A bit of help when painting...

[Glorfindel]

I'm sure lots of people have done this (or something similar).   Anyway,
just in case...

When painting up the latest batch of figures (Prussian SYW at the moment),
I'm constantly referring to different source books, making sure all the many
elements of each uniform are correct.   This can become a bit of a pain...

In a bid to maike this process a little more user friendly, particularly for the
complex Grenadier mitres, I've started doing something slightly different.   
Essentially, I copy all the visual references I need from the web and then
paste them into a Word document (one page is easily enough).   I then print
it off and use it as my guide.

The Kronoskaf SYW Project site is my friend here !

For each Regiment, I usually have a trooper, plus musician and officer.
This usually provides all the visual info I need when painting.

Obviously, this can be applied to any era (if online pics are available).

Just a thought,

Phil

[Shecky]

Since I paint at my computer desk, I do something similar.
I keep a spreadsheet of the units I have on my painting table. I have the unit name, country and then a link to the kronoskaf site for the uniform information. I even have the date I complete the unit so I can determine how long it takes to paint.

[Techno]

Damn good tip !! 
Cheers - Phil

[Westmarcher]

Agree with Phil. Also, Kronoskaf is good - I wish I had found it before I forked out good money on 6 Osprey books on mid-18th Century Prussian and Austrian Armies when I painted my Pendraken SYW figs.

By the way, does anyone know that the Imperial Austrian Artillery School was based in Budweiss - home of the beer - the 'Czech' variety, of course. Sounds like a good enough reason (to me), if you were Austrian at that time, to volunteer for the artillery arm!

[paulr]

I also note the paints I used for future reference in the same word document.

Has proved very useful when doing the 1914 reinforcements 

[Subedai]

I also note the paints I used for future reference in the same word document.

Has proved very useful when doing the 1914 reinforcements 

Recently, after forty four years of painting, I have now started to keep a written record of all colours I use on figures in a hard cover exercise book. In June, I also started a wargames diary in which I note everything wargamey done on each day. Takes a bit of time for these new fangled ideas to sink in.

[Leman]

These are great ideas. I too have started a painting book because, being a bit of a butterfly, I need to have variety in my painting schedule. If something gets left for a while I can return to it confidently after consulting my book.

[Orcs]

I started a Painting record a couple of years back

I list the colours used and briefly what I did in a few bullet points.

It has proved invaluble, when I want to paint something the same and am thinking "how did I paint these bases "

Now I just look it up in my notes.

When painting vehicles. make sure you put a bit of the base colour on the underside.  THis then helps to identify the base colour prior to washes or weathering.

[Subedai]

When painting vehicles. make sure you put a bit of the base colour on the underside.  THis then helps to identify the base colour prior to washes or weathering.

Ordinarily, that would be a good idea...but I base all my vehicles so with me, not so much. I just make a note of base, wash and drybrush colour.

[Orcs]

Ordinarily, that would be a good idea...but I base all my vehicles so with me, not so much. I just make a note of base, wash and drybrush colour.

I was actually thinkingabout the 20mm vehicles I have just painted

[Subedai]

I was actually thinkingabout the 20mm vehicles I have just painted

Base them as well. Actually, I don't go as big as 20mm, but my 15mm vehicles are based. 

[Luddite]

Yeah recording your paint colours is a really essential tip, for me at least.  My projects tend to take a while...