Hi,
Anyone have any advice on painting tartan please? I fancy doing my Scottish Pike mercenaries for my French hundred years war army with a splash of tartan.
Cheers
Craig
Tiny Terrain Models
<insert tartan paint joke here>
;) :D
(http://www.verydesignersblock.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Stack-of-Tartan-Paint.jpg)
Anything usable here ? :D
I think they were simpler plaids in this era rather than the full blown tartens of 19th C onwards - so a basic cross style pattern should be enough - especially in 10mm. You do need to feather the cross overs a bit, otherwise it will look more like checks.
Yes, 'tartan' only really existed from a few centuries after the Hundred Years war - before that anyone could, and would, wear whatever coloured plaid they liked - patterns & colours would be entirely up to the dyer & weaver, chosen by the wearer (so there was probably some consistency between plaids from a given locality, so individual units would look more uniform). The idea of clan tartans was much later. Colours would also be very muted & natural, with few if any bright colours.
Here's what I do. Base colour, then criss-cross with a No. 1 in a different colour. Next, with a No. 0, another colour inside the criss-crosses. Finally inside the squares another colour if required. Yellows, reds, blues and greens work well, including lighter and darker versions of the same colour.
Dour McPuritan
I hate to be a killjoy but historically such tartan as there was would only be worn by highlanders. Pikemen would tend to be lowlanders. Jus' sayin'
Good feddback Ithoriel, thank you.
So, whats the consensus everone, paint my scottish Pike Mercenaries for the French (10YW) with or without tartan?
Cheers,
Craig
Tiny Terrain Models
If you want to go blind, yes! ;D
For the Renaissance period Scots pikemen are recorded as wearing white shirts and trousers under their armour - does that help any?
White's got to be easier than tartan!
Highlanders of the Hundred Years War would look more like what we imagine when we think of Vikings - mail shirt, axes and swords - than the "Braveheart Scots" or "Rob Roy Highlanders."
Grey or off-white unbleached wool would be favourite I would think.
I would paint them all exactly the same as their French and English counterparts..
So I am using ER5 AND 6 with a few EMM4 for flavour (all seem to have relatively short pikes which Ive read is about right for the period) and have added a few greenstuff cloaks and the like for some variety.
I think I will do off- white trousers and shirts, brown leather for the armour and slightly brighter earthy tones for the cloaks Etc (but still pretty drab)
Any other inputs, as you can tell this isnt my area of knowledge,
Cheers,
Craig
Tiny terrain Models
No tartan, it's a Victorian invention. Colours depend on the available dyes if used at all; plain colours or non-elaborate checks, clothes had to be cheap with simple patterns from hand looms for the common folk.
SV52 beat me too it!
Speaking as a Lowlander, I would have fun and give them some sort of distinguishing character.
You could do the Medieval fantasy:
(http://digitalkey.biz/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/scots_sneak_in.jpg)
Or steal colour and pattern from later Lowland fashion:
http://katedaviesdesigns.com/2008/12/10/maud/ (http://katedaviesdesigns.com/2008/12/10/maud/)
I think it is the kilt that is a late invention. The tartan is much older, but wore on the shoulders...
I may be totally wrong.
http://www.scottishtartans.org/tartan.html
Quote from: HPFlashman on 15 July 2013, 05:08:57 PM
(http://www.verydesignersblock.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Stack-of-Tartan-Paint.jpg)
Anything usable here ? :D
But these are 10mm figures so you would need to use a smaller tin.
As an apprentice i was asked to go get the tartan paint :-[ but could never find it, thanks for the MACDULUX paints :D were can i get them????
Dave
I must say how impressed I am by the cleanliness of the clothing on those rabble types at the top of the page.
Obviously been down to "Ye Laundromat" earlier in the day. ;)
Cheers - Phil.
Whoever they are, they're up to no good. :d
On a similar tip to Dabes last comment, my dad started working at Cowley in the sixties...
He was sent to stores for the bubble for a spirit measure by the line foreman.
My mum had one. That's how they met...
And that's how the fight started! ;D
What I forgot to say last night....If Dave is after some of these paints....
Pick them up straight from the manufacturer......and get them home trying not to let them shake (AT ALL).
The last tins I bought from McB&Q had obviously been well bounced about in transit, and all the stripey colours had merged together in a horrid greeny brown yukky mess.
Totally useless !
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 18 July 2013, 10:21:45 AM
The last tins I bought from McB&Q had obviously been well bounced about in transit, and all the stripey colours had merged together in a horrid greeny brown yukky mess.
You should get this brand then, but remember to stock up on Scotch whiskey, as you need it for brush cleaning...
(http://i51.tinypic.com/2pt7wi0.jpg)
=O =O =O
Stop it !
I'm trying to push putty about.
Cheers - Phil.
If the next Centurion has a wavy crest, we now know why. ;D
:P
No fsn....Not THAT sort of Centurion. ;)
(If the furry edges on these Mongol 'hats' go squiffy OBA....You're in deep poo !)
Cheers - Phil
Did someone say Centurion?
=P~
Just for the record, to add Scottish character to the wargames tabletop:
Clan tartan is the thing that was a Victorian invention. Tartan as we recognise it today actually goes back to the 16th century. Any earlier figures can be painted in simple checks and stripes of natural colours.
The plaid (or blanket) was the traditional Highland dress of high and low born -- worn with a shirt. Quality of cloth and tartan may have defined status.
As my link above, the Lowland plaid (maud) can be represented by more sober checks of natural greys and browns -- for no real historical reason but to produce a Highland/Lowland difference on the tabletop.
Both these 'blankets' would give a more Scottish look than cloaks.
For ideas of pre-16th century Scots fashion, you can dress a Pict in checked plaid here: http://www.nms.ac.uk/kids/people_of_the_past/discover_the_picts/dress_like_a_pict.aspx (http://www.nms.ac.uk/kids/people_of_the_past/discover_the_picts/dress_like_a_pict.aspx)
Pictish dress is described in detail in this PDF: http://eithni.com/referencedesk/TheWell-DressedPict.pdf (http://eithni.com/referencedesk/TheWell-DressedPict.pdf) -- complete with ideas of available colours.
Below: c. 1683
(http://www.nationalgalleries.org/media/38/collection/PG%20997.jpg)