are as described in tutorial 1.

quick guide to painting 28mm british command napoleonics part 2

Documents

brush head

brush sizes

painting wet brush

smaller brush size

dry brush technique

artic grey wet brush

grey undercoat

command figures