quick guide to painting 28mm highlanders napoleonics part 4 using vitrix plastics. by r. mcneil...

Quick Guide to Quick Guide to Painting 28mm Painting 28mm

Highlanders Highlanders Napoleonics Part 4Napoleonics Part 4Using Vitrix Plastics.Using Vitrix Plastics.

By R. McNeilBy R. McNeil

Online Guides by Ross

Getting startedGetting startedVitrix plastics give you several options in multi poses

including a kneeling figure.

But you need to take care to separate the bodies and especially the arms that are paired up. Check the paper sheet, supplied by Vitrix with the box set, for the positions the arms take up. Otherwise you will be left with a very difficult task of trying to correctly identify which left arm to ties in with the correct right arm.

The plastic used by Vitrix is more brittle than Perry, and thinner especially for the gun straps. Take particular care when separating the parts from the sprues - even when you snip them. You will find the areas you need to cut the parts away from the sprue are on gun barrels with some poses. This is a real test of your skill with a craft knife. Fortunately like Perry Plastics there were very few mould lines to clean off.

End ResultEnd Result

Here are the 92nd Gordon Highlanders.

Getting startedGetting started

Each sprue, gives you an officer, a standard bearer, a sergeant, a drummer, a piper, and 10 infantry.The 10 infantry have 1 kneeling, 6 advancing, and 3 standing

poses. You get 4 identical sprues per box.

It is taken that you have already viewed the Part 1 ,2 and 3 tutorials this section only looks at the

Highlander Infantry in detail. Painting up the Highland Command is just a mixture of the British

Infantry Command and extra figures like the drummer, and piper with kilts.

End ResultEnd Result

Here are the 42nd Black Watch.

Preparation – base coatsPreparation – base coatsHere is another step by step guide to painting the 28mm plastics quickly in as few steps as possible.

Typically the British Highlander figures took the most time. I found they were painted from undercoat to final

colour on average in around 50 minutes per figure. Usually I had 10 figures to paint at same time.

Suggestions for paint and brush sizes are given as before.

Depending on your skill/experience, should you find you are making too many mistakes - and its not because the tip of the brush you are using no longer comes to a point - drop to a smaller brush size, ie go from the suggested

size 1 to a 0.

The basecoat processes are different. As this time they start with a black undercoat.

Preparation – base coatsPreparation – base coats

#1

#1 : Undercoat Black Matt primer – Spray paint (Halfords)

Figures attached to a piece of wood (Blu-Tack) and sprayed in a well ventilated area – as described before. Leave for several hours to completely dry.

Preparation – Dry BrushPreparation – Dry Brush

#2

#2 : Medium shade Grey Dry Brush (Charcoal Black light - Foundry). Brush size 2

Hat - feathers, Backpack, and shoes.

Preparation – Dry BrushPreparation – Dry Brush

#3

#3 : Flesh (Tallarn Flesh - GW). Brush size 1 Face, ears, hands, and knees.

The Faces of the Vitrix are larger so a quick dry brush brings them out. Suggest you clean the brush per figure.

Preparation – Wet BrushPreparation – Wet Brush

#4

#4 : Artic Grey (Foundry). Brush size 1.

Straps across the front of the chest, shoulder tufts, and satchel under water bottle.

If skilled enough can also do the top of the socks, aim brush down towards the shoes to avoid catching the flesh.

Painting – Wet BrushPainting – Wet Brush

#5

#5: Green base (Orkhide Shade GW). Brush size 1.

Front panel of kilt and across pleats at the back. Deliberately leave the black undercoat to bleed through as shown.

Painting – Wet brushPainting – Wet brush

#6

#6 : Red base (Scab Red -GW). Brush size 1.This is just the basecoat as most red paints will not cover black undercoat. The jacket and stovepipe will be highlighted with a lighter red later on. Leaving some black to bleed through at the creases of the arms works as well.

Notice the stovepipe here is the same as centre line for regular British infantry. This will be a Gordon Highlander.


#7#7

#7 : Overcoat (Storm Blue Light - Foundry). Brush size 0.


#8

#8 : Water bottle (Tomb Blue Shade - Foundry). Brush size 0.

Just a flick across the top of the edges of the water bottle.

Painting – DetailPainting – Detail

#9#9

#9 : Water bottle strap (Drab shade - Foundry). Brush size 0.

Just block in follow the line of the strap carefully especially around the arm and gun.


#10

#10

#10 : Regimental Facings - cuffs and collar colours (Bad moon yellow - GW). Brush size 0.

Colour and cuffs. Gordon Highlanders shown here. Real care has to be taken around the collar. Used “British Royal Blue” – Foundry for the Black Watch.


#11

#11 : Hair (Scorched Brown - GW). Brush size 0.

Any choice of brown really, or could replace with black wash. The detail brush should just catch the top of the detail leaving the undercoat to bleed through.

#11


#12

#12 : White detail (Artic Grey - Foundry). Brush size 0.

Hat band and ties at the back, back pack straps, gun strap, pleats in jacket, top of socks, top of stovepipe for Gordon Highlanders, top of collar, turn up in jacket at side and detail under bullet pouch. Can correct any errors on any white areas if necessary at this point.

#12


#13

#13 : White Detail continued (Artic Grey - Foundry). Brush size 0.

Side view to show straps on side of back pack, and the white detail on the cuffs.


#14

#14 : Red detail (Scab Red - GW). Brush size 0.

Initial horizontal line for hat band, and another to split the sock into upper and lower part. Ties at the side of the sock are red. Can also pick up any areas in the chest that need to be made red. Notice this figure has a full red stovepipe denotes him as Black Watch.

