I probably could have (should have?) posted this question in the figures forum, but since it is one that seems to affects the armor jockeys I thought I would post it here.
What is your opinion on 5 o’clock shadows on the figures accompanying armor models or those in dioramas? Clearly there’s no wrong or right here. It just seems that from an artisitic standpoint the pendulam has swung in favor of a little stubble.
I’ll be the first to admit that seeing a worn and weathered tiger or panther with a grizzled commader sporting some stubble looks, well cool. Same could be said for the stubble on a sarge or lieutenant lugging a tommy gun while on patrol.
However, have you guys given any thought to how realistic this might be? I’m really beggining to wonder. I was talking to my dad the other day and he reminded me that when he entered the Navy in '45 he was 17 and lucky if he needed to shave once a week. I saw some intersting threads and stories in a number of publications the last couple of months about the men asigned to various tigers on the eastern front. None of those guys looked like they could grow a beard. And I sure as heck notice how young our soldiers serving in the Middle East seem to look.
I’m curious to see folks thoughts and whether there is any type of consensus.
And for those of you in the “no stubble” camp, I’d love to know your thoughts/techniques for capturing the “fresh faced” look of an 18 year old in 1/35th - my poor guys look like one big shade of pale beige.
And to add just a teeny bit of irony, I have a goatee.
i entered the military at age 17,at that time we shaved everyday wether we needed to or not.as for the grizzled appearance of troops well that would be dictated by frontline conditions.down time would probably be delegated to weapons and vehicle maintenance,sleeping eating,and last but not least personal hygiene.and as the fighting grows more intense the less time there is for anything.
You have two different issues here: genetics and hygiene.
Everyone remebers the kid in 7th grade who needed to shave every day. Every school seems to have at least one! But you have the opposite end of the spectrum where some folks in their 20’s or 30’s who never need to shave.
And of course the hygiene issue- do the troops have time and water to shave with? In desert climes the water issue is far more likely. Or frozen conditions. For the combat soldiers on the line weapons maintainence, position improvement, chow, and sleep, will more likely be higher on the “to do” list.
I believe that the answer to this question falls firmly in the “artistic expression” category. I do, on occasion portray stubble with pastels if I want to convey an old, grizzled vet, or a particularly aggressive/masculine appearance. A pinker shade to the flesh can convey youth or the appearance of a “novice”.(blushing, flustered??). In the end it doesn’t really matter to me if it’s technically “historically” accurate–remember, part of building a model is “Art”, and the best models, to me, convey a part of the builder’s personality and perspective [C):-)]through them.
Depends. In the photo below, from the North African landings in 1942, note the difference in the face of the guy circled (my father in law) and the guy in front of him. At the time of the picture, my FiL was a fair haired 17 year old who wouldn’t have shown 5 day shadow.
To the question of representing a younger person, I’d treat him much the same way I’d paint a female face.
Start with a slightly lighter mix of your basic flesh. For me, that’s Vallejo beige red. I’d likely add a touch of sunny skintone. I’d reduce the shading with dark fleshtone accordingly. I’d add a touch of maybe vermillion to light flesh as a highlight on the cheeks.
When I drove tanks for the IDF, back in the early 90’s, we were always clean shaven. Admitidly, we often rushed our shaving, and maybe not baby face smooth (although amazing how many teens didn’t need to shave…). However, always clean shaven, except, that is, maybe 5% or so who had permission to have a beard. Ostensibly, this is for religious reasons, but some used it as an excuse just not to shave. Still, the moment it went, you couldn’t grow it back, and you had to have it on your first day, you couldn’t grow one in the army.
