British 54mm Napoleonic Horsemen.

[Dave Ward]

Neil, Tim, I've just repainted the basecoat on the grey, I'll try the cocktail stick & the sponge, and see if either will help me - I take the point about shading, then dappling. Looking at the photos of the real horses, I'm going to lean more to the top one. - I've just added a few highlights to the Bay, and I think he's ready for detail painting.
I was just thinking, how do you paint a black horse?
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Dave
I think a true black looks good if painted warm black (black with just a touch of red in it) and highlighted with a blue black. No shading is needed. Remember the flesh coloured nose area though...look at horse images for inspiration.

 

[Dave Ward]

Well, the bay is just about finished - I'll have to add the bit & finish his mouth.................


The grey? - well, I'm reasonably satisfied.......................

I tried the cocktail stick, but that seemed to give sharp edges, so I tried a little piece of torn up sponge, in tweezers. Dipped in paint, then the surplus dabbed off, then gently applied in as random pattern as I could, turning the horse all the time, so as to vary the angle of the dabs. I had several attempts, but I think that is the way to do this. I still have to do his head, it looks far too 'white' at the moment. ( and touch up the skin behind the girth )
Of all odd things I'm going to search for on the 'net - the colour of the inside of a horse's mouth!
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

Coming on Dave, the dapping technique looks effective and the Bay is looking fine. Have you missed a bit of dapping at the front of the saddle on the left hand side of the grey or is there a bit of kit to go there?

 

[Dave Ward]

Tim,
yes, missed a bit - I thought there was a rolled 'manteau' over the front of the saddle, but it's actually a 'portmanteau' over the back. No idea of the proper names - they could be capes, I suppose!
Dave

 

[Tim Marlow]

Looking at images there appears to be a blanket and cape tied across the front, with the portmanteau on the back. I’m not sure of the names either, I struggle with the various bits of the horse....

 

[Dave Ward]

Whatever it's called, I don't have one! It seems that there were a few items that could be carried or not, and that is one. I'm always confused by what is parade/campaign issue, so I'm going with the bits I've got. I spent quite a while puzzling over an object in the Historex box - I finally twigged that it is a canvas cover that fits over the lock on the guys carbine..........
Dave

 

[dave]

The Horses are looking good

 

[rtfoe]

The Bay and the Grey look good Dave. I'd have a slightly darker grey or wash to outline the edges of the brown straps...helps keep the lines straight and neat. I struggled with the item names for the grey I built too...most of them were called watchamacallit.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Dave Ward]

Richard,
yes, a few washes are in order - however due to my total ignorance of horses & associated tackle, I realise I've missed off an important strap - for want of the proper name, the breast strap, that stops the saddle slipping backwards. I'm consistent, it's missing on both horses! I'm going to have to carefully add them & hope that I don't mess up the paint.
Dave

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Dave I didn't realise that until you mentioned it. Ya, they're basically straps that go over the shoulder from the saddle to the breast plate which has another bigger strap that goes underneath between the front legs. Shouldn't be a problem with thin foil...pre-paint them and attach to the breast plate in a Y and glue the assembly, breast plate first to anchor it, let it harden then proceed to glue the three straps, first the two over the shoulder and hidden under the saddle seat then the remaining strap goes under to the main saddle strap under the belly. Measure extra lengths for this procedure. Good luck.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Dave, this was the only picture of mine to show close up of what I meant by the breast plate. It's the circular plate that holds all three ends of the strap. Some were just stitched, others perhaps by a three sided buckle.



Cheers,
Richard

 

[Dave Ward]

Added the breast straps - painted masking tape - I'll really seal it all down with varnish, after washing etc.

Saddles & saddlecloths painted - dry fitted only - I'm sure that these things weren't as clean as shown in paintings - I've used Ivory for the 'white' parts, but a lot of this will be hidden once the rider is added. I'll add the legs to the saddle, so I can fit the stirrups & straps easily, - adding them afterwards would be a real pain
Dave

 

[rtfoe]

Turned out well with the masking tape Dave.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Neil Merryweather]

Looking good , Dave.
I always stick the stirrup leathers to the inside of the rider's legs so I can keep him separate from the horse for painting

hope this helps
N