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Skin tone - pink or tan?

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  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Adelaide, South Australia
Skin tone - pink or tan?
Posted by somenewguy on Sunday, January 23, 2011 9:02 AM

Hi all.

I have zero experience in figure painting and am about to try my first with Tamiyas' 1/48 Marder III crewman. I've read up Shep Paines' face painting section again and again so I have a lot of good theory to go by. Problem is, the only decent skin tones I have are Model Masters' Skin Tone warm tint (a real pinky colour), Light Tint (beige/tan), Shadow Tint and Dark Tint. I bought these paints just the other day thinking I had found what I was looking for only to rediscover that Shep is against "Commercial flesh" (i.e Warm Tint), as he believes it is "invariably too pink".

My question, what should I use as a base colour for faces and other skin parts - one of the two first tones as stated above or the three-colour mixture Shep swears by in How to Build Dioramas, which is yellow ochre, burnt sienna and white, presumably mixed 1:1:1?

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

At the end of the day one's work may be completed but one's education never!
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Panama City, Florida, Hurricane Alley
Posted by berny13 on Sunday, January 23, 2011 9:16 AM

I start with warm tint and darken it with light tint in the bottle.  I use that as a base coat and then apply darker colors to highlight it.  Light tint out of the bottle is way to pink.

Berny

 Phormer Phantom Phixer

On the bench

TF-102A Delta Dagger, 32nd FIS, 54-1370, 1/48 scale. Monogram Pro Modeler with C&H conversion.  

Revell F-4E Phantom II 33rd TFW, 58th TFS, 69-260, 1/32 scale. 

Tamiya F-4D Phantom II, 13th TFS, 66-8711, 1/32 scale.  F-4 Phantom Group Build. 

 

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: UK
Posted by Jon_a_its on Sunday, January 23, 2011 9:45 AM

As above...

But for British figures, a sort of off white pasty colour to start with for new recruits, Sleep

going on to lobster-red for fresh troops to the middle-east  Angry  that should do it!

 

East Mids Model Club 32nd Annual Show 2nd April 2023

 http://www.eastmidsmodelclub.co.uk/

Don't feed the CM!

 

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Truro Nova Scotia, Canada
Posted by SuppressionFire on Sunday, January 23, 2011 9:51 AM

Use the commercial Testor's 'flesh' just for highlights and a base for mixing red + brown in. Remember skin is semi transparent and shows the color of the blood under neath. A embarrassed or person exerting themselves 'flushes' due to a blood rush to the surface of the skin. Jaundice is urine in the blood giving the person a yellowish tint, signs of a damaged liver.

Here is a example of a pallet mixed for skin tones. I like to use enamels for a base coat and dry brushed highlights and acrylics for recesses, shadows in a wash mix. Blending can be done with thinned enamels just be quick to not 'melt through' to the base coat or worse yet the plastic / resin.

I NEVER use gray primer, use Red Oxide instead as if it bleeds through it is almost a good color for flesh.

Pencil crayons can be used for small details like eye brows & lips. Apply over flat finish as it has more 'bite' for the pigments.

Most of all study other modeler's work, take notes and strive for realism!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y211/razordws/GB%20Badges/WMIIIGBsmall.jpg

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Adelaide, South Australia
Posted by somenewguy on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 4:03 AM

Thanks guys.

Berny - do you mean you lighten warm tint with light tint, apply lighter colours to highlight it and that warm tint out of the bottle is too pink?HmmConfused

 

At the end of the day one's work may be completed but one's education never!
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 5:25 AM

I work dark to light...raw umber is a good base in oils...

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Panama City, Florida, Hurricane Alley
Posted by berny13 on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 10:08 AM

somenewguy

Thanks guys.

Berny - do you mean you lighten warm tint with light tint, apply lighter colours to highlight it and that warm tint out of the bottle is too pink?HmmConfused

 

Come to think of it I wasn't very clear.  I start with the lightest skin color (which is almost pink) and darken with the next lightest tint.  That takes away most of the pink look.  I use that as a base color.  From there I use darker tints to fill in the recessed areas and slightly lighter tints for highlighting.  All of my skin tone paints are mixed in the bottle and labeled.  I can't give you the ratio as I use the TLAR (That Looks About Right) method of mixing. 

Berny

 Phormer Phantom Phixer

On the bench

TF-102A Delta Dagger, 32nd FIS, 54-1370, 1/48 scale. Monogram Pro Modeler with C&H conversion.  

Revell F-4E Phantom II 33rd TFW, 58th TFS, 69-260, 1/32 scale. 

Tamiya F-4D Phantom II, 13th TFS, 66-8711, 1/32 scale.  F-4 Phantom Group Build. 

 

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Jefferson City, MO
Posted by iraqiwildman on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 11:11 AM

I use Testor's Model Master Wood then some light washes of burnt umber. You also can dry-brush a flesh color on the cheeks.

Tim Wilding

  • Member since
    October 2009
  • From: SURREY ,B.C.
Posted by krow113 on Saturday, January 29, 2011 12:59 PM

Whatever is used expect a learning curve.I have been using the Andrea flesh set -6-7 colors that can be mixed and thinned for washes. This is because I am too chicken to use oils on the face's yet! .Upcoming in the fig section will be a  WW1 Tommy , I'll try to conquer my fears then.

Thank you ,Krow113

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Adelaide, South Australia
Posted by somenewguy on Saturday, January 29, 2011 10:27 PM

Thankyou Mr. G. Anybody learning still learning to paint figures needs to see that. Yes

At the end of the day one's work may be completed but one's education never!
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