SIGNATURE SET – HISTORICAL COLOR SET – NAPOLEONIC COLORS BY GABRIELE ESPOSITO

Signature Set - Napoleonic Colors by Gabriele Esposito

This is not a kit and not an accessory for a model, but a paint set. At AK interactive the Signature Set series is built so that the choice of shades is put together by a particular author or modeler and the set then comes out under that name; here it is a historical collection focused on the Napoleonic period. According to the product code this is the third-generation acrylic line, that is paints thinned with water and intended primarily for the brush, with the option of spraying once thinned. That matters for figures: acrylic dries quickly, can be layered and mixed on a palette, and needs no solvents.

Use

• Painting figures and their equipment in a palette matched to one period.
• Working in thin layers, because thinned acrylic does not flood the engraved detail of cloth and straps.
• Mixing midtones and shadows straight from the shades in the set, so that the result holds together.
• Adding small color accents where a precise, not a random tone is needed.
• Painting tabletop and wargaming figures in smaller scales.

How to work with the set

Shake the bottle thoroughly before use, because the pigment in an acrylic settles to the bottom and paint from the bottom has a different tone and coverage from paint off the top. Thin the paint and build it up in layers; one thick coat floods the detail, three thin ones give depth. Take a small amount onto the palette, as acrylic lasts considerably longer on a wet palette. Check conversions to codes such as RAL or FS with the manufacturer alone, because sets differ between brands in this respect. The set is color-matched for the given period; it is not a universal basic palette.

Who it is for

For modelers of historical figures and for tabletop players who are building an army of the Napoleonic period and want their units to be consistent in color. Anyone painting a single figure who already has a palette of their own will do better with individual shades.

Paints are not a toy. Work in a ventilated space, protect your eyes and hands and keep them out of reach of children.