Painting Tutorial Part 2 - British & French Casualties

Now we move on to highlighting the block painting. But, before I go though the stages and colours used, I should point out an error I noticed at the conclusion of the first part. I put up an illustration of a redcoat with buff facings and indicated that these units should have buff straps, forgetting to paint that onto my models!! So I have gone back to the buff figures and repainted their straps with Coat d'Arms 510 Mid Stone.

So continuing my psychological theme, I like to highlight the big areas first so I can see the progress and get a feel for how the figures will look. The next six shots show the figures at the end of that process but before doing the detail areas.

So first up I highlight the flesh with Citadel Kislev Flesh. The redcoats get a highlight of Vallejo 957 Flat Red and the French Blue gets Vallejo 965 Prussian Blue. Whist those two colours are on the pallet I also use the blue on the British canteens and the red on any plumes and shoulder boards and French turn backs.

Redcoats with their first highlights added

The Grey areas get Coat d'Arms 525 Uniform Grey, except the French grey, white areas which get a highlight of Coat d'Arms 231 Mid Grey.

The French with the blue jackets and white waistcoats picked out with highlights

British White trousers and belts get a highlight of Vallejo 820 Off White, and any black surface gets a touch of Vallejo 898 Dark Sea Blue. Finally my Highlander casualty gets a criss-cross pattern on the kilt of Vallejo 896 Extra Dark Green.

The Highlander's kilt with the Extra Dark Green pattern. I also added Vallejo 965 Prussian Blue in the dark blue squares in between the green.

Any brown areas, such as French back packs and Spanish cloth trousers get highlighted with Vallejo 983 Flat Earth. Don't use this on the musket woodwork.

At the end of this part I then do all the detail areas. The next three shots shoe the figures at the end of the detailing stage. Note it is at this stage that I start to add lace detail to colours and cuffs.

Shako plates and brass work including buckles on cross belts, and musket butts and trigger guards, Vallejo 801 Brass. Note with the British I apply a dot of matt black on the cross belts before applying the brass.
Green plumes and shoulder boards - Vallejo 967 Olive Green
Yellow plumes, collars and cuffs - Vallejo 953 Flat Yellow
Bread bags, gourds, buff facings and straps - Vallejo 914 Green Ochre
Steel work on muskets - Vallejo 863 Gunmental
Musket woodwork - Vallejo 875 Beige Brown
French shako chords White = Coat d'Arms Mid Grey, Green = Vallejo 968 Flat Green, Red = Vallejo 985 Hull Red.

Next up Part Three, final highlights and varnish.