#14


#15

#15 : Red detail (Scab red - GW). Brush size 0 or 00.Vertical lines down on the hat band – paint down towards the skip of the hat. Use the position of the nose, centre of the eye to try and keep the lines equal distance. Don’t forget the back of the hat band.

#15


#15

#15 : Red detail (Scab red - GW). Brush size 0 or 00.For the sock pattern start with the two red marks either side of the knee on the top (front and back of figure). As shown on the Gordon Highlander on the left. This means you will have 4 equally spaced rectangles painted in on the top of the sock.

#15

Then block in the red in the middle at the bottom as shown by the Black Watch figure on the right. May also require to do the lower red detail on sock between the legs depending on figure leg position.Doing it this way makes the symmetry appearance much easier and quicker.


#16

#16 : Green detail on hat band (Orkhide Shade - GW). Brush size 00.

Only for those with a steady hand. Make sure your elbows are supported on a desk and you hands touching. Ensures detail like this is easier. The paint needs to be a good consistency like cream. A small amount of paint forming like a droplet at the end of the brush. Just a touch at the required point where the red detail lines cross and your done. Clean the brush after each figure and keep the brush moist.

#16


#17

#17 : Red highlight (Mechrite Red - GW). Brush size 0.

Lighter red for the jacket and stovepipe. Catching the top flat surfaces and the top of any creases. The lower layer of Scab red and even some of the black undercoat can still bleed through – gives impression of shade without a lot of effort.

#17


#18

#18 : Wood (Burnt Umber - Inscribe). Brush size 0.

Block in gun barrel careful not to damage any previous work done. Any shade of brown can be used here.

#18

Painting TartanPainting Tartan

To paint over 60 figures with Tartan you need something simple but still representative of the colours you see here.

The first step is to notice that in both - the base colour is dark green. Covered by dark grey lines that form the initial chequered pattern, dark blue squares fill where the dark grey lines cross. To finish the Black Watch have thin black lines, where as the Gordon

tartan has a thin yellow line. So this is how to paint it …

Keep in mind you are painting a chequered pattern. Here are the Black Watch and the Gordon Highlanders Tartan:

Black Watch Gordon

Painting – Tartan DetailPainting – Tartan Detail

#19

#19 : Black (Licorice – Plaid). Brush size 0.

Initial vertical lines down the front of the kilt. Paint slightly thinner than cream but not watery. To enable the lines to be painted in where you want, but still lets some of he green through.

Use the width of the jackets white beading as a guide.

#19


#19 : Black (Licorice - Plaid). Brush size 0.

Initial horizontal line for Tartan. Its bottom edge in line with the bottom of the jacket to just under the satchel. Paint consistency as before.

#19


#19

#19 : Black (Licorice - Plaid). Brush size 0.Remaining horizontal lines for Tartan. Split area above and below the first horizontal line in half. Try to keep the lines parallel with initial line. The lowest line continues around the back of the kilt. At this point you can retouch the bayonet scabbard shown here at the back under the satchel, also the skip of the hat if required.

#19


#20

#20 : Dark Blue (British Royal Blue - Foundry). Brush size 0.

Using the black lines where they cross fill these areas with the Dark Blue. Suggest use side of the brush rather than the very point makes it easier and quicker to block in an approximate square.

#20


#21

#21 : Black detail (Licorice - Plaid). Brush size 00.

Final thin black line drawn vertically down the centre - between the original lines to start the Tartan.

You might require two more down each side depending on figure.

This finishes the Black Watch Tartan.

#21


#22

#22 : Yellow detail (Iyaden Darksun - GW). Brush size 00.

For the Gordon Tartan replace the thin black line with a single yellow line down the centre – between the original lines. Then a horizontal line as shown that may appear around the back of the kilt. If it does just need to catch the top of the pleats. To finish the effect on the back of the kilt draw 2 or 3 vertical lines down a pleat as shown. Try to keep these lines as straight as possible but they do not need to be perfect. A worn kilt would never have perfect lines anyway.

#22


#23

#23 : Silver (Bolt gun metal - GW). Brush size 0.

Rifle barrel, bayonet, firing mechanism, ram rod under rifle (if visible), clasps on overcoat, rim of water bottle, Bayonet scabbard end, and butt of rifle.

#23


#24 : Gold (Metallic Gold - Humbrol). Brush size 0.

On clasp on straps on chest. (Sword hilt on Officers and other infantry armed with swords).

#24


#25

#25 : Stovepipe detail.The very last detail I added was the rosette at the base of the stovepipe. Originally I had the Gordon (on left) the same as the Black Watch (on the right). With more investigation it appears the Gordon colour was black. But you may want to confirm this if this level of detail is that important to you.

#25

At this point the figures are finished.

I found since the Vitrix figures came on a rectangular base I required to fill in around the stands when basing them to level them out. A cheap Frame sealant suitable for wood that can

be painted when cured on was the easiest and quickest material to use. Depending on the thickness applied this

could take a day to cure (just leave on a window ledge). The texturing and mounting of flags were done in the same way

as earlier tutorials.

The EndThe End

This concludes my painting guide for Napoleonic figures. I hope you found it useful and you can quickly

apply the techniques to future projects.

quick guide to painting 28mm highlanders napoleonics part 4 using vitrix plastics. by r. mcneil...

Documents

preparation dry brush

brush sizes

quick dry brush

preparation wet brush

smaller brush size

painting wet brush

black undercoat

suggested size