Most of my painting is using acrylics (water soluble) paints due the disappearance of many enamel paint lines from stores. The upside is you can thin the stuff with water or alcohol instead of with all the other various thinners needed. It is also slightly less bad for you in terms of fumes, vapor, and particulates.
Also the acquisition of hobbies paintings by other brands is resulting in narrowing of lines with many colors being discontinued.
Paint color
Moderators: dnichols, GHQ, Mk 1
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Hoth_902
- E5
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- Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:08 am
- Location: Pacific Northwest
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Way to go Redleg, jumping back in strong. Can't wait to see what you get accomplished.
Most of my paints are enamels, however I have seen the same thing as Mike Robel. Krylon bought out model masters and they are starting to discontinue some of there enamel lines. I panicked about two years ago when they discontinued there US Army/Marine desert sand. The have an acrylic equivalent, but I was using the enamels. So I bought up what I could so that I could complete some units and have them look similar through out. Once that runs out, its off to find something else that will work.
Overall, I use a mix of different types of paints. I do most of my chassis in enamels and some of the camo paints are enamel as well. However, I do use acrylics to paint my wheels on the tanks.. Its hard to paint and acrylic on top of an enamel, but it does make it easy to remove over paint on the rims. Some thinner wipes it away and leaves the enamel untouched. It removes most of it.. I can then paint the rim color and it comes out pretty good and hard to tell there was ever a goof.
Most of my paints are enamels, however I have seen the same thing as Mike Robel. Krylon bought out model masters and they are starting to discontinue some of there enamel lines. I panicked about two years ago when they discontinued there US Army/Marine desert sand. The have an acrylic equivalent, but I was using the enamels. So I bought up what I could so that I could complete some units and have them look similar through out. Once that runs out, its off to find something else that will work.
Overall, I use a mix of different types of paints. I do most of my chassis in enamels and some of the camo paints are enamel as well. However, I do use acrylics to paint my wheels on the tanks.. Its hard to paint and acrylic on top of an enamel, but it does make it easy to remove over paint on the rims. Some thinner wipes it away and leaves the enamel untouched. It removes most of it.. I can then paint the rim color and it comes out pretty good and hard to tell there was ever a goof.
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madman
- E5
- Posts: 210
- Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2016 9:21 pm
- Location: Ontario Canada
The green also sold as HB.1 Dark Green which was part of their authentic colours series.
Many discontinued enamels can be found on eBay where I added quite a few "back up" bottles and tins. Plus I have found discontinued colours from both Humbrol and Testor's Model Master which I either ran out of or was on the verge of. One of the colours I used back in the day was Pactra in their line of military colours (had some special name for them). Their German uniform grey, to me back then, looked quite good and many of my old micro armour guys were painted with it. Nowadays I am using rattle can spray primer which comes reasonably close for my purposes.
Many discontinued enamels can be found on eBay where I added quite a few "back up" bottles and tins. Plus I have found discontinued colours from both Humbrol and Testor's Model Master which I either ran out of or was on the verge of. One of the colours I used back in the day was Pactra in their line of military colours (had some special name for them). Their German uniform grey, to me back then, looked quite good and many of my old micro armour guys were painted with it. Nowadays I am using rattle can spray primer which comes reasonably close for my purposes.
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Mk 1
- E5
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- Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2004 3:21 am
- Location: Silicon Valley, CA
With regards to the "scale color" effect, I like the results I get just by using a white primer.
You may think that you paint over the undercoat and so it shouldn't matter. And it doesn't ... much. But it does ... a little. And that little bit may be all that you want.
Here is an illustration of the impact of undercoating:
These are my Italian SPa Dovunque medium trucks. Ooh, such an interesting pre-modern automotive look. And I like to add a bit of character to my vehicles (without too much work), so for these trucks I tried to give some subtlety and nuance to the shading of the tarps/canopies. But as I say ... without too much work.
What I did was choose two colors for my canvas. And then I chose to undercoat some in the base coat color (the old Poly-S Italian Camo Gray), and not to undercoat others leaving them with just the white primer that I used overall prior to painting.
