Guys these are a bit of an experiment I'm tossing together for Stikpusher's Korean War GB. My first subject is a modern K1A1 MBT that I've already done some work on so hopefully it won't take too long. Afterward I'm hoping to do a small Korean War diorama with the crew of a US M46 and some ROK (Republic of Korea- aka South Korea) infantry inspecting a knocked-out North Korean T34/85.
ROK Infantry:
ROK Infantry in parade dress with South Korean president Syngman Rhee and US General Van Fleet:
I decided to set the diorama in 1950, just after the combined ROK/UN offensive drove the North back but before the Red Chinese entered the war. My sources indicated that most ROK troops wore left-over M43 uniforms with some small amounts of indigenous clothing and almost entirely US provided weapons and equipment though some old Second World War Imperial Japanese rifles and other weapons were in use.
The simplest thing to do here was to simply take Dragon's Advance to the Rhine US 1st Army at Remagen 1945 set #6271 and replace the heads with Hornet East Asian heads which what I did. It gives you figures that look somewhat better equipped than most photos I've found of ROK troops but I'm not crazy about filing off all the webbing and trying to replace the uniform detail. Since these guys represent the elite ROK Capital Division I'm assuming they were better equipped than the run of the mill guy.
Here are the figures assembled and the flesh tones laid down. I use Model Master Skin Tone Warm Tint 4603 for European people, my blend for Asian flesh is to add a little Leather till I think it looks right.
Normally for a white person I then add a wash from a very dilute Citadel ink which I cannot think of the name now but it's a reddish-brown. I don't think they make it any more and cannot find it on their site. My bottle dried up so I used some Citadel Sepia wash which I think worked out quite well. The wash is used straight out of the bottle.
Then on to painting!
I use a great deal of Vallejo paint now. The stuff is thick and needs to be thinned to brush. I use a thinner that consists of about 50% water, 50% Future, with a drop of retarder added to it. Future being pretty much gloss acrylic paint works better than plain water. Retarder is a substance that slows the drying time of acrylic paint making it easier to work with. I keep some of this thinner mixed in a small contact lens bottle with an eyedropper tip. I then squirt a drop of Vallejo paint onto my pallet, normally I use a piece of plastic clamshell packaging which I discard when used, and then add a drop of thinner which I mix with a toothpick mixing and adding paint and thinner to suit.
First I do the eyes with a small brush using Vallejo Ivory (second from right, label is peeling off). Then I go in with more MM Warm Skin Tone (second from left). In this case it was again with a smidgen of Leather added- you want to match your base colour. You'll want to touch up the eyes painting over any excess. Also paint over any places where the wash may have pooled or is too thick. You want to leave the wash where skin touches clothing, the shadowed areas and between the fingers.
Then I go in with Vallejo Basic Skin Tone 815 (third from left) and paint the highlights. You'll want to hit the bridge of the nose, the tops of the cheeks, the top of the chin, the forehead if not wearing a helmet, and the fingers. For an Asian figure I instead use Vallejo Flat Flesh 955 (far right) which is slightly darker and more tan.
Then hit the top highlights with Vallejo Light Flesh 928 (fourth bottle from left). Use this sparingly! Just a little on the nose, chin, cheeks, forehead, and knuckles of the hands is good. I normally add the eyes with the Micron pen (in front of bottles) when dry though it probably would be better to do it when trimming the eyes.
At any time you make a mistake or think your contrast is too great mix up a little of your base shade, thin it down till it's a thick wash and carefully apply over the mistake, With a little practice you can blend and fix most mistakes this way. The acrylic dries fast, and you can quickly over paint any problems. My results with hair painted in, the eyes still need some work.
Anyway that's how I do it. I'm not claiming it's the best way but it works for me. If anyone has any comments on how to do it better, easier, or faster please I'm all ears. I'll try to get the uniforms done before too much longer.