well, here's a very stupid question....

HA!!! Did I ever tell you about my first dio?

thanks for all your help guys, and BTW, does anybody out there know how to do halfway decent German camouflage?? cuz i have been trying my hand at it, and let's just say that it has not been going very well, so any help would be great!

Thanks, Jim

You mean like pea pattern? I'd say a reaaaal fine brush and just stab the paint onto the model in a polka dot kinda layered pattern?

maybe these will help ya buddy. the pics are pretty self explanitory. but any ?'s i'll try to help ya as best i can. keep in mind that all of these pics were painted using enamels but again, the same basic rules apply.

i hope these help you in some way. i'm not a ww2 guy, so i cant help you out with colors...but p.o. (along with many others) can help you out that way. i can however (as i hope u can see) will help u any other way i can. good luck!

WOW!!!!!! thank you so much camo junkie, that stuff was amazing, wow...... I can not thank you enough..... thank you, thank you, thank you. that was a huge help!!



Thanks a bunch, Jim

n/p m.m. just remember again that these were painted using enamels and oils not acrylics. your going to get different results using acrylics in that (my opinion) the colors wont be as "rich" may be "lighter". also dont get discouraged if yours doesnt match his....he's a well known professional...even i cant match his level of painting!!! the basic thing you have to see is in the pics themselves. paint your figs (camo design wise, etc.) like he shows you...*ie little patterns and stuff on the uniforms. also, its ok to "cheat". many of those figures i painted and showed you their camo was painted NOT in any particuliar patterns but rather me and my brush just simply "making" random patterns!! a little bit of advice...you dont have to paint it correctly...you just have to make it LOOK like you painted it correctly!!! make sense? 1) it makes it easier to paint 2) it eases the mind so it makes it easier to paint. just as always my

as far as the thanks...no big deal. remember what i said about not everyone "seems" interested in giving you info like this. dont know if that's really the case but i do know how hard it is to "find" good help! my only goal is to help as many as i can because i've been there and couldnt find the help i needed so i started doing it myself so i know how frustrating it can be! alot of the guys here will help you...i believe that...just sometimes its hard to convey what you need or they're not always interested in repeating the same things over and over again...but who knows. like i said...i'll help where i can so no big deal jim!

btw jim, one very very important thing that i (nor anyone else) failed to mention, you should attach your figures to some sort of "handle" while you paint. 1) keeps skin oil off of figs and paint 2) makes it easier to hold and paint! make sense. for instance look at the pics i just made for you. notice how the author has "attached/glued" to different "bases/handles". that's to hold onto while you paint. if you look at my figs in that pic, you'll see one glued to a piece of wood. i use just a drop (DO NOT OVER DO IT) on one foot (very light glue) and set him to the wood and let dry for a few hours b4 painting. anything will do, plastic, wood, wooden door handles...whatever works. you just dont want to handle your figures while painting! the oil in your skin can make the paint not adhere and also "clump" and peel the paint! anyway, when your done painting all you have to do is GENTLY "break" the guy off of the handle...its also easy to break him if you push too hard while painting so gentle strokes with the brush...otherwise you have to reglue in the middle of painting...lol..... again...good painting buddy!

WOAH! Nice pictures camo- that'll help me out in the future as well. I'll second what you said about mounting them to something and keeping your hands off- also photographer's dark room dust-less gloves work very nice for when you do have to handle the model.

n/p p.o. seems like i have a pic for just about everything.... glad they could help though. yes, photo's gloves or even latex will help when handling figures.

again, thank you so much for all those great pics camo junkie! BTW, what book was that copied from?? Cuz I think that I might just have to invest in one of those.

Thanks, Jim

model maniac 96 wrote:

again, thank you so much for all those great pics camo junkie! BTW, what book was that copied from?? Cuz I think that I might just have to invest in one of those. Thanks, Jim

my figure painting bible jim...."the system" volume1: figure painting" by francois verlinden and bob letterman. dont know how good your local hobby shop is but if they are they shouldnt have a problem getting it for you. if not you could always try online bookstores. i would (if it didnt entail destroying the book) scan the whole thing for you. anyway, glad they could help you. they've done wonders for me.

hey camo junkie, I looked up the book, and it costs SEVENTY @$#&*%^ dollars!!!! so looks like a great book, but I can't shell out that much $$$ on a book right now, would want to though....

Thanks, Jim

jim, someone is ripping you off!!! i paid at best $15-$20 tops!!! granted that was a few years ago but not to where it should $70!!!! that's crazy!!! . i'll take a look around and see what i can come up with. i mean there's only 47 pages in the thing and print as big as a house!!! hell you've seen pics of it! besides, i'm sorry but the book aint worth that much! i think its great and i consider it (my bible) but even i wouldnt shell out that kind of money for something like that!!!! again, i'll look around and see what i can come up with!! in the mean time just use what ya got and paint those figs!!!

