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First attempt at British Denison Smock camo

Discussion in 'Brutal Honesty - Critique Center' started by taff edwards, Feb 4, 2020.

  1. taff edwards A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi all
    My first initial stages of attempt at Denison Smock camo lots to do yet , there are so many variations of colour going to tone done lighter colour and high lights and shadows on other areas to be completed
    There is almost another green to add any feed back and pointers would be fantastic
    Cheers Chris

    93904ADC-FC62-40AD-8330-A3F07B431433.jpeg C24373C4-3AB7-4D4B-86F3-76F032F1FB98.jpeg 22811A0E-6820-47FA-90DC-C85FC5BCFE62.jpeg CA02C945-D712-4396-B216-B51226D435A0.jpeg
    callmehobbes, Oda, Grod and 8 others like this.
  2. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Hi Chris

    As you say so many variations , as you say tone down then shadow and highs , with washes this will look good

    .....now I know whay I avoid camo !

    All power to your brush

    Happy benchtime

    Nap
    Oda and NeilW like this.
  3. Chris Oldfield A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    Chris,

    Looks pretty good to me, the way you’ve feathered the edges of the camo patches is very realistic because this is how the original smocks were. The only point I’d make is that the khaki/earth colour you’ve used is a bit on the bright side, but as Nap says above it should darken nicely with the application of some raw umber or sepia washes.
    Nice one!

    Chris O.
    NeilW likes this.
  4. taff edwards A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Chris
    Thanks for the feed back mate sepia washes next really sort of getting back into it, thanks for the advice
    Cheers Chris
    Chris Oldfield likes this.
  5. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Good start but as others have said, needs to be more muted colours.

    Some good Dennison history and refs here:
    https://sergeanttombstoneshistory.wordpress.com/2018/07/23/men-with-tails-the-denison-smock/

    https://sergeanttombstoneshistory.w...with-tails-part-2-the-parachutists-oversmock/
    https://www.wish.com/product/5acb2c027c27687792988820?

    hide_login_modal=true&from_ad=goog_shopping&_display_country_code=GB&_force_currency_code=GBP&pid=googleadwords_int&c=%7BcampaignId%7D&ad_cid=5acb2c027c27687792988820&ad_cc=GB&ad_curr=GBP&ad_price=69.00&campaign_id=6493229882&gclid=CjwKCAiAjMHwBRAVEiwAzdLWGLyf81VvCUXnWCD-fYvDb9UlD_8feGuLiOIneNt0Ooyn_Yk1UfqFpRoC9W4QAvD_BwE

    Note from the first ref:
    For the earliest versions, camouflage fabric was not available; sand-colored cloth was hand-painted with green and brown patches, using mops or large brushes. This camouflage method was developed by Major Denison, for whom the garment was named*. Not surprisingly, the paint tended to wash out; eventually, screen-printed camouflage material was produced, but the brush-stroke effect was retained. Each bolt of camouflage fabric was slightly different from the next.

    The second pattern smock was somewhat darker in color than the first pattern; the base fabric was light green rather than tan, with the green and brown blotches darker as well.

    ... the reenactor should look for muted colors; the biggest flaw with many reproductions is that the colors are much too vivid. Secondly, because the Denison was designed to be worn over battledress, the fit should be long, loose, and baggy. Additionally, reenactors should avoid smocks with a full-length zip.
  6. taff edwards A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Niel
    Thanks for the great into feed mech appreciated
    Chris
  7. taff edwards A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Sorry mate that did not make much sense
    Thank you for the great info and feed back much appreciated
    Chris
  8. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    ... I knew what you meant: happy painting (y)
  9. Viking Bob PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Looks good to me, carry one.
  10. taff edwards A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
  11. NeilW A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Just to complete the story (Wiki):

    The Denison was significantly modified in the 1959 Pattern. This had a higher hem line, and was much less baggy. This was because wearing it over the personal carrying equipment (but under the parachute harness) while parachuting was no longer the practice. The '59 Pattern retained the full length zip and knitted wool cuffs, but the flannel lining of the collar was changed from khaki to light green. The most obvious difference to the eye, however, was the change in pattern and colours of the camouflage. The pattern became less random, more defined, with broad, vertical brush-strokes, and greater contrast between the base light khaki and the overprinted tones. The green was much darker than previous versions, and the brown was now chocolate, rather than brick. Where green and brown overlapped, they formed a fourth, darker, olive brown colour.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denison_smock

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis..._Denison_Parachute_Smock_-_Front_and_Rear.jpg
  12. Jimbo A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    I have a ww11 para bust to paint but I've not attempted it yet due to it being bit of a minefield, so following this with great interest Chris, waiting for the washes to go on to see how it mutes down, all looking good so far though.
    Cheers
    Jim(y)
    Chris Oldfield likes this.
  13. taff edwards A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Jim
    I was the same but thought give it a go hopefully it will work out lol
    Chris
  14. theBaron A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    Very cool, Taff, great start! Can you tell us the colors you're using?

    Prost!
    Brad
  15. malc PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    England
    I think it's looking great, however......... this is only my opinion .
    I would consider slightly darker shadow s on webbing and helmet.... and those fluffy bits on top, this I think would give it mor depth.

    My apologies in advance if it offends.
    Nap likes this.
  16. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England

    Good suggestion there from Malc

    Hope we see more on this ...camo certainly scares me !

    Happy benchtime

    Stay safe

    Nap
  17. jimpy New Member

    There are literally dozens of Denison camouflage designs. I have researched them for some years now and am aware of at least 20 different designs (just designs, not colour schemes and not the "official" Govt. issue patterns. Those are a whole other topic). If you go for a sand-khaki base with wide swaths of olive green and reddish chocolate brown, then considerably blur and desaturate all the colours to produce a subtle effect then you'll end up pretty close to the original appearance of these things when in use. For extra authenticity, make the colours transparent so the greens and browns grin through each other (this last detail has always defeated me in my own attempts). I would not want to criticise what you have done but I'd say, if pressed, that the colours are very much too saturated and the edges too sharp.

    I do wonder, though, why the figure is wearing a parachute but is not wearing the olive green jump over-smock. Is it explained in the kit instructions?
  18. Steve Ski PlanetFigure Supporter

    Country:
    United-States
    I'm a bit late to this one, but your pattern is looking good to me. I've been working a few of Steve Reedee's figures in 1/16th. The pattern is a tough one, at least for me, so I say, Ruck On, you're dong a great job!

    Cheers, Ski.
    Nap likes this.
  19. Henk A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    As an aside (yes, I know this was originally posted a year and a half ago... did Taff ever finish it?), and nothing down to the painter, but the helmet is way off from a British Para helmet. The British Para helmet did not flare at the rim.

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