And I split those choices between cab and cargo bed canvases.
That gave me lots of combinations, so no two trucks had the exact same.
Look at the upper left truck. On that truck the whole truck got the base coat of camo gray. Then the tarps, both cab and cargo bed, were painted in olive. Look at the middle right truck. On that truck the cab was also base coated, and then overpainted with the olive (although the cargo bed tarp got an entirely different color ... a light green/tan).
Now, look at the lower left truck. On that truck the cab did not get the base coat but the cargo bed canvas did. So you can see, between front and back of that one truck, and between the cab of that truck vs. the cabs of the one in the upper left and the middle right, the difference that resulted from painting the olive over the white primer, vs. painting the olive over a base coat of camo gray.
For my purposes I go with un-mixed / undiluted / un-lightened colors, and let my white primer to the "scale effect" for me.
-Mark
You may think that you paint over the undercoat and so it shouldn't matter. And it doesn't ... much. But it does ... a little. And that little bit may be all that you want.
Here is an illustration of the impact of undercoating:
These are my Italian SPa Dovunque medium trucks. Ooh, such an interesting pre-modern automotive look. And I like to add a bit of character to my vehicles (without too much work), so for these trucks I tried to give some subtlety and nuance to the shading of the tarps/canopies. But as I say ... without too much work.
What I did was choose two colors for my canvas. And then I chose to undercoat some in the base coat color (the old Poly-S Italian Camo Gray), and not to undercoat others leaving them with just the white primer that I used overall prior to painting.
And I split those choices between cab and cargo bed canvases.
That gave me lots of combinations, so no two trucks had the exact same.
Look at the upper left truck. On that truck the whole truck got the base coat of camo gray. Then the tarps, both cab and cargo bed, were painted in olive. Look at the middle right truck. On that truck the cab was also base coated, and then overpainted with the olive (although the cargo bed tarp got an entirely different color ... a light green/tan).
Now, look at the lower left truck. On that truck the cab did not get the base coat but the cargo bed canvas did. So you can see, between front and back of that one truck, and between the cab of that truck vs. the cabs of the one in the upper left and the middle right, the difference that resulted from painting the olive over the white primer, vs. painting the olive over a base coat of camo gray.
For my purposes I go with un-mixed / undiluted / un-lightened colors, and let my white primer to the "scale effect" for me.
-Mark
-Mark 1
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
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Mk 1
- E5
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- Joined: Fri Dec 24, 2004 3:21 am
- Location: Silicon Valley, CA
And now, while we are on the topic of paint colors, and while I am on the topic of my Italian forces, maybe some sharp-eyed color-matcher can give me bit of advice too.
I have a reasonably-sized Italian force. My infantry, shown here, have been painted up in the WW2 continental uniform, for use against my Soviets on the Eastern Front, and against my Americans (and French Armee d'Afrique) in Tunisia. I don't have any western dessert Brits, so this is a very useful opposition force in my collection.
This was the first force I painted up after joining this forum. It was my first experience with GHQ's individual infantry. I built this force with one Combat Command, two packs of Individual Infantry, and one pack of Individual Support Weapons.
It has become one of my little gems. I really like my Italians. But alas, there were not enough LMGs for a proper Italian infantry company TOE. I should have 4 LMGs per platoon, and I can use a few extras for security sections for the artillery or HQ units, but the core issue is 4 per platoon. Alas, all I got with the purchases described were 5 or 6 LMGs. I have tried sub'ing in some prone LMG figures from other infantry. Managed to get up to about 10. But still short, and honestly I'm not too fond of some of the substitutes I chose.
I now have more Italian LMGs to add to the force. Oh good!
But alas, I don't have my 20 year old Poly-S Italian Camo Gray paint anymore.
Anyone got any suggestions? I'm facing the challenge of trying to mix up an approximation. Not that I'm against that if needed, but since I also can't exactly match the Poly-S Sahara Sand color I used on the bases, I'm thinking my new LMGs are going to stand out like a sore thumb!
