Hello from North London

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Brace yourself for the discovery that Napoleonics have been replaced by SYW as the thinking gamer's horse-and-musket choice.

Only feline ones.

[jimduncanuk]

Brace yourself for the discovery that Napoleonics have been replaced by SYW as the thinking gamer's horse-and-musket choice.

Nope, sorry guys, both Naps and 7YW have been supplanted by Marlboroughs wars. At least in my hut club they have.

Am just starting a 'simple' approach to the hobby designed for both the 'newcomer', the guys who can't see well enough to paint anymore, and the guys who have been there, done everything and now want any easier game.

I am blogging progress at:

http://jim-duncan.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/the-portable-wargame-raising-forces.html

and:

http://jim-duncan.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/the-portable-wargame-brief-review.html

[Techno]

Looking good, that man ! 

Cheers - Phil

[Zippee]

Thanks folks - appreciate it!

Zippee - Am in Crouch End, so not too far away.

IanS - Actually I consider myself an Easterner: born in Lincolnshire of Norfolk stock (cue in-bred gags...)

thanks again

Too true, not so far - I have dedicated gaming space if you fancy a game anytime. My 10mm Napoleonics are based for Lasalle - as here https://www.flickr.com/photos/zippee/albums/72157668341385696



My 6mm for LFS

IanS - Actually I'm from the top end of the Danelaw, I strictly consider myself on an extended wealth gathering enterprise - somewhat akin to the traditional AD&D murderhobo trope but I feel about the same level of affinity with Suferners as I do with Orcs beyond the wall. 

[Techno]

Those look rather nice. 

Cheers - Phil.

[Orcs]

Actually I consider myself an Easterner: born in Lincolnshire of Norfolk stock (cue in-bred gags...)

As no one else has taken this up!

Scientists predict that by 2050 sea levels will have risen so much that Norwich will be completely submerged.
At least then they will have a use for these webbed hands and feet.

How many Norfolk people does it take to change a light bulb?
Two, one to change the light bulb and the other to stick his fingers in the socket first, to make sure the electricity is switched on.


Your from Norfolk if :-

You've been married three times and still have the same in-laws.

You can't get married to your sweetheart because there's a law against it.

You take your dog for a walk and you both use the same tree to pee on

you call your wife....Sis!!!!!

you call your hubby ....Cuz!!

The flood history of the area can be seen on your living room walls.

[Zippee]

How many Norfolk people does it take to change a light bulb?
Two, one to change the light bulb and the other to stick his fingers in the socket first, to make sure the electricity is switched on.

Electricity?

What sort of weird Sci-Fi vision is this?

[senormeek]

Haha - well done both! Someone had too do it I guess!

[senormeek]

Oh and Zippee, Have been looking over your flickr albums and really like the look of your minis. Great work! I particularly like how bright and colourful they look. My first attempts have been a bit darker than I'd like, which obviously doesn't help at this scale. Any tips? What colour undercoat do you use?

cheers

Mike

[Zippee]

Oh and Zippee, Have been looking over your flickr albums and really like the look of your minis. Great work! I particularly like how bright and colourful they look. My first attempts have been a bit darker than I'd like, which obviously doesn't help at this scale. Any tips? What colour undercoat do you use?

cheers

Mike

Why thank you!

Painting lighter and brighter has been a thing I've had to work towards over the years - it's a bit counter-intuitive.  

Essentially I undercoat white, then block paint a medium shade, highlight with a bright shade, wash with an overall ink and then add any top highlights (usually just white and weapon tips)

However metals I undercoat either dark brown for yellow metal or dark grey for white metals - I also avoid using pure black, always using very dark grey

The Hungarians above for instance use the following (I always keep a painting description) using Cote d'arms paint references - no doubt the forum editing will play havoc with the table format but . . .

