"What color do you paint the back of your shields?" Topic

Specifically during Punic wars.
Thanks

Depends on the detail.

Wooden if the back appears to be planked otherwise leathery.

As Jim says.

Normally some shade of brown.

I normally do an earth color (like umber) but have seen some drawings that have it the same color as the front

Some sort of brown.

Dark brown.

There is some suggestion that internal colour may have been a dulled version of the front colour.

I would go with a red brown colour.

Red

Brown – with a rough highlight. No one looks there anyway.

..sometimes I don't bother, just leave it undercoated [hangs head in shame]

A light brown (almost tan).

Rob

I myself would go with some neutral color such as light brown, but I have seen some examples of shields from before and after the Punic Wars that had the interior painted some color or other. Some Greek shields, for example. Though a much later example, the Roman shields found at Dura Europos had interiors painted with elaborate designs.

Medium brown.

If Roman, same colour as the front.

Roman a shade of red brown.

Others the same shade as spear shafts – currently a medium brown.

various types of Wood, leather, dull red etc.

Red, for those armies who painted the insides of their shields red, otherwise a dull brown.

Generally a medium brown. I painted some Republican Roman shields the same color front and back and I didn't like the way it looked.

I finally settled on black although arms, hands, and iron/bronze fittings would be their appropriate colors.

may not be historic but the same color as the front

Usually a colour representing wood.

For me I paint them dark brown…like scorched brown. If the figure has a black undercoat, I just leave the backs black. Mind you I collect in 15mm and the shields are usually sculpted onto the figure.

I use a leather brown