Painting 25mm miniatures

par Laurent Deneu - Ludomania. 

I do not pretend that the method I'm going to describe here is the best there can be; it simply is, to my eyes (and I accept totally the idea that it is only to my eyes) the idea compromise between the time spent and the result obtained. It serves me for my 25 mm miniatures, but since I haven't tried it with 15 mm ones I can't guarantee that it is applicable to that size, but I don't see anything to oppose that.

Introduction

The idea which governs preparing miniatures for war games is fundamentally different from that which guides the classical miniature maker, which I will call a show piece maker. Actually, the miniatures for war games are made to be manipulated, a thing which very rarely, it must be said, enters into the plans of the type of show piece maker of the present time. Moreover, the miniature for historical play is generally not a unique piece but becomes part of units more or less crowded, which undeniably increases the appearance but inclines toward treating each piece as just one element of the whole and thus to spend less time on it. Does that mean that it is permissible to use in preparing each figure only a minimum of care and small concern for detail? The reply is yes, undoubtedly. Many gamesters maneuver fine units of which each member has only a sketchy face, a summary uniform, distinguishing colors just suggested, and symbolic equipment. Still other gamesters take pleasure in trying to be also something of a miniature maker and try to bring to preparing their miniatures as much care and precision as their chosen scale permits.

That takes more time, requires more research into history and the study of uniforms, but what may seem fastidious to some makes up an important part of the pleasure and satisfaction others experience.

The scale

The two main scales used in historical gaming are 25 and 15 mm, these measures designating the height of standing men. Some makers take this measurement from the bare head to the feet, while some others take the head covering into account, hence a certain disagreement in the scale. Although the mixture of miniatures of different makers in the same unit is to be discouraged, the slight difference 'in the field' between two homogenous units made up of miniatures from different makers is hardly perceptible, more so because the bases on which the figures stand are always standard.

The bases

After having carefully clear foundry default of the miniatures making up a unit (I hear here some people's bored sighs) I use a simple glue to fasten them to rectangles of a thin but rigid cardboard, like that of shoe boxes. The size of these bases is not a matter of chance; it is generally given by the rules of the game chosen to exercise our talents as tacticians. As far as I am concerned the rules (The Three Colors, The Last Square) selected by the club (Ludomania a Attiches 59), of which I am a member, require practically the same bases: 15 x 25 mm for infantry and 30 x 40 mm for the cavalry. Certain particular cases depart from these norms, for example the sharpshooter units, and it is therefore best to read the rules for the play well before even starting to prepare your army.

Once the glue is dry we can cover the surface of the base with a thin layer of a coating like polyfilla, which represents the ground. Be careful not to cover the feet of your men. Battlefields were not all covered with mud! Some courageous or hare-brained (take your pick) guys add some decorations, hairy plants from brushes or pebbles from cat litter, etc.

To simplify transport and manipulations on the battlefield, we in the club have adopted the following system. With difficulty, since the only supplier we know of is in Lyon, we obtained some magnetized rubber. This is a rubber sheet about one millimeter thick of which one surface is magnetic. After cutting it to the required dimensions I glue rectangles of this material to my bases, magnetized surface down, obviously. Miniatures thus fitted out adhere well enough to the tin sheets which support the entire unit. These sheets are cut from thin tin; finally, they are glued to sheets of cardboard of the same size, then painted green. It is smart to adjust the dimensions of these super bases to the formation most frequently adopted by the unit on the battlefield; thus not only are the movements on the gaming table simplified but also it is easy to transport them securely (no more tangle of miniatures at the bottom of a box) and speed in setting up and arranging.

Undercoating

With all these operations covered it is time to get on to the painting proper. The first stage, obligatory, is the undercoating, which is at the same time a layer of protective primer and, en my case, an essential element of the finished appearance. Actually, contrary to the practice of all the makers of show pieces I know about, I put aa matt black undercoating on all my miniatures. Applying this black paint to classic or acrylic models can be done with a brush or, better, a paint sprayer. I don't trust the pressurized sprayers, which seem to me to flatten the details of the figures. Moreover, I have been told by well-informed people that they make unesthetic holes in the ozone layer.

Painting

Why black? Quite simply because it solves correctly the problem of shading at these scales. Actually, when the final colors are applied it is enough to put (where there is enough room) a thin line of the background color and immediately get a sure lining. Moreover, it is not necessary to contort the brush to reach the most inaccessible recesses, like the front sides of the knapsacks or the spaces between arms and rifles, because the black found there is ideal to give the impression of relief. It's quite certain that this way of doing requires dexterity, and oil paint seem to me to be indispensable for the precision it affords, but it is certainly less arduous than to add threads of darker color between bandoleers, epaulet fringes, collar openings, etc.

