Best paint for French uniforms that were blue in 1690.

[Terry37]

I will be starting my French army of the Wars of the Grand Alliance (roughly the 1690s) and am in a dilemma as to what color of blue to paint the uniforms for French Regiments that wore blue coats or facings (not the German or Swiss Regiments as I understand they wore a shade of Turquoise). I have seen references that show almost a baby blue, a stone-washed blue jean blue, a medium dark blue and a very dark blue.

I was originally thinking of going with Royal Blue, but am now thinking this may be too dark for that time period. So, I am looking for some help and/or suggestions as to the shade they should be and also a paint that would provide that.

Any help is appreciated!

Terry

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

All of them are equally valid.

[Fitz]

If it was 1690, then the blue would have been indigo. That would make it a dark purplish blue, fading to a blue-grey.

[Terry37]

Thank you gentlemen, very helpful!

Terry

[Ray Rivers]

IMO, when picking a color to paint, the scale of the miniatures must also be taken into account.

The true color is fine for 28mm, but as you go down in scale, it is best to use an ever increasingly brighter color so that they just don't disappear and become unrecognizable.

[bluewillow]

I placed my guard units in Prussian black blue, then various blues from Prussian blue through to marine blue.

Colonels uniformed the men and had to spend the money to uniform the men so some may be cheaper on the cloth purchase as blue was expensive.

My two cents

Cheers
Matt

[Terry37]

Again, my thanks for the replies. 

I agree that scale does play into it and I basically game in 15 MM, except for one 25 MM Italian Wars army of Milanese (ols '70s Minifigs). I also realize that various shades of blue are not only the possibility, but also the reality. I am just wondering what the accepted color of blue would be for say a new uniform. L&H, and one copy of the Pike and Shotte Books on the French show a light blue, about sky blue in shade. Another Pike and Shotte guide I have shows a medilum dark blue. Osprey shows a darkish blue as well.

I was originally thinking of royal blue, but figure it might be a lighter shade, but not a baby blue.

Any additional thoughts?

Thanks,

Terry

[Ray Rivers]

When I am unsure about how a color will work I pull out one or two miniatures that I am not going to ever use and try different colors to see how they will look once the paint is applied.

Here is an example, but in this case using a 12mm Epic ACW sprue:



I was working with different blues and how they looked with a wash and highlight, amongst other things. 

Here is a link to French uniforms in 1690:

https://milistoria.it/Apps/WebObjects/Milistoria.woa/wa/XDirectAction/viewProduct?id=156278

I think for 15mm it would be best going a bit lighter. I would say something like Foundry Deep Blue, GW Kantor Blue or Vallejo Medium Blue. Personally I would lean towards the Vallejo Medium Blue, but that is just me.

Try painting up a couple spare minis and see how they look like I did above.

[Fitz]

L&H, and one copy of the Pike and Shotte Books on the French show a light blue, about sky blue in shade. Another Pike and Shotte guide I have shows a medilum dark blue. Osprey shows a darkish blue as well.

I was originally thinking of royal blue, but figure it might be a lighter shade, but not a baby blue.

A light blue would probably have been dyed with woad, which was the main blue dye used in Europe until indigo came along. At one point in France, indigo was even illegal, due to concerns from the woad dyers.

If it was a dark blue, then it was almost certainly indigo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigo_dye

[Freddy]

A light blue would probably have been dyed with woad, which was the main blue dye used in Europe until indigo came along. At one point in France, indigo was even illegal, due to concerns from the woad dyers.

The Austro-Hungarian pike grey (already used in the 18th century by some troops) was made by weaving a 50-50% mix of dark blue and raw yarn, so I gues there were multiple techniques.