Special Forces Figure ***COMPLETE - 13MAY09***

Will do!

I didn't even think about putting the figure on a unit patch. That's a pretty good one. I may put that one in the think tank.

I'm still thinking about using the base (from page 1) with maybe a 10th Group patch on one side of the base and the Team's "logo" on the next side. I was also thinking about putting a small brass plate on a third side ... not really for a title, but more for a "thank you" type message.

Finishing up the helmet right now .... then moving on the shadows and highlights. And yes camo, I'm going to be using the yellow DB for the OD colors as well as for the coyote tan vest, holster, etc. I think it'll come out really nice.

cool! look forward to seeing it...i know you'll do a great job!

Glad to add to the think tank- and what camo said

Well, things went a little slower today, but that usually happens when you get into the thick of painting .... at least for me it does.

I'm about 1/2 way done with the M4. I've still got to paint the weapon tan and the primered section you see at the end of the glove, I still need to paint that in flesh tones.

I've also pretty much finished up the helmet, but I've got one more inside pad that I'm going to paint tan. The pictures are a little hard to see (sorry, I loaded these pics on a different computer and didn't have access to PS).

I've gotten the colors on the body pretty much the way I want them. Since I'm dealing with pretty light uniforms colors I gave the overall body a wash in highly thinned out black. I made sure that the wash only collected in the recesses, but I may go back over it again just to get a little more shadow. Highlights had not been done yet as I just figured out this afternoon that I don't have a bottle of yellow. I'll be getting that in the morning. I needed a break anyway. And I've still got some weathering to do on the boots.

I'm considering weathering the figure with pigments, but I'm not sure since I'm going to be mailing it and someone else is possibly going to be touching it, etc, etc. Maybe the weathering done with acrylics will be enough. What do you guys think?

I think I need to get me a hold of some Airborne Miniature figures... I just keep looking over the crisp molding and the sweet folds of the BDUs....

*snaps out of it* sorry- yeah I’d steer clear of the pigments, I think even if he was carful unwrapping it, even the packaging would be enough to damage the pigments. Just my thoughts... unless you sprayed some dullcoat fixative on real thick lol

This is coming along really nice though, I’m definitely loving the M4- nice EOTech. Top quality work as usual model- the helmet’s looking real nice from what I can tell- also just wanted to point out real quick, and I’m sure you’ve caught this and are waiting for the final detail stages, but there’s still some primed resin in the crevices of the vest all up in the angles of the Mag pouches, but again- I’m sure you’re on top of things.

Moving slow is relative, for me, you’re going pretty fast- for a 24 hour quick build... uhh haha just kidding model. At least it’s a surprise he didn’t know was on its way!!

This is really great, and such a cool gift, even without the tearjerker thank you plaque.

PS that triangular detail on the Camelback, I tend to paint it black just to break up the monotony of the OD, not sure on the accuracy, but I think I saw it done somewhere?

Kind of similar to this (my equally made up desert tan version- with the detail being in darker brown):



But that’s just if you wanted to break up the colors. I like how you have the black knee pad, OD belt and tan equipment to mix things up, very nice

yeah, u got it bud. looks great. and i agree i wouldnt use the pigments all things considered. he should love it though.

Thanks for the thoughts on using the pigments. I think I'll fore-go that weathering. Yeah, I know that there's a couple place where there are still primered spots. Not sure what I'm going to do there ... I couldn't even get a 000 brush up there!?!

I'm going to mix up another batch of thinned black (or dark tan this time) wash. I'm hoping that these washes will creep into these places. I'm going to keep lightly washing it until I get the shadows where I want them, and then once more with a dark tan wash to give it that dirty look.

I'm also looking forward to painting the M4 (as I said above). I've never done one like this, but I think it'll come out quite nicely.

Anyway, thanks for the bout of confidence. I'm pleased that this one is coming along at a quick 24-day pace! HAHAHAHA!!!

Maybe after this one, I'll try doing a 1/35 figure in 24hrs! (I know I can do that!)

didnt even notice any spots model! looks good and dont do the 1/35...might make me look bad

camo junkie wrote:

didnt even notice any spots model! looks good and dont do the 1/35...might make me look bad

HAHAHA!!! Not a chance brother, you're just as good. BTW, I've been waiting to see some updates from your OIF build. The last thing I saw was a pretty much finished building ....

C'mon man ... lemm'e just HAVE some!!!!

I've got a 1/35 OIF dio that I've had shelved since I started up on my 120mm OIF Fig. I've still got 1 1/2 HMMWVs and about 15 figures let to do, so it'll be awhile before that one's done.

Heck, I've got to finish this one first!

dude you dont read all of these posts do you...lol. check out the dio forum...my dio is under that as "mayhem in the hood"!!! its not finished but im getting there. its farther along than when u saw it!! as far as finishing...dont have to tell me

My bad ... I tend to find a home and hang out for awhile. I'm sure that I'll be switching over to the dio forum in a bit for my other build.

