95th Rifles Paint colours?

[andmarsh]

Just about to start on the Warlord 95th rifles

lovely looking 28mm metal figures, but I'm not sure which paints to go with as the base layer?  Has anyone had good results with Vallejo Black/Green?

 

Also, Would you prime in black or Grey? i may give the Halfords primer a try

 

Thanks
Andy

[Troy Smith]

53 minutes ago, andmarsh said:

but I'm not sure which paints to go with as the base layer? 

this might give you an idea, note the print is from the era

 

Quote

There is a print made in 1812 by C. Hamilton Smith which depicts a rifleman of the 95th and a riflemen of the 5/60th. There are a few discrepancies pointed out in this famous print( which will be forever contested – but one has to remember he had a foot in the door of the War Office trial board for new clothing so perhaps he did paint of what might be, rather than what is). His picture shows the 5/60th rifleman most importantly in a jacket with three rows of buttons, blue pantaloons (supposedly phased out in 1812), black gaiters  & also without a belt plate. Again, was he painting from what is, or what could be (for instance he painted a print of the Coldstream Guards wearing black haversacks, which they never received nor used in our chosen period)?

from

http://5th60thrifles.co.uk/?page_id=259

the colour is described as Bottle Green, Vallejo black green maybe a bit too dark, and difficult to highlight, a brighter green be easier to darken, if that makes sense?

I wondered this myself,  searching 95th Rifles gets lots of Sharpe photos.    One point, many years ago i went to Les Invalides, the French army museum, and unsurprisingly they have a very large Napoleonic section,  what was of interest was seeing actual uniforms, and the fabric and dyes used, as well as variations.

 

I hope this gives some pointers, I'd use the image on th right above as guide

there is a Royal Green jackets Museum which has this

 

https://www.inspirock.com/united-kingdom/winchester/the-royal-green-jackets-rifles-museum-a58213321

 

If you are in Reading (say reding) then it's not too far.

 

HTH 

 

 

 

[Fatcawthorne]

Normally, photos, paintings and prints are lightened considerably to show the contrast between the black piping and buttons on Green Jacket uniforms.  The green IRL is very black. 

 

On my monitor this linked picture, from Pinterest, looks about in the right ballpark judged againgst the much lighter colours I see many re-enactors wearing.

 

https://pin.it/svewxmj4dv5abo

 

[PhoenixII]

One thing to remember Andy @andmarsh The dyes used in the 19th Century and prior would have been natural, rather than chemical.

This means NO two batches would be the same in either colour or consistancy. Dyed cloth was produced in far smaller quantities, as it was all done by hand.

Another thing to bear in mind is natural dyes are NOT 'colour fast' meaning the colour WILL run when it gets wet, so speeding up the lightning process.

So any prints, photo's or pictures, should be taken as a guide at best. Don't trust single source information, and if you can see the real thing, so much the better.

 

To answer the question directly, undercoat in Grey, it won't affect the final colour. Base coat, my suggestion, something like Vallejo Deep Green 70.970

dark enough to help with shadow and shading but it shouldn't alter the final colour too much.

 

Enjoy.

Paul

 

 

 

 

[andmarsh]

thanks, everyone

thinks I will go with the grey primer - as I already have a load of Vallejo colours I will add 70-970 to the collection  ...!!

 

[Grey Beema]

You need to consider the campaign as well.  For the Peninsula resupply was not so great, so you might see considerable variance in the breeches, equipment etc.  The 100 days campaign was much shorter and I don't think you would get the same level of variation from standard issue..

 

 

[PhoenixII]

5 hours ago, Grey Beema said:

You need to consider the campaign as well.  For the Peninsula resupply was not so great, so you might see considerable variance in the breeches, equipment etc.  The 100 days campaign was much shorter and I don't think you would get the same level of variation from standard issue..

Wanna bet?!! @Grey Beema Throughout the Peninsula campaigning it was a case of resupply being non existent and the PBI living off the land and repairing uniforms with whatever they could get hold of. 

Fast forward to the period around Waterloo, now, what was the weather like? Remember how green is made, with the worst two colours to fix with modern dyes, with vegetable based........

Standard issue? Sorry, you got what you were giving. Why do you think, if the chance presented, the infantry would take uniform from the enemy, dead or captured.

Paul

[Black Knight]

Plus, a lot of the 95th at Waterloo were Peninsular War veterans and dug out their old uniforms to wear in Belgium

[Black Knight]

I must explain the above. From about the late 17th to late 19th centuries when a man signed up he was given his uniform and his personal clothes were taken away and burnt. Often the bonfire was infront of the new recruits. This was so the man could not abscond and pretend he was not in the army. Thus when he was discharged he only had his uniform to wear and a letter signed by his commanding officer that he was legally discharged. This happened to the men of the 95th late in 1814. They volunteered and returned to the regiment in April thru May, and even into June, 1815