"1870 Bavarian Uniform Color" Topic

I want to experiment with some 1871 Bavarians and I'm having trouble with the basic uniform color.

I've seen too many different shades and can't settle on what might be best for my figures are 25mm – 1/72

Thanks for any help you can provide.

I want to experiment with some 1871 Bavarians and I'm having trouble with the basic uniform color.

I've seen too many different shades and can't settle on what might be best for my figures are 25mm – 1/72

Thanks for any help you can provide.

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You will see a lot of very lightly colored uniforms in many paintings and other people's collections. I've heard it was because the dyes the Bavarian army used faded to a light blue-grey very quickly.

That said, although I haven't painted my Bavarians yet, I'm planning on using Vallejo Andrea Blue 70.841 or Deep Sky Blue 70.844 because it will make them a lot more distinct than the other blue coated figures all over the table.

Also this is an earlier time period, but may be a good way of balancing the "actual" color with what so many people expect if all they've seen are colorized plates:

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The infantry is cornflower blue which is a light blue. All the cavalry is the same except the Uhlans and Chevaulegers, they are green. The artillery is a dark blue similar to the Prussian Infantry.

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Cornflower blue is NOT a light blue (like sky blue), but a BRIGHT blue. There is a difference (ask an artist friend). I use Ceramcoat Mediterranean.

Yes it is just look at the period drawings. I use Delta Ceramcoat Ocean Reef Blue. Flickr Link.

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I paint my Bavarians the same colour as everyone else seems to, a pale blue They certainly stand out compared to their Prussian Blue comrades.

And yes, I know it isn't the same colour as actual cornflowers.

Bavarian's seem to get painted in a blue shade that mirrors that on the flag of Bavaria- however the actual uniform blue was actually a much darker colour. Contemporary descriptions of "light blue" simply mean a blue lighter than the usual (at that time) indigo blue as used by the French and Prussians. Bavarian blue uniforms in the Napoleonic through to the 1870's would be a darkish and dull mid-blue by today's reconing. They may have faded in time somewhat of course, just like any other colours. Strangely though nobody ever seems to paints British units in a correct dull brick red either.

Thanks for all the comments and links. I've seen a few of the period drawings, but even with those there were some differences of shade.

I use a mix of paints, and the craft paints are the most readily available for me, so I'll take a look those suggestions next week and then at some others if those don't have the right look (to my eye at least).

I managed to study some original coats belonging to a German museum – and the shades of the "light/medium blue" differ a lot. And if you read the text of Müller/Braun you get remarks that the coat became darker during the 1840-1860s years.

So, at least I won't be a "color slave" as the manufacturing process had an uneven output regarding sizes and colors. You will be right to paint your Bavarians in a more medium blue (as shown by Knötel or Louis Braun – cf. the links above with the Bavarians of 1870).

Greetings from Berlin
Markus Stein

The Bavarian uniform in les Invalides is a definite greenish shade of medium blue.

Slight variations within a battalion can be a good thing.

I just finished the uniform part of the Bavarian infantry 1870-71 – equipment and weapons to follow soon.

Just look at link … some images added to show the uniform colors.

Greetings from Berlin
Markus Stein