I do not like painting horses.
For some reason, I never ever seem to be able get horses right ... and my latest attempt - which was to paint some cavalry for my FUNNY LITTLE WARS/PORTABLE WARGAME ARMY BLACK have been an unmitigated disaster!
I have put my efforts to one side, and will leave them for a couple of days until I feel motivated enough to give painting them another go. As a result, my current project has stalled ... but only temporarily. In the meantime, I have other non-wargaming things to do over the next few days. First and foremost amongst these is sorting out our home office, which has never really been touched since it was built when our loft conversion was done. Things had reached a point where I was beginning to 'lose' things that I needed, and the time has now come to have a good sort out and to rationalise what is in there.
I suspect that once started, this is a project that will take several days (and several trips to the local charity shops and/or recycling centre) to complete, so if you don't hear from me for a couple of days, that is what I will be doing!
With luck, doing something like this will revitalise my desire to get those horses painted. They might not look good when they are done, but at least they will be done!
I always get painters block when it comes to horses. The best I can manage with the beasts is a basic block colour, different coloured mane and tail (sometimes) and a nose blaze and white socks. That's stressful enough!
ReplyDeleteBarry Carter,
DeleteI’ll give that approach a try. I tried using shading … and it did not go well. I may well have to start again … or even buy some new horses from Irregular or Essex Miniatures.
All the best,
Bob
Funny enough Bob I really enjoy painting horses and regard it as something of a speciality, I have a few established colours and a long tried and tested method now although it did take a number of years before I discovered the method. I can give you a few basic tips?
ReplyDelete‘Lee,
DeleteAny tips would be very welcome! I usually use a grey undercoat on my figures and then block paint in the detail. On this occasion I tried using a colour wash on the horses … and it looked really grungy and the effect was not at all what I wanted.
All the best,
Bob
Bob, how many horses are you needing to paint? is it just the horses with separate riders? If you wanted to send them to me I could do a little tutorial? On me of course :)
Delete‘Lee,
DeleteThank you for you kind offer.
I have eight Hussars and a couple of mounted generals to paint. My original figures were Irregular Miniatures where the figures came moulded on the horses, but I have replaced them with some Essex Miniatures separate horses and riders. I’d like to try painting them myself, but if I make a complete mess, please can I come back to you and take up your kind offer.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteI'm with you as I have an aversion to painting horses and always seemed to leave them to be last on the list. I'm looking at building up a Fantasy Dwarf Army for future games - this'l be fun to do. Good luck with re-sorting your Office/Study Area - it tends to clear the mind when things are sorted out all neat and tidy with everything accounted for. Best Wishes. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteI think that my aversion to painting horses stems from when I used to help a blacksmith to shoe them. They can bite and stamp on your feet if you are not careful. When they do that to you, it tends to put you off them!
Good luck with your Fantasy project. The grand sort out is progressing well, and although I am taking a break at the moment, I intend to carry on later today and tomorrow.
All the best,
Bob
How about having them ride elephants instead? I imagine they would be easier to paint? And only one color too. (stifling a chuckle).
ReplyDeleteDalethewarganer,
DeleteA nice idea … but have you ever tried painting the 15mm buns you would have to feed them with …and what about the mess they leave behind?
All the best,
Bob
I used to paint horses using the Peter Gilder method which was oils on white undercoat wiped of with a sponge (those you get in figure packaging). To cut down on drying time, I invested in some Linquin which also made the oil paint more liquid. I discovered you can also get water based oil paint, which while it sounds like an oxymoron, is real. It uses water soluble linseed oil. You can also get a medium which cuts drying time. The downside is they are messy, but all you need are sienna and umbar which last forever. I've done it on 15mm, but it's a lot harder.
ReplyDeleteAs an alternative, I'd recommend the Colour Party horse colours - acrylics but in a medium that means they dry semi-gloss and are ready mixed horse colours.
I have used them exclusively on the plastic Spencer Smiths on my blog just applied a block colours over black undercoat.
http://www.colourparty.co.uk
They do a pack as well as the individual colours which is slightly cheaper, there's also a page on painting tips for horses. No connection other than as satisfied customer.
For something more exotic:
https://www.cassart.co.uk
Look up oil paint, water mixable.
Neil
Neil Patterson (Neil),
DeleteThank you for the excellent advice. Water-based oil paint does sound a bit like of a contradiction in terms, but I’ll certainly investigate this further.
All the best,
Bob
I paint each horse individually so no two in the same army are alike, but try this: body medium brown. Main and tail dark brown or black. Then apply a fairly dark wash before painting the horse furniture. Then add white stockings and blazes or snips, but don't give every horse four, mix it up, some two or three. This will give you a nice looking unit without every horse being the same. If you're feeling adventurous paint a few of them lighter or darker brown or grey.
