"Army of Montrose Part 2 (try again!)" Topic

And so it begins… link

Flags, first peek at new sculpts from Peter Pig, finally settled on a slogan for custom casualty markers, and I have a first stab at 'tartan'

And here's the new PP highlanders (TMP shut down before i could add it to my original post)

I picked up some Khurasan Highlanders to double duty for Montrose and Dundee's . Really nice but a little small if next to Blue Moon. Those PP look really nice. What have you decided about painting tartans?

Tartan painting? I'm on the look out for better eyesight and excellent fine motor skills. Neither of which I currently possess. Oh and buckets of patience. So if anyone knows of an online stockist I'd appreciate it. (Before anyone suggests a magnifier – can't get on with them. Tried a few, just not happening.)
I've had a test of some sample colour schemes, learnt a lot. Main thing I've learnt is I can't paint tartan.

I'm going to attempt some tartans, but I am going to mix in some plain coloured plaids (North American readers please get don't confused here – a plaid is a length of cloth, not a pattern, which was arranged almost toga like to create the great kilt).

Evidence: the Breadalbane Baron Court records of 1622 show maximum prices that could be charged by weavers: a plaid made with 6 ells (an ell was roughly a metre length of cloth) of double-width tartan would cost at least as much to make as a labourer would earn for several week's work. Taking into account the prices of grey and tartan material one could surmise that only the more affluent actually wore multi-coloured tartans. The less well off either wore the same coarse hodden grey as the lowland labourer, perhaps produced by family members, or made do with stitched together rags handed down to them by the lairds or traded in the market place.

Excellent! I thought about that and plan on using a lot of shirt colors and VERY simple plaids as I've got 96 to do.

I find tartan in 15mm can be approximated fairly well with a base colour with a grid painted over it, each junction in the grid having a dot of a brighter version of the grid colour added.
For magnification I get really powerful glasses, you can buy glasses online pretty cheaply these days if know what prescription you want.

Thanks, nice idea. Gonna try it. Project Auldearn has lovely 28mm patterns….superb.

Thanks, I've been experimenting with a few techniques. I agree I've been over complicating things by attempting two overlaid grids of different colours. the casualty markers don't look too shoddy when viewed their actual size, they don't stand up to being magnified.

Base colour with a simple grid is the way to go. There aren't really any great expanses of flat fabric visible on these figures, on which to show off fancy colour schemes.

Currently testing out the 6mm tartan technique – base colour then grid applied by fineliner pen. The pens I have work on the a flat surface, and don't bleed when spray varnish is applied. Next step try the pens out on figures.

My pen check pattern test has worked. Careful colour selection is required though, and a coat of spray varnish is required if you intend doing anymore work on the figure (stops the ink smudging). Very pleased with the results.