Painting Stick
First they need to be placed on a painting stick. I used to use Starbucks coffee stirrers but I've moved on to fat lolly sticks from Hobbycraft. These allow the figures to be placed at an angle for better priming and painting.
I also used to Blu-Tak them on but that takes ages so I just use PVA glue now (they prise off easily whrn finished.
 |
| Models PVA'd to fat lolly sticks (at an angle so all nooks and crannies can be accessed) |
Primer
I prime mine with Matt Black paint spray from Halfords. Just line up the sticks and spray away at as low an angle as possible. Then just turn the sticks around and spray the backs. Takes about 1 minute to prime hundreds this way. Note my priming box has seen some heavy duty over the past weeks.
 |
| Post-priming. Black all over and ready for painting. |
Tunic colour.
The tunic colour is the key defining element for each unit and so should be the base colour. For the Prussians I use Vallejo Prussian Blue. This is liberally (and literally) slapped on from the head to half way down the legs for speed (the secondary colours will cover up where they need to when applied).
 |
| Prussian Blue goes on. |
Trousers and overcoat (and base colour)
Unlike the British (who folded their overcoat and packed it above their rucksack) the Prussians wrapped theirs over one shoulder. To save time I paint this the same colour grey as the trousers (Velljo Pale Grey). It contrasts nicely with the tunic. The trousers only need to go down 3/4 of the way as the Prussians had black gaiters which come up to the knee.
At this stage (before doing the gaiters and boots) I paint the figure's bases (otherwise its much harder to paint around the finished figures feet without touching them).
 |
| From the front - overcoat and trousers painted. |
I then add dots of colour to denote regimental distinctions (usually collars, cuffs and turnbacks). In this instance these are red. The collar at the back of each model is given a stripe of the relevant colour as well.
 |
| Hard to see but the red cuffs and collars are now there. |
Flesh
I then paint in the faces and hands - a dab of flesh for each.
 |
| The flesh goes on - and they start to look the part! |
Rifles and flagpole
A touch of Vallejo Chocolate Brown for the rifles and flagpole - aways best to leave the gun for the later stages.
 |
| Rifles and flagpole. |
Boots, gaiters and shakos
Time to break out the Vallejo Black to paint from the foot to the knee and to paint the shakos.
Bayonets and swords
I use Coat d'Arms Chainmail for bayonets and swords. It stands out more than a gun metal or natural steel colour.
Shako badge / plate
A dab of Vallejo Old Gold in the middle of the shako completes the figure.
 |
| Shako plates added |
Flesh wash
Then a dab of GW Ogryn Fleah wash to bring out the facial features. As well as finishing touches like the drum.
Basing
I've decided to PVA these figures rather than use Uhu to make them easier to remove (based on past experience with glue and MDF). So they are PVA's in two lines...
...then talus is added prior to drybrushing and flocking.
 |
| The finished figures on a half-finished base. |
I'm using less figures per base (just 24) to allow more flexibility for scenery to be incorporated into each base and to allow skirmishers / mixed companies to have a bit more room. I'll see how they look.