help with copper cuirass

[pgarri27]

Please share your method of painting a Carabinier copper cuirass. Thanks.

 

[Helm]

Never having done myself I'd paint it the same as any other mettalic with Humbrol enamels shading with black gloss and a white or silver mix for the highlights probably for copper I'd use a silver rather than the white sorry can't be more help mate

Steve

 

[Steve]

Petey, look at the craft metallic stuff available. Waxes and paints. Some of that stuff is amazing. Lot of yellow to that copper used then. I would also consider doing NMM to control the "shiny penny" look. Let us see it when you get'r done!

 

[captnenglish]

I would go with this http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat800002a&prodId=prod1500058a or http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?catId=cat800002a&prodId=prod1500060a admittedly I have not used the new formula GW paints, but they used to have the best acyrlics metalics on the market IMO.

 

[Einion]

Please share your method of painting a Carabinier copper cuirass. Thanks.

Metal or resin figure?

Einion

 

[Tonton]

Hi, Einion. I don't know if this goes against the general ethos of pF, as it requires minimal painting, but have you considered Bare-Metal foil? Although intended primarily for model cars and the like, where polished metal finishes are flawless, I think there's a case for using it on figure models. Some might say that the metal of these sheets is too shiny, but the cuirasses of our contemporary Household Cavalry are mirror-finished; my guess is that those of Napoleonic Cuirassiers and Carabiniers, whether steel, brass or copper would have been highly polished, too, as befits proud élite troops. The foil is quite widely available.

 

[kagemusha]

Hi, as Steve said, there was a heavy yellow tinge to the Carabinier's cuirass. When I did one my method was to use a base colour of acrylic Copper, followed by a thin coat of Tamiya Transparent Yellow. When that was dry, I dry brushed some hi-lites using Copper + a hint of Brass.
Hope this gives you an idea.

Cheers

Ron

 

[Einion]

About the colour, there's a little confusion above - some carabinier cuirasses were skinned in copper, some in brass. If you're doing the brass one then it should be a full-on yellow brass colour, the copper ones were the typical colour of polished copper (pinkish).

Some diving helmets show both under the same lighting, like this one and this one.

Einion

 

[Tonton]

The cuirasses of officers was copper, with a white metal starburst on the front plate, those of the troopers were brass overall. Both had brass helmets.

Jeff

 

[pgarri27]

Hi Einion, It is a plastic Historex figure. It will be a general, so the cuirass will be copper with star burst.

Thanks all for your replies.

 

[Einion]

Hi Einion, It is a plastic Historex figure.

In that case I think the best effect would be achieved with either a buffable metallic paint, e.g. Metalcote, or Alclad II. Paint the entire cuirass as polished steel, mask the edges and then glaze to get the copper colour.

W&N make an ink that's awesome for this (I think it's a chestnut colour) but you can use a transparent reddish oil paint for a similar result.

Einion

 

[Tonton]

Hello, anyone there?

Anyone have anything to say about using metal foil, please? Or have I crossed the Rubicon by suggesting it? I need to know as I've used it myself on a carabinier, several shako plaques and intend to use it on my next project, a cuirassier. Obviously, if it was seen to 'devalue' a model in some way in the eyes of pF members, I might have a rethink – subject to convincing argument.

Jeff

 

[billyturnip]

I'm here Jeff!

I don't think anyone would ever been looked down upon for suggesting something new, different or out of the ordinary in fact quite the opposite. Some photo's to see what it looks like would be nice.... it might even catch on.

Roger

 

[polyphemus]

Hi Jeff, it's the end result that counts. Materials, techniques etc are a means to an end.

Geoff

 

[Tonton]

Hi, Roger and Geoff and thank you. That's the kind of feedback I was hoping for. I uploaded 4 pics some while back, see:

http://www.planetfigure.com/useralbums/120mm-napoleonics.544/view

The carabinier, in particular, shows the foil to best effect.

(The photos aren't that good – I know – and I must take some more. See also the disclaimer on that page!)

Jeff

 

[Helm]

That's pretty spiffy Jeff nice one

Steve

 

[Einion]

Anyone have anything to say about using metal foil, please? Or have I crossed the Rubicon by suggesting it?

Who cares what anyone else thinks? It's your model, you can use whatever you like. I've intended to try burnished foil on a simple helmet style (maybe a salet) for a few years now, just haven't gotten around to it yet.

People in the past have looked down their noses at the use of an airbrush in figure modelling, with accusations that it's somehow cheating, but they're now quite widely used and accepted. Really, the only reason not to use a given material or technique is if it doesn't give the result you want.

Einion

 

[Tonton]

Thanks, Steve and Einion.

 

[Richard61]

Hi Jeff.
It's also worth remembering that it's what you think of the end result that matters. It's your figure, how you finish it is up to you. Some will like it, some will not but as long as you like it and enjoyed doing it, that's what's important.

Richard.

 

[Tonton]

Thanks, Richard. I think what I'm after is believability (if that makes sense) and whatever helps achieve that I'll try.

Jeff