"Painting Belts on 6mm Figures" Topic

Writing in Battlegames magazine, Bob Barnetson explains his approach to painting belts on 6mm figures:

[Saying that he paints "very visible" belts and straps] I pay more attention to belts and straps on horse-and-musket figures because they often present a nice contrast with the coat color. On ancient and medieval figures, a brown belt over a dark jerkin or mail is not worth the effort…

Do you agree?

* yes, that's how I do it
* no, I never paint the belts
* no, I paint all the belts
* I don't paint 6mm figures

* no, I paint all the belts

* no, I paint all the belts

Phil

Mostly yes, that's how I do it. Depends on the contrast in colours more than the period.

Also, I don't use paint and brush. There is a special kind of pen….the name of which escapes me for the moment…..

I paint the belts.

* no, I paint all the belts

On a single figure a brown belt on a dark jerkin or mail may seem pointless but en masse the smallest details can change the look of a 6mm unit.

Matt

I'm too busy working on the eyes…

* no, I paint all the belts

Doug

* no, I paint all the belts

Need a 5th option, *I paint what is sculpted no matter what.

In the gunpowder uniform periods, 17th Century and later, I agree that straps and belts should be painted even if not sculpted.

A little of a moot point as I am probably not doing 6mm anymore. Just couldn't get the rest of my close group to jump in :-( Will be doing 15mm and 10mm for the most part from now on. Stay tuned to the marketplace! :-)

* no, I paint all the belts

* no, I paint all the belts

And you can check… fogsoldiers.it …

Happy Wargaming to All!

I paint the belts when they are a contrasting color. It is often easier to paint the base color belt as best you can then to paint the space around it the appropriate uniform color to define it than paint the actal belt itself.

Belts all paint I.

Ah,well, I get around it by buying only figures with large overhanging beer gut so that you can't see their belts.

If it is on the figure, I'm painting it.

I agree with McKinstry!

I don't half- the job for the sake of having colour on my figs!

* yes, that's how I do it

Paint the belts.

Belts, paint, do I, Yes.

*no I paint all the belts

I did paint the black belts and straps on my ACW Union infantry, but they barely show up unless the figures are only a few inches away from the eye. I'll probably still do them when I get round to finishing the army off; will definitely do so on the Rebs as they will be more visible against grey/butternut.

* yes, that's how I do it

The effect is the thing. And here are my 6mm FPW that Bob Barnetson (the author) painted:

The command stand is my sample, but it looks like it got dipped by Bob… You can clearly see the belts.

Dale

* No, I paint all the belts,and cords-well not exactlllly…
only where they contrast colors…I use my miracle wash for white on white. I prime black, and the white drybrush gets well modeled white belts-I wash the coat color in around it-usually they need a quick stroke of bright white to touch up the contrast before the wash does the rest of the deliniation, but that's all. Black belts get a stroke of black wash where the white has flecked across them-and they are a highlighted black (better if you finish low gloss). I like the method because I want quality and speed/quantity both. It works on figures as well modeled as Adler, I doubt so well on less detailed ones. I'll try to get my camera off the robs-a-retard setting and get a pic to illustrate…BTW

Hugely in agreement with Matt's (matthew83) post. The whole "look" of a figure or unit depends on the details, even if not precisely visible, they make an impression that clearly sets a great looking unit apart from a good one.

The force is strong with you yesitsme.

Cerdic-
I tried a rapidograph once-but the tips are too sharp for drawing on paint (they seemed to be,but..maybe my technique)
If theres something else available I would love to give it a try: anything to get great results AND mass production!

Only where obvious.

I go for an impressionist approahc so I'll pick out the hightlights, this often includes the belts particularly if they are in a nice contrasting colour.

There is litle point in picking out KG3 blancoed webbing on British WW2 figures as it is essentialy the same colour as the uniform, I'll do the packs and universal pouches as a highlight though.

I also do the belts and packs on 2mm figures, where they provide an interesting contrast.

I paint the belts but sometime I cheat & use a pen.

* yep, that's what I do

Paint the detail what is there and often the detail which is not.