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My Armor kit - Historical Fiction?
Sir Douglas:
So milk paint will stick to metal? At least, well enough that it won't come off if you just look at it too hard.
I guess that’s a dumb question...it must if that’s what they used in-period. :P
Ian:
--- Quote from: DouglasTheYounger on 2014-05-09, 17:15:31 ---So milk paint will stick to metal? At least, well enough that it won't come off if you just look at it too hard.
I guess that’s a dumb question...it must if that’s what they used in-period. :P
--- End quote ---
Not a dumb question. I don't know if it will stick. Maybe apply gesso first as a primer?
**edit**
not satisfied with my guess of an answer, here's a discussion on myArmoury regarding painting armor:
http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=16462
Sir Edward:
Something I've done, which isn't at a living-history standard, but will look fine for renfaires and the like, is to use spray paint that has a "flat" or "matte" finish. It's still slightly too glossy, but looks pretty good.
Sir Martyn:
Thanks for the additional effort. I had no idea bout the gesso/milk paint thing.
I certainly understand folks would not want obvious spraypainting, etc. but I was thinking of using hand applied acrylic over a flat, matte primer.
Ian, have you had any experience re: how strict re-enactment folks are on what kinds of paints are used, or is this going to be a subjective, varies by group kind of issue?
Ian:
--- Quote from: Gareyth on 2014-05-13, 15:40:48 ---Thanks for the additional effort. I had no idea bout the gesso/milk paint thing.
Ian, have you had any experience re: how strict re-enactment folks are on what kinds of paints are used, or is this going to be a subjective, varies by group kind of issue?
--- End quote ---
More research on this... There are exceedingly few extant examples of painted armor. Most notable are the painted sallets of the late 15th / early 16th century. They're known as black sallets because the metalwork was left rough from the hammer. To cover up the less than beautiful finish they were painted. The rough surfaces of these pieces provided the necessary medium on which paint could actually stick. There's no real evidence of priming, and these are not milk paint. They are painted with a linseed oil based paint. So it's really oil paint.
The only other evidence for painted armor is iconographical evidence from the crusader era (like the Maciejowski Bible). However, none of it exists so it's really only speculation. Here are some extant painted sallets:
Now all that being said, here's the deal with reenacting. Like you alluded to it's going to be purely subjective by group. The absolute most strict group on the planet would probably only allow the painting of a rough from the hammer sallet of the late 15th century. A slightly less strict crusader era group may allow painted crusader helmets because they allow things based purely on iconographical evidence. An even less strict group may allow painting of helmets that have no proof of decoration like a late 15th century barbute, because it coexisted with painted sallets, but there's no documentary evidence for it so you're pushing the limits here. You see where I'm going with this. The safe rule of thumb is if there's no direct evidence then it should not really be done if you're goal is historical accuracy. You're mileage may vary by group authenticity standards. Some groups will certainly allow painted armor even though there's no direct evidence, but they are conceding the historicity of the decoration.
Now as far as what you paint it with, even strict groups will probably allow a modern paint if under examination it LOOKS like the historical paint. For example, in La Belle Compagnie, we can have machine sewn clothing on seams that are not visible. Any visible seam must be hand-finished so that even under examination, short of dismantling a garment, it appears hand-sewn. It must also be dyed in a color that was available to the appropriate time period and class of the person you're depicting (i.e., no scarlet red for a commons). But we don't have to use actual period dyes, as long as the dye color is correct. I suspect other strict Living History groups may allow non-period paint, as long as the colors and appearance of the finished product looks historical and is appropriate.
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