Uniform query...

[Harry Faversham]

Vallejo's shade of light blue/grey that you use would be just as helpful, as I'm slowly moving over to their brand of acrylics. I really do appreciate all the help I've received from everyone in my toe dipping into the deeds of Empire. I've got the 'Sword and the Flame' rulebook, event cards and laminated quick reference sheets. A mountain of figures to get painted, a forest of palm trees at twenty pence a thousand, from China, an Airfix Fort Sahara and enough buildings for a riverside village. Soon I'll even know wot I'm talking about too, as I'm well into His Nibs's 'With the Malakand Field Force', and 'Go Strong into the Desert' has fallen through the letterbox this very dawn...
Wot I really need to do is stop playing on here and go strong into the paintbrush and get them Black Watch Highlanders fettled!!!

[Atheling]

Vallejo's shade of light blue/grey that you use would be just as helpful, as I'm slowly moving over to their brand of acrylics. I really do appreciate all the help I've received from everyone in my toe dipping into the deeds of Empire. I've got the 'Sword and the Flame' rulebook, event cards and laminated quick reference sheets. A mountain of figures to get painted, a forest of palm trees at twenty pence a thousand, from China, an Airfix Fort Sahara and enough buildings for a riverside village. Soon I'll even know wot I'm talking about too, as I'm well into His Nibs's 'With the Malakand Field Force', and 'Go Strong into the Desert' has fallen through the letterbox this very dawn...

That's the easy bit..... 

Wot I really need to do is stop playing on here and go strong into the paintbrush and get them Black Watch Highlanders fettled!!!

And that would be the more difficult of the tasks you have before you  .

Darrell.

[Harry Faversham]

DRUMS!!! 

From painted figures I've seen on 'tinterweb, British drummers seem to tote a brass drum, red bands top and bottom and white string thingys, How accurate is that for a Black Watch drummer in the Sudan? I've a nagging memory of a Military Modelling article, from the dawn of time, depicting drums with plain khaki covers on them?

[Atheling]

DRUMS!!! 

From painted figures I've seen on 'tinterweb, British drummers seem to tote a brass drum, red bands top and bottom and white string thingys, How accurate is that for a Black Watch drummer in the Sudan? I've a nagging memory of a Military Modelling article, from the dawn of time, depicting drums with plain khaki covers on them?

You've got me there.... probably this accurate but I'll check Blood on the Nile for you and see if there's a pic or two of the Black Watch and report back. Please remind me if i forget!! 

Darrell.

[carlos marighela]

It must be mu Fine Art degree..... it can make one see funny things 

Seriously though, if you look in the Mike Snook's book there is a hint of blue in Michael's depiction of the York and Lancasters.

you have to remember that even dark greys are made up of many colours. It's actually possible to mix a black with a mix of the folowing, Burn't Umber, Viridian and Ultramarine. Of course, one should paint their mini's how they please 

Darrell.

I'm not sure that Fifty Shades of Grey was intended as a painting guide but glad you got some extra use out of it. Of course you could just wait for the film version to confirm things. 

[Plynkes]

Just to complicate matters a tad, this painting of Tofrek by Fripp has a scene where the troops are in a mix of the grey uniforms and khaki.



Three examples of the grey uniform are highlighted with stars. Going from this period source, I'd say the grey uniforms were much paler, and with less blue in the grey than the way they are commonly painted on figures. Something to bear in mind.

Don't be confused by the two fellas in darker blue-grey on the right. They are in shirtsleeves order (the attack took place while the troops were working on a zariba).

[Atheling]

Just to complicate matters a tad, this painting of Tofrek by Fripp has a scene where the troops are in a mix of the grey uniforms and khaki.

Michael mentions this in his uniform guide on the Perry site:

"2. English Khaki
Due to the lack of obtaining a satisfactory dye in England khaki only began to replace the grey uniforms in the Sudan in 1885. Not all regiments received it, and only a portion of some. The painting of the battle of Tofrek by C E Fripp shows the Berkshires in action in both uniforms."

Three examples of the grey uniform are highlighted with stars. Going from this period source, I'd say the grey uniforms were much paler, and with less blue in the grey than the way they are commonly painted on figures. Something to bear in mind.

I think I've got just the right triad worked out for the uniforms for the Serge. E-mail me if you want details.

Don't be confused by the two fellas in darker blue-grey on the right. They are in shirtsleeves order (the attack took place while the troops were working on a zariba).

Now that I didn't know.

As ever Plynkes, thankyou for your input 

Darrell.