This is my first attempt at lizard skin camo. I tried it free it free hand with my AB.
I don’t think it came out well (as a matter of fact, I know it to be true.).
Ya think I would be better off with a brush? or spend the time and creating paper masks?
I’m open to suggestions
The second image is the camo pattern I’d like to replicate.
The model is the 1/72 Dragon offering. I know my brown is off, I just got a bottle of choclate brown that I am going to use.
I think it looks good, except it looks like it should have more of a hard-edge and not so much of a grid like appearance. The Yellow Base looks great, but the red is sorta bleeding, and has overspray. I think it is an awesome for a first try, better than me if I did one like that. Then again, I would make paper card masks to give it more of a hard-edge. Good Job!
I think if it were me I would AB the dark brown overall then with a flat brush do the yellow squares.
Keep in mind I’ve never done a camo like that, but that was the first thing to come to my mind.
I agree in feeling that you need a harder edge for one thing. The other thing I would suggest is, notice on the example you have provided of the pattern you want, The horizontal lines are irregular, but somewhat continuous, while the vertical lines are rarely continuous for more than 2 ‘scales’. I would cut a mask out of one long, irregular ‘line’. Something long enough to give you a hard edged continuous run for most of the hull, then use different sections of the mask for the shorter runs and the verticals.
looks pretty good but for me the bottom one looks better
Thanks… I agree. I had started doing paper maska with a tiny spot of blue tack.
ohhh…duh…to make this go faster I can scale the print to match the model and cut out
pattern…duh, I do the same for planes…smacks self in head.
Thanks, you all have been a great deal of help
Keep in mind 99% of the German camo was applied in the field with spray equip using the onboard compressor already in the tank or with simple paint brush. Damn good for a first try anyway. Better than my first mess.
I have seen the photos of the tank unit of the color plate you posted. The actual photos show the “lizard” pattern to be sprayed on. So to be historically accurate, you’d have to simulate spray as well.
As far as your attempted pattern, I think that it looks too regular. It may help if you can imagine a 1/72 scale figure struggling to paint the pattern. As you did it, you sprayed the regular pattern on a surface of only 9 square inches.
If you can imagine a scale sized man working with spray equipment, from the ground and from maybe a platform, you’ll better replicate the pattern. He wouldn’t have made a horizontal spray continuous the full width of the hull. For you, it’s one simple pass with the airbrush – it shows by the unrealistic regularity.
Way too often, small scale and 1/35 kits look too much like a canvas for someone’s airbrush gymnastics rather than a miniaturized piece of actual equipment that had to be painted bit by bit. Imagine painting the exterior wall of your house. Imagine the complexity.
You can experiment with your airbrush: thinning the paint to thinner ratio and lowering your pressure to the 8-12 PSI range. You’ll be amazed at how sharp and thin your lines can be.
Alternatively, you can smear pigment/pastels onto your model as opposed to using an airbrush. The pigment/pastels will be able to give you the snaky lines you eventually want. It’ll look very subtle but can be achieved.
Hope this helps.
Roy
This month’s FSM has a neat build using that type of cam. He painted the cam color (the lines first), then laid down his netting, then sprayed the base color. I think he used stockings, like fishnets, for his mask.
Good effort. That is a difficult pattern to replicate.
If I do softmasks, which I am going to do now, the edge of the spray will be won’t be as hard as the painted graphic. Doing it that way should give a better scale appearence.I have also seen those picts, tho I don’t know the unit.
Thanks Eric…I was trying that mindset you suggested and somehow didn’t make the transition. And you got to wonder how often the guy stepped back from his work (probably just when the paint fumes were about to knock him out) to look and decide.
I also saw that article of the “Fishnet” camo. I liked it and have been debating a trip to Victoria Secret - but that is for another project:0)
ericadeane: I actually did exactly that,lol. However it had much more to do with scale than enything else. Here’s a pic of my Elefant in a lizard camo. It uses masked camo pattern that was sprayed on and then blended with LIBERAL applications of pastels. This 1/72 scale.
