Some Perry WOTR in Warwick Livery

[Winston]

A few may remember my first post from a few months ago. A batch of WOTR Perry infantry and my return to painting after 21 long years. Been plugging on since then. Latest are a few more in Warwick colours. I’ve definitely got neater at least. Planning to do some Front Rank metal billmen next. This latest lot are an improvement but I need to get a bit braver with the contrasts in the layers I think!  As always, tips and hints welcome.

[Arlequín]

Nice work and I think you have the drabness, shading and contrast of the men's own clothing about right. I imagine that if jacks were not brand-new, they would soon go the dirty yellow/buff colour you've depicted them as. Not attempting to paint eyes is a good call in my opinion, as I rarely see that done to good effect; mostly a sort of 'startled deer' effect results, which usually spoils what are otherwise great paint jobs.

Warwick's men are more usually shown in a brighter red livery (but not necessarily 'scarlet'), so something less wine-red ('Murray') and more 'British Army Redcoat' might add the contrast and 'draw' you are looking for.

[jambo1]

Great work, they look smart, nice colours.

[Cubs]

I like 'em; they look heavy and on campaign, like everything has been dulled by the elements. One thing I've seen some other painters do (although I confess I rarely have he courage to do it myself) is to have the odd helmet painted in livery colours as well. Apparently it was a thing, and with the odd metallic scratch mark here or there is can look very effective.

As Arlequin says, eyes are tricky, but one effective way to denote an eye without too much fuss is to just get a very very dark brown line in there, perhaps put in with a strong ink after the wash has dried. The Perry plastics usually have pretty crisp facial features, so it will flow nicely where you want it to be.

[Charlie_]

They look good to me!

I like the faded, pink-ish red.

If I had one criticism, it would perhaps be the bases. Too much static grass maybe? I see you've done some patches of sand, and lots of static grass. Perhaps a better idea would be do bases all in sand, and then add a few patches of static grass on top of that? That's how I do my bases anyway

Not attempting to paint eyes is a good call in my opinion, as I rarely see that done to good effect; mostly a sort of 'startled deer' effect results, which usually spoils what are otherwise great paint jobs.

I agree 100%! The Perry WOTR range doesn't really need the eyes done anyway, as most of them are wearing helmets which overshadow the eyes.
How I do faces is several layers of flesh colour getting increasingly lighter, over a dark brown basecoat. I leave the eye 'slits' dark brown, and usually manage to paint the eye lids (which these plastic heads actually do have) in the flesh colour. A careful wash in the eye sockets afterwards can sometimes help if it hasn't worked out quite right.


I think Winston has got it just right with the faces / eyes. Perhaps the one in the middle of the first pic could do with a careful dark wash in the eye sockets just to add some shadow? His eyes are a bit more visible - the others seem to have lower brims on their helmets and work just fine as they are.

[Winston]

Thanks all

Arlequin - cheers I’m currently working on some archers in Warwick and going for a brighter red for some of the highlights. But I do favour grimy detail. Not got the balance quite right yet. But getting there. On eyes - yep. IMHO it’s really hard not to make eyes look naff. I’m just nowhere near that yet. Just getting colours and basic detail. I’ll worry about eyes when I’ve mastered the basics.

Jambo - thank you!

Cubs - thanks my current preference is that grimy realism. I like to paint em like they would have looked on any given day out on the road. These blokes slept in ditches. By the time they reached battle they would have looked, well, like they’ve slept in ditches together for a week! Cheers for the advice on eyes. I’ll try giving the next lot more attention and some lining in the slits.  

Charlie - Bases. Yeah. Still getting my head around it a bit. Just want something realisitic and simple to do which looks professional. I know I’m not a fan of bases which are 80/90 per cent sand or gravel with a little bit of grass. Realism again. Long,wild grass up to your shins would have prevailed across the country. Otherwise roman road when on the move. Any other suggestions for grass/greenery dominated basing techniques which are simple? Thanks for the eye advice - the stubble on your example looks brill. How did you do that? Just a wash???

[Charlie_]

Long,wild grass up to your shins would have prevailed across the country. Otherwise roman road when on the move. Any other suggestions for grass/greenery dominated basing techniques which are simple? Thanks for the eye advice - the stubble on your example looks brill. How did you do that? Just a wash???

Ah, well you'll want to look into 'tufts'! I don't use them myself, but they sure do look good.

The stubble is ever so easy - just a medium grey wash! Vary how much you water it down, to experiment a bit. Sometimes it's just like you are painting a somewhat watery grey, other times it's so watery there is barely any colour in it, but it's still worth doing - sometimes subtle is best.

[Arlequín]

I could well be wrong, but as Charlie suggests, I reckon some longer tufts interspersed with what's there now already, might produce a 'heathland' look quite convincingly.

I've never been able to get it right myself and I'm very tempted to try clear bases. 

[Wellington Bonaparte]

Great stuff Winston, these chaps look the business in exactly the way you describe. Well done.

[Breazer]

well done winston... for someone that claims to not have been painting for a long time you certainly cant tell!

[Winston]

Thanks all. I think I’ll give some different grass tufts a go in later batches. And yep- scouts honour - I did Warhamer as a teenager (not particularly well) then gave up. Started up again this summer more than two decades after I last picked up a brush. I’ve had some great advice and support from various people online which has really helped the progress. Plus I paint reaalllly slowly. In no rush for a particular event or whatever. Just patiently building a Lancastrian army and next year a Yorkist too. Probably be done this time next year!.....

[painterman]

oh, missed these - a great return to the hobby and agree with other folk's comments on here.
Look forward to seeing more - if I may suggest you looking out Pete's Flags for Warwick's contingent - you maybe already aware of them - they always make a nice unit 'pop'!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28mm-Medieval-Wars-of-the-Roses-Paper-Flags-Richard-Neville-Earl-Warwick-Yorkist/263347087119?hash=item3d50b5a70f:g:lAoAAOSwSlBY0ST~
Simon.

[Winston]

Thanks I’d seen Pete’s Flags. For the square banner carried into battle I’m going handmade on cloth tho - wish me luck!!

Ps here was the first lot back at the end of September- big differnce a couple of months and some good advice makes (some of it from this forum!)

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=104087.msg1294137#msg1294137