Airfix 1/76 WW1 French Infantry (A01728)

[Ratch]

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24817367/414004932.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24817367/414004928.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24817367/414004929.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24817367/414004930.jpg

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL761/13303934/24817367/414004931.jpg

[Padefc]

Excellent as usual ratch what do you find the best system or order for painting figures, I’ve only done a few German mountain troop

so far pretty decent out come but not without flaws or errors on my part.

is there a recognised format like skin first then Belt kit an boots leaving the bigger areas to last,also how many coats of paint do you recommend am only using humbrol at the min a mix of acrylic and enamel.

sorry for all questions 

[Ratch]

 Thanks very much, that's most kind of you to say so 😆

My method has evolved and I've radically changed it this year. Here's what I do:

Cut the pieces from the runner and drill a hole in the base using a pin vice.

Wash the pieces in warm, soapy water.

Put a cocktail stick through the hole in the base and use the other pointy end to stick them into a block of expanded polystyrene. The cocktail stick enables you to paint the pieces without handling them. Allow them to air dry.

Airbrush with a black primer (I have used white too - I suppose any primer would do)

I use acrylics and start with the skin tones. Either Hu:61 with a dark wash or start with a dark and dry brush with lighter tones twice.

For these I painted a dark shade of the basic uniform colour and dry-brushed twice with increasingly lighter shades.

For the packs and webbing I used 3 or 4 colours, not exactly mixed but allowing each to contaminate the other to add variation as I went through the set.

Lastly details were picked out, like guns brown & gun metal, bugle (brass) spades etc.

Finally I painted the bases and when dry I brushed on PVA and added a ground scatter (like railway modellers use for scenic effects)

HTH

[Padefc]

Thanks ratch for advice will take that on board for next time

[Ratch]

 Good luck - show us the results

[dabhand]

The French Army went from the almost Napoleonic dark blue jacket/great-coat and red trousers to 'Horizon Blue'.

Having met a re-enactor wearing the Horizon Blue uniform and equipment, it was clear that light blue (Humbrol 65 perhaps) was too light.  The uniform was darker though definately a light blue.  

Why do I ask?  The Vintage Classics WWI French Infantry of course!

Any suggestions?

 

 

 

 

 

[Ratch]

I used a base coat of Vallejo Model Color 61 70943 Grey Blue with Vallejo Model Color 63 70901 Pastel Blue and Vallejo Model Color 67 70961 Sky Blue dry brushed over.

[Paul Astle]

The French Army went from the almost Napoleonic dark blue jacket/great-coat and red trousers to 'Horizon Blue'.

Having met a re-enactor wearing the Horizon Blue uniform and equipment, it was clear that light blue (Humbrol 65 perhaps) was too light.  The uniform was darker though definately a light blue.  

Why do I ask?  The Vintage Classics WWI French Infantry of course!

Any suggestions?

 

 

 

 

 

Because of politics the metropolitan  french army stepped out in 1914 effectively without a field uniform. hAT produced as kit of this period soldiers. As the war went on the cheaper blue dies used faded until they became a pale blue grey that actually blended well with the chalky soil.

[M14]

 

Can you point me towards a guide for making the grass like that? Im a highschool student trying to make a WWI diorama.

[Ratch]

The best stuff to use is railway scatters. Get several and mix them up. Look at nature, nothing is uniform, there's a lot of variety even in a patch of grass.