Painting Miniatures for the American Civil War E-Book

Steve Barber

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

The American War is one of the most popular periods to wargame, and rightly so; it is a fascinating period of history. This book offers the opportunity to learn how to paint wargames miniatures from someone who has been an experienced sculptor and painter. All of the main styles that are used for painting wargames miniatures are covered in great detail. For anyone wanting to start painting for the first time, these pages contain a wealth of information that will help you get started. The book covers: miniature preparation; layer painting; painting with washes; basing; horses and artillery and buildings and scenery. Each chapter is full of detailed step-by-step tutorials on how to paint wargames miniatures for the American Civil War. Superbly illustrated with 205 colour photographs that clearly show each stage of the painting or modelling process.

Leseprobe

First published in 2018 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2018

© Steve Barber 2018

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 78500 510 7

Acknowledgements

All the miniatures featured in this book are by Steve Barber Models and are available from www.stevebarbermodels.com.

I could not have written this book without the invaluable help of the following people: Karen, Zachary, George and Valerie Angell, and Joel.

Frontispiece: A Union battery commander. The standard bearer was a simple conversion.

Flag by GMB design. Painted by Steve Barber.

CONTENTS

Preface

CHAPTER 1 PREPARATION

CHAPTER 2 LAYER PAINTING

CHAPTER 3 PAINTING WITH WASHES

CHAPTER 4 COMBINATION PAINTING

CHAPTER 5 PAINTING HORSES

CHAPTER 6 PAINTING ARTILLERY

CHAPTER 7 VARNISHING, BASING AND FINISHING MINIATURES

CHAPTER 8 CONVERSIONS

CHAPTER 9 BUILDINGS AND SCENERY

Conclusion

Contact Details

Index

The commander of a Union artillery battery surveys the scene before him. FLAGS ARE BY GMB DESIGNS. MINIATURES PAINTED BY STEVE BARBER.

Preface

IDISCOVERED PAINTING MODEL soldiers back in my early teens. I had no idea what I was doing at first, as I had hardly any painting references to use: all I knew was that I enjoyed painting and collecting them. Much of my pocket money went on my new hobby. There was a wargames shop in a nearby town, so I would save up and pester my parents to take me there. These trips continued over the next few years, and slowly but surely I started to amass a decent collection, of which I was duly proud. I remember reading a few painting articles in a wargames magazine, which inspired me to think about how I painted. Like most things, it is practice that really makes the difference, and the more I painted, the better I felt my painting became.

After I had finished school I started an apprenticeship in the printing industry. I have an uncle who worked for a top national newspaper, and to me, it seemed he had done well from that work, so I thought it was a good, steady job to get into. That didn’t go as planned, though, as five years later I was made redundant, and over the following year I wasn’t able to find another job in the printing industry. This was mainly due to the massive changes that were happening, such as the introduction of computer technology. It was a difficult time, and I was turned down for every job I went to, including cleaning floors (due to lack of experience!). Little did I realize at the time, but in fact this turned out to be an opportunity for me. Without that setback I would never have got on the path I did, and wouldn’t be writing this book, for certain!

Friends and my parents told me how good my painting was, so I placed an advert in a wargames magazine advertising my miniature painting service. This brought in a flurry of painting commissions. I painted miniatures for customers for a year, over that time in several scales and most periods of history. The miniatures I did were always painted to a collector’s standard, with lots of detail. Some of the money I had earned, I invested into a vacuum chamber. This machine meant that I could now cast walls and buildings in resin. So I set about learning how to make wargames’ accessories, and sold quite a few of these, unpainted and painted. This extra work meant that I started to phase out painting commissions, as I didn’t have the time for both.

A Union brigade commander halts his men to reconnoitre a deserted farm. FLAGS ARE BY GMB DESIGNS. MINIATURES PAINTED BY STEVE BARBER.

