Introduction to Napoleonics Part 5: Painting British Line Infantry with Contrast Paints & Highlights

[@petermillar8866]

Fantastic video bud. I've been introducing contrast paints slowly to my painting and they've proven to be amazing. Just like what you've done there, base everywhere in contrast and then highlight up as standard and you can get a great paint job out of it. Looking forward to more of these.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thanks. Completely agree with you!

[@TheEgbath]

My Regards, Awsome painting, just getting back to it after 30yrs. My Old Regiment is 28th Foot, Cuffs Yellow and also interested in 2nd Somerset, Cuffs Buff. My I ask what Contrast or Colours I could Use Please.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Buff is tricky with Contrast paint. Skeleton Horde is a bit too brown and Aggaros Dunes a bit too yellow. I would probably go with the former. For yellow, Iyanden Yellow would be my choice.

[@TheEgbath]

Thank you very much, for your Reply, it can be so difficult for people starting out again, after so long a period. I Realy appreciate your info and you are such a great help, as I had to search the Internet so much to find a painting guide.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

@@TheEgbath You're more than welcome! I'm just glad some folk are watching my little vids. Cheers!

[@basicminiaturepainting]

Brilliant I may try using contrast for another batch of british

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Share the results if you do!

[@techsaint]

I see you undercoat in white, have you tried grey, and if yes why did you settle on the white? Thanks, and great painting job.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

The Contrast Paints work best over a light colour. I used white automotive primer as an alternative to Games Workshop's Wraithbone (warm off white) and Greyseer (very light grey) as it's half the price! Also, white is more useful when there are lots of white straps and lacing I've found. If I was using standard acrylics I probably would use a grey or bone coloured primer.

[@techsaint]

@@CullodenPaintingStudio did you notice much if any difference between the car and citadel primer?

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

@@techsaint I used Halfords white primer, which goes on really smooth, just like the Citadel contrast primers. I also find it much less likely to leave a grainy finish, unlike Army Painter or Citadel white sprays.

[@techsaint]

@@CullodenPaintingStudio thanks

[@joelshort2907]

I've been looking to get into Napoleonics using this exact plastic kit and use Contrast paints for them so this video is really useful! I'm thinking Contrast, plus the contents of the Warlord Napoleonic British paint set, will be a great starting point - plus the paint set comes with a free plastic sprue, for four extra redcoats.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

That would be a good place to start for sure. Enjoy painting up some British line!

[@MiniatureLandscapeHobbies]

What are you using to make the bases? The square bases within the larger rectangular tray is great.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

I have used 20mm square MDF bases inside an 80mm x 40mm movement tray from www.warbases.co.uk Keeps them easy to move as a block, but also for casualty removal in games that need it.

[@Rusty_Gold85]

I like the contrast paint menu you have . Very like my Austrian menu and Russians and polish hehe . Have you tried Guilliman Flesh ? I like the way it gives musk tone in the crevices but the beige red for nose and cheeks and hands . I can almost not bother doing beards

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

I switch between Darkoath and Guilliman quite a bit to add variety in skintone within units even.

[@maryhinge6334]

Very nice. I’m still avoiding contrast paints but videos like this do make them much more tempting. 👍

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

I'm not getting paid by GW I swear!

[@liberator2408]

Great video mate, i may try out the contrast paints

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

They're well worth experimenting with. Some work better than others - Blood Angels Red is great, Gryph-Charger Grey not so much as the video demonstrates!

[@philRminiatures]

Impressive technique, first class paint job!

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thanks very much.

[@ernieme101]

excellent video ! one little detail that i saw recently in a Facebook discussion , the musket barrels were treated with a chemical that turned them brown , much like modern guns are treated with something that turns them blue . mostly to inhibit rust . this may have been a British thing only , and may have been the origin of the nickname 'Brown Bess' .

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

That's a great little nugget of information. A brown ink wash over the metal barrel would give that effect.

[@BootsontheTable]

Really nice video mate. I am always interested when better painters like you use contrast paints as others are so snooty. The effect is great and I agree with you about the red, it’s a great colour

[@petermillar8866]

Contrast is just another tool in our arsenal and just like acrylics, they're great for some things and not so good for others.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

The dismissive nature held by some confuses me a bit. Contrast paints work well in some situations and less well in others. So do other paints and techniques. Using them as part of a painting process can produce good results. Practice is needed of course. They are not the miracle "one thick coat" that was suggested in the hype around their release, and they aren't historically authentic colours, but to dismiss them entirely is unreasonable.

[@stewybaby4]

Hey Bud; can you please do a tutorial on highlighting Hussar Braid. Or can kindly tell me where i can see some finished pieces, featuring braid done with tiny diagonal strokes. Much appreciated thankyou

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

A masterclass video with a hussar or officer with loads of braid is in my to do list!

