My early ww1 painted miniatures

[Gribb]

Its been a while...
Some more GWM 1914 French. I wish the range was expanded. Zouaves, dismounted cavalry and more Belgians would be very welcome.



I've experimented with some colours.
 
For the skin I went with Vallejo Light Brown, then highlighted with Vallejo Flat Flesh.
The coat is Vallejo Prussian dark blue mixed with Vallejo Dark Grey. I thought the shade was a bit too light, so I applied a layer of the Speedpaint Cloudburst Blue.
I thought Citdadel Mephiston Red looked too light and scarlet looking. So I applied a layer of Speedpaint Slaughter Red. Too dark. I then mixed Vallejo Dark Vermillion 90%+10% Vallejo Cavalry Brown, and achieved a rather deep Madder Red without too much of a pink or orange hue.

For basing my go to is Vallejo European thick mud, then sprinkling tufts from Gamers Grass Higland set.

[fred]

Very nice work.

The colours look good - good perseverance in getting there!

[Gribb]

Very nice work.

The colours look good - good perseverance in getting there!

Thank you, Fred
Cuirassiers and Belgian infantry coming up.

[Basementboy]

These look great! it is nice to see the colours of the early war besides the grime and grey of the war's end.  Lovely work.

[Gribb]

These look great! it is nice to see the colours of the early war besides the grime and grey of the war's end.  Lovely work.

Thank you.
I prefer the dash of the early war with more colours and war of movement.


My first painted 1914 Belgian—and a Corporal at that, with those lovely yellow stripes on the coat sleeves.
The Great War Miniatures figures required a fair bit of clean-up, truth be told. Even after priming, more imperfections revealed themselves—unfortunately, the faces are affected as well. That said, once the prep work is done, they are a joy to paint, and I’m looking forward to working on more Belgians.

The first command pack has arrived, with additional line infantry reinforcements currently in the post. I decided to prime this figure with GW Grey Seer. Tempting as black primer can be, given the dark tones of Belgian uniforms and equipment, I prefer how the colours pop more with a lighter base.

Painting notes:
Greatcoat: Vallejo Black, highlighted with a mix of Vallejo Black and Citadel Kantor Blue (70/30)
Trousers: Vallejo Dark Grey, then highlighting with Vallejo Dark Grey + Vallejo Neutral Grey (50/50)
Yellow stripes: Citadel Averland Sunset, then layering Citadel Yriel Yellow.
Boots and leather gear: Vallejo Black, highlighted with Vallejo Black Grey
Water bottle: Vallejo Beige Brown + Vallejo English Uniform (50/50); highlight with Vallejo German Beige WWII + Vallejo Beige Brown (50/50)
Haversack: Vallejo Beige Brown + Vallejo Flat Brown (50/50), then highlighted using the same mix with more Beige Brown (roughly 80/20)
Shako: Vallejo Black, highlighted with Vallejo Black Grey
Pompom: Vallejo Air Silver base, layered multiple times with Citadel Mephiston Red; final top highlight with Citadel Evil Sunz Scarlet
Skin:
Basecoat: Citadel Bugman’s Glow
Midtone: Citadel Cadian Fleshtone
Wash: Citadel Reikland Fleshshade
Highlights: Citadel Cadian Fleshtone, then edge highlight with Kislev Flesh
Lips: Citadel Tuskgor Fur
Note: I also added a thinned layer of Vallejo Cavalry Brown in the mouth, as the initial black looked too dark and unnatural for my taste
Rifle:
Basecoat: Citadel Dryad Bark (80%) + Citadel Skrag Brown
Highlight: same mix, 50/50
Buttons: Vallejo Brass
Rifle barrel: Vallejo Black, highlighted with Vallejo Black Grey
Rifle bolt: Vallejo Oily Steel

[Gribb]

Huzzah!

A 1914 British cavalryman. The figure, full of animation, depicts a trooper dashing forward with sword drawn. While the cavalry were trained to deliver the standard fifteen rounds per minute like the infantry, they were also proficient with the steel—being equipped with the excellent M1908 sword.

The horse was basecoated with Vallejo Flat Brown, then drybrushed with Vallejo Mahogany Brown and Citadel Skrag Brown. In between, I experimented with Army Painter Speedpaints such as Hardened Leather and Satchel Brown, but neither provided the exact brown tone I was after. So, further layers of drybrushing followed.

For the gear, I found Vallejo Cavalry Brown very useful in helping the harness and straps stand out a bit more. The uniform highlights were heavily thinned to blend in rather than aiming for a dramatic contrast.
Paints used:
Bandolier (highlight): Vallejo Mahogany Brown and Cavalry Brown (80/20)
Harness (highlight): Vallejo Cavalry Brown
Teeth: Vallejo Deck Tan
White harness: Vallejo Deck Tan
Haversack: Vallejo Beige Brown + Vallejo English Uniform (80/20); final highlight with Vallejo German Beige WWII
Grey blankets: Vallejo Ballast Grey, highlighted with Vallejo Neutral Grey
Uniform: Basecoat – Vallejo Olive Brown (70%) + Vallejo English Brown (30%); Highlight – Vallejo English Uniform (70%) + Vallejo Olive Brown (30%)
Shoes: Vallejo Flat Brown + Vallejo Flat Black (80/20), highlighted with Citadel Thondia Brown
Rifle: Basecoat – Citadel Dryad Bark (80%) + Citadel Skrag Brown; Highlight – same mix, 50/50
Brass (e.g., buttons): Vallejo Brass
Metallic parts: Vallejo Oily Steel. Some parts, such as the sword, highlighted with Vallejo Air Silver
Skin: Basecoat – Citadel Bugman’s Glow; Midtone – Citadel Cadian Fleshtone; Wash – Citadel Reikland Fleshshade; Highlights – Cadian Fleshtone followed by an edge highlight of Citadel Kislev Flesh; Lips – Citadel Tuskgor Fur.
For basing, my go-to is Vallejo European Thick Mud, topped with tufts from the Gamers Grass Highland set. The bases are primed with Vallejo Beasty Brown (rattle can), then sealed with Citadel Munitorum Varnish.

