WWI Streaked Camo tips

[CANicoll]

I'm working on a WWI Roden Fokker Dr I with the olive streaked camouflage.  I've exceeded the picture limit for a message so apologies for having to cut some photos.

 

This is my first try at this, and instead of using oils, I'm using acrylic water colors over a base of Model Master Acryl, which is over a primer base of Vallejo white primer.  Here is the palette:

 

 

The fan brush didn't work for me so I substituted a 1/4 flat brush.  The Burnt Umber really dominated the Olive so when using to try and get a darker olive, use sparingly...

 

 

I ended up using the middle and right blobs of paint mostly and upper right is the flat brush.  Using the #2 pointy brush I applied alternating lines of the middle green and the darker green:

 

 

The advantage of oils is they don't dry as fast, but with these watercolors, a wet/damp brush works well.  BUT this was the first try:

 

 

WAAYYY too much burnt umber.... Ok, lesson learned...

 

 

 

Better, but not yet what I wanted. Also I'm using the edge of the flat brush not the wide side, to blend.  MUCH better control and thinner lines.  So wiping all off and trying again...

 

 

 

Now we are getting somewhere.  I really need to learn how to shoot a video of this, but I use the edge of a slightly damp square brush and just go back and forth along the lines to blend them in.  You will need to clean the brush often, but if the brush is too wet, then you will simply wipe the paint off.  So Slightly Damp is the mantra.  If the paint dries on you, then use a slightly wetter brush.  

 

 

Here I started on the wings:

 

 

And blended:

 

 

Left side:

 

 

And the set:  Middle set of wings are the base color.

 

 

Middle left wing is still wet, but it dries to a very nice flat finish.

 

Now I have since looked at this and thought the stripes were too distinct, so I did a light over spray with the base color (in this case, it is actually RAF interior green).  Here is the my paint mule, left side over sprayed, right side with no over spray.

 

And the Fokker wings, with the axle wing over painted with the base color:

 

 

I'm sure I left a lot of steps out, so please feel free to ask and I'll answer best as I can. 

 

Chris

Edited February 9, 2017 by CANicoll

[Rob Owens]

Looks like you're making progress, but period photos (example: the Archive Photos of the WnW 32011 D.VII (Fok) on their website) of both the Dr.I & D.VII show a pretty stark contrast between the streaking and the CDL underneath. . . more like heavy dry brushing than blending.. .

[CANicoll]

Hi Rob,

 

Well, some do and some don't.  That's the thing about the streaking.  I've seen at least three different streaking types as well, some very fine lined, some broader.  I think I've looked at over a dozen different period photos.  

 

I'm far from an expert by any means, just seeing how I can replicate one of the looks best as I can.

 

Chris

[Uncarina]

Chris,

 

Thank you for putting this together!

 

Tom