I began trading these accessories at a few wargames shows, and these shows led to others. I met people within the hobby who were happy to share their knowledge with me, and as my confidence grew I started sculpting miniatures. My first was a 25mm miniature of Al Capone’s bookkeeper. I was so pleased with the result! Once I knew that I could sculpt to a standard I was happy with, I made a whole range of 25mm gangsters. I found someone who would mould and cast them for me, then I paid for an advert and hoped that people would like them. It worked! People responded, and purchased enough for me to make other miniatures. Eventually this became the business that I have now, with a web shop that sells miniatures around the globe.

I couldn’t have achieved any of this without the help of my family and friends. Steve Barber Models has always been a family-run business, with my step-dad consistently by my side helping me to build up the business to where it is today. Since the beginning, he has done most of the casting, and is still heavily involved. My mum cleans up the figures that my dad casts, my fiancée does the bookkeeping and photography, and even my youngest son likes to try his hand at painting Daddy’s soldiers. I couldn’t do this without them, and am very lucky to have such a supportive group of people around me. Certainly my business would not be where it is today without their support, advice and understanding.

It has been a long road full of twists and turns, but this hobby gave me hope at a time when I really needed some. It gave me something to focus on, and since has become a big part of my life. So I would like to pass on some of the knowledge I have learnt over the years, and hopefully will inspire you to paint and collect your own miniatures.

Crowood approached me in 2017 to ask if I would be willing to write a book about painting miniatures. They are a very established publisher, well known for producing a large and excellent range of ‘how-to’ books on subjects such as model railways, amongst others. At first I was hesitant about the idea of writing a book. After all, my days are quite full just running my business, and everything that is involved in writing a book is not to be taken on lightly. But after I had time to think about it properly, I realized it was an opportunity to inform others of some of the things I have learnt over the years.

This book isn’t aimed at experienced painters, but is intended to help those who are thinking about painting miniatures for the first time, as well as those who want to improve their own painting style. I hope that it will help readers to start painting miniatures, and will encourage them to join the growing ranks of wargamers around the world. So with that in mind, there are simple step-by-step tutorials aimed at teaching the basic styles for painting American Civil War miniatures. Of course, these styles could equally be used on other types of figure as well.

A Union infantryman wearing backpack at shoulder-arms. MINIATURE PAINTED BY STEVE BARBER.

Why choose the American Civil War, I hear you say? Well, there are a number of reasons both practical and historical that are of interest to us. The ACW, as it is often known, has a large following of gamers, re-enactors, modellers and historians. This band of dedicated enthusiasts makes it very easy to find out the information you are trying to source about an obscure commander or regiment. From a wargaming perspective, it also makes it easy to find an opponent near you to game with, whichever army you end up choosing. That is always a bonus, as you won’t end up having to paint both armies to play a game – which can be the case when you choose a more obscure period of history to recreate.

These are all excellent reasons in themselves, but it also happens to be one of my favourite periods of history. My own collection of ACW miniatures grows steadily, with new miniatures being added when I can find some time out of my hectic schedule to paint.

The practical reasons for choosing this period are that there is a plentiful supply of miniatures in most scales, covering most of the regiments that fought for both the Union and the Confederacy. The miniatures are both attractive and characterful, but also not as difficult to paint as, say, a Jacobite Highlander in tartan plaid. So it is possible to paint large armies of miniatures reasonably quickly. It is essential to have regiments with twenty to thirty figures in order to make the battlefield look more realistic. It’s important to remember that you are supposed to be representing thousands of actual troops for most ACW battles, so when you are playing grand scale wargaming, the units need to have a enough figures in them to look right.

There were some small skirmishes, and these can be fought with just a small number of miniatures a side if the individual nature of skirmish gaming appeals to you more than grand scale wargaming. Figures in skirmish games need to be individually based, as they represent individuals in combat. This style of gaming can appeal more to painters, as they can concentrate on lavishing time and details on their miniatures, as fewer are required to play skirmish games. These small combats can also be played using bigger figures such as 40mm scale. These figures have a lot of detail on them and tend to be painted individually, unlike the smaller scales.

