How to Paint Pickett's Shame 1863: Civil War Figure Guide
By SCALE75 - HOBBIES & GAMES – SCALE75 - Hobbies & Games | Published: 2026-11-04
Category: Guide pratiche
A step-by-step painting guide for Pickett's Shame 1863, covering assembly, priming, Confederate uniform colors, face painting, and basing for a realistic finish.
Quick answer
Paint Pickett's Shame 1863 by first assembling and priming the white metal figure, then blocking in the uniform with muted Confederate colors, painting the face and equipment, and finishing with shading, highlights, and a realistic base.
Why this figure rewards a layered approach
Pickett's Shame 1863 is a 75mm white metal figure that requires assembly and comes unpainted, so you control the final look. The larger scale shows brush marks and color choices more clearly than smaller figures, making a deliberate, layered process worthwhile. Rushing the uniform or face will be visible at this size, so plan to work in thin coats and build up color gradually.
Choosing paints for Confederate uniforms
American Civil War Confederate uniforms were often made from home-dyed cloth, resulting in inconsistent shades of gray, brown, and butternut. Avoid a single flat gray; instead, mix a base coat from gray and brown, then vary it with lighter and darker tones. This approach adds realism and matches the historical uncertainty of issued clothing. Keep your palette limited to a few earth tones to maintain a cohesive look.
Step-by-step painting process
- Assemble and clean the figure: Remove mold lines with a fine file or hobby knife, then glue the parts with cyanoacrylate (super glue). Check the fit before gluing and fill any gaps with putty. Common mistake: gluing before cleaning, which makes mold lines harder to reach. Dry-fit all parts before applying glue.
- Prime the metal figure: Apply a thin, even coat of metal primer from a spray can or airbrush, keeping the can 20–30 cm away and moving in light passes. Let it dry fully. Common mistake: spraying too heavily, which obscures detail. Prime in multiple light coats rather than one thick coat.
- Block in the uniform base colors: Use a mix of gray and brown for the jacket and trousers, and a slightly different shade for the kepi or hat. Paint large areas first with a brush, keeping the paint thin. Common mistake: using pure gray, which looks too modern and flat. Vary the uniform tones slightly between garments to suggest worn cloth.
- Paint the face and hands: Apply a base flesh tone, then add subtle shading in the eye sockets, under the nose, and along the jawline with a darker flesh mix. Paint the eyes with a small dot of off-white and a tinier dark pupil. Common mistake: over-painting the eyes, making them look cartoonish. Keep facial details minimal and use a fine brush.
- Add equipment and details: Paint the musket, bayonet, and any straps with appropriate metallic and leather colors. Use a dark brown for leather and a gunmetal for the barrel. Common mistake: applying thick metallic paint that hides detail; thin it slightly. Paint straps and belts after the uniform to avoid smudging.
- Apply shading and highlights: Use washes or glazes to deepen folds and recesses, then drybrush or edge-highlight raised areas with a lighter version of the base color. Common mistake: applying wash too heavily, causing pooling; wick away excess with a clean brush. Build shading in thin layers rather than one strong wash.
- Base the figure: Texture the base with sand or putty, paint it in earth tones, and add static grass or flock. Common mistake: forgetting to paint the base rim neatly, which distracts from the figure. Seal the finished figure with a matte varnish to protect the paint.
Product facts
- Pickett's Shame 1863: 75mm scale figure made of high quality white metal, unpainted, assembly required. The larger scale and metal material hold fine detail, so take care when cleaning mold lines and use a primer suited to metal.
Pickett's Shame 1863