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteThat sounds like a simple method to use, and I may well give it a try.
All the best,
Bob
Hate painting horses too. I try to stick to armies where they are not the predominant arm. I’ve just suffered through the production of 8 Lancers for my VSF collection and I’m trying not to think about the Prussian Uhlans I’ve still to do. Feeling your pain.
ReplyDeleteThe Jolly Broom Man,
DeleteI am glad that I am not alone in disliking having to paint horses, but some of the ideas that have been suggested that I use sound promising, and I am going to give them a go.
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob
ReplyDeleteA second recommendation for the Peter Guilder method. I have always been a "neat" wargame figure, as opposed to artistic. I am good with blocks of colour and sharp lines. Never been very good with shading, and particularly rubbish with horses.
Many, many, many years ago Jan and I spend a wargame weekend at Scarborough. On the last day Jan asked Peter about his houses, and he spent half an hour explaining the block system that he used. I commented on how lovely his horses always looked, and he showed me his method.
As Neil explained above the first step is Humbrol gloss white. It must be allowed to dry completely. Then a thick layer of oil paint. Leave for ten minutes then lightly wipe the excess off with a cloth. It works best when the figures have deep undercuts such as Peters figures did. The oil paint gathers in them, while the higher parts of the figure has less oil paint, allowing the white undercoat to show through.
It takes much longer to explain than to actually do. I never got it quite as good as Peter, but I was blown away with how good the finished product looked - at least to my eyes.
Do give it a try, you may be very pleasantly surprised.
regards
Paul
Thistlebarrow (Paul),
DeleteThanks for the advice. I always thought that Peter Gilder’s figures were well painted, and getting painting advice from the horse’s mouth is worth its weight in gold.
I am going to Hobbycraft tomorrow, and I’m going to see if I can buy some gloss white paint and water-based brown oil paint … and then I can give the Gilder method a go!
All the best,
Bob
Even in 10mm I hate painting horses, but that's mainly down to the tack, which is hard as it's pretty small as you can imagine,
ReplyDeleteSteve J.,
DeleteThat is one reason why I don’t paint anything smaller than 15mm!
All the best,
Bob
I loath painting horses almost as much as painting Irregular troops (don't get me started on Gallic cavalry). Like some of the other posts above, I've developed a lazy method which works. Paint the whole thing brown, give it a wash of W&N peat brown ink (which also makes it a bit shiny), then do the main and tails black, and dob on a few white socks and/or nose patches for variety. I don't even bother painting the tack as it all sort of blends in. Good enough for gaming, and it is something for the more nicely painted rider to sit on. For more variety in cavalry heavy armies I'll mix in some with a tan base and brown manes, plus the inevitable white horse for selected Generals.
ReplyDeleteMartin Rapier,
DeleteNow that sounds like my sort of horse painting system!
I intend to try out the various methods that have been recommended to me, and to see which I find easiest to use. The end results might not be perfect, but as long as I find a method that suits me, it will be worth it.
All the best,
Bob
Some useful articles on the web with variations on coloured undercoats, ink washes etc.
ReplyDeletehttps://themetalmountain.blogspot.com/2012/05/painting-horses.html
http://legio-wargames.com/painting-horses/4537264771
https://notjustoldschool.blogspot.com/2016/11/how-i-paint-horses-in-oils-by-kevin-east.html
https://yarkshiregamer.blogspot.com/2020/05/how-to-paint-horses-using-oil-paint.html
Neil
Neil Patterson (Neil),
DeleteThanks for the links. I’ll look at them tomorrow.
All the best,
Bob
Just remember: you can't see the white part of horses eyes unless they are terrified! It's amazing how often I see horses with human looking eyes!
ReplyDeleteJon S,
DeletePeople paint eyes on their figures?! I tried doing it once … and my figures looked like they represented a bunch of bug eyed monsters!
All the best,
Bob
I paint them on horses (I think from the Gilder method) that is black with a tiny dot of white in the corners.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's worth doing anything more than suggesting a darker shade in eye sockets for most wargames figures, although you can attempt eyes in 28mm. Unless it's subtle and done well, it just looks ridiculous. The last time I attempted it was following Kevin Dallymore's methods but I'm not convinced it was worth the extra effort.
Neil
Neil Patterson,
DeleteThe closest I have come to painting eyes on figures - other than the attempt I mentioned in my reply to Jon S - has been to paint a thin line of grey in the eye sockets of 28mm figures. It is just enough to suggest the shadow formed by the eye socket.
I hope to try painting some horses later today … if time and household chores allow!
All the best,
Bob