| Baconfat | 09 Jul 2014 8:48 p.m. PST |
Please help, I'm currently working painting on Perry metal Reservists (pn 35, 37, and 38), but I can't find a decent reference on painting their backpacks. They don't look like the standard Prussian, French, or English packs. There isn't alot of strapping. I'm only guessing they should be a cheap canvas type thing, possibly died black, but the Perry sculpted the packs to look fairly stiff. They don't have the softer skin look. thanks in advance,
Baconfat |
| Glengarry5 | 09 Jul 2014 11:28 p.m. PST |
According to Osprey the backpacks were indeed made of (Unbleached)canvas. |
| von Winterfeldt | 10 Jul 2014 4:26 a.m. PST |
it would depend on the regiment, some had British equipment and British back packs as well – others – as mentioned above, unbleached canvas. |
| Baconfat | 10 Jul 2014 5:04 a.m. PST |
Thanks Glengarry5 and von Winterfeldt |
| Camcleod | 10 Jul 2014 9:16 a.m. PST |
Knotel shows a squared yellow/tan pack. Maybe painted or made out of canvas. Straps similar to the British layout. link |
| wrgmr1 | 10 Jul 2014 5:59 p.m. PST |
Glengarry5 has it, unbleached canvas which could be anything from white to pale grey. |
| Baconfat | 10 Jul 2014 8:31 p.m. PST |
Thanks everyone, Vallejo's Game Color Bonewhite with maybe a light brown wash should make a nice unbleached canvas against the white straps. Camcleod, thanks for the Knotel picture. |
| Jcfrog | 11 Jul 2014 3:58 a.m. PST |
They could also have a lot of captured French ones. That would be logical for those battalions with French equipment, e.g. from the Halle depot. |
| von Winterfeldt | 11 Jul 2014 8:05 a.m. PST |
Yes indeed – shakos made from straw as well. |
| Baconfat | 11 Jul 2014 7:22 p.m. PST |
Straw!? Desperate times, you must be pulling my leg. |
| von Winterfeldt | 11 Jul 2014 11:19 p.m. PST |
No – there exist even contemporary prints about this – either straw with a shako cover over it – or pure straw, desperate times, yes indeed. |
| Musketier | 14 Jul 2014 12:47 p.m. PST |
Indeed, the look of the Prussian shako was everything, with the raised front as opposed to the straight French model. Apparently this was a key friend/foe recognition item. At a pinch it could be achieved with plaited straw, or fabric over a wire frame, either with the standard oilskin cover or painted (tarred?) black, and a white circle to mimic the cockade. Needs must… As for the canvas knapsacks, when time permitted these were waterproofed with a yellowish, oil-based paint. |
paints a Napoleonic caricature.