"Following the Box Art" Topic

When painting, do you follow the Box Art or official color scheme?

Historicals don't allow for creativity unless you have Pink Old Guard or something. Perhaps you invent a regiment.

I don't buy figures in boxes but I do use historical uniform colours where appropriate.

I have never considered painting from a box or knew it was an option. Must be because I do not buy figures that are boxed. Researching the forces, uniforms and history behind the units I am painting is a large part of the hobby to me.

Ah, yes! Back in my Airfix days . . .

I did buy some Irish in a box 10 years ago or so, and didn't so much paint them just like the box art as was inspired by the box art.

Grelber

Sometimes a little creative reworking of historical uniforms can make for an interesting unit on the table.

Many years back one of our group did up a small 6-figure unit of the Sailors of the Imperial Guard (Marins de la Garde Imperiale). One of the figures had an eye patch, the second had a peg-leg, the third had his shako plume replaced with a parrot, the fourth had a pigtail with a red ribbon, the drummer had a dirk held between his teeth, and the officer had a hook for his missing hand. Aaarrr.

I do my own research.

An old plastic modeller's tip – whenever you get stuck or burned out on a carefully researched super-detailed kit, set it aside, and build a new, unrelated model straight out of the box. Use only the decals or parts that came with the new model, and paint it according to the box art. Finish it in a day if possible.

It is fun, and it works wonders. I paint a box of Fallout miniatures using the box art as a guide whenever one of my big historical projects gets bogged down.

Generally, no.

If I tried to follow the box, I'd wind up with all my figures in USPS red/white/blue stripes, federal yellow, or cardboard brown (and a few form the UK or Japan would need twine). There is no "box art" for anything I order.

- Ix