[fred]

Two more great additions

That cavalry trooper is very dynamic!

I don't have any Belgians in my WWI forces. Hmm....

[Gribb]

Two more great additions

That cavalry trooper is very dynamic!

I don't have any Belgians in my WWI forces. Hmm....

The 1914 cavalry troopers sculpted by Paul Hicks for Empress are, in my opinion, among the finest—if not the best—figures on the market. Full of dash and élan.

And you can’t go wrong with Belgians. Colourful, yet relatively simple to paint—making them an absolute pleasure to work with.

[Gribb]

Dismounted Russian troopers from the 17th Cossack Regiment.

Figures are from the Empress Miniatures' Russo-Japanese War range. The flag was custom made by Maverick Models.

For the base rim, I used Vallejo spray Leather Brown instead of brushing on Citadel Mournfang Brown. To finish the base, I applied Vallejo Thick Mud and added tufts from my new favorite brand, Gamers Grass Highland Tufts. I believe they complement the WW1 figures quite nicely.

Painting recipe:

Tunic and cap: Basecoat: Vallejo Russian Uniform+ Vallejo Olive Brown (50/50). Highlight Vallejo Russian Uniform.
Cockade on the cap: Vallejo deck tan on the white area. The yellow center: Citadel Averland sunset. Higlight with citadel Yriel Yellow.
Trousers: Citadel Night Lords Blue + Vallejo black (80/20).
Trouser piping: Vallejo flat red.
Epaulettes: Vallejo deck tan, Citadel Night Lords Blue and Vallejo flat red.
Highlight Citadel Night Lords Blue.
Leather equipment: Vallejo Flat brown + Vallejo black (80/20). Highlight: Vallejo Flat Brown.
Boots: Vallejo black. Highlight: Vallejo Black grey.
Skin: Vallejo flat flesh. Add rheikland fleshshade. Apply thinned tuskgor fur on the lips. Thin it more and add to the cheeks, ears and hands. Last highlight on face was Vallejo Basic skintone.

[Gribb]

1914 French Cuirassier – Great War Miniatures (Pack 1)

Here’s a French Cuirassier from 1914, from Great War Miniatures, shown trotting cautiously with his sword drawn. The figure came with the cloth cover sculpted on the helmet, but not on the cuirass – though both were commonly worn on campaign. To reflect that, I filed down the decorative trim on the breastplate a bit and painted it as if it were covered. I could also have gone for a blackened cuirass, which was another historically accurate option.

It wasn’t the easiest figure to paint – some details on the rider’s back were tricky to reach because of the rifle slung along the left side of the saddle. For future figures, I might just prime that area black and leave it in shadow, which suits a zenithal highlight approach nicely.

French Cuirassier Paint Recipe

Boots & helmet plume base (hair): Vallejo Black
Horse body: Vallejo Flat Brown + Vallejo Black (70/30)
Highlight: Heavily thinned Vallejo Flat Brown, applied in subtle layers to softly build up tone
Horse legs, mane, tail: Vallejo Black
Cloth covers (helmet & cuirass): Vallejo Beige Brown
Highlight: Beige Brown + Brown Sand (50/50)
Second highlight: Heavily thinned Vallejo Iraqi Sand
Tunic: Vallejo Black
Highlight: Dark Prussian Blue + Black (70/30)
Shabraque: Citadel Night Lords Blue
Highlight: Kantor Blue + Alaitoc Blue (70/30)
Red trousers, epaulettes, cuffs, piping: Vallejo Cavalry Brown + Dark Vermillion (70/30)
Trouser piping trim: Citadel Kantor Blue
Highlight: Alaitoc Blue
Helmet plume: Same mix as red trousers
Helmet brass trim (below plume): Vallejo Brass
Rifle: Vallejo Flat Brown + Vallejo Black (80/20)
Highlight: Vallejo Chocolate Brown
1st saddle roll (front): Beige Brown + Medium Grey (50/50)
Highlight: Vallejo German C. Beige WW2
Second highlight: Iraqi Sand (70/30)
2nd saddle roll (front): Vallejo English Uniform
Highlight: English Uniform + German C. Beige WW2 (80/20)
Right-side pouch: Beige Brown + Brown Sand (50/50)
Then: Add German C. Beige WW2 to the mix (80/20)
Cloak rolled on rear saddle: Night Lords Blue
Highlight: Kantor Blue + Alaitoc Blue (70/30)
Sword hilt cover: Citadel Mournfang Brown
Highlight: Mournfang Brown + Cadian Fleshtone (70/30)
Sword blade: Vallejo Oily Steel, shaded with Citadel Nuln Oil
Sword scabbard: Vallejo Brass, shaded with Citadel Agrax Earthshade
Saddle: Mournfang Brown
Highlight: Mournfang Brown + Cadian Fleshtone (70/30)
Leather straps: Beige Brown + Brown Sand (50/50)
Add German C. Beige WW2 (80/20), then mix in Cavalry Brown (80/20)
Final highlight: Add Citadel Skrag Brown in same proportion
Belt: Citadel Thondia Brown
Skin tones:
Base: Citadel Bugman’s Glow
Highlight: Cadian Fleshtone
Wash: Reikland Fleshshade
Second highlight: Cadian Fleshtone
Final highlight: Kislev Flesh