Hoping I can do better than that.
Do any of you have Italians in continental uniforms? What color(s) did you use?
-Mark
I have a reasonably-sized Italian force. My infantry, shown here, have been painted up in the WW2 continental uniform, for use against my Soviets on the Eastern Front, and against my Americans (and French Armee d'Afrique) in Tunisia. I don't have any western dessert Brits, so this is a very useful opposition force in my collection.
This was the first force I painted up after joining this forum. It was my first experience with GHQ's individual infantry. I built this force with one Combat Command, two packs of Individual Infantry, and one pack of Individual Support Weapons.
It has become one of my little gems. I really like my Italians. But alas, there were not enough LMGs for a proper Italian infantry company TOE. I should have 4 LMGs per platoon, and I can use a few extras for security sections for the artillery or HQ units, but the core issue is 4 per platoon. Alas, all I got with the purchases described were 5 or 6 LMGs. I have tried sub'ing in some prone LMG figures from other infantry. Managed to get up to about 10. But still short, and honestly I'm not too fond of some of the substitutes I chose.
I now have more Italian LMGs to add to the force. Oh good!
But alas, I don't have my 20 year old Poly-S Italian Camo Gray paint anymore.
Anyone got any suggestions? I'm facing the challenge of trying to mix up an approximation. Not that I'm against that if needed, but since I also can't exactly match the Poly-S Sahara Sand color I used on the bases, I'm thinking my new LMGs are going to stand out like a sore thumb!
Hoping I can do better than that.
Do any of you have Italians in continental uniforms? What color(s) did you use?
-Mark
-Mark 1
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
Difficile est, saturam non scribere.
"It is hard NOT to write satire." - Decimus Iunius Juvenalis, 1st Century AD
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madman
- E5
- Posts: 210
- Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2016 9:21 pm
- Location: Ontario Canada
This is aircraft paint but are any close? Then we could see if we can recommend anything.
https://www.stormomagazine.com/Articles ... cmpr_1.jpg
https://www.stormomagazine.com/Articles ... cmpr_1.jpg
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EdMott
- Posts: 33
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Mk 1
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redleg
- E5
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- Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 11:02 am
- Location: Riverside, CA
Follow up on my Tamiya paint color experiments.Nowhere near Mark's level of painting skill, but I'll keep trying!
I'm trying to do NATO 3-color camo for y modern US / ROD vehicles and I'm looking for the right green color for the base. I tried 3 green colors: XF-13 (JA Green), XF-65 (Field Gray), abd XF-67 (Nato Green). Clearly the JS Green is too dark, but I'm not sure about the other 2 colors. The pictures aren't that great, but one is a little more grayish than the other.
I'm trying to do NATO 3-color camo for y modern US / ROD vehicles and I'm looking for the right green color for the base. I tried 3 green colors: XF-13 (JA Green), XF-65 (Field Gray), abd XF-67 (Nato Green). Clearly the JS Green is too dark, but I'm not sure about the other 2 colors. The pictures aren't that great, but one is a little more grayish than the other.
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redleg
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panzergator
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BurtWolf
- E5
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- Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2013 11:48 pm
- Location: Rochester, NY
Mark - thanks for the post on base coats. I almost always use white but might try different shades as you suggest. Interesting...
As I earlier posted to Polish, I’m looking for some suggestions on paint schemes for the desert war and Italy. Polish gave me a good list on DAK colors - can you give me a breakdown on what you used with your Italian infantry? I have not done it yet but I’m about to embark on some painting (are use Vallejo, I know that’s probably not to use but just curious as to what your scheme was). Thanks!
As I earlier posted to Polish, I’m looking for some suggestions on paint schemes for the desert war and Italy. Polish gave me a good list on DAK colors - can you give me a breakdown on what you used with your Italian infantry? I have not done it yet but I’m about to embark on some painting (are use Vallejo, I know that’s probably not to use but just curious as to what your scheme was). Thanks!