The 1st Texas infantry advance past a church. THE FLAG IS BY FLAGS OF WAR. MINIATURES PAINTED BY STEVE BARBER.

Wargames rulebooks are available to refight everything from skirmishes, to brigade, divisional or bigger sized battles. In fact there are now a lot of different rulebooks to choose from. Some are simplistic and quicker to learn, and others will contain every conceivable detail, meaning that games can be slower. It’s just a question of which style of game suits your time and budget best. It’s certainly worth remembering that it’s no use wanting to fight grand scale battles if you really don’t have the time to paint the hundreds or thousands of miniatures needed to refight those battles. That will just leave you frustrated when the project grinds to a halt, as friends or club members are waiting for you to finish your troops so a game can begin. A bit of realism at this stage can only be a good thing.

Then there are the historical reasons. The American Civil War was fought over quite a long timespan, from 1861 to 1865, and this gives plenty of opportunities for the gamer to refight historic battles such as Antietam and Gettysburg. There is an abundance of uniform information, as well as photographs of the actual participants.

Also, the men who filled the ranks of most of the regiments that fought in the Civil War were recently arrived immigrants, so it’s incorrect to think of it as just an American conflict. The men who enlisted came from most European countries, and in many cases spoke only their native language. Some were escaping civil wars and turmoil in their homelands, such as the recent revolutions in Hungary and Italy. Immigrants from Ireland made up the ranks of a notable number of regiments on both sides, and some of the most famous regiments of the Civil War were Irish regiments. Native Americans also fought, for both the Union and the Confederacy. After Lincoln’s emancipation speech thousands of escaped slaves also enlisted. It was a multi-national conflict in many ways.

A battery of Union 20pdr Parrott rifled cannons load their guns ready for action. MINIATURES PAINTED BY STEVE BARBER.

Duryee’s 5th New York Zouaves advance at the double quick towards the front line. FLAGS BY GMB DESIGNS. MINIATURES PAINTED BY STEVE BARBER.

Consequently the miniatures that make up the regiments often have real character about them. At the start of the war the uniforms were sometimes flamboyant and impractical, such as glamorous Zouave regiments, inspired by the French empire. Quite often these regiments changed to a more ordinary uniform once these initial uniforms had worn out, though there were notable exceptions to this, such as the famous Duryee’s Zouaves. This regiment looks grand in miniature, with their gaudy red trousers and white turbans. Then there is the famous Iron Brigade, with their black hats, or Wheat’s Tiger Zouaves with their pin-stripe, baggy Zouave trousers. Therefore besides all the regular units to paint for your army there are numerous characterful regiments such these to add interest to your collection.

Over the coming pages we will look at the different painting styles in detailed, but easy to understand, step-by-step tutorials. We will look at basing techniques, and how to show off your finished miniatures to their best, as well as how to paint buildings and convert your own miniatures. Where possible I have presented some of the finest products available to help you paint your ACW armies, from tools to flags and from paint to figures.

My intent is always to show you how to achieve good and realistic results when painting your armies, rather than how to paint single showcase miniatures. So whatever your motive for reading this book, whether it be collecting, gaming or just looking, I hope that you will find some useful ideas, techniques and inspiration within these pages to help you paint American Civil War miniatures and enjoy the hobby of wargaming!

1

Preparation

SELECTING THE RIGHT MINIATURES

You may already know the scale you prefer, and may be set on that one, in which case it may be hard to change your mind. But when embarking on a new project it is always worth thinking about figure scale – and for those of you who are new to the hobby, choosing the right scale can seem daunting. The main thing is to look at the time, budget and space that you currently have. There is no point in choosing a scale that is unrealistic; most of us quickly become disheartened if it looks as if we might not finish what we have started. So have a good think about your project before you begin.

