"Making Flags for 15mm - Advice Please" Topic

Hi,

Very new to this. Doing some 15mm Napoleonic Hungarians (Austrians). I have purchased the figures from AB and also the AB flag sheet.

Now the flags look very precise and accurate but they are printed on glossy paper and look really bright, precise and sharp.

I've not tried using them yet but I imagine that they are going to look too stark.

Any advice on how to use and improve pre-printed flags or alternative methods .

Painting my own – if it were a tricolour I'd have a go but doubt my skills could run to a double- headed eagle.

Dull them down with matt varnish. When you glue them in place, make sure you bend them as realistically as you can.
Once I had done that, the AB Spanish flags I used looked fine.

It is possible to put on shading and highlights though I'd recommend you practice this first – perhaps a plain version of the flag in white or yellow and then experiment with the shading.
There are various places where you can download flags such as link and link , if only to practice with.

Just order flags from GMB designs or from Flags of War. I promise you won't be disappointed in the product!

I cut to correct size a bit of thin card from Peter Pig or Mini Fig figure packs. Squeeze that round the pole with toothless pin plyers: to shape it in a dry run. Then glue printed flag to card with contact glue from tube. Then glue the whole to the pole: super glue gel in centre (for round pole) contact glue inside the rest of the card.

Flag now tight on pole. Bend a few twists in. Fill edges with a mix of crack filler and wood glue – eg a thick white paste. Paint edges to match flag. Gloss varnish and then matt varnish the flag. Scarf is easily made from used dental floss of certain makes.

I love AB figures and have to admit that I've not tried their flags as I've used GMB ones – they are superb. They don't need to be varnished.

Painting in the cut paper edges very carefully makes a massive difference.

Try sandwiching a small piece of aluminum foil between the sides of the flag, this will allow you shape it without having the folds fall out. I generally make my own flags on my computer.