"Painting furled flags" Topic

Ok, I am trying to paint some furled flags on 10mm GHQ ACW miniatures. I have concluded that it is insanity to attempt to paint these flags with either the American or Rebel flag. It just is not possible to get a decent paintjob on a furled surface. At least not by me. Which means I will have to cut the flags off both the poles and the figures. Getting them off the back, shoulder and heads of the standard bearer is not going to be easy or pleasant looking.

So first, is there some sort of trick I am missing in painting furled metal flags? I don't think so but maybe. I am hoping.

Second, why in the world do miniature manufacturers insist on providing furled metal flags on flagpoles when they could just give us a metal flagpole and let us print out some online flags???? Now I do like having a bare flagpole. Some manufacturers go overboard and simply don't provide a flagpole or a flag. I guess no flagpole is better than a flagpole with a flag. But then, a bare flagpole is far better than no flagpole and having to fiddle with finding the right wire for a flagpole.

Anyway, rant over.

Not sure why…but the Old Glory flags always seem to be very easy to paint with decent results.

I agree. Old Glory is much easier as they have less furl to their flags-flatter flags. Although I still much prefer a bare flagpole in which I can attach a printed flag. Quick, easy and looks great.

You must be a perfectionist. Just paint it roughly,it will look good from a distance. Just go with the flow, corner to corner. Remember the flag is waving with rolls and creases in it, so you don't need many straight lines. When I paint them, I just put dots for stars. They'll look fine!

Paint first furl second ;) Hmmm. and if they come furled replace and make your own. Print them out. Go over them with your colors and then furl.

Buy flags from The Flag Dude. Can't be beat.

Just to be clear, furled refers to a flag that is rolled up and secured. When a flag is unrolled and flapping in the breeze it is unfurled.

When I read the headline for this discussion, I thought it might be about the 10mm GHQ flagbearers marching with furled flags carried on their shoulders in which case I was going to suggest just painting the flag portion some shade of black because when flags were furled, they were often covered with an oilcloth sleeve to protect them from the elements.

If painting a furled US flag without the oilskin cover, all you would see is the red and white stripes and the fringe. CSA flags would be a bit more difficult but you could always print out a CSA battle flag and roll it up around a rod that's the roughly the scale equivalent of a flagpole to see what's still visible of the pattern.

Thanks for that clarification P.H.

When I first read this thread, I was thinking "Wait, I think they have their terms confused, since a furled flag is all rolled up". And then thought it better to just shut up and say nothing, because I'm no expert in the ACW, and for all I knew, that term meant something completely different

(Example, I recently learned that a "cornfield" in the USA does not mean stalks of corn growing in a field in Europe).

Glad to know that a furled flag in the ACW is the same as a furled flag today.

Well I learned something new today. I have always considered furled as the furls in a flag. The indentations in a waving flag. I was wrong. I think that is the second time this year I was wrong. Age is creeping up on me.

However I still have problems painting flags with many little deep curls in the surface.

I knew what a furled flag was, but I thought he must have meant unfurled because I knew that furled flags would be normally covererd with an oilcloth. So, I was correct about my assumption. Sorry I didn't correct you, I think I was a bit confused even though I knew what you meant!