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"WW1 Early French - Uniform Colour" Topic


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Comments or corrections?

Jeremy Sutcliffe21 Jul 2009 1:57 a.m. PST

What Vallejo, Howards Hues and/or Colour Party (even GW) paint is the best match for the blue of early WW1 French uniforms?

Being marginally colour blind I don't trust my own mixing.

I need something straight from the pot.

Connard Sage21 Jul 2009 2:01 a.m. PST

Size of figures? Makes a difference

Martin Rapier21 Jul 2009 2:25 a.m. PST

For 6mm I used GW ultra-marine blue, a bit light perhaps but very obviously blue. I used Colour Party scarlet for the trousers.

For bigger figs I'd use something darker, like GW Royal Blue – that is what I used for FPW Prussians and it is very, very dark.

Both over a black undercoat.

Jeremy Sutcliffe21 Jul 2009 3:13 a.m. PST

15mm

Connard Sage21 Jul 2009 3:37 a.m. PST

Is that the blue that was worn with les pantalons rouges, or the slightly later horizon blue?

The former was a dark blue, the latter a grey slate blue(ish)

Jeremy Sutcliffe21 Jul 2009 3:46 a.m. PST

I think I was thinking more of the horizon blue. I think for the earlier blue I'd use Vallejo "Prussian Blue" as I have with my FPW but then the figures that dot the pages of WHGW seem a bit paler.

Connard Sage21 Jul 2009 4:23 a.m. PST

Right. For horizon blue I'd go Vallejo 943 Grey Blue, perhaps with 901 Pastel Blue highlights. Over a light undercoat.

The earlier dark blue is a deepish royal blue (from memory of the uniforms in the Musee de l'Armee FWTW). Perhaps 930 Dark Blue over a black undercoat?

HTH

I'm sitting looking at all of my own colour samples of Vallejo paints BTW. I have all the blues…

Personal logo JammerMan Supporting Member of TMP21 Jul 2009 5:29 a.m. PST

900 French Mirage Blue works for me. This might be a bit later than what you want.

Jeremy Sutcliffe21 Jul 2009 5:55 a.m. PST

Thanks all but especially to Connard re "I have all the blues…"

Cheer up!

Connard Sage21 Jul 2009 6:13 a.m. PST

grin

I've got all the reds too, suppose that makes me a Commie…

idontbelieveit21 Jul 2009 6:19 a.m. PST

From what I can tell there was pretty quickly a wide variation in shades of blue. The standard issue was pretty dark blue and then there were lighter shades as replacements were added including some gray and some khaki. I'm going with dark blue for all mine, but YMMV.

Jeremy Sutcliffe22 Jul 2009 1:24 a.m. PST

No Connard it doesn't make you a Commie. Red is the colour of the parties of the Left.

Terry3723 Jul 2009 5:39 p.m. PST

I found a perfect color for Horizon Blue at my local Hobby Lobby. It is FolkArt 639 French Blue. It matches almost spot on for every uniform plate I've held a paint chip I made of it to. I have started painting my 1916-1918 French with it and they look great. Also, a large bottle costs only a dollar. Can't recommend it enough.

Terry

Stahlgewitter07 Oct 2009 12:38 p.m. PST

Now that we have the blue issue straightened out, what about the early period pantalons rouge? Can someone please suggest a Vallejo color that works for this one?

Thanks.

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