Hi,
I've painted the camo pants on the figure and I need some opinions on how it looks. For those not familiar with the story, I'm painting this figure to be photographed for the box art and web site pictures. So I really need your critical opinion on how it looks. Please don't hold back.

There are more pictures on my web site. please take a look and let me know what you think. Start with number 11. By the way, it's 80mm scale.
Thanks,
Craig
My Webpage

Craig !!

The camo looks absolutely fantastic !!

nice job

if those are vallejo's i'd love to hear your colours/technique

-Alex

Hi Alex,
Thanks.
Actually, its all done in oil paints. I'll post the colors I used and the method I followed to apply them sometime this weekend. I really didn't know what I was doing. I just started painting and these are the results. :lol:
Craig

hi craig lookin good man i want to see more of this guy.keep us posted and thanks for sharing man johnny camo is lookin nice 2

Craig,
As usual, great start...how do you plan to blend the pea pattern? Will you use an acrylic glaze, or an oil wash?

All the best

Patrick

Johnny,
Thanks for the nice comments.

Patrick,
Can you explain what you mean by blending the pea pattern? I'm not sure I know what you mean. Right now the only thing I have planned for the camo is to a wash to increase the shadows and then a clear flat coat.
Thanks,
Craig

Craig,
We are tracking...
What I meant is how you were going to get the pattern to blend into the shadows and the highlights. I am always amazed on how guys get that effect so that it doesn't look like the the shadow and highlights are applied right on "top" so to speak. Does that make sense?

Great work...can't wait to see more

All the best

Patrick

Hi Patrick.
Hmmmm.......
I think I understand now and I don't know how I'd achieve that effect. I guess I really hand't planned on trying anything to do that. I figured that it would be too difficult. Only thing I di so far for shadows and highlights was when I did the base brown color. I added shadows while it was still wet. But then I painted all but the light color while everything was wet. I dried this in the drying box and then added the light colr and dried it too. Then I did all the dots last night. Actually, I did the dots twice! First try just didn't look right to be but it showed me what I wanted to change so I removed them with thinner and dried it with a hair dryer. Then is was back to painting dots. Must have spent 3 or 4 hours just painting those damn dots .
If you or anyone has any suggestions on what to do next, I'd really appreciate the help.
Thanks,
Craig

Craig,
You wild man...are you using oils for the dots? I can only imagine the pain associated with all those and the different colors.

As for the technique, I think you are spot on...I haven't ever tried the pea camo pattern because, to me, it's like the tarten pattern. If we were meant to paint tarten and pea camo pattern, then some smart guy wouldva invented tarten pattern paint! :lol: Until then, I'll just look in awe my friend...

Keep up the great work...

All the best

Patrick

Patrick,
Yeah...all oil paints. That actually helped when I just removed the first dot pattern :lol:
Actually it was pretty easy to do the dots in oils. Only real problem was if I had too much paint on the brush. Then there might be a "peak" in the surface of the paint that had to be knocked down.
I've been waiting for that tartan paint too. Or maybe for a brush that paints the tartan pattern for you. :lol:
Thanks Patrick,
Craig

Hi Craig

I'm not sure about the colors you've used for the light peas and patches. Are you going to use a wash/filter to tone down the contrast?

Andy

Hi Andy,
I'm currently planning on a light wash of Sepia and a coat of clear flat which should tone them down some. Those colors were the best I could come up with by viewing photos in books and on line.
Craig

Hi Craig

I don't recall seeing really pale dots. The sepia should work to make them less pale. I have the Europa Militaria book on SS camo, and a nice book on the Normandy landings with color photos of original camo cloth. I could send pics/scans if you like.

Andy

Looks good to me. I think the Sepia will tone down the brightness. May be add some MIG powder dust when added to the base?

Keep going!

Keith

Craig,
VERY nicely done, amigo!!! I see what brother Patrick is getting at. If I may offer a recommendation ... seal the camo pattern with a flat coat first in order to protect the pattern. Then apply the wash you were talking about, but I'd recommend raw umber instead since sepia can be too dark. Once dry, seal it again with a flat coat. I know the repetitive use of a flat coat sounds redundant, but at leas you protect your work with oils if you're not happy with the wash - just wipe it off with a flat brush and your work is protected
By the way, sorry for not getting those notes posted here. I can't find the damn things in the "Grey Army closet" black hole - items to in there and are never to be seen again.

Hi Pete,
Took your advice and sealed it with flat and then did a wash with Raw Umber. Toned the camo down some. Thanks.
No problem about the notes. I've had stuff disappear into the same limbe myself .
I'll try to post some new pics this weekend.
Thanks,
Craig

Hey there, Craig! I'm glad it worked. The purpose of "bringing the colors together" is so that no single color stands out too much over another. If you look at any camo pattern, you'll notice how all colors seem to blend in together since none pop out too much. I'm glad it worked I also can't wait to see pictures

Cheers!

Hi Craig,
there is a lot of pics about dot pattern on the web. One I remember is here. It's about ss jacket, but the pattern is very similar to the one used on the m44 trousers. The difference with the m44 type is about colors.
Consider that the dots, on the real thing, are larger than those you can see on many repros.
A good reference I've also used is a color plate by Volstad, on an old Osprey Vanguard (I think) book.
Ciao

Verygood, the figure,

Cheer...
Alejandro Vielma