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Post by Allan from Glasgow on Mar 2, 2018 17:56:35 GMT
Hi guys, can you give me your views on which blues are best for both Napoleonic French and Prussians,
I intend to block in or spray paint main colours and use washes.
Their is that many blues out there and would love feedback on what you all use. I want them to be slightly different if possible. I am assuming the blue for the Prussians would be darker similar to that of the Imperial guard uniforms. but what about French line/ Light Inf.
I can get access to GW, Army Painter and Valleho paints (Sprays and bottles).
So what do you all recommend for the differing units / armies.
thanks in advance
Allan
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Post by Brian on Mar 4, 2018 0:39:38 GMT
Hi Allan, I like many other people have been trying to solve this question for years and I have now come to the conclusion there is no easy answer, it depends on a number of things, first there are lots of opinions on what colour blue French and Prussian uniforms actually wore and then you add to that the effect sun, wind and rain would have on them and you be lucky to find two uniforms in a regiment the same shade of blue. Which primer or undercoat coat you use, if using black the blue appears darker, grey tends to have a neutral effect and white makes it look brighter, the wash will obviously make the blue a lot darker, if you are highlighting this with the same blue after washing this will bring the blue back again where you need it leaving the dark wash in the recesses, some people use more than one colour to highlight an art I have yet to master. Also there is something called the scale effect the smaller the scale the darker the colour looks, dark blues can appear almost black. On Vallejo model colour paints they have a large range of blues 9 of which you could consider, in order of darkest to lightest number 50 dark prussia blue, 49 oxford blue, 51 prussian blue, 52 intense blue, 53 dark blue and 54 royal blue they look the same colour, 55 ultramarine blue, 57 medium blue, 56 flat blue, if airbrushing they need to be thinned to the consistency of milk, Vallejo also make a special airbrush ready range called Model Air. You could try the following Nap Imperial guard number 50 dark prussia blue or with dark wash 51 prussian blue. Prussian Infantry/Landwehr 51 prussian blue or with dark wash either 53 dark blue or 54 royal blue. French line Infantry 52 intense blue or with dark wash 55 ultramarine blue. So your probably just need to experiment with a number of Blues until you find one that works for you, you could try any mid to dark blues you have and not worry too much if the soldier next to him has a different shade of blue uniform it's all part of the fun.  |
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Post by Philotep on Mar 4, 2018 9:50:47 GMT
Hi, I can give you my recipe for french uniforms if you're interested (you can see the result here: hat.freeforums.net/thread/256/grenadier-cheval-de-la-garde?page=1&scrollTo=2654) I only use GW paints, because it was the easiest to find for me. 1. I paint a layer of Kantor Blue on a white primer (I don't use black primer because I can't see the details well) 2. I add a layer of Black wash (Nuln oil), sometimes two layers - I like a dark blue. 3. I highlight with the basic color 4. I highlight with a mix of basic color + Ushabti Bones, not white Hope it will help. Of course, it is only one method among others, and as explained above, there were probably different shades actually worn - have a look at pictures of modern uniforms, there are lots of shades because there are several manufacturers, some were worn and some are new, etc...) |
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Post by Allan from Glasgow on Mar 4, 2018 15:11:58 GMT
Thanks for the feedback I really appreciate it, can i ask another question do you paint your french line and Light Infantry uniforms a lighter shade than that of the guard or is that just a myth
Love the cavalry pics very nice indeed I am very impressed.
bfn
Allan
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Post by Philotep on Mar 4, 2018 18:29:59 GMT
I use the same method for guard, line and light. I read somewhere (on a french forum) that light infantry is sometimes believed to be of a lighter blue, but I never saw any evidence for it, it might even be a mistake if the Isembourg regiment (2e régiment étranger) is considered as an ordinary light regiment - the uniform for Isembourg is a lighter blue.
The only difference I would make (and so far I don't) would be to use a darker blue for officers - explained by the fact that officer's uniforms were of better quality. Again, it would be true at the beginning of the campaign.
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Post by Allan from Glasgow on Mar 4, 2018 20:47:57 GMT
Hi Philotep,
Thank you very much for the answer i had noticed many of hats light infantry in ets section of site, so think i will do those regiments in differing uniforms and keep all blue uniforms the same shade.
Thanks again
Allan
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Post by Contrarius on Jul 4, 2018 9:07:29 GMT
If you look at surviving colour photos of men in blue uniforms (obv not from the Napoleonic wars) the blue is often what used to be called navy blue, so dark that it's almost black. The same could be said of blue as reproduced by good quality contemporary painters (not modern illustrators). So does anyone paint their French troops this actual colour? Well, no. Obviously we brighten the shade a few notches to allow our little warriors to be recognised on the battlefield. So there's the rub - we are not really trying to recreate perfect reality but a stylised version of it, one might say with image contrast bumped up or in HDR mode.
Even so, I would suggest that most follk paint their blues far too light, especially in the case of British artillery and horse guards.
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Post by waynew on Jul 4, 2018 23:49:55 GMT
At the same time, wear and sun would bleach the almost black of the original "Navy" to a lighter hue. I know that even with improved modern dyes with my duty and field uniforms I couldn't "mix and match" different uniforms because my older sets would be faded and the trousers might be lighter and darker than the jacket unless I found the right one. If a jacket or pair of trousers became torn or otherwise unserviceable it often meant having to buy a completely new set to replace it - I imagine the same would be even more true back then.
A neat idea would be to have varying shades and hues of the same blue in ranks or regiments to differentiate "old vets" from newer recruits.
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