I had my Irish SAGA army painted in the UK last year (just in time for the 1,000 anniversary of the Battle of Clontarf). Here are some notes that I got from the painter's husband.
Flesh would be light – use Cote D'arms Flesh and GW elf flesh for the majority also Vallejo medium flesh and dark flesh (which isn't dark) –– Clontarf took place in April 1014 – little chance of sun tans by that time of year so avoid sunny skin tone and tanned flesh although Tallin Flesh would do for a couple as some Irish are quite dark skinned/swarthy – I think a hangover from the "little people under the hills" the indigenous Brits.
Hair colouring – mostly dark – black/battlegrey/granite/negro then some mid browns Celtic mousey brown no more than 10% with ginger and blonde hair – Viking influence only just being felt.
Tunics – most figures have tunics – the upper classes would be lighter colours bright is good as they would be linen – which doesn't take darker colours well – Iversun Yellow would relate to the saffron – although that's from a couple of hundred years later. – embroidered hems and also cuffs and colours – for the upper classes these could be darker colours as embroidery.
The lower classes, levies, and some warriors tunics would be duller or simply Cote D'arms Linen, GW bleached bone as undyed bleached linen also Rotting Flesh = unbleached wool and some of the tan colours simple dye stuff or undyed natural fibres – blacks, browns, off-whites.
Other known colours are blue green and red so there is some colours present.
Yellow white and black may be prevalent for warriors/levy – for white I'd go with the bleached bone colours – yellow more the iversun Yellow and black – so dark greys would do as washed many times tunics but we don't really know –
Cloaks
Two types the brat – small semi circular – colours for this are purple, crimson, green, black, blue, yellow, grey, dun – also can be gallic type cheques or even stripes
And furry
Trousers (or trews) – lower class chaps again
Some trews could be striped.
Shields –as usual just do with white face and add LBM transfers – bosses in order of likelihood brass bronze then iron.
Warlords
Named character – Brian Boru – surprisingly no recorded descriptions – we know he is old over 70 or even 80 at Clontarf – so could do white hair. Possibly dressed as priest but not conclusive also begs the question what does an 11th century Irish priest look like.
I fancied green cloak with purple border – orange tunic (Vallejo bright orange) with white border as that blends in the Irish flag colours with the Noble purple but is a bit bright for a priest.
Irish Warlord
High class chap follow upper class instructions
Wolfhounds – surprising variety of colours a modern set of acceptable colours (well to the American Kennel club are "grey, brindle, red, black, pure white, fawn, wheaten and steel grey).
Levy
Covered above – tunicked chaps some with rough cloaks – lack of shoes
Speartips would be chainmail.
returns from Mexico with a new vision for making palm trees from scratch.
