During campaigns, this type of thing was much more common. "Was there a standard shako cover?" As to shako covers, I can't make a definite statement, but they were either waxed or tarred cloth-so they might be black or any one of a number of shades of tan.
"Colors, what color was French Blue, etc.?"
French Blue was a dark blue, a bit brighter and bluer than Prussian. But bear in mind that uniforms were contracted out and ended up being produced at nothing more than Mom & Pop sewing circles in many cases with the cloth being dyed at not much larger facilities. Let's face it, military contractors are crooks and the science of chemistry wasn't all that advanced in this period. Colors faded and drifted. One of the best examples was that of the famous "Canaries," whose bright yellow, red-faced uniforms faded to a dull light ocher with rosy maroon trim. Then you have all those tables of subtle Austrian colorsyeah, right. Guesstimate. The colors which faded fast were the hot ones, yellows, reds, and oranges. This doesn't mean other colors held true though. I have a CSA jacket from the '60s (19, that is, I'm not that old) that went from a blue-gray to a lovely light purple with exposure and the passage of time.
So those are a few basic answers to some questions that aren't found in most source books-and there are a lot more out there. You really want to know what a French uniform looks like? Guess!
WHOOSHING AWAY-COUGH, HACK!
The mighty airbrush. This tool has long been a mainstay of the artist and the plastic modeler. I've been asked if it can be used in figure painting. Well, sorta.
The airbrush is best thought of as a big can of spray paint, but with more controllability. I've got a fancy set I use for regular artwork and with all my fancy stuff, I'd never consider using it on miniatures. Look, you can prime and even base coat figures with spray cans and what else can you do? Hmm..
Dust. Yup, you can give them a coat of "dust," but you can do that with a spray can or the famous ancestor of the airbrush--the thumb, a stiff brush, and watered paint. Do that.
And airbrushes are dangerous to your health. Not only can you suck up paint particles into your lungs but you can shoot paint into many layers of your skin like a tattoo. "Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy."
At Cold Wars, I overheard some people talking about various paints. Anyone who's read any of my painting articles knows my feelings about this, but their conversation brought to my mind a story I'd heard from an "old" gamer who worked for one of the early companies making "hobby" paints. They got all theirs from the local hardware store.
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