Hello

What are the things I should concentrate on and what should I not regarding SYW?   I have ordered a Prussian army and looking at the detailed uniforms on the Seven Years war project page I am curious as to what I am going to do.   Has anybody painted SYW figures and do you have any suggestions?

Thanks

Hi Bradley,

The key is not to panic!   6mm is all about what you DON'T paint as much as what you do.   I've just finished an article on painting Prussian infantry.  I've outlined a slightly more advanced version of the one outlined in the 'How To' section of this site - if you haven't already read this, then do so.

There are just seven basic steps:

• Blue - coat
• Red - Facings, cravat
• White - breeches, waistcoat, straps
• Flesh
• Brown - Hair, musket stock
• Light grey or silver - Musket barrel and bayonet

There's all sorts of buttons, lacing and doo dahs been omitted from this process, but with the right flag and an nice basing job, this lot will look pretty good.

This method involved dabs, lines and dots rather than the blanket drybrushing of the one in the How To section, and takes a wee bit longer, but I still took this unit to completion in under an hour.

Thank you Peter!

I will search out your'e recent article.  This has been most helpful for when my little minions arrive!   I will blatantly try my best to copy your'e excellent work posted above.  I am not going to panic.  I am married, so therefore nothing scares me!

Bradley

I read your'e how too and it seems you use a size 1 brush?   How in the world do you dot the faces with a size 1?   Is it just brush control, very little paint on the tip etc?   I have been painting up some larger 15mm figures and using a 2/0 for faces and its not super easy.   I have painted 28s for a long time and I am not scared of painting 6mm just really curious about the brush brand and size that you use.

Thanks

Bradley

I think my problem is this brush even though small has no tip.  I wanted a small brush and didnt want to order one I was impatient so picked one up at the big box hobby store in town.  it cost my under 4 dollars and well I guess I get what I pay for!

Brad

Ok so first three strips done!   They were so much fun to paint.  The white on the rim of the hats was the hardest part and I havent managed to get it to look right.  But other than that after a wash they look pretty good.   My wife was in disbelief how they managed to look like little soldiers so I will take that as a win!    Hopefully I can figure out a set of rules to use with them!

Hi Bradley,

You have discovered the golden rule.  Get decent brushes!   It's the point that counts, not the nominal size.

Hat lace is tricky, but worth the effort.  I cheat and use a very fine white paint pen.  It is brilliant for this job.

FInally, only judge your paint job once the unit is painted, flagged  and based.   Even the most basic of 6mm paint jobs will excel if you do a halfway decent job of presentation.

Well I need to invest in a pen.  I am happy with how they are looking.   They are not up to youre standard yet but compared to what others are selling online etc I think I am doing fine and will only get better.   I will take some photos and post.  Not to brag because they are nothing to brag about but just to show what my first attempt at S'YW looks like so I can compare it to a few months from now.    I have noticed that looking at them on the table its impossible to tell the difference between guys you spend a ton of time on and guys you just paint.   I am going to order basing stuff and some more guys from you in a few minutes.

Thanks for all of youre help Peter!

Bradley I ordered a prussian SYW army pack some months ago and I'm at work. Untill now I painted six infantry battallions (three regiments on two battallions each, 1st, 5th and 8th), two cuirassiers regiments and two gun batteries and I'm going to order also an Austrian army pack to have an enemy to face :) .

In the photos I loaded you can see a battallion of the 5th infantry regiment. Several regiments had straw-yellow colour breeches and waistcoats (some other also lemon yellow) instead of white (but had white the greatest number), as is the case for 5th. This regiment has straw-yellow also the facings (cuffs, collar and lapels).

The coat turnbacks on the back are always red, with the exceptions of a cuple of regiments, for standard infantry.

Note the NCOs which have gold lace on tricorn hat edges instead of white.

I'm using Osprey books for sources. If you want I can give you some tips for specifical units. Actually now I'm focusing on regiments presents at Leuthen battle.

I'll post other photos very soon, as well as works proceeds.

Very nice minis