I use the black undercoat painting method and so do War Modelling (Spain). I noticed their style was a little different to mine – they use a highlight colour on all the big areas. Given I wasn’t too familiar with the Vallejo Model Color range I asked Luis Santigosa from War Modelling (Spain) for some advice. He offered some colour combinations to use for shading – those used by their painting service. I’ve extended this list further as I’ve experimented and overtime it has morphed into my default painting scheme. Unless noted this is proper painting rather than dry brushing, and Vallejo paints.
| Colour | Base Colour | Highlight Colour |
|---|---|---|
| White (including white horses) |
 Either Vallejo (154) 70.989 Sky Grey1  Or Vallejo (155) 70.990 Light Grey |
 Either Vallejo (001) 70.951 White 2  Or Vallejo (005) 70.918 Ivory 2 |
| Black |
 Vallejo (169) 70.950 Black |
Mix Vallejo (169) 70.950 Black  With Vallejo (160) 70.992 Neutral Grey |
| Grey |
 Vallejo (166) 70.994 Dark grey |
Vallejo (160) 70.992 Neutral grey |
| Sky Blue |
 Vallejo (053) 70.930 Dark Blue |
 Vallejo (065) 70.841 Andrea Blue3 |
| Blue 4 |
 Vallejo (051) 70.965 Prussian Blue |
Vallejo (053) 70.930 Dark Blue |
| Red |
 Vallejo (137) 70.982 Cavalry brown |
 Vallejo (028) 70.909 Vermillion |
| Yellow5 |
 Vallejo (121) 70.913 Yellow Ochre |
 Vallejo (014) 70.915 Deep yellow |
| Light Green |
 Vallejo (097) 70.979 German Camouflage Dark Green |
 Vallejo (072) 70.970 Deep Green |
| Dark Green |
Vallejo (097) 70.979 German Camouflage Dark Green |
Mix Vallejo (097) 70.979 German Camouflage Dark Green With Vallejo (001) 70.951 White |
| Brown and Horse Tones (Brown) |
 Vallejo (148) 70.941 Burnt umber |
 Either Vallejo (143) 70.983 Flat earth6  Or Vallejo (140) 70.984 Flat brown  Or Vallejo (141) 70.921 English Uniform  Or Vallejo (134) 70.874 US Tan Earth |
| Horse tones (reddish) |
Vallejo (148) 70.941 Burnt umber |
 Either Vallejo (146) 70.985 Hull Red |
| Horse tones (Pale) |
 Vallejo (129) 70.929 Light Brown |
 Vallejo (122) 70.912 Tan yellow |
| Beige |
 Vallejo (125) 70.977 Desert Yellow |
Mix Vallejo (125) 70.977 Desert Yellow With Vallejo (001) 70.951 White |
| Buff7 |
Vallejo (121) 70.913 Yellow Ochre |
Mix Vallejo (121) 70.913 Yellow Ochre With Vallejo (001) 70.951 White |
| Rifle stocks |
 (139) 70.846 Mahogany brown |
– |
| Gun metal |
 (179) 70.863 Gunmetal grey |
 (178) 70.864 Natural steel |
| European Skin Tone |
 Vallejo (017) 70.815 Flesh Tone8 |
– |
| African Skin Tones |
Vallejo (140) 70.984 Flat Brown8 |
– |
| Wood e.g. carts or buildings |
 Heavy dry brush Vallejo (145) 70.826 German Camouflage Mid Brown [Coat D’arms 534 Dark Leather] |
 Dry brush Vallejo (113) 70.880 Khaki Grey [Coat D’arms 524 Tan Earth] Light Dry brush 50:50 mix Vallejo (113) 70.880 Khaki Grey [Cote D’arms 524 Tan Earth] and Vallejo (001) 70.951 White |
| Thatch10 | Heavy Dry brush Cote D’arms 502 Field Drab |
Light Dry brush Cote D’arms 221 Horse Tone Dun – particularly around edges, gives a hint of Brown/Gold Light Dry brush Cote D’arms 231 Mid Grey Light Dry brush Cote D’arms 233 Linen |
| Straw Hat9 |
 Vallejo (120) 70.976 Buff |
 Vallejo (007) 70.837 Pale Sand |
| Red Hair |
Vallejo (137) 70.982 Cavalry Brown |
 Vallejo (025) 70.956 Clear Orange |
Notes:
(1) I always use Sky Grey as the base for white.
(2) The Vallejo white is very thick which is why I’m increasingly opting for Ivory instead
(3) Although you’d think that Sky Blue paint would be a good choice for Sky Blue I found Luis’s suggestion of Andrea Blue very successful.
(4) Luis recommended this for all “blue” uniforms whether Spanish (Turqui) or French (midnight blue). In the field they all kind of blended together.
(5) This is my suggestion. Luis suggest something else. I didn’t find his combination too successful
| Yellow – Luis’s suggestion |
Vallejo (025) 70.956 Clear Orange |
 Vallejo (016) 70.948 Golden yellow |
(6) I used (143) 70.983 Flat earth for the top coat on my Napoleonic Spanish.
(7) Buff is the colour I used for the trousers of the heavy cavalry of my Napoleonic Spanish.
(8) Paint the facial features (forehead, nose, checks, chin, ears) and other flesh (hands, arms, legs) leaving black undercoat as shadow.
(9) Straw hats are useful for troops from Venezuela.
(10) For Celtic, Russian or Burmese houses. The paint suggestions are, as you’ll notice, not Vallejo, but Coat D’Arms.
I used these suggestions for my Napoleonic Spanish and Royalists in the Chilean Campaign of 1817-18.
