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Hello, folks!
This may sound pretty demanding, but I was wondering if any of you had any idea how in hell I could paint tau with digital camouflage similar to the 'universal camo developed after 2000'
like this:
http://www.hyperstealth.com/CADPAT-MARPAT.htm

Thanks for the help, and it's okay if you don't have any idea how to do this, but please just give me some tips.

erp, not sure, so i will take a stab at this.

seems like you should be doing first only lines in one direction. That done, working from OUT of those lines, go in the perpendicular direction. It should help keep things digital, without risking mottling/splotching that is non-digital.

It might be worth, maybe, looking into .05 thickness pens? You will more than likely destroy them very quickly, but, it might be an idea because pens are easier to handle than brushes. just be sure to be very careful when handling the model so you don't smudge it, and then seal it all up.

Digital Camo masking. Nothing else even comes close.

Which colour scheme were you going to use? Urban, Jungle, Desert?

Judging by the colors he always uses i'd say desert. Yes I know him and have lost to him (Many times)

Well if its a desert scheme your after i would paint it up like regular desert camo and then use a toothpick or something similar with a tiny pointy tip to do the dots that make it look pixalated.

I hope thats what you were after and that it made sense coz im reading it back and it just reads wrong.

Sounds like painstaking work mate.

Could be a job for a nice big set of templates.

Found this on the dakka gallery:



Could ask this dude how it was done? (sluggasluga)

Edit: I had a quick google and found a brief description on this dudes blog: http://targetonmyback.blogspot.com/2008/10/old-crow-models-trojan-in-digital.html

DING DING DING DING DING!!!! We have a winner! Dave Salmon, thank you so much!!!!


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AesSedai wrote:Digital Camo masking. Nothing else even comes close.

What do you mean by Digital Camo masking? Like masking tape?

Yeah, there is a product made specifically for this purpose. Digital camo masking tape for use with an airbrush.

Where do I buy this camo tape, and at what cost?

I just used plain duct tape... sounds weird, but that was the only thing I coud use at that moment

a steady hand also helps...

You would need to make the pattern a lot more random then the Devilfish though, otherwise it would defeat the object of camoflauge.

AesSedai wrote:Yeah, there is a product made specifically for this purpose. Digital camo masking tape for use with an airbrush.

If you could find a link, I'd love to see this. I tried googling but the best i could find were artool stencils, which are far too large (8x10").

I made my own by putting painter's masking tape on a piece of wax paper, print a pattern directly onto it, and xacto knife the pattern.

Peel, stick, paint.

Good luck, it's an absolute pain. I was trying to do it on SM vehicles, but there's way too many edges and uneven surfaces on them to do it, so I gave up.

Keep us informed, I would like to give it another try, if you find a good system.

http://www.lauerweaponry.com/item-detail-colorchoice.cfm?category=240&colorchoice=CPR15.jpg&colortype=Military-LE

You'd want the MirageFlage Peel n' Spray Template. The pixels will be a bit bigger than the Devilfish in the pic above.

whalemusic360 wrote:http://www.lauerweaponry.com/item-detail-colorchoice.cfm?category=240&colorchoice=CPR15.jpg&colortype=Military-LE

You'd want the MirageFlage Peel n' Spray Template. The pixels will be a bit bigger than the Devilfish in the pic above.

I think these might be too large for anything in the 40k range.

I'm planning on getting some for my IG armor, so if your not in a hurry, I'll let ya know.

An alternative approach would be to print a digital pattern on to laser transfer paper and cover the vehicle with that.

On infantry I would just paint a DPM style pattern without trying to make it digital, but use the modern colourways.

Sorry guys, I can't find it on the net after a short search.

I was just in the hobby shop the other day and I saw it again, I believe it is tamiya that makes it.

It is the best thing I have ever seen to make a digital camo pattern. The alternatives posted here sound okay, but if you can find a roll of this stuff you'll be smiling. When next I visit the shop, I'll take a picture.

whalemusic360 wrote:http://www.lauerweaponry.com/item-detail-colorchoice.cfm?category=240&colorchoice=CPR15.jpg&colortype=Military-LE

You'd want the MirageFlage Peel n' Spray Template. The pixels will be a bit bigger than the Devilfish in the pic above.

Damn, that's expensive. I'm great at doing checker prints on my friends orks, as well as my goblins, so that should belp with digital painting alot.

Gonna test out today on a bit of cardboard, just to see how it looks!

Googling "digital camo airbrush" gives a lot of answers (correct technical term is "digital camo stencil"):

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7530
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghrG-M36kjI

http://airbrush-stencils.com/digital-camouflage-p-885.html
http://www.janecosales.com/digitalcamoartoolkustomfx4craigfraserairbrushstencil.aspx
http://www.airsickstencils.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=391

and so on.

