White,Grey-White and Grey.

Anyone diving into the War of Spanish Succession will realise quite quickly that there are lots of White and Grey uniforms.
Knowing this I thought I would have a look at how I was going to represent this...


A few years ago a friend who owns a furniture/lifestyle shop told me that none of the 'white' walls in his shop were actually white!
They were in fact a 'near' white as 'pure' white did not compliment the furniture/products as well as said 'near' white.
This got me thinking... I have always started my white with an off white or grey or used white then washed it with another shade.
How near/un white can you go and still visually have 'white'... quite far it would appear.

Ok this is obviously not pure white but placed on a dark colour or viewed in isolation it looks fairly close...

 Viewed on white....miles away.


This is Citadel Pallid Wych Flesh , it is my go to colour for white...
It works as a good base for 'pure' white or in its own right as an 'off white'.
Okay...there are other off whites, near whites and pale grey whites available but this is my one.

You can see how the pure white belts stand out nicely on the Pallid Wytch Flesh 'white' uniforms.




Now that I have my basic 'white' sorted it is time to plan out my grey...


I have decided to continue with the warm tones started by the Pallid Wych Flesh and add different percentages of Stormvermin Fur to get my grey shades...

Of course in my excitement I forgot write down the exact percentages...so...
Top row...
White - Pallid Wych Flesh.
Grey/White - Approximately 80% Wych Flesh and 20% Stormvermin .
'Some Dutch' - Approximately 50/50 Wych Flesh and Stormvermin.
Second row...
'Some Dutch and Danes' - Approximately 60% Wych Flesh and 40% Stormvermin.

I now have a nice big pot of Grey/White for my next French unit...

Which will be Picardie...


One final thing...


When painting white and light grey or any other colour as a mater of fact make sure you have a supply of good clean water...

BAD!... 10% water 90% primordial slime...

GOOD!... 60% water 40% screenwash and in the right hand jar 100% screenwash...

Screenwash... I am sure this is called different things in different parts of the world but in Nottingham Wiloco's ... this is the stuff to get... it is also very inexpensive.




Don't be put off by the blue colour , the screenwash really gets your brushes clean, a first rinse in the 100% then a final go in the 60/40...
I also works as a diluting agent for washes because it contains a tension breaker that helps it flow.


If you are an airbrush user screenwash is perfect for diluting your acrylic paint( I first read about it being used for this purpose over ten years ago) and for cleaning the damn thing after you have got fed up trying to get it to work...

I hope my ramblings have been of some use to you...
Its time for me to paint some French...


All the best  Aly