The need to prepaint and undercoat with acrylics leads directly into the need to figure out the colors. If you search online for the colors that the conquistadors wore, they fall into two distinct groups. Most of the modern sources show bright armor and bright, vivid colors. The more academic sources tend to show very dull colors with lots of leather. I don't remember a lot of the world history courses I took back in the stone age, but I do remember that bright colors were expensive back then and were usually only affordable by the affluent. I tend to think that the dull colors are more accurate, so I am underpainting using Vallejo paints in dull colors. The good news about underpainting is that I get to see what he looks like with my color choice while there is still time to change them if they don't work. I still need to do a few more colors tomorrow, but I think he is moving in a good direction.
3 attached images. Click to enlarge.
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1. I work from the inside out-so face and skin first. Actually, his face is the only skin to worry about.
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1. The piece directly under the armor is leather, I think.
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1. I have read that the upper portion of the pants could be light leather or heavy cloth. Usually only one color in the early period, perhaps two colors later.
2. The stockings usually were colored, but still not really bright.