A few of the old Verlin books are OOP and if you can't find them direct from some place like Amazon or Overstock or the like, it's usually going to be a specialty thing.

that's true p.o. but...i found it!!! half.com (they are out of stock) but list price is only $20 bucks! barns & nobels carries it too...(they too are out of stock). however, you can see they are out there and available just not right away....LOL. yeah, stay away from amazon...went there and 2 used copies are going for $71 bucks!!! that's recklessly insane!!! another company wanted $90 for it!!! !!! anyway, i only know of those couple of places on the net...however, look around somemore and you'll find it. if not we'll see what we can do.....$90 bucks....man no wonder the economy is like it is!!!

also remember these are online stores so if you have a b & n near you check them out ya never know!!

alright jim...i found it for you and the great thing is it's right here in michigan where im at! the michigan toy soldier company has it for $23! and yes....its new not used!!!! lousy rip off %^&$%^&$#$%%#$%'s!! if you do a search on "the michigan toy soldier company" you'll get their web site. so...there is one more option for you if your interested!! its a great book for figure painting no doubt about it (not $70-$90 great).... anyway...let me know if ya get it will ya!!

here try this link: http://www.michtoy.com/MTSCnewSite/Books_folder/MiscModeling/misc_Books.html

you'll notice it like 2nd from the bottom!! let me know how that works 4 u!!!

Good find!! Their online order form is a little “mail order” archaic. However- if you’re in Michigan! Walk in perhaps? Not a bad deal.

psstoff995 wrote:

Good find!! Their online order form is a little “mail order” archaic. However- if you’re in Michigan! Walk in perhaps? Not a bad deal.

less than a 1/2 hour drive from me...wouldnt be a problem (4 me) buddy!!! in fact just down the street from wife's work!!

camo junkie wrote:

alright jim...i found it for you and the great thing is it's right here in michigan where im at! the michigan toy soldier company has it for $23! and yes....its new not used!!!! lousy rip off %^&$%^&$#$%%#$%'s!! if you do a search on "the michigan toy soldier company" you'll get their web site. so...there is one more option for you if your interested!! its a great book for figure painting no doubt about it (not $70-$90 great).... anyway...let me know if ya get it will ya!! here try this link: http://www.michtoy.com/MTSCnewSite/Books_folder/MiscModeling/misc_Books.html you'll notice it like 2nd from the bottom!! let me know how that works 4 u!!!

Great, thanks man!! and I am 99% sure that I will purchase this book. as soon as I saw those pics you sent me I was hooked.

Thanks, Jim

and on the topic of figures, does anybody here know how to scratch build a strap for a 1/35 scale rifle?? I am working on a figure and wanted to display his weapon slung over his shoulder, and the kit unfortunately does not include any straps for such weapons.

Thanks, Jim

less than a 1/2 hour drive from me...wouldnt be a problem (4 me) buddy!!! " border="0" /> in fact just down the street from wife's work!!

You been before? Go often? Or new model shop discovery!? Good deal for you- by the look of it they've got a lot of figure kits as well. Sounds like a good carpool trip, drop the wife off for work and swing on by

model maniac 96 wrote:

and on the topic of figures, does anybody here know how to scratch build a strap for a 1/35 scale rifle?? I am working on a figure and wanted to display his weapon slung over his shoulder, and the kit unfortunately does not include any straps for such weapons. Thanks, Jim

Hey! Just did that myself- it was 1/16, but same concept. Use masking tape. Take two strips, stick them sticky side together and then use your trusty ol Xacto #11 blade to cut them to the right width. They take paint well, and if you use a little bit of super glue- will stick great. I’d glue the rifle to some point on the body, then stretch the tape to fit as per that hang you want. You can check out my MARPAT thread, I just got finished adding my slings on. (If you want leather slings, you might want to try lead foil or something a little thicker/more details can be added for WWII clasps and rivets).

yeah jim, was just gonna say p.o. just did one. just so you know besides using tape, you can use foil or even say a 3 x 5 card cut to size and painted for making straps. i use all the above! i personally dont care if they have the "metal things"/sling ties/clasps attached to them or not...but that's just me. at 1/35 scale that gets to be way too small for me to deal with. lol. but p.o. is leading you in the right direction!! so good luck with that!

Here's the link!

I agree about the clasps, I tried to stick something on my 1/16 scale (green) sling. Not what I was going for but I guess it works. In 1/35 it's not really worth the headache.

great guys, thanks or all your help! sorry I haven't replied sooner, I have been VERY busy!!!

once again, thanks, Jim

no written law saying you HAVE to reply. but no big deal either. been busy painting????

camo junkie wrote:

no written law saying you HAVE to reply. but no big deal either. been busy painting????

I wish...........

understandable. sometimes we have to put modeling on the shelf for awhile (yes, pun intentional...lol). so no big deal.

thanks camo junkie!, BTW, do you think a complete nubie, (like me) would be able to remove resin figures from their castings without destroying them?? cuz I was thinking of getting some nice figures from warriors, but no point if I can not get them out....

 

     Thanks a bunch!, Jim

dont let resin intimidate you. its not as bad as you think it is. do i think you could do it...absolutely! its such a piece of cake to do that your gonna look at yourself afterwards and wonder y you didnt do it sooner!! and no offense, but if you CANT do it...you might as well hang it up and end it all because its so easy anyone can do it i assure you. there's no way you can "destroy" them unless you physically saw through them. you can live in fear and be affraid of life around you or you can live without fear and live the life around you. make sense? so good luck and dont be affraid...attack it like you would anything else...its only then that your results pay off!!

simply put jim, be careful, but dont be affraid. yes, you can do it...its really really simple. you have 2 be a little more careful with smaller parts because they can be brittle ie* weapons etc. but if you can cut sprues on plastic figures you can cut sprues on resin figures!!! just that you need to use a saw rather than "breaking them" or using "nippers" to cut them. i dont have time right now but i'll post the basics of it from that book to show you later today!