How would YOU do this camo?

[Out2gtcha]

Yep, I actually have those exact sets, but mine look more like typical PE.

 

The only issue with those stencils is that they are really not the right type of mottling/camo for the early Luftwaffe "leopard spot" camo, as the spots need to be larger and much more spaced out.

[PhilB]

Another method I've seen is to use a sheet of clear acetate (Like the clear pages at the start /finish of reports etc) so you can see where your shape is going.

Use a belt punch with various hole sizes to create random shapes by joining the holes up and then hold off the model and spray.

Height off the model will determine the sharpness of the outline.

 

Only other way is to freehand using cushions or whatever to brace your arm to eliminate the shakes.

[thierry laurent]

You need to do it freehand as the pictures of such camos always show slight oversprays here and there and zero hard edge. No way to do that easily with masks alas. 

[mozart]

As some others have said Bri, freehand, though it looks quite daunting, is actually surprisingly easy after gaining confidence with practice on a mule.

I know you use MRP, which helps enormously because it's thin, set your pressure at the lowest workable rate (I used around 10psi) and get in close. To tighten it up if necessary you can go round with the base colour afterwards if you've a steady hand! I did all of my recent Bf110G4 in half an hour. 

Edited January 16, 2019 by mozart

[ringleheim]

I always thought "Rebelsatcloudnine" on Youtube did a nice a pretty nice job on this camouflage scheme.

 

 

[Shawn M]

i'd base coat in tan, freehand the mottle in green to get the nice soft edges

[Out2gtcha]

Thanks all!  Great info. I think I can take a lot away from this thread. 

 

5 hours ago, ringleheim said:

I always thought "Rebelsatcloudnine" on Youtube did a nice a pretty nice job on this camouflage scheme.

 

 

 

 

100% agreed, he did do an amazing job on it!   The only issue is he never actually shows any of the green spots going down.

[Shawn M]

^ magic duh!

[alaninaustria]

Hi, 

paint the belly RLM blue, followed by the sand. Then a light coating of clear followed by a freehand application of the mottles. This is really the only way to go... 

Cheers

Alan

[Thunnus]

Instead of holding your airbrush perfectly perpendicular to the model surface, you can get a sharper edge if you tilt the brush slightly so that it is pointing toward the color that you are spraying.  In the case of mottles, have the brush slightly oriented toward the center of the mottle to get a sharper demarcation.

[Out2gtcha]

4 minutes ago, Thunnus said:

Instead of holding your airbrush perfectly perpendicular to the model surface, you can get a sharper edge if you tilt the brush slightly so that it is pointing toward the color that you are spraying.  In the case of mottles, have the brush slightly oriented toward the center of the mottle to get a sharper demarcation.

 

 

That's a great tip John, I never even thought of that....

 

I think that will also go to good effect to keep me from overstepping my bounds on the freehand feathered edges.

[ringleheim]

2 hours ago, Out2gtcha said:

Thanks all!  Great info. I think I can take a lot away from this thread. 

 

 

 

100% agreed, he did do an amazing job on it!   The only issue is he never actually shows any of the green spots going down.

I would do that free-hand for sure.  I'd use my H&S .15mm needle airbrush, Tamiya paint, and I'd very carefully count out drops of paint and thinner, going with 70% thinner, 30% paint.  For thinner, I'd very specifically use Tamiya X20-A and not my usual Mr. Color leveling thinner, as the X20A is the best for this type of very delicate detail work.

 

With a 70% thinning ratio, you will see the Tamiya acrylic paint literally drying in front of your eyes and changing darkness/reflectivity in a second as you spray it on the model.  Total control over how much goes on.  You'll need to dwell on 1 area for a while to build up paint depth to your liking.

 

Initially, I would not try to paint the entire outline of the green blotch. Nor would I try to "outline" it and then fill it in.

Rather, you have a lot more control if you just try to do a "stick figure" line drawing of the basic shape of the blotch using thin lines.  And then gradually, with successive passes of the airbrush, fatten out the lines more and more until the proper "blob" shape is achieved.

The fact that you are spraying 70% thinned whispers of paint with total control allows you to play around on this level of scale with total control.

 

It really shouldn't be that hard.

 

Oh!  I forgot to mention, I would pull the air pressure right down to as low as your airbrush can stand. 10 PSI or 12 PSI maybe.

 

Practice on a scrap model first; do it 2 or 3 times.  Then the real plane you really want to paint will not be your first attempt, but your fourth, and that will be much better than your first! 

 

Ask me how I know all this!!! LOL  Lots of FAILURE!

 

But we learn from our mistakes.

 

One last thing: if you have a little green mist or overspray between blotches and it's a bit more than you would like, do not be afraid to "cheat" and go back between the green blotches erasing that overspray with your base RLM 79 color.  Again, thinned at 30% paint to 70% thinner, using super low air pressure.

 

Once you do a little erasing (if necessary) with the base color the green spots will look even better than when first laid down.

 

Show us your work when you are done! 

I feel invested in this now!

 

[Out2gtcha]

I think I will try to get it done freehand for sure.

I'm going to be using MRP paint, so with it being SO thin and shooting SO well through the AB (best paint I've ever shot through the AB w/0 thinning required) I think I can get it done freehand with a lot of tips from this thread.

[ringleheim]

One tip for those who aren't used to counting drops of paint to achieve certain paint thinning ratios...

 

If you start with the number of drops of paint you think might be enough (I would suggest 10 for this desert green camo work would be a good start) then simply divide the number of drops of paint by .30 (30%).

 

That is to say

 

.3 (X) = 10 (number of drops of paint used) (with X representation your total paint/thinner combo)

 

10 divided by .3 = 33.33.

 

Round to 33 to keep this simple!  So your TOTAL paint/thinner mix needs to be 33 drops.

You already know 10 drops of that is paint, so you need 23 drops of thinner.

 

That will give you a total mix of 30% paint, 70% thinner. 

 

I use this little equation all the time to achieve different thinning ratios depending on what I'm doing.

 

 

[ringleheim]

1 minute ago, Out2gtcha said:

I think I will try to get it done freehand for sure.

I'm going to be using MRP paint, so with it being SO thin and shooting SO well through the AB (best paint I've ever shot through the AB w/0 thinning required) I think I can get it done freehand with a lot of tips from this thread.

I've used their paint as well and it is very easy to spray as well!  No doubt! 

Thin that stuff out 30% paint 70% thinner and I would think it would work well, though I'm not sure I've played with that ratio with that paint.  A little practice on some scrap will reveal the right ratio to you quickly I would think.