"Dark Age Scots Clothing" Topic

I am getting ready to paint some Scots for Saga. I was wondering if anyone had some suggestions on clothing colors and patterns for the period.

Check out Richard Scollins art on google, he did a lot darkage illustrations (which I have used for painting Scots and Irish.
Cheers happy painting and playing

Weren't they usually "more naked than I can say"…?

I would go with vegetable colours Reds and greens, as well as various greys and browns, richer elements could have brighter colours and borders.

In a lot of ways, think Viking for colours.

I think Yellow Admiral has it right for the majority- 'Breechless and Barbarous Scots'

Is it kind of cold up there to be running around in the old birthday suit?

I think herkybird has the right idea, but I would add that the Scots were notably fond of saffron dyes in the later Medieval era, so it's quite possible they had them in the early Medieval period too. I painted my Scots with a lot of garments in dirty yellows, ivories, yellow-tans, etc. mixed in.

Picts are often depicted with bright colors and fun patterns (checks, stripes, etc.), but there's no telling if that continued into the post-Pictish period. There's argument about when plaid was developed, but Celts had woven stripes as far back as Ceasar's day, so who knows? You can't go wrong with basic mono-color garments, maybe with fancy hems on the richer folk, but I don't think anyone would object if you used Pict-like or Celt-like checkered or striped patterns.

- Ix

Thanks everyone. I was curious about the development of plaids at that point. Might throw in a couple patterns for the hearth guard but the poor guys will be plain.

Early, pre-Dark-Age, tartan fragment at link

Article on the leine (the saffron shirt) in Ireland and Scotland at albanach.org/articles.html

My impression is that stripes are, at least in part, an economic argument. You get pretty colors, without having to buy enough dye for the entire garment. I haven't done Scots, but my Irish levies are wearing sheep colors with maybe a little color for the trim. Sometimes there would be stripes made from different natural colors of wool, off white and dark brown, for instance. Warriors get more color and less natural wool.

Grelber

Check out Ebob Miniatures. He's got a whole line of Wallace era Scots and Brits. There is also a very good tutorial for painting tartans. It's easier than you think.