NW Frontier Anglo-Indian force for T&T/TMWWBK

[guitarheroandy]

Here are some pictures of the first 3 British/Indian companies for my NW Frontier/Afghanistan collection. The British unit is by Empress Miniatures (with a Foundry Officer). They are painted in the '3 highlights on black undercoat' style. The Sikhs and Gurkhas are from Foundry and are painted as per the Pathans, i.e. 'base coat, dip and highlight'...


I currently have a further unit of Pathan riflemen awaiting highlighting and I have just started painting a Perry Mountain gun accompanied by an ammunition mule that has been in the bits box for years...I think it's from Dixon miniatures...

[Phil Robinson]

Both units look just dandy, makes you wonder if it's worth the extra effort with the three colour way.

[Harwood Hobbies]

Those look fantastic!   

[Lowtardog]

Beauties, wouldn't have known you used dip if you hadn't said

[Warren_Gleeson]

Andy, the figures are looking great mate.

Cheers

Warren

[folnjir]

Both units look just dandy, makes you wonder if it's worth the extra effort with the three colour way.

I'm not sold, I think the dipped guys look great and you can't tell the difference at all in the pics from further away.

[wulfgar22]

Yeah...really nice!

[Harry Faversham]

"The Sikhs and Gurkhas are from Foundry and are painted as per the Pathans, i.e. 'base coat, dip and highlight'..."

Andy, for the uneducated among us, could you explain how to do the technique and equipment required? If you have the time, could you do it in a way that a dunderhead, like me who's never heard of it, can gorm it?

[guitarheroandy]

"The Sikhs and Gurkhas are from Foundry and are painted as per the Pathans, i.e. 'base coat, dip and highlight'..."

Andy, for the uneducated among us, could you explain how to do the technique and equipment required? If you have the time, could you do it in a way that a dunderhead, like me who's never heard of it, can gorm it?

Harry, it's dead easy mate. White undercoat (or off white on some of the Pathans) sprayed on. Then I basecoat using fairly bright shades, so with the Brits' khaki,  its Foundry Drab Light, for example. One has to be very neat and tidy with this. Then, I brush on Army Painter Strong Tone dip. It's tough getting this exactly right, but you want enough to fully shade without pooling in deep detailing. You could use ink, but I prefer the dip as it's also a gloss varnish. Then, once that's dried for a good 24 hours, I brush on a matte lacquer (Testors Dullcote in my case, but any matte lacquer or varnish would do.) Once that's dry, I use the original basecoats to highlight back up just to tidy up the detailing. I don't always do everything, eg the guns weren't done on the Brits or Pathans. On very rare occasions I may add a lighter highlight to make some details 'pop' but that's usually when doing fancy stuff like LoTR Elves.
I hope that helps...

Thanks for all the positive feedback. I am pleased with this collection. It looks good on the table, without a doubt...

[Harry Faversham]

Thanks Andy, just to clarify, you paint the uniform, webbing and blanket and the dip shades the lot... does it also shade the skin tones?

[guitarheroandy]

Yes, basecoat everything and the dip shades it all . Obviously it doesn't shade black so just highlight that with grey at the highlight stage. It really is much quicker than layering...

[Harry Faversham]

Thanks for that Andy, much appreciated, I'm going to give it a go on my next unit.

 

[Mad Guru]

Wow, they all look great -- but particularly excellent job turning the Empress British infantry's leather gaiters into puttees!

[Dalauppror]

Looking greate !

[Harry Faversham]

Andy, tried Army Painter Strong Tone dip today, delighted with the result. The rest of the collection is going to be done with it... that way I might live long enough to get it completed!