Painting Napoleonic Ships

[Capn Duff]

Can any of the veterans here point me towards any reasonable book to assist me in painting , correctly, some of my 1/1200 ships.
I know that they are different in scale to the SoG but still intend to use, possibly as smaller rates.
But I do not have much experience with ships or their colourings.
So any assistance will be gratefully received.

[7eat51]

Many of the folks have highly recommended Langton's book: http://www.rodlangton.com/napoleonic/frame.htm

Having recently gone through it, it really is full of great info for modelers.

[DeRuyter]

+1 Ditto what Eric said, Langton's book is a great reference. Just about a must have if you intend to rig your ships and I think it will work fine for the SoG ships (IMO).

Eric

[Gunner]

You might want to check out Ray Trochim's guide that's been around for years. http://my.erinet.com/~bp/pt_napnv.html
But Langton's book is a must.

[Capn Duff]

Cheers chaps,will do appreciate the help

[Diamondback]

Also, look at period paintings of the navy whose ships you're modeling--an oil on canvas painted while the ship actually existed is the closest to "primary source" you can get for this time frame, and even Ares is having to make do with "plausible schemes based on best available evidence and conjecture".

[Devsdoc]

Hi Chris,
Only After Trafalgar did the Brits use the black on yellow for most ships, The U,S. and Russians had black and white ships. The rest All colours are a go. For big fleet actions I would pick a colour for each fleet. As ships aged and where in service the colours changed. The Brits had the B/Y checked patterns but different yellows. French did have a lot of wine-red colour ships. Swedes had some yellow/light wood colour with red headrails and Bulwarks. Gunner and I both think we are right about the Russians. He said Green, I say Black. I would not go head to head with him over this. He is a good friend and he can offer evidence he is right, as I can that I'm right. This is the fun of SOL wargaming. Rod Langton's book is a must. The best £10 I spent after model ships. Good luck.
Be safe
Rory

[Gunner]

Hi Chris,
Only After Trafalgar did the Brits use the black on yellow for most ships, The U,S. and Russians had black and white ships. The rest All colours are a go. For big fleet actions I would pick a colour for each fleet. As ships aged and where in service the colours changed. The Brits had the B/Y checked patterns but different yellows. French did have a lot of wine-red colour ships. Swedes had some yellow/light wood colour with red headrails and Bulwarks. Gunner and I both think we are right about the Russians. He said Green, I say Black. I would not go head to head with him over this. He is a good friend and he can offer evidence he is right, as I can that I'm right. This is the fun of SOL wargaming. Rod Langton's book is a must. The best £10 I spent after model ships. Good luck.
Be safe
Rory

Re: Russian Napoleonic ships, I have read different accounts of their SOL colors which went from green to black to dark colored, I (in my opinion) am convinced the ships were Dark green with white stripes, similar in color but a little darker (because of pigments available) than their infantry uniforms.

Hi Rory.

[Devsdoc]

Hi Chris,
SEE!

Re: Russian Napoleonic ships, similar in color but a little darker (because of pigments available) than their infantry uniforms.

Hi Rory.
Ed, That's a new one :salute:
Be safe
Rory

[Diamondback]

That and, colors did change over time--I've read one contemporary account that describes RN yellow as something akin to baby vomit in hue, and another that asserts that Santissima Trinidad at Trafalgar was a dark red with white stripes.

So maybe for the Russians, either black OR green might be appropriate, depending on the time--not asserting, just noting a possibility.

[Gunner]

I think my next batch of Russian ships the green will be so dark, even Rory will like them.:happy::drinks:
Can't wait to convert some SGN's.

[Wargamer]

Just one thing. Do you know how well pigments retained their color after exposure to sea and sun over time?

[Gunner]

No I don't.:question: But I would guess it had a lot to do with the proportions and type of pigment, binder and solvent that was used during that time period.

[Berthier]

Given a ship at sea for more than a couple of years needed to be brought in have the hull cleaned, re-caulked, timbers rebolstered etc etc I doubt the paint lasted much over a year or two at sea. All paints fade and the fading is selective. For example, tints of grey in spectacle lenses over time and exposure to UV bleach out to a pink/red grey, as the effects of the sun act differently on the pigments used to make the grey. I could easily imagine a Russian dark green becoming blacker with time or even a black becoming greener, just depends on how they mixed the paint. Reds are notorious for fading (British uniforms of the period were often "pink"after a while due to sun and rain washing out the red dyes). Painting ships was an ongoing chore, probably still is!

[Devsdoc]

That and, colors did change over time--I've read one contemporary account that describes RN yellow as something akin to baby vomit in hue, and another that asserts that Santissima Trinidad at Trafalgar was a dark red with white stripes.

So maybe for the Russians, either black OR green might be appropriate, depending on the time--not asserting, just noting a possibility.
D-Back,
I think you are right.


I think my next batch of Russian ships the green will be so dark, even Rory will like them.:happy::drinks:
Can't wait to convert some SGN's.
Ed, I have said this before, Black,Green or screaming Pink. I will always be glad to play with or against your fleets. I know you look into your history. I think different to you, but I will always respect you. By the way they are Black. :happy: :salute:


Given a ship at sea for more than a couple of years needed to be brought in have the hull cleaned, re-caulked, timbers rebolstered etc etc I doubt the paint lasted much over a year or two at sea. All paints fade and the fading is selective. For example, tints of grey in spectacle lenses over time and exposure to UV bleach out to a pink/red grey, as the effects of the sun act differently on the pigments used to make the grey. I could easily imagine a Russian dark green becoming blacker with time or even a black becoming greener, just depends on how they mixed the paint. Reds are notorious for fading (British uniforms of the period were often "pink"after a while due to sun and rain washing out the red dyes). Painting ships was an ongoing chore, probably still is!
Daniel,
You have hit the nail on the head.
Be safe all
Rory

[Diamondback]

Painting ships was an ongoing chore, probably still is!
No probably about it... per a friend from my War at Sea days who used to be in the US Coast Guard, the painting never ends--as soon as youve finished working yur way down the hull from stem to stern, the bow needs repainting all over again... and that's just in CALM seas.

[csadn]

<- now picturing _SoG_-era ships in dazzle camo...