But, you ask me, doesn't the black undercoat dull the final colors? Although I have not verified it, in practice all my colors appear to be as vivid as with any other undercoating. That is likely due to the effect of scale.

The face

On most miniatures on this scale the detail of the face is sufficiently precise. Some of the faces are almost invisible between lowered visors, chin straps, high collars, etc. We then spread on all the skin which shows, without forgetting the hands when they are bare, our mixture of Mars yellow,white, and burnt sienna. While the paint is wet we add pure burnt sienna in the crevices. The high points, arch of the nose, cheek bones, chin, are treated with pure white. A point of white to mark the eye. With burnt umber we draw the pupils and the hair. We lighten the mustaches and sideburns of some soldiers with white, which gives some relief to the faces. All this operation hardly takes me more than five minutes per face, or an hour for a unit of a dozen men. This will seem too elaborate to some people and ridiculously superficial to others, but I refer you to the introduction of this account. Now that our men have taken on a little life it is fitting to clothe and equip them.

The uniform.

It is a personal habit with me always to begin with white, always working first at the most salient features, finishing with the lower ones. That is to say, to take the example of a typical French Napoleonic infantryman, I begin with the slings, then I paint the straps of the knapsack, then the lapels of the uniform, then the vest, then, if necessary, the trousers or pantaloons, and finally the details of the hair. This way of working allows me to more easily leave in place the black threads which separate all these elements. For the rest, on my miniatures the breastplates of the uniforms are most often covered with little white triangles, all accurately suggested.

Note: It is possible that the white will not cover well enough. There is no point in putting on a thick coat; the result would be disastrous, but a second rapid coat during the final inspection will be completely satisfactory.

I take advantage of the fact that I am working with white to put an undercoat on the wood of the rifle; we shall see the utility of that later on. After the white I put on the distinguishing colors, cuffs, collars, etc. It is at this point that I put on the metallic colors, copper and silver. I could just as well have begun with these, because there is always the problem of considering the black. I should remark that although some would talk of laziness I don't draw the buttons because at this scale--

Now comes the moment to paint the basic color of the uniform. It may seem touchy to fill the voids while leaving a black border, but the ability is fast learned, and it is found to be an operation which really doesn't take much time. Nothing more remains except the accoutrements such as the knapsack topped by a cloak rolled up, scabbard, etc.

Finally, the rifle. I paint the wood with burnt sienna, in a very thin and drawn out layer, which combines with the previously painted white undercoat to give a warm color which pleases the eye. Cannon and rifle barrels are painted with Humbrol's "aluminum" paint, which gives a soft metallic gray less gaudy than the "silver" paint. As for the bayonet, I content myself with using a knife to scrape off the paint which covers it. Thus the metal of which the model is made appears, polished, and to me that looks fine.

It often seems useful to me to put a quick layer of wash over the large surfaces which should remain black and sometimes when I am in a playful mood I highlight with a very little bit of white. That is fast, not expensive, and silences the critics. The final touch is to paint the ground with a solution of burnt umber, dotted with green lightened with white and yellow. The varnish, which one may consider useful, indeed even indispensable in cases of frequent handling, will be put on some weeks later.

The horseman.

The principle is exactly the same, but since by definition the horseman doesn't tough the ground, he has no base, which causes a problem of handling him while painting him. I solve that problem in an inelegant but efficacious manner. Actually, with a small drill I make a hole in the fundament of my model and, using a little force, insert a match stick. In this way I make a sort of handle which it is convenient to hold and which I can stick into a lump of modelling clay during a pause in working. When the horseman is all painted I remove the match stick and glue him on his saddle, The hole made in a rather discourteous manner is then totally unsuspected and his honor is saved.

The horse.

The method I use for painting the horse is a little different from that described for his human companion. The undercoat is the same, but instead of oil paint I prefer to cover the coat of the animal with poster paint, it goes faster on large surfaces. Pay attention to leaving the harness black. On this basic put a good layer of bright varnish, which should be dry for the next step, which consists of a wash of burnt umber or of black, according to the case, then, before this wash is completely dry, a combined dry brush/glazing with paints intended to highlight the beast, a range running from pure white to burnt sienna, passing through mars yellow, Breughel red, etc. The tack is painted in the same manner as if it were a uniform. The base receives the same treatment as that of the man on foot.

Conclusion.

You should not believe that it is enormously difficult to make up an army for historical gaming. As has been said, a rather summary work can produce very eye-pleasing results. Everyone has to decide how much time he wants to dedicate to forming his troops and what pleasure he can derive from it. The essential thing in this matter is for one to please himself.

So, to your brushes, gentlemen, and I'll meet you soon on some dreary felt plain.