Showing posts with label Primer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Primer. Show all posts

Tuesday, 25 February 2020

"Take That Hill" - 10mm Falklands Painting (Part 1): British Infantry in DPM

We have been playing "Take That Hill" with whatever came to hand which was Kallistra scenery and Pendrakon 10mm 8th Army figures (see below, Western Desert this is not!):


However as the game instructions were written in contemporary modern terminology I wanted to give the figures a more modern feel. Rummaging about in my "box of treasures" (aka silver legions) I found some 10mm British Infantry and Argentine Infantry from the Falklands War period (see below, the British Infantry mounted on coffee stirrers ready for priming - a little dab of superglue has them fixed in place, I could have used PVA but it takes longer to dry and inevitably some figures seem to always come off when you least want them to):


The Airfix Acrylic prier is now back readily available in good hobby stores (see below, I missed you and have copiously stocked upon my most favourite primer):


Next follows the Vallejo Brown Wash (see below, this epic large tub has done me sterling service over the years and is down to its last thick and clumpy dregs but just seems to keep going!):


A side view (see below, I just love the way 'Wash' both covers the figure in a gradual shade and creeps into the seems naturally - the Citadel contrast paints seem to take this to another level but I have to use my existing stock before I move on to it):


The uniform now gets a Khaki (Vallejo 70988 Model Colour), Black over the rifles/weapons and boots (Vallejo Model Colour 70950), over the uniform bits and Dark Flesh (Vallejo 72044 Model Colour ) was used here (see below, both British and Argentine Infantry are shown here):


I next gave the uniform a Khaki (50%) and Dark Sand (50% Vallejo Model 70847) highlight (see below, the contrast is becoming to come through on the figures):

The DPM camouflage required "Green Sponge" smears which were applied via US Dark Green (Vallejo Model Colour 70893) paint in a random fashion (see below, the difference is subtle - click on the photo to enlarge):


Next Flat Earth splodges were applied (Vallejo Model Colour 70983) were applied in a random fashion, taking care to leave some of the Khaki/Dark Sand mix still showing (see below .. the "factory system" was working well for these fourteen figures):


Madness took me at this point and I applied another watered down version of Vallejo Brown Wash to the figure. To make a contrast I returned to the Khaki areas and applied a slightly lighter mix. This was applied in "tiny areas" to highlight the uniform and bring in a nice meld to the figures with the wash [it kind of worked I think], followed by German Cam Dark Green (Vallejo Model Colour 70979) to the webbing, helmet and packs (see below - tunic, trousers basic webbing [almost] done!):


Mixing a bit of Khaki to the German Cam Dark Green gives a subtle highlight (see below, just applied to the leading edges and flaps):


A highlight of Gun Metal (Vallejo Game Colour 72054) is applied to the weapons in a subtle fashion (see below, looking darkly dangerous):


Beasty Brown (Vallejo Game Colour 72043) is dabbed into the wooden parts of the weapon (see below, importantly for this minor colour "less means more"):


The final painting act is to add a Flesh highlight (Vallejo Game Colour 72041) on the faces and hands [again "less is more" here] so that they "look real" and suggest features (see below, a final sense of relief comes on me at this stage):


The final British Infantry "look" - ready for action and trouble - also they are sealed in a Humbrol Matt Varnish (see below, any more painting and I would honestly cry at this point - the figures are small! I nearly cried as the Matt Varnish also merges colours together, lessening some contrasts):


Pleased and relieved ;)
Time to be a ruthless finisher though and move on!

Next Stop: "basing"!

Footnote: https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/painting-british-dpm-camoflague-sbs.31911/

Thursday, 7 March 2019

New Kingdom Egyptian (I/22) DBA Version 3 Army - Painting Progress

The little beggars have been clipped and filed, glued onto coffee stirrers and primed in Airfix Primer (back on the market thank gawd) then when dry, washed in Vallejo Brown Wash (see below, the Chariots were based, but as the majority of Egyptian infantry is "solid" it would be impractical to paint then 'based' so they get the deluxe individual attention):


I have to confess from the hiatus of the Hittite surge, the New Kingdom Egyptian slowed due to some distraction with getting to grips with the rules, DBA Version 3. Hopefully this post will spur me on - or will it be the whip of the Pharaoh instead!

Wednesday, 27 February 2019

Work Starts on the New Kingdom Egyptian (I/22) 6mm DBA Army

For the Hittites (and there loose formation) I just plonked them on the base and painted around them. The close ranked Egyptian infantry are another matter, hence a factory production system approach is required methinks, painting the figures required for a base then basing them (see below, yet another use for coffee "stirring sticks"):


The plan is simple, a dab of PVA glue on the base to stick it to the stick, let it dry then paint it was Airfix Grey Primer (01) and then "wash it" in Vallejo Brown Wash. The Chariots however will be done the Hittite way (see below, cheap "Pound Store" [yes, contrary to an early alarmist post they are still trading] superglue all over my hands - the Egyptian two man Chariots are much easier than teh three man Hittite Chariots I had to put together!):


Despite their small 6mm size the New Kingdom Egyptians still have a considerable number of infantry to paint - especially when I insanely multiplied the number of figures on a base (see below, the New Kingdom Egyptian infantry mass - their Chariots can be seen in the background):


As these two DBA armies (Hittite and New Kingdom Egyptian) are progressing well I am already paying consideration to "what next". I have my eye on the "Sea Peoples" I/28 as they fought both.

Friday, 21 December 2018

"E-Boat bearing Green 20!"

The sharped eye lookout spotted a sinister shape lurking in the (displaying no wake as I had forgot to put one in the picture) and cried out in alarm (see below, my first factory fresh German S-Boat):


Just the basic colours (not even a highlight). I will slip a coat of matte varnish on her ready for the first Cruel Seas scenario. All I have to do is paint up a couple of Vospers! I started with my Airfix Acrylic primer followed by a Vallejo Black Wash.

Painting Notes: 
I had a hard time acquiring the correct '50 shades of grey' as per the Cruel Seas painting guides but I did get the legendary Vallejo Model Colour London Grey to which I painted the S-Boat deck. The light (Vallejo Sky Grey) grey was subbed by Vallejo by the Vallejo Game Colour Stonewall Grey. Oak was in turned replaced by Beasty Brown (decking) and Panzer Periscope was replaced by Imperial Blue (windows). That just left gun metal for the torpedoes, with the top quarter of the fish (or "eels") painted black. I did not bother with the fleck of gold at the rear of the torpedo as suggested in the painting guide. Still to do is a little "grey highlighting" but I can get away without this in the first instance. 

Wednesday, 31 October 2018

Return of the Airfix Acrylic Grey Primer (01)

Just when I thought all was lost, I came across my favourite primer in Edinburgh's treasure trove of a model shop Wonderland! (see below, hopefully it means they are back online and available):


I bought two just in case ;)

Note: It also means (for better or worse) I can put my primer spray cans to the side for now!

Tuesday, 3 July 2018

Farewell my Airfix Grey Acrylic Primer (01) it looks like the end of a beautiful relationship!

To the tune of American Pie (the Don McLean song, not the movies that is):

"I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd bought the "paint" years before
But the man there said the it wouldn't "sell"


Apparently I was the only one who liked using it :(
Gone even from the Airfix website
The HobbyCraft girl said Humbrol were cutting back on their paint range :(