[@stewybaby4]

@@CullodenPaintingStudio Please Please please; im stuck right now. The braid is going to make or break my figures. I need to see you do those tiny diagonal strokes. Just saw a 200mm piece of Junot by a German Painter and it was fking superb. I saw the way he did tiny diagonal stripes to create texture on Junots braid, but it was 200% larger than we get to work with. i searched the hell out of Google; and there isnt one painter out there who has done a braid tutorial at Masters level. Was super impressed by your use of Contrast paints; im not sold on them myself, great for speed painting and awesome for the fellas who just want to get their figures out on the table. But i want something else. Im always looking for ideas to take historical minis to the next level. So i hope you get onto it soon! Thanks Mate

[@sstvost9]

Will be following this with the box I just picked up! One question - how did you get the firing arms to fit? Is some coversion/cutting work required? They don't seem to align naturally with the torsos.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Yeah, the fit isn't great as there is a little bit of the strap cast onto the arms. I think I have trimmed the torso to make the arms fit.

[@sstvost9]

@@CullodenPaintingStudio thanks! I think that and a bit of filler looks the way to go

[@SteveJonesScaleModellingSite]

Great to see you working your magic with the hairy stick

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Cheers!

[@e-4airman124]

thank you sir

[@gavinbooth]

Very effective brush work and it works well with the unit marra . Regards Gav.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Cheers Gav

[@whilehobbying]

Just as I finished building mine, excellent!

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Excellent. Enjoy the modeling and painting!

[@MrPiotrowicz]

They look surprisingly good for a contrast paint. I plan painting Peninsular British myself in the near future, just purchased the starter for them and I'll probably go for the Perrys as well. Thanks for the vid. I was wondering though why didn't you go with apothecary for the trousers. Just for the wear looks or was there a colour difference indeed?

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thanks - it has taken a lot of practice to get the results I want with Contrast paint but for the ranks I am happy with it. I prefer a warmer white for overalls, as I think it looks a bit more like ground in dirt and dust. Apothecary White is a bit bluer and colder. For a nice clean pair of breeches it would work well!

[@christopherhughes6961]

Great video, just getting into the Napoleonic Wars. I've used Contrast before in 15mm WW2, but was planning on mass painting on sprue my Naps. This video and the French Line vid have shown me its possible. Thanks!

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

You're welcome. I was a bit unsure at first, but the rest of my Peninsular Brits will be done this way.

[@MedievalWargamer]

They look brilliant my friend

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thanks!

[@theenigmaticgamer]

Very nice brushwork, they look fantastic. My only reservation about contrast paints is the white basecoat being needed. I usually undercoat in black and so don't have to worry about those areas where the undercoat isn't fully covered. With a lighter basecoat I think I would struggle. Have you any tips on how you overcome this? Thanks for another excellent video.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

The light undercoat problem isn't easy to overcome. Working from the deepest areas first, and being ready to touch up the primer if other areas arr caught with paint would work. You could also use gloss varnish and a black pin wash after applying the contrast paint to run into the recesses. It's a good idea to matt varnish to stop the paint rubbing off anyway, so you could use one to undo the shine from the gloss.

[@theenigmaticgamer]

Culloden Painting Studio Thanks for taking the trouble to answer in such detail. Much appreciated.

[@Rusty_Gold85]

you could try a watery black or soft tone wash just in the places where the white shows , but not all over everywhere . If you make contrast paint mistake or overpaint correct with Wrathbone paint . You most likely have white showing behind backpack , armpits , between legs , under coat tail . So even try a wash on those before starting anything

[@theenigmaticgamer]

Rusty Gold Thanks for the tip, much appreciated.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

My pleasure.

[@mhorter4]

Excellent vid! Very helpful.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Glad you like it!

[@johnclarke9498]

I like the way you done the trousers :)

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thanks again!

[@russellguyver7746]

Great video. Good to see Contrast paints on Napoleonic models, I must say it looks very effective. I'd love to see other Nap. Soldiers done in Contrasts i.e. French, 95th, Cavalry etc. Big thumbs up!

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thanks. The 95th will definitely be coming. I've not got a technique down for horses yet that I'm 100% happy with yet but when I do I'll share something. One of my first videos was a basic step by step guide to French line: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIernImBl953aZI Hope that's of use!

[@russellguyver7746]

@@CullodenPaintingStudio brilliant, thanks I'll check that out.

[@lucioquinziocincinnato7984]

High quality painting.

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thank you!

[@napoleonicspainminiatures4962]

VERY GOOD!!!

[@CullodenPaintingStudio]

Thanks!