UNDERCOAT WHITE

Basic Base Coat
211   Light Grey                  Coat
206   Light Blue                  Trousers
XXX   FACING                  Collar, cuffs, turnbacks (Drummer – swallow nest)
219   Chestnut Brown          Flesh, musket, canteen (Drummer – drum) (Officer – sash, cockade)
529   Beige Brown          Backpack
231   Mid Grey                  Greatcoat
212   Dark Grey                  Shako, shoes, cartouche, scabbard
524   Tan Earth                  Base

Detail Base Coat      
211   Light Grey                  Cockade, field sign (Drummer – hoops)
103   Yellow                  Cockade (Drummer – hoops)
209   Dark Green          Field sign
504   Panzer Grey          Musket barrel, bayonet, cockade centre (Drummer – hoops, sticks)
232   Bronze                  Scabbard fittings, musket lock (Drummer – drum, plate) (Officer – sash, cockade, shako band)
220   Silver                          Bayonet, musket barrel (Officer – sword)
      
Highlights
214   Flesh                          Flesh
504   Panzer Grey          Hair, peak
101   White                  Belts, straps
XXX   FACING                  Collar, cuffs, turnbacks (Drummer – swallow nest)
239   Bavarian Blue          Trousers
525   Uniform Grey          Shako, shoes, cartouche, scabbard
      
BLACK INK WASH

Bright Highlight
101   White                  Coat, belts, straps


That's for 6mm and 10mm - for 15mm I really only do the same again but with a bit more detail in the highlighting, for 28mm I do substantially more  blend work but then that's mostly RPg stuff and in small numbers so the painting style changes dramatically.

[senormeek]

Thanks Zippee - that's very helpful. I'm still finding my range, so to speak, after returning to the hobby. I'm not unhappy with my trial efforts so far but they are a bit dark when you stand back from them. I've been using the black undercoat, as it seems all the range these days. However, I was always a white undercoat / inks man when I painted GW stuff back in the day. I think I'll try a few out to see how they compare. And potentially some with grey undercoat and black undercoat but drybrushed with grey or white. Lots to experiment with...

[Techno]

Regarding the undercoat........Definitely have an experiment or two, before you decide SM......

I think you'll find that there's no absolute consensus between those on the forum.
There are those that use white, those that use black.....a few grays, and even a few browns (I think).

Just find what you're happy with.

Cheers - Phil.

[Zippee]

Yep, opinions on undercoats tend to be very, erm. . . black and white (with the odd outsider, voting for brown, grey or flesh tone).

Experimenting to find what works for you is very worthwhile.

For the record, others produce fantastic results working from black - I can't: I just cannot obtain the layered 'bright' highlight but that says more about me than the technique.

Try for instance here
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=7622.0
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,7199.0.html
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,9636.0.html
http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,9654.0.html
Yeah I know depressing innit  

All that aside, one of the things to check is your basing - I use a very pale sand with grey (nearly white) ballast-chips and a bright 'spring' static grass - if your bases are dark the figures will be, no matter how light your painting.

Just been comparing your cuirassier with the pictures of mine - I don't think there's a major difference. What I do detect is:

1) My cuirasses are much brighter - that darkens the centre of your figure (the belt stands out more so win some-lose some)
2) The paint on yours looks duller - I think that's the undercoat, it's the problem I have. I believe it means you need to add more (and brighter) layers.
3) You've used black for the boots and such not grey - changing this to grey and highlighting viciously will have a major impact
4) Because yours is unbased and lacks socks and such on the horse and the base is black the whole thing looks dark - that's misleading. And good basing will change it all (as would socks  )
5) I took my picture in a light box with 4 daylight lights, yours is a snapshot from your painting desk . . .

[fsn]

I'm doing the same experiments n some Prussians.

Normally, I undercoat black, then dry brush white before applying base coats.

I'm trying white undercoat with a brown-black wash before base coat.

Think the colour ping better with the white undercoat. 

[paulr]

Some very good advice from Zippee there

Particularly avoiding black and light basing

I think it is partly due to the small size of the figures that you need to paint a shade or two lighter than you would on larger figures

PS I'm one of the 'few greys' when it comes to undercoat

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,8883.msg107226.html#msg107226

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,10663.msg139026.html#msg139026

[Subedai]

You know the saying 'when you've tried black you won't go back', it was invented by a wargamer wasn't it? 

I'm a devout black undercoat man after trying all the other colours mentioned by others. I looked at your picture of the cuirassier and concluded that the only problem is that at the moment the horse is dark which continues onto the unfinished base making the whole figure look dark to you. Once you paint some white socks on the horse and use a light colour for the base like myself and others do, you will notice a marked difference. Try it.

MickS

[Zippee]

You know the saying 'when you've tried black you won't go back', it was invented by a wargamer wasn't it? 

Wargamers don't invent, they plagiarise . . .

And like most sayings I've managed to prove it wrong   

So is the problem with the sayings or with me?  :-

[DFlynSqrl]

PS I'm one of the 'few greys' when it comes to undercoat

I prefer a grey undercoat as well.