Think also about the space you have available to store and use your armies. If you don’t have enough room for a games table at home there are plenty of wargames clubs around that would welcome new members, so there should be somewhere to show off and use your new army. The other benefit of going to a club is that you will find like-minded people there with whom you can discuss the hobby, and from whom you can learn. This can be invaluable to a beginner, and can help prevent you making the same mistakes as others have done.

The next decision you have to make is to decide the scale of your chosen army. The main scales of miniatures used for wargaming are 28mm, 20mm, 15mm, 10mm and 6mm. Larger figures than this, such as 40mm, are also available, but these tend to be used more for skirmish games and dioramas rather than big battle wargaming. At first glance to a beginner this can seem an overwhelming choice. Before beginning on a project it is well worth thinking carefully about the right scale for you, rather than changing your mind later on after you have already invested time and money in your project. Although there are many scales, there are four that are more commonly used for wargaming, so we will examine the advantages of each.

A Confederate regiment advances into action. FLAGS ARE BY GMB DESIGNS. MINIATURES PAINTED BY STEVE BARBER.

28mm Scale

These days, 28mm is probably the scale that has the highest number of collectors and gamers. This is partly because of the abundance of high quality miniatures that are available now. At this size, fingers and facial details are easily distinguishable from a reasonable distance, yet the figures are still small enough to have fairly large battles on a reasonable sized table. 28mm is also well supported in terms of buildings and terrain features, that will help bring your battlefield to life. I prefer to paint and collect 28mm because of the enjoyment of painting the details on each miniature. This is a painter’s scale. And as a result miniatures can be painted in several different styles at this size. This is ideal, as there is bound to be a style that suits you. The downside of 28mm is the space they take up, and as they are more substantial they cost a bit more.

15mm Scale

15mm scale is also well supported, so there are plenty of figures, printed flags, scenery and other items for the wargamer. The 15mm scale used to be the most popular scale amongst wargamers, but has become less popular than the 28mm scale; however, it still does have a large following. It is a lovely scale and perfectly suited to big battle wargaming. Large battles can be fought using 15mm miniatures and they paint up fast. The level of detail on figures is high and they can make great looking armies. 15mm miniatures can be painted with a simplified version of the layering technique but most people would paint in a similar style to 10mm and 6mm figures. Therefore they are quick to paint but are detailed and nice to look at.

10mm Scale

10mm is a relatively new scale to the hobby. It’s possible to get a higher level of detail on a miniature of this size than a 6mm miniature, yet they are still small enough for very large battles. 10mm figures do look excellent en masse and tend mostly to be painted in the same way as you would paint a 6mm miniature. There is no real need to do layer painting at this scale, as this technique is more to create light and shade, which is possible to do on a small figure, but no one will see it even if you could do it. Simple wash techniques, or allowing the black undercoat to create lines around areas by not painting to the edge of an area, are the best ways to create depth. There are some lovely figures available for gamers who prefer smaller scale miniatures.

6mm Scale

Like their 10mm counterparts, 6mm miniatures are ideal for regiments comprising larger numbers of figures. This scale of miniature is for grand scale wargaming, big battles formed of large regiments. The figures do have a surprising level of detail on them, but at arm’s length when played with during a game the detail of individual miniatures is not what this scale is about. Regiments can be made much larger and more realistic looking. Games are usually played at corps or army level rather than with brigades or divisions. One of the advantages of 6mm and 10mm scale is that they don’t take up a lot of space to store, and they cost less than the larger scales, although you do need more of them.

Choosing Figures

Once you have decided on the scale, it’s just a case of finding the style of figure you like. Personally I like collecting 28mm-scale figures; the miniatures used throughout this book are 28mm scale and are produced by Steve Barber Models. They are cast in white metal and are very easy to assemble. It does help if a figure has a certain amount of raised detail on it, as this definition makes it much easier and more enjoyable to paint. So, when sculpting a range of ACW miniatures I wanted to incorporate this feature into my miniatures.

