1/48 Monogram C-47 Saga

Cool! You have more patience than I for figure painting!

Thanks! Still have a ways to go. Started the faces when I did not have fine brushes. Bought a set of really small brushes and a magnifying lamp. Much easier. Unfortunately, I painted the troopers green and I should have painted them the light brown model 1943 color. oh well. I am back into the hobby and nwe'd the practice!

Muskee98,  the troopers' jumpsuits can be green if you want them to represent the Operation Market-Garden (Holland) or the "Over-The-Rhine" Operation Varsity (Germany) jumps.  U.S. paratroopers wore green M43 field jackets and rigger-modified pants (with added cargo pockets) on those jumps.

However, if you want them to represent the Normandy jump on D-Day, they wore tan (M42) jumpsuits with faded olive green knee, elbow, and pocket-lining reinforcements.

Thanks Drew!Fantastic info. It's pretty amazing how detailed this can get. My goal is to be pretty authentic but,as you can see, need to do more research. Thanks again!

Just a tip for the future (because you already started painting) but you can use a .02 or .01 artists pen and "dot the eyes". That will make life easier for painting that many figures.  :)

M.Brindos...Excellent idea. Thanks! I found. YouTube video about painting faces and it suggested the white with strip of color In center. I have it a shot with too big of brushes. I like the pen idea more because it allows more control. As a side, I am slightly nervous about painting the faces. Coloring is going to interesting but I have Valejo paints.

Don't be nervous. Light and shadow still apply as they do on anything else.

Paint on your "base" color. Give the face a dark wash for shadows. Then highlight overall with a medium tone. Finish by highlighting the cheekbones and nose.

For an easy reference check your local mirror to see how light falls on your own face. Also, turn the model upside-down and paint in a shadow under the chin, nose, and eye sockets.

It only takes practice and looks like you'll be getting plenty. Keep your paints THIN.

The old eye painting technique of painting a stripe through a patch of white is only one of MANY tricks to painting eyes. When I paint eyes I will try several methods til I find one that works for that particular figure. Sometimes painting them up to 7-10 times before I'm satisfied.

Make sure you get an artists pen with Archival Ink. It doesn't bleed or fade over time. And when it runs out, use it as a paintbrush. It will last you a long time before you 'll need to replace it.   ;)

Thanks again! What would be the best way to remove the paint already applied? Would I just paint over it?

Um, well I've found Easy-Off fumeless oven cleaner doesn't eat plastic and removes enamels that have been dried for decades.

If you're brave enough to try it our on one of your troops. Although I've used the Easy-Off on a few different types of plastic, it still makes me nervous that one day it'll melt something.

So proceed with caution.

Find a jar, drop the figure in, and spray heavily with oven cleaner. Close the jar and let it set overnight. The next day scrub the paint off with an old toothbrush. It may take a few times but the paint comes off and I haven't melted anything yet.

If it's just acrylic then just scrub it with IPA.

But if your paint wasn't so thick as to leave lines then just spray over it and start over.