"6mm Adler French Infantry test figures" Topic

Hello everyone,

I have been trying for a while to get back into painting and these 6mm figures seem to be what I enjoy the most. Here are some close-ups and more table length pictures of my Adler French Fusiliers. These are pre-1812 infantry.

The figure on the far left face is painted with a lighter base color compared to the rest, which has a darker base. I think I like the darker base.

Let me know what you think.

Thank you
Michael

Beautiful brushwork and very nice approach for 6mm.

Silver over blue – do you also do gold over red?

OK, I will admit this.

Seeing that manicure, next to figures in this scale, with those facial highlights, I maybe do need to listen to SWMBO and work on my cuticles ( a part of my anatomy I did not even know I had at one stage).

The edging of the belts I struggled within 28mm. But this is incredible

Prince and Deadhead,

Thank you for the kind comment. Adler miniatures are so detailed. I just finished these French light infantry and they even have a short sword for 6mm! I wish they didn't have straps because they are hard to paint!

Test figures for Carabiners of the 10e Legere.

Stoppage what do you mean?

They are very effective and nice.

So, my test painting of 6mm Napoleonics taught me that I didn't want to paint armies at that scale. The problem was not the level of detail, but the amount of time it took, and the realization that from more than a foot away, nobody could see the detail. From 3-4 foot away, I couldn't see which army they belonged to

I'm a prime white guy, partly because I have difficulty getting coverage over black and partly because I love to use washes.Your figures are the best example I have ever seen of how successful prime black/dark can be, your painting is truly amazing

At the end of the day, I find the painting is done for my pleasure more than anything else. Nobody other than other wargamers understands. Half of wargamers will compliment your figures, the other half will also compliment, but secretly think that you are completely insane to paint to such a high level of detail, and they have a very good point

Your painting is fantastic and you are going to end up with armies that will be absolute jewels

John

Thank you for the nice comments!

However the overall goal is a diorama of the Battle of Thann. Gonna try to finish a company of 120 men for the 3e Ligne, but not sure what color would show the sky blue of the drummers. My research on the men who fought and died has really influenced my choice of going back to 6mm. Plus I have tons of Adler miniatures and still furloughed!

For me the most important part is the face and making sure to leave some black. I have been influenced by these great painters. link
link

Wow – great work! Good tips for painting 6mm

Drummer sky blue

In my opinion, the smaller the miniature, the brighter the colors should be. Close up, they might look too bright, but from any kind of distance they look much darker. I use a magnifier and seriously bright lights when I paint, your pictures have that degree of enlargement as well and it is easy to forget what they look like from further away, and under more normal lighting

I did a test paint of some strips of 3mm French. I used the brightest colours I had. From the typical wargamers' ooh, aah distance, they look just right

I'd love to see more of your work in progress and the final diorama

John

Truly superb paint jobs on such small figures – it's a shame the figures let down the overall appearance with their over-sized heads (the head should make up about 1/8th of body height but Adler seem to use 1/4, i.e. twice as big!).

Handsome paint jobs indeed.

Well apart from the fact that the 1/8 ratio is an ideal 'adonis' proportion which few people ever attain figures are 'cartoons, the smaller the scale the more cartooned.
These figures are designed to be seen en masse

greatly enlarged ( almost x10)close ups of induvidual figs are a bit missleading.
L

Leon,

I believe your figures are the most detailed figures available and my favorite. I don't think it is the head that is big, but the shako and plume, but this makes figures easy to identify from far away. Overall, en masse they look great and I like seeing the larger battalions.

I will post a pic of the drummer and some wounded and dead. I always struggle with the color as I prefer darker blue or indigo, but from far away it looks to dark. Plus I seem to be horrible and the 3 step painting style, so 6mm where I only highlight once works better for my painting style. I know some who paint them like 28mm, but I think one highlight works well. I may have to try a white primer and then a wash to help with finding more details. Thanks for all the comments.

Michael

very nice painting and also I like the darker primed one better.
Leon Adler makes a very convincing point, look at the incredible good looking British unit.

In case you use a white primer you could do a wash with natural umber or a very dark violet – Paynes grey works also quite well, use artist acrylics for that – they will flow nicely and sort of create a skin.