I also wanted them to have individual characters, so these miniatures have been designed with separate heads. This, along with a system of separate legs and torsos that plug together, means the figures you create for your armies can be unique. They are designed to allow one pack to be mixed with another pack, meaning the possibilities for conversion are simply down to your imagination and some historical research. The range is now huge, and includes artillery and generals.

The 63rd New York infantry prepares for battle. This regiment was part of the famous Irish brigade that fought for the Union. FLAGS ARE BY GMB DESIGNS. MINIATURES PAINTED BY STEVE BARBER

BOOKS AND UNIFORM GUIDES

Before you can start painting you will need to know what colours to paint your miniatures. Although we are perhaps fortunate enough to be able to Google anything these days and track down information on uniforms, it is still useful to have a good book or two on the subject. Don Troiani’s books on uniforms of the Civil War are excellent; the colour plates are gorgeous and inspiring to paint from. Keith Rocco is another excellent artist, so look out for books containing his work. Osprey Publishing produce a considerable number of books on the American Civil War and many other periods of history, which are ideal for wargamers and history enthusiasts alike. These books are small but concise and contain a number of colour plates in the centre of the book. They make great historical reference books as well as uniform guides. As miniature painters we are very fortunate that this part of history is well covered by so many talented artists and writers. Without them our hobby would be much harder!

FINDING SUITABLE TOOLS, BRUSHES AND PAINTS

Quality Paints

Over the years I have tried many types of paints, varnish and brushes with mixed results. Today there are some great ranges of hobby paints designed for the gamer. Alternatively, you can mix your own colours using artist’s tube acrylic paints. These are water based and it is very easy to mix your own paints. Doing this can give excellent results as it is possible to mix all the colours you need in as many shades as you desire. Small plastic pots are ideal to store the paint in, and it will last for a long time properly sealed. Each time it thickens up you can just add a little water to the pot and shake it, and it will keep it going longer.

The Vallejo equestrian set has a great variety of colours that are perfect for painting horses.

The Vallejo Model Color range of paints is ideal for painting miniatures.

A pot of Vallejo wash.

Vallejo is one of the best brands of paint designed specifically for the gamer. They produce a great range of high quality, water-based acrylic paints that are designed for wargaming and many other modelling hobbies. They have been making paints since 1965, when they first started making colours for cartoons. Their range is massive and covers just about every conceivable colour, so it is possible to buy readymixed colours for whatever army you have chosen to paint. The paints are sold in plastic bottles and are very easy to use; they cover well and are not grainy.

Vallejo also make washes and pigments, and have such an extensive range there is bound to be something that suits everyone.

I use a variety of paints depending on the effect I am trying to achieve. A large number of my paints are by Vallejo, but there are other leading makes in my collection as well. I also mix my own paints in old film plastic pots; these are opaque so they protect the paint from light. The pots are also well sealed, which prevents the paint from drying up.

To suit your own taste it will probably sometimes be necessary to mix your own colours. After all, the perception of colour is a very personal thing, and is rarely something people agree on. For example, Union Civil War jackets were in reality a very, very dark blue. I have often seen them painted in a rich French blue instead of the deep indigo the colour should be. This darkness in the blue jacket seems to offsets the sky blue trousers much better.

Some people use oil paints on their miniatures to good effect; oil washes in particular work very well. A very small amount of oil paint mixed with a lot of thinners will create your own oil wash, which can be used on certain areas to create a desired result. This can even work well over a whole figure, bringing out detail whilst adding a weathering effect at the same time.

Civil War miniatures work well with a somewhat weathered look to reflect the hardships often endured by the troops in the field. Modern day re-enactors are often a good source of information regarding what the troops of this conflict would really have looked like after months of hard campaigning in all weathers with limited supplies. Traditionally, wargaming figures tended to be painted to look smart, often in full dress uniforms without a speck of dirt in sight, but most collectors today favour a more realistic look. The appearance of troops who had been campaigning for months or years would, in many cases, be a long way from the smart uniforms in which they may have paraded at the start of the conflict.

