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Vietnam earth. Help!!

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  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Southport, North West UK
Posted by richgb on Wednesday, December 21, 2005 9:32 AM

Hi Tom,

Thanks for those pics. There are some real variations in colour. It'll really give me a good project to work on in the new year. My idea as it stands today is to make a dio of a dustoff evac wounded soldiers from "somewhere in Nam".

Thanks again.

...this is it folks...over the top!
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 3:40 PM
Rich, I see that you are in the UK but if you have any friends living in the US, just ask them to mail you a small tuperware container filled with some dirt from their neighborhood little league baseball diamond infield.  It works great and looks the part.  It's also known as "Georgia clay".
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: SETX. USA
Posted by tho9900 on Saturday, December 17, 2005 8:22 PM

Rich - sand might be too coarse for the red clay look.  I live up in SE Texas and we have the red clay too.. I would go for plain dirt glued down then painted, or if you are going for a riverine type dio even plaster of paris.  That stuff gets awfully slick and smooth when wet....  you could go for a browner shade of dirt back from the waterline if that is what you are doing.... but at the waterline it would be reddish and smooth..

---edit---

I just reread and saw the Khe Sahn reference.. I would go for any fine grain material that would be fitting for your dio.  The plaster of paris wouldn't work as around the base there were no rivers very close (unless this is a big dio!!!) If you were airbrushing dry plaster of paris or flour would work depending on what scale you were working in... what scale are you working in, maybe we can come up with something?

Here's some pics:

As you can see the red tone varies with time of day and season.. hope you have some luck with this!!

---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it!
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 17, 2005 8:02 PM

very much into vietnam dioramas and i lead the vietnam special interest group here in the uk. i often use my parteners old face make up which comes in a large box with a variety of colours. this is ideal for dusting down. ask your female friends i am sure you will strike lucky. if you are into vietnam models big time e mail me on bsacdiver@hotmail.com

 

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 3:17 PM
Thanks for the thought Clifton. I live in Southport, UK. It's right on the coast but our sand is sand coloured, although I suppose I could use it and then paint the stuff. Failing that I could always try and nick some from the local tennis court.
Rich
  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: The Red Hills of South Carolina
Posted by grizz30_06 on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 2:32 PM
I just use dirt from the yard. But then again I live In South Carolina (USA) with our wonderful red clay dirt that is great for Vietnam. I am not sure where you are but I have the feeling that it an'it in the States. Otherwise I would be able to send you some (darn customs, well you might get some kudzu seeds WE JUST LOVE'EM)
Clifton
Denial, it's not just a coping mechanism, it's a way of life.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 9, 2005 1:14 PM
Rich,

MIG Productions makes a pigment "Vietnam Earth". I would create the ground in an approximate color, and then add final coloring with the pigment.

EJH
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 9, 2005 4:47 AM
Rich-once the glue has set it can be painted with a brush-I would do some dry brushing to add colour variations.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 9, 2005 4:33 AM
I know this might sound a little daft, but could you paint it with a brush or is spraying the only option.
Rich
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 9, 2005 4:04 AM
Rich-Vietnam had mostly a reddish clay. I would glue the sand to the base first and then paint it.
  • Member since
    November 2005
Vietnam earth. Help!!
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 9, 2005 3:08 AM
Hello there,
One of my many future projects is going to be a cas evac from a base in Vietnam eg Khe Sanh. I know that you can buy paints for the earth colour , in fact I think its even called Vietnam earth from Valejo, but how do you colour the sand. I haven't got an airbrush and can only use conventional techniques. Would you try and stick the sand on the base first and then try and paint it or would you put the sand in a bowl and mix it in with the paint and then apply it to the base.
Does someone like Tamiya produce a spray can of this or similar colour which might be easier.
Your experience and comments would be greatly appreciated.
PS I've tried looking in the forums but without success.
Thanks, Rich
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