German Dark Grey

[Nepty]

https://imgur.com/ph97Vpu

[Nepty]

Any suggestions on painting Dark Grey vehicles ?
It seems to me that this is the hardest color to get right.
Please give advice on colors and technique.

Nepty

[panzergator]

My feeling is that, no matter how hard you try to get it exactly to spec, the effort is moot. Wear, tear, sunbleaching, dust and sand blasting, mud, rain,and just the crew walking all over the vehicle soon render colors varied and different. Close enough is good enough.

[Guroburov]

Cool looking vehicles Nepty. I agree with Panzergator, go ahead and highlight if you want or mud, dust, etc. So long as it's grey, its all good.

[PolishGI]

At this scale, german grey almost appears black.

For me, the smaller the scale, the more I have to lighten the color a tad. It is still dark grey but a little lighter.

To PG's point, there are so many variables that impact base coats in real life... that I may even add a grey or light grey wash to the model to bring out some of the details. This way the German grey color is still visible underneath.

[Nepty]

https://imgur.com/NiBDlCt

I tried with these Vallejo colors of Basalt grey and Intermediate blue 50/50 and added Light grey to it for highlights. What do you think ? Is it any better ?

Thank you everybody for the advice.

Nepty

[StarCruiser]

Looks good for a faded Panzer Grey.

Might try a dark wash and then highlight to darken it a little?

[PolishGI]

I use Citadels black wash to fill in detail and bring it out. Also pretty good for tinting the windows black. Without repainting entire vehicle.

[Nepty]

I use Vallejo game wash. I combine the black and sepia 50/50 but I also dilute it with 4 drops of water. Maybe I am diluting it too much. Should I use the washes without diluting them ?

Nepty

[panzergator]

Thinned black wash touchd to critical points and dependung on capillary action to highlight libes. Shaved graphite from a pencil and drybrushed on, followed by rubbing with a brush.

Provides a dull, metalluc, dirty sheen sported by most vehicles in hard use.

[pmskaar]

Hi Nepty!

I have not painted any vehicles in German Panzer Gray for a few years. I have used several formulas for my Panzer Gray. My primary paint brand is Humbrol but have also used Poly Scale German Gray on a few vehicles.

1. When I started in 1989, my Humbrol Panzer Gray was a mix of several of their grays at the time. It was a complex formula and I have discarded using it for that reason. Too many colors involved to keep track of.

2. I have used other single Humbrol gray colors with white added for scale. I have used their #67 Panzer Gray with a fair amount of #34 Matt White which worked out pretty well. I have also used #27 and #106 as well.

3. I used Poly Scale German Panzer Gray for some Panzer IIIs that came in Dunkelgelb. This brand is no longer available. It was an acrylic type paint.

4. When I do my next batch of German vehicles in Panzer Gray, I will either use #67, #27, or #106 mixed with #34 white. #67 Matt Tank Gray is way too dark at 1/285th scale and needs a fair amount of white. #27 Matt Sea Gray has a bit of a blue tint to it. #106 Matt Ocean Gray has a bit less blue and is a more neutral gray.

Humbrol has changed their color formulas from time to time so sometimes the same paint number may have some slight variations in tone.

[pmskaar]

Here is a picture of 3 of my vehicles in Panzer Gray. The Panzer IVF1 on the left is done in #67 Tank Gray with a fair amount of #34 Matt White added. The Panzer III in the middles is done with my old Humbrol Panzer Gray formula and the one on the right is done in Polyscale's Panzer Gray. I'm sorry for the picture not being quite as crisp as I would like it.

.

[pmskaar]

Here are more pictures showing some vehicles in my old complex formula.

[pmskaar]

Here is a picture of some Panzer IIs that I painted using Humbrol #67 Tank Gray mixed with a fair amount of #34 Matt White.

[Nepty]

https://imgur.com/9yvu3J5


Very nice Pmskaar. I really like your Sd 251 and Pz 38t. They show up very well on my computer.

Nepty