Had this on my bench for a really long time, and then havent touched it in almost a year since getting the uniform base coat down last summer.

As the title says, this is the Verlinden 120mm 82nd Airborne SAW Gunner kit. Figure was primed with Floquil Grey Primer (love this stuff) and then I put down Model Master Sand for the base color for the uniform. And then this is how its sat since last summer.



Today I finally pulled the trigger and started painting the skin tone, and I was very happy with the results. Spent a couple of hours trying to decide on skin tone, and when I didn't have the exact colors I found suggested, I just picked a couple that I thought were close, and went with it.

Skin tone is a 1:1 mix of Vallejo Chocolate Brown & Mahogany Brown. Haven't figured out yet what to do for shadows & highlights. I've got a couple ideas, but I'm very much open to suggestions.





For shadows, I've thought about either going with straight Chocolate Brown, but I'm pretty sure that wont be dark enough, so I've thought about darkening with just a touch of black, maybe 5:1 or 10:1 but I think it will take some playing.

For highlights, I'm thinking the Mahogany brown, with maybe a touch of red, again maybe 5:1 or 10:1.

Once the skin is done, I'll be doing the Desert Storm era "Chocolate Chip" camouflage pattern. I've already got several colors picked out, but want to do some practicing on some sheet styrene before I start laying it down on the figure.

Great start, look forward to seeing it done. Not to be picky, but it is an M60 gun I believe.




Steve

Oops, you are correct. I thought I'd seen somewhere that it was a SAW so that's what I went w/.

Well, made my first attempt tonight on the desert camo. I've got kind of mixed feelings on the results.

I'm happy with what I have, but on the flip side it doesnt match very well to all of the references I've got for this style of camo. The camo seems to run more in streaks vs separate area's like how I've got it. It also feels like it's a lot heavier/bigger than it should be, in proportion to the figure. I think I'm gonna redo it, but wanted to share it first.

So I figured I'd post it up and get some input from people and see what they think of what I've got. I started w/ the helmet, I figured that this is the smallest part, so if I screw it up, it's a lot easier to strip & repaint this, than it would be to strip & repaint the body.

For me in painting I'm making a representation of something not an exact copy.Having painted this camo a few times I think your representation looks quite good,maybe you could dust it with some pastels.
All the best.
Ralph.

Thanks Ralph. My hope would be after some dry brushing and a wash, it would all blend together a bit better.

I've been working on painting the camo on the body, and right now I'm not sure whether I like it, but I have one area I know for sure I don't like and want to redo. I'm trying to take into account the seams on the jacket & paints, and knowing that the camo pattern wouldn't flow across the seams, and then the pattern would also have different directions in each area, but I think I carried it too far with the back of the left leg. Planning on masking that area off, and putting down the base color again, and starting over there. For the rest of it I think that I'll continue on with what I have, and put the last 2 colors down, and see how it all ties together.

Hi Adam,

Painting camouflage is never easier, and this is a deceptively difficult pattern to paint correctly. I recommend you add a drop of the sand base colour into your colour mix for the two shades of brown used on the camo pattern. This will make all three colours blend together a bit more and will create a more even effect.
I would avoid creating any large parallel or straight lines on the uniform, especially the one's on the back of the shirt and running down the back of the left trouser leg. My suggestion is to think of adding some smaller blotches of colour rather than large streaks. I would also suggest you extend the camo pattern the shoulders and collar of the shirt. The effect you want is disruptive, which breaks up the shape of the body. Straight lines make it much easier for you to be seen, especially when moving, especially in the desert. It's not too late to make a few minor changes to your camo patterns (including adding the sand base colour into the brown mix) and break up some of the larger streaks before you add the "chocolate chips" to the shirt and trousers.

very good so far.

Thanks for the feedback Tony.

In response to your suggestions:

Unfortunately the base color is Model Master enamel and the rest of the colors are Vallejo acrylics, but Im sure I could find a color in the Vallejo that's close to the base color. That stark contrast is one of the things that was throwing me off, but I figured after finishing the painting, I could do something to better blend it all together before moving on.

I had intended on adding the camo to the color, but forgot, and just havent had a chance to go back and add it. I do have some color running up around the shoulder area, but it's hard to make out in these 2 pictures.

I will look at breaking things up a bit, but one thing I dont have on it yet is all of the various gear & such, that will cover most of the back of the figure. I just painted all the way across the back in an effort to maintain the continuity of the lines, but I get what you're saying about breaking it up, so I'll work on that.

Hello Adam,

Here are some pictures of one of my sets of "chocolate chips" from ODS. In this pattern, as well as ERDL, Woodland, and the 3 Color Desert, there is a repeating pattern that can be seen whenever you have several Soldiers or Marines wearing the same uniform in a formation. It may not be in the exact same spot on each individual, but the repeating pattern is there. If you look at the back, both "streaks of color" are the same. Also note that the pattern is in a more horizontal orientation.







Then when you look at the back of the trousers, you will see the same pattern on each leg, just one is upside down compared to the other, but the shapes, colors, and "rocks" are the same.







You will find this to be true in the other US camo patterns that I mentioned above as well.

Hope these pictures have helped.

Cheers,
James

Thank you very much for those pictures James, that will help quite a bit.

I didn't think about the pattern repeating, but I should have. I know the pattern is printed from rolling dies that will repeat the pattern every so many inches.

You're welcome, Adam.

I thought your helmet cover came out very well and there is no reason why your uniform shouldn't.

About the repeating pattern...sometimes it is easy to forget that most camouflage patterns repeat themselves due to the printing process unless if you see it everyday. I am reminded of it every morning at formation.

I look forward to seeing your progress throughout this project.

Cheers,
James

Don't want to hijack your thread
But if your wondering about colour
I did a quick one for my Rc car

http://www.brisbanemodelbuilder.com...fast-attack-vehicle-rc&catid=38:wip&Itemid=58

If your want any of the colours info let me know

Nicely done Adam, I started the SAW gunner years ago and he's kicking around in a box somewhere probably never to be finished, I got the Norman Schwartzkopf figure cleaned up, casting blocks removed and washed a couple of months ago when I was building the Verlinden NVA regular, but again that's as far as I got, no idea why as I do Gulf War re enactment and have choc chip aplenty kicking about. As to the skin colour there's some good youtube video by Vince Vell showing how to paint African American skin tones, it's not just brown, but use purples, indigo as washes to give an almost iridescent effect to the skin.

Hi Adam,

Sorry I'm late getting to your thread, but maybe you find these Vallejo colour tips useful:
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/stormin-norman-wip1.34715/

Good luck with this one. These spots are a lot of work!!

Cheers,
Adrian

Hi Adam,
following your progress on this one.
This may be of help,Verlinden did an article in his magazine and in a book called the system. It gave mixes etc for the Choc chip camouflage worn during desert storm.
I have the book as a Pdf I can send it to you if it may help.just send a PM.


Chris