"1914 uniforms painting colour suggestions" Topic

I have recently become interested in gaming the first few months of WW1on the Western Front before everything degenerated into trench warfare. I like the range of 15mm figures produced by QRF and will be using these.
My problem is I'm not sure of the 'correct' colours to paint them. I plan to use the paints produced by Vallejo and my painting style is very simple; one colour and any highlighting is done by using a shading medium such as Army Painter.
Can anybody give me any ideas of colours for the German, Belgian, French and British armies for this early war period please?

I painted up these armies in 10mm. I wouldn't worry on precise color matches as variations still occurred. For French it was dark blue coat, dark red trousers and blue grey kepi cover. Germans it was actually a Vallejo WW2 Feldgrau, Belgians also received a dark blue with medium blue grey trousers. Just do a Google image search "French uniform 1914" etc and match to eye.

There is an old Osprey on the Belgians [that's not that good] and the Germans, and the Germans at least have a new 3-series Osprey. Don't know about the French. Of course, the Brits are very well covered.

Your best bet is P-interest, where people put up most of the color plates from them. True, there isn't any explanation.

Some of the fig manufacturers also have painting guides at their sites. Van Dyck is going to add a tab for research on the Belgians, vandyckmodelsandfigurines.be

Your best bet for the British is Vallejo Khaki. Don't use the British Uniform colour as it is too brown. Best to keep that colour for WW2 ;-)

Robert

After far too much experimentation, I just did some 15mm and also some 28mm early Germans in a mix of 10 parts Vallejo Feldgrau WWII, 1 part Vallejo flat flesh and 1 part white. You can add more flesh or white to make a nice highlight if you want. I lightly brushed on dark tone dip, and picked out a few highlights to finish.
I didn't like just plain Feldgrau WWII
Bill

The British were not wearing WWII green as you see in the movies. It was a shade of light brown. The Germans were not wearing the green/grey uniforms they were later in the war. It was a light grey. They changed it, I think in 1915 to the green/gray uniform. Both versions of gray were called Feldgrau.

link

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The photo of the German Artillery crew is from 1915 or later. I've owned all three pattern German uniforms (07/10, simplified '10, and the 1915 Field Blouse) and have noticed little difference in the field grey color. However, there is a noticeable difference between the WW2 FG and the WW1. In August 1914 not all units in the German Army had yet received the FG uniforms and a few were fielded in their home service dark blue uniforms.
I use a WW2 FG but mix in a little extra light grey to just to lighten the shade a little.

Here isa photo of a 1915 field blouse with an over coat behind

I dunno – I'd describe those Germans as being in "Confederate Gray" personally…forget WWII Feldgrau!

Should point out the shoulder boards on the blouse in the above photo are actually from a 07/10 uniform. This shows the difference between the two FG colors.

Good luck with your project.

"I dunno – I'd describe those Germans as being in "Confederate Gray" personally…forget WWII Feldgrau!"

Don't get me started on the dozen variations of the gray Confederate uniforms!

Drives me crazy to see 1914 Germans painted as 1945 Germans.

Here is the color I use

Thanks to everybody who's given me help and advice on where to look / references. It's all been very helpful. My interest in the period has been whetted by starting to read Barbara Tuchman's book on the outbreak of WW1. Now to go on to Mallinson and Hastings and start painting!

The British were not wearing WWII green as you see in the movies. It was a shade of light brown.

Yes, though there is a distinct green tinge to the WW1 khaki colour – it was not a green or pure brown uniform.

Robert

So Vallejo Khaki would be the best color for early war British?

That's the colour I have used for my 28mm Great War British and Dominion figures, FWIIW.

Robert