Thanks for the heads up.

The DB'ing is coming along nicely, BTW.

modelchasm wrote:

The DB'ing is coming along nicely, BTW.

awesome...really glad to hear it bud!! at least i feel like i've helped!

OOH! Dryyyy brushing. I know OD I know DY. Sorry it took me a while. haha

***UPDATE*** 

So, most of the time, I'd get to this point and I'd pretty much work until I was finished. Even if it took me until 3AM. However, with this one, I feel pretty content with getting to a stopping point and ending it there. Well, I'm so close to being done .... but, it'll just have to wait until tomorrow. A little here, and little there ... and then I'll be done.

Here's what I've got for update pics today...

I've got the head mounted and glued, along with some of the radio wiring. I've still got to paint most of that, but it shouldn't take too long. I've also got the camelbak tube in. Most importantly though, I've got the DB'ing done for the highlights. Besides the paint for the radio wiring. I'm counting the figure done ... well, I've still got the decals too ... DANG IT!!!

Thanks again camo, for the idea of using yellow for the DB'ing. I actually didn't use straight yellow, but rather I used "sand yellow" from Vallejo. I think it gave it more of a suttle look.

Here are some of the images I've got to use for the figure. The IR flag I used on my OIF figure and it came out great. Just printed it in B&W and then gave it a quick "coloring" with a dull pencil for the gray color. The ram's skull and the spade were the Team's logo. This will be going on the front of the cap. Other than those, the Team really didn't wear any other "pieces of flare".

Besides the decals, I've got to finish the M4 and finish detailing the helmet. While I'm DB'ing the M4, I'm going to go back to the figure and DB the knee pad, the magazines, the radio wiring, and the boots with a tan/ dark tan color.

Any suggestions/ Oooos & Aaahhhhs (j/k) welcome. Thanks again for all you help guys!

Hey- no "jk" necessary on that one model- OOa and AHHs all around- especially if this really is your first 3 tone. haha.

Very nice.
Cool logo! It’ll look nice on the hat- it’s getting there!!!

Is the M4 going to be camo painted? Or just dusty, not sure if I missed something or what's getting DBed on it.

I was thinking something along these lines ....

... gotta love airsoft geeks and ALL that extra cash they got ... least he could have done was roll around in the dirt a bit .... geesss!!! Its kinda like that REALLY nice model that you see every now and then. Everything is perfect, but something just doesn't look right!?! .... Oh, that's right .... they forgot to weather it!

And seriously, this was my first 3-tone uniform. I may do more as it was WAY easier than the ACU pattern! HAHAHA!!!!

model???what r u doing...this SUX!!!! j/k buddy. just thought i'd be different and have ya go...what the hell's wrong with this guy!!

seriously though, it looks great. that flesh tone really stands out with the "lighter uniform". dont get me wrong i loved the arpat guy, but this just sorta speaks to me. its very "vivid" color wise. as far as the yellow db...dont matter to me if u use straight yellow or not. looks like what u used works!!! how do u like it?? again....i think u have another winner and once the helmit and weapon are glued in place...i think it'll be fantastic!!

WWwwww!!! I thought for a second there .... well, let's just not talk about it! HAHA!!!!

Yeah, I'm really glad you showed me that trick with the DB'ing. I came out even better than the pictures show you. I too am really please with the way this face came out. I've compared it side-by-side with the OIF figure, but I just think that all the grays in the ACU pattern kinda dulled down the facial colors. Not sure if that makes sense or not, but this build seems to look a lot nicer. I like it too that you can see more of the face as well.

A question more specific for you .... going off of psst's idea to have the figure stand on a unit patch .... Do you think this would be seen as disrespectful? I was toying with it .... having a sand/ desert groundwork, with a 10th Group patch on top of that, with the figure standing on the patch .... RRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrr ....... I just can't decide what I want to do with the base!! ^&^& 77  bhiy*^%$&^  *&^%$&^ E& % ..... bleep, bleep, bleep .... 4 l e tt er  w o r   d!!!!

ya know i hadnt thought about it honestly if it would be considered disrespectful!! those guys are pretty gung ho!  that's a touchy one. do you have a band saw or jig saw??? maybe if ya do you can cut the base to shape of their patch then scale the patch to size and put it down on top of the base. i dont think it would be an "issue" then. however, if you dont have a saw, maybe just go with some ground work and put the patch off to the side....or...or...if you do have a saw maybe keep the base how you have it and cut another one to shape of patch and put it standing up 90 degrees and in back of him (the fig) with the patch on it!!!! that one i really like and i think it would speak to those who "look" at it!

glad again about the yellow. i agree with the gray's toning everything down in the face. he looks good!!

Yeah, I'm a paintball geek myself, much more mud and dirt rolling there. Airsoft’s cool if you want dead on accurate copies, but those little plastic things flying around are no fun to actually play with. They don’t go more than 20 ft. straight and you don’t even notice you’ve been hit unless it’s in the face... or from like 5” out...