Two Russian 1805-1807 regiments fighting the French! Notice Russian mitre helmets and greatcoats! Even though 6 mm you can still get a lot of detail!

Cheers from Transported Texan! (now living in California!)….

Not a fan of the 'caricature' form but I understand the 'masse' effect alright.

I'd use more black on the bayonets to subdue them, just a single stroke of silver down 1 edge perhaps; cords I'd break into smaller 'flashes' (no need for a continuous thread- just as I do on my 25s).

A pale 'dust' coating over the top of shakoes will tone down the depth of darkness; vary the shades of greatcoats will help immensely; and lighten the plumes by using a pale red and then just a 'fluke' of dry brush darker colour randomly over its length. I'd also trim or shorten plums a tad, and bend over slightly as they do not remain erect for long except on parades.
Cheers d

Thank you for the advice. I use to add a dark grey around the shako tops which I think I will add again and leave more black between the pompom and plume. Here are dead and wounded and a cornet from the 3e Ligne.

Thanks
Michael

great work but try white undercoating and then a heavy wash of a dark colour, details will pop and you have already dark lining on those places required, I found this easier on my eyes.

von W,

I will try a few with white primer and I believe I have a darker wash somewhere. I have found the less I paint the whole figure and the more black I leave showing, the more in-person at least the details pop out. For example, I was painting the whole pants white, but I found if I paint the front and back white, and leave between the legs black they will pop out more.

All I need now is some officer casualties and I am set. I may also buy some greatcoated figures as this is the most likely uniform for the mid April battle in the snow/rain/ cold weather of early campaign of 1809.

Stoppage what do you mean?

Sorry – I mistook picture #4 to have blue-painted bayonets – re-looking it was an effect of the lighting.

Gold over red / Silver over blue

Picture frames often have the gesso undercoated in red and then gold leaf applied over the top – adds contrast and saves gold!

Similarly for silver leaf – blue undercoat.

Indeed use the shadows already created by the primer for sort of "fine" lining but also for shadow effects, this will create much more definition.
For that reason you have to apply a dark wash over the white primer.

>>Indeed use the shadows already created by the primer for sort of "fine" lining but also for shadow effects, this will create much more definition.<<

Agreed completely. In any scale it just makes it easier to identify. Try not to 'over work' areas of some figures, if some stay darker just leave them. Whether dark or light, the variation is better viewed 'en masse' anyway.

The underscoring rules need to be followed: white needs a slightly darker base cream/ sand; yellow and red need a white base; browns should be dark with a highlight shade atop; details need a dark undertone, then a flash of actual colour on top, not solids. Epaulettes and plumes acquire a 'depth or textured effect' from doing so.
All the best, d

Thanks for the comments.

At the moment I am going for 1 to 1 scale so I find this the easiest way to paint and enjoy it at the same time. I will add the tips put forth here and keep posting the newer stuff soon. I just finished some voltigeurs. I like the way they look from far away and enjoying the painting and research I have done that allows me to understand the men who were killed and wounded. You find out some really unique details when you look deeper than what may be commonly known.

I agree very good looking from a distance, so maybe no change at all.

von W,

Thank you, but looking at the voltigeur cornet coat it needs to be lighter I believe. I will add some white to the lake blue color I use. I am going to try some drummers tonight and Grenadiers with bearskins tomorrow to see how they look.

The last test figures 3e Ligne Grenadiers in bearskins. I tried a beige color for the rolled up greatcoats to add variety.

Will need to make some conversions for grenadier drummers, but should only need 8 altogether.

Michael

First and most important…those are very beautiful 6mm French Grenadiers! But "MC" your paint job makes them even more "realistic' !!
Excellent work!

18C Texan,

Thank you, I was inspired by your large Russian battalions to paint 3 deep large battalions! 6mm is the perfect scale for larger armies, and Adler miniatures are so detailed. I follow a few painters who somehow are able to paint each crossbelt perfectly and leave a small black line. I need to focus on leaving more black.

Michael

A small update. Voltigeur officer and fusilier officer wearing the 3e Ligne Surtout. Also, a wounded grenadier. I painted some 3e Ligne drummers, which look good in person, but for some reason the pictures are showing them too light compared how they are painted. Still overall, I am happy.