Well, it took 25 minutes to do 4 sq inches of it, but here are my freehand camo cardboard test subjects:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/gallery/252123-Test%20Camo%20Patterns%20.html


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yeah, it's crap, but i didn't use any stencils, and I was using a large GW brush!

Kroothawk wrote:Googling "digital camo airbrush" gives a lot of answers (correct technical term is "digital camo stencil"):

(snip)

and so on.

These are the ones I found earlier, that are also too large 8x10". I don't think these will look right on anything in the 40k range. I'm hopeful we can eventually find what AesSedai referenced: if Tamiya makes it, it's likely to be the right scale.


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I spent some time looking through Finecale Modeler's forums, and most seem to actually cut up masking tape themselves to do this.

I keep following this because I hoped to do my valkyrie in this scheme.

So, guys, what do you think of the camo I did?

well at least you tried but its still good try make it smaller.

Alliance Model Works makes MARPAT desert camo decals to 1:35 scale. I know you said "painted" but this might not be a bad idea for some of the larger surface areas you're trying to cover.

Not cheap but it's non-repeating!
http://www.am-works.com/store/lw35070-marines-marpat-desert-camouflage-decal-p-168.html

If I were going about this for an entire army I'd do the following for my infantry / broadsides:
1 - I'd figure out a good brown (assuming desert) type primer color to make things easy. Either used as a spray primer (or airbrushed) or painted as a base coat after your normal primer.
2 - Wash with black.
3 - Highlight with beastial brown (or some slightly lighter shade than your primer/base coat).
4 - Wash with devlan brown.
5 - Highlight from beastial brown to bleached bone.
6 - Spray varnish gloss.
7 - Apply decals to larger flat areas using micro sol/set.
8 - Matt varnish once dry.
9 - Mix a few different shades of brown to bone on your pallet. Try to match the colors on the camo decals.
10 - Add a few dots matching up the patterns of the camo decals to any areas that weren't covered by decals.
11 - Wash everything with gryphonne sepia.
12 - Details & final varnishing stuff...

The trick is tricking the eye... since the larger surfaces would have the camo decals your eyes wouldn't be so drawn to the smaller painted areas. As long as the blots didn't look too out of place, most would probably have a hard time picking out those areas, especially at a glance.

This would probably work on most of your broadsides and such but your kroot would probably need all their camo dotted/painted on.


2-Cents

Edited to include tips on how I'd paint an army using this stuff.

Just found this:

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7530

looks epic

Edit: Whoops... double posted a link... S'ry 'bout that.

fenrir1997 wrote:Just found this:

http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7530

looks epic

Nice resource, but someone already posted that link!

Nowoo wrote:Alliance Model Works makes MARPAT desert camo decals to 1:35 scale. I know you said "painted" but this might not be a bad idea for some of the larger surface areas you're trying to cover.

Not cheap but it's non-repeating!
http://www.am-works.com/store/lw35070-marines-marpat-desert-camouflage-decal-p-168.html

If I were going about this for an entire army I'd do the following for my infantry / broadsides:
1 - I'd figure out a good brown (assuming desert) type primer color to make things easy. Either used as a spray primer (or airbrushed) or painted as a base coat after your normal primer.
2 - Wash with black.
3 - Highlight with beastial brown (or some slightly lighter shade than your primer/base coat).
4 - Wash with devlan brown.
5 - Highlight from beastial brown to bleached bone.
6 - Spray varnish gloss.
7 - Apply decals to larger flat areas using micro sol/set.
8 - Matt varnish once dry.
9 - Mix a few different shades of brown to bone on your pallet. Try to match the colors on the camo decals.
10 - Add a few dots matching up the patterns of the camo decals to any areas that weren't covered by decals.
11 - Wash everything with gryphonne sepia.
12 - Details & final varnishing stuff...

The trick is tricking the eye... since the larger surfaces would have the camo decals your eyes wouldn't be so drawn to the smaller painted areas. As long as the blots didn't look too out of place, most would probably have a hard time picking out those areas, especially at a glance.

This would probably work on most of your broadsides and such but your kroot would probably need all their camo dotted/painted on.


2-Cents

Edited to include tips on how I'd paint an army using this stuff.

Sounds neat, but time consuming. I'll think about it.

I knew I'd seen this somewhere: http://forums.tauonline.org/painting/81609-digital-acu-camo-infantry-tutorial.html

Also, others I found:
http://www.hfmodeling.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=1333&page=1
http://frozengamerak.blogspot.com/2011/02/painting-digital-camp.html
http://wfarcadia.blogspot.com/2009/07/painting-acupat-tutorial.html
http://wfarcadia.blogspot.com/2009/07/painting-desert-marpat-tutorial.html
http://wfarcadia.blogspot.com/2009/07/painting-marpat-tutorial.html

I also found reference to there being something about it in the September 2010 White Dwarf.

What's the appeal of digital camo?