As for the unit patch, I didn't even think about that. I guess you see it more with airplane models, where the runway almost looks like it's painted on under the plane. Does that make sense? I think it’d depend on your friend, I neither can confirm or deny knowing people that may or may not work at the CIA, and if you’ve seen Langley in all the movies- there’s a big seal on the floor in the lobby- now in movies it gets trampled. In the good ol’ Cold War days, no-one dared step on it is what I hear, they’d walk around. Of course now a days you’ve got the young up and comings, straight out of college with no military blood in them what so ever, and the do walk all over it. So it’s probably a generational thing. I think you can’t go wrong with camo’s idea of mounting behind the figure like a low wall made up of patch with just sandy dusty groundwork underneath. Wouldn’t want anything taken the wrong way.

how'd i know you'd be a paintball geek p.o. your looking at one yourself. i started playing the game back in '91. a friend intro'd me to it after i got out of the army. of course back then you were how old buddy???? back then the game was fun...nowadays with the rapid repeating electronic fire control do nothing but sit back and sling paint....what's the point?? i havent played in about 3 years now...mostly because of that last sentence!

this was my baby...i retro fitted an old oh hell i dont even remember what this gun was called originally anymore...hahaha...oh well (oh yeah it was a vm-68 which u probably have no clue what that is p.o.)...as u can see though i "added"  a few "details"! and scared alot of people with it...

Oh, that's just not right ... FUN! ... but not right ...

what part of it dude?

... I think if you came at me with that on the paintball field, I'd be giving you my wallet! Or a LOOOOOONNNGGGGGGGGG burst of paint to the groin area....

HAHA!!!

hahaha is this what we're talking about now? Cool gun camo, I like yours almost better than mine, probably just because it looks so custom, now that must have been back in the day, all I can recognize is 68 being the caliber...
But that’s a really nice job on the look a like M4, mines a look a like UMP .45 SMG (I really wanted to dress it up like the M4, just... I don’t know, it was a lot more expensive, I would have wanted optics and that would have been even more, and paintball guns really are more SMGs with accuracy being crap and no real range, I don’t know if I’d use the optics anyway, blah blah)
It’s still pretty new, but it’s semi-auto, no point slinging paint if it you can hit the guy with one to three aimed shots anyway hehe



All admit it’s still pretty clean looking, maybe I’ll take the next picture before I clean it after a match...

But I do have an airsoft gun, mainly for use as a movie prop though, never fired it at anyone, again, I’m not big into airsoft other than the realism factor.
It was straight black, camouflaged it myself with the ol rattle can. Few greens and a brown on the black..

Here’s a little camo net. I’m sure the wrap job would get me kicked out of sniper school in a heartbeat.

And of course... the still frame from the crappy movie my friend directed in his backyard. Don’t ask and I wont tell haha

lol model....that was the intention...more of a fear factor...and it turned a few heads no doubt about it! i used a bipod and would use the scope for snipe missions...worked really well and surprisingly well at longer distances. real m4 parts to a point...im sure u can tell which ones. too bad it hasnt been fired in anger in about 8 years or so...!

that's an awesome looking gun there p.o. shows you how long i've been outta the game...cool non the less. that m-14 took me for a loop for a sec. was gonna say if that was a paint gun...whoa!!! personally (and not to get off our real topic for long) im surprised the let those airsoft guns be built and used. i've held the m-4 with the 203 under it and man...if i were a cop...i'd have to shoot myself for fear it was real!!!

Yeah- I hear you, most of them come with the orange mussel- but it's not too hard to spray the orange tip off as you can see. Being a CJ major and wanting to be a cop, all I can tell you is this- if it were a 5 year old kid running around in his yard or someone your age just holding one. If it was pointed my way either way it'd be a "gun drawn" situation. Officer safety comes first. Even though common sense tells you the kids got a toy, who knows if he just found his dad's real weapon and is playing with it not knowing any better- and with school shootings hitting elementary school age kids... it’s getting crazy.

But even then, you got a young enough kid- even if they had a real gun and started shooting- at what point does one say, alright, now I’m going to have to fire back in order to stop the kid? I think it’d be real hard, just because even if they were putting rounds towards someone or yourself, you’d got to ask, how intention is it? Or how intentional could it really be given their psyche? It’d be easy squeeze the trigger to a certain extent, but living with it after the fact could be a whole different story.

I know some people who don't think and play with airsoft guns in suburban areas and they've been broken up by officers with guns drawn. It's not too smart, you really have to be careful.

Anyway...
But that M14’s actually about the same weight as the specs give for the real one- let me tell you it’s heavy!! Can’t begin to imagine the kick.

yeah, i've held the real thing (never fired) the m-14 that is. its a heavy s.o.b. the airsoft weapons i've held never had an "orange tip" which is y i say all the more! crazy.