Shoes in particular would wear out very quickly, and resupply could be a real problem. During the Napoleonic wars, Wellington’s army fighting against Napoleon in Spain frequently did not have enough shoes, and many of the men often fought barefoot, looting from a fallen foe or even the local populace! The same supply problems were true of the American Civil War, especially for some of the southern states thought to have fought for the Confederacy.

Selecting the Right Brushes

Besides choosing good paints and deciding how you want your troops to look, it is vital to find good brushes in order to paint your miniatures well. The brush needs to have a good pointed tip. Often in big stores the brushes are damaged where the plastic cover has been roughly put back. If the hairs are splayed out at the sides the brush will not come back to a good point and is useless for detail work.

The paintbrushes used exclusively throughout this book are by Vallejo. Their ‘starter’ set and their ‘brushes for miniatures’ set cover everything you will need for the techniques covered in this book. There is a dedicated dry-brushing brush as well as a size 2 for large areas of painting, and a selection of smaller sizes for different types of detail work.

The ‘starter’ set of paint brushes by Vallejo.

The ‘brushes for miniatures’ set by Vallejo.

Caring for your Brushes

When you own good quality brushes it is important to know how to care for them. If you look after them well they will last for quite a while, they will paint numerous miniatures, and will save you money. When painting, always wash the paint off the brush thoroughly in your water pot to avoid it drying hard on the hairs; once paint is clogged and hard it can be almost impossible to remove. Keeping the paint wet can help to avoid this beginning to happen: just give the brush a quick wash in the water every now and then, or dab a bit of water on the mixing palette.

The paintbrush sizes you will need are size 0 and size 1, and a couple of larger ones, one for applying varnish – and it is best to keep the brush just for this purpose – and the other for applying paint to large areas. This will be needed for horses and artillery. If you are using the dry-brushing technique, which is explained later in the section Painting Artillery, then you will need a larger brush just for dry brushing miniatures. The dry-brushing technique will do your brush no good at all, so if possible it is best always to use an old brush for this purpose.

CLEANING UP MINIATURES FOR PAINTING

Removing Flash and Mould Lines

To remove flash and mould lines you will need a scalpel or model knife – I use a scalpel with a 10a scalpel blade. This has a good long point, which is useful for getting into awkward places on a model. Alternatively you could use a model knife, which you can buy from a hobby shop, or online. You will also need a decent large file: this is the best way of removing the rough line sometimes to be found on the bottom of a figure, indicating where it was attached to the central reservoir during casting. Simply file this flat until the miniature can stand evenly on the base by itself.

To remove the mould lines on a miniature it’s a question of almost brushing the sharp edge of the scalpel across the mould line. This may need to be repeated a few times until the area becomes slightly shiny. When doing this try not to remove any detail. If the mould line is over a detailed area it can be difficult to remove, and a certain amount of experience is required to know when you have achieved as much as you can. It’s important not to press too hard during this process, to avoid breaking the blade. Great care must always be taken when using a scalpel as the blade is incredibly sharp, so only do so if you are able to control it safely. Used sensibly, a scalpel is an important tool for modellers.

Hopefully most miniatures produced these days shouldn’t have too much flash on them, but if the mould has become too hot during casting then a small amount may occur. Thin flash is like a piece of tinfoil, and you should be able to remove it easily with a scalpel or model knife. If the flash is too thick it can be difficult to remove with a model knife, and repeated attempts might be required to remove it, a stage at a time. Ultimately if the flash is too thick then you might have to contact the manufacturer you purchased the figure from, as miniatures shouldn’t need that much cleaning up.

It is best to use a large file to file the base of the figure flat.