It is very simple and based in the following stupid concepts:
1.- Take 1 of your figures and go to the street. Put the figure in front of your eyes at the minimum distance you can get the figure sharp. No the same for everybody, but roughly something in between 30 and 40 centimeters (from 11 inches to 1 foot 2 inches).
Now, try to match the size of your figure with some pedestrian (not impossible but difficult to find a horsemen to compare). To get a similar size, the person will be roughly (again, not the same for everybody) at some 20 meters (around 67 feet).
Look at that person. Every detail you can recognize on her should be in your figure. The things you don't see, you don't need to paint if you don't want to.
2.- Before the invention of the modern bleaching process, the white color (as we understand white today) was very exceptional. Take a sheet of modern white paper and compare with the "white" of natural cotton cloth, wool or unbleached paper. No to mention the military nature of our models. How white the brand new uniform of a Napoleonic Austrian soldier would be after just two weeks of marching and sleeping in tents or barns? And after a battle and 6 months of campaign?
3.- I like to paint armies more than individuals, so black lining, shadowing and highlighting (That I love when I see it in somebody else job) is too much time consuming to me.
Painting Process.
1.- Base Coat. Any color that helps to hide the sometimes inadequate plastic color. As far I'm going to paint skin color over it, nothing too far from it.
2.- First Brown Washing. Makes de details come out and give me a more precise idea about contrast and choice of colors.
3.- Basic Painting. Colors straight from the pot, just one type of brush: Royal Talens, Selected Filament. Van Gogh n.0.
In progress
Basic Painting Tools
Basic Painting Finished Horses
Basic Painting Finished
Basic Painting Detail
4.- Gluing . Gluing riders to the horse and some figures to the base. One figure/base if Cavalry, more if Infantry.
5.- Main Brown Washing 1st Step. Tamiya Red Brown or Flat Brown very diluted. Don't be afraid to cover the figure completely. Is more transparent that you think!
Brown Washed
Brown Washing Tools
Brown Washed figures Detail
6.- Matt Coating and 2nd Washing Step. In the system I follow, this is the most tricky step. VERY IMPORTANT: The varnish coat dries quite quickly. You shut drop ALL the varnish you need over the figure before start brushing. Better too much than not enough. Later, the brush will be too dirty to pick up more varnish from the pot. Then, with the brush, you cover all the figure surface with a thick coat of varnish. The solvent will soft the brown pigment underneath. You have more or less 1 minute to brush all the brown you don't want out from the highlights and move it into the shadows. You have to do this while the varnish still very liquid. Clean with a tissue the brush as many times you need.
Matt Coated and Brown Washed Figures
Tools
Finished Figures
My Place
And that's all folks!