Michael

MarbotsChasseurs

Great images and painting. I was actually considering selling my Adler thousands and going up a scale or two. But as soon as I see them on the field of battle and in images on websites, I find myself changing my mind again, no matter how difficult they are to paint at times. Got some Guard French, Prussians and Austrians lined up for the next paint job.

Gazzola,

I completely understand! I have so many Bavarians to paint that I really have no desire to start, but I got inspired when I visited my parents to paint some Frenchies. I will add a link to my blog that shows the three websites that helped me the most to learn how to paint 6mm. It is all about doing the same thing over and over again like an assembly line!

Link to my blog: uniformingthepast.blogspot.com

Link of one of the paiting guides: link

Michael

MarbotsChasseurs

I think sometimes it is the thought of having to paint the same thing over and over, mainly because the effect is not really known until you have them based and ready to go. But you just have to get stuck in and look forward to and enjoy the end result. Plus I find it sometimes helps if you come across units or nationalities that you have not painted up before, such as, in my case, I plan to paint up some Danish and Swedish units – eventually!

Gazzola,

I agree with you! The French have variation so it doesn't get too boring, but Austrians with all the white and only different colors of cuffs, collars, and turnbacks can be frustrating at times, but like you said when you have them all based the effect is worth the wait.

Michael

MarbotCasseurs

Yes, the French and their allies make for more colourful painting generally but I think you might a little too harsh concerning the Austrians. Yes, there is a lot of white or grey but there are more colourful units that don't make repetitive painting become such a chore. For example, you get the white with blue trousers of the Hungarian infantry and the brown of the artillery. And the Austrian cavalry can be quite colourful, albeit you would have to consider painting them in full dress rather than campaign uniforms. For example, a quick look offers the 4th Hussars, wearing a blue shako, green jackets and red trousers (full dress, 1805), and there is also the yellow czapka and green uniform of the 1st Uhlans. They both look very colourful and will make a nice change to the usual Austrian whites and greys. Images of them can be found in the Osprey MAA 181 Austrian Army of the Napoleonic Wars (2) Cavalry By Philip Haythornthwaite, Plates D & E.

I wish I hadn't seen them now because those two units might just be jumping the queue over the Danes and Swedes I planned to paint up. I think painting Austrians units next has been inspired by recently receiving my copy of Gills latest book covering the Battle of Znaim, which actually contains a colour image of an Austrian Uhlan.

I guess the main problem, in terms of boredom painting, is our own making by choosing the 6mm scale. You tend to end up painting so many to create bigger armies. But, thankfully, they look so good in the end which makes it all worth while.

Gazzola,

The white on the Austrian uniforms with the different facing colors actually makes them look smart to me. However, I have always liked the Grenzer infantry with white or brown and light blue. My personal favorite is the green of the Uhlans. Reading Saski's book you get some great information about Colonel Meda's daily fight with the Austrian Uhlans before the first main battle of the campaign. Would be a great skirmish game for sure!

When I return home I shall paint again and hopefully make a few more posts.

Michael

MarbotsChasseurs

Yes, I think all the armies and nations involved in the Napoleonic period have their attractions, unit, uniform and combat wise, which I think helps make the period all that more interesting.

Talking of which, I've had a quick dip into Gill's latest title and there seems quite a bit of action to get stuck into and enjoy, with large and small combats. In terms of painting, I keep saying I will do them tomorrow but painting keeps getting put off for one reason or another. I have had two units almost completed for quite a while, they just need a few touch ups and basing. Then I'll see what to tackle next. I'm leaning towards some French Guards units (Flanquers) and Austrian and Prussians. Problem is, I want to paint them all up at the same time. But I'll get there, eventually.

Gazzola,

Gill's new book is great. The smaller battles before Znaim are interesting to read about as well. I paint a little bit of this and a little bit of that! It is nice to have some change, but makes it harder to get units done!

Michael

MarbotsChasseurs

My 'eventually' seems to be getting further away. I find myself reading that much that I feel too tired to paint. So I keep telling myself not to worry, there's no rush, plenty of time. They will get painted, eventually – just need to read a few more chapters first. LOL