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Hi I have all the colours from German armour, German Infantry and Quartermaster paintset. In addition I have latewar and Desert spray can for German. Right now I've started painting, but Im having a hard time to make it look pretty. Since I dont have an airbrush, I have to handaint these minis. I tried painting a stug yesterday with silly putty masking for camouflage. It didnt look so pretty. If I look closely at the mini Im able to see the layers of paint between camo and base middlestone. My stug looks a bit dry with all the paint and some details were not visible because of the paint. Im wondering do you need to add water to these paint. Because I didnt, I just painted, but I didnt spray can before painting. Since the spray didnt smell so good, so next time I'll do it in the basement.

So the main question is. Could someone give me a detailed instruction on how to paint a flames of war German vehicle. Thanks

Well you have kind of answered your own questions

You should always undercoat the figures first and yes you need to thin your paint. A couple of thin layers will serve you better then one thick one.

Try using a wash as well, its a good way to show detail.

Umm okay, how far away from the model should the spray be?

The spray usually says how far away. If I remember correctly, it's something like 23cm.

Washes are a great way to bring out the smaller detail to 15mm vehicles. I am just painting some Panthers, using the GW Skull white primer, then the Vallajeo (?) Dark Yellow as my main base. From there I used chocolate brown and reflective green. I have no airbrush experience, so I used a stipling method to apply my camo.

There are many ways to do it, you just need to find out which works best for you.

Mat

Hey combat engineer, what exactly is the stipling method, can you provide a detailed procedure and do you have picture of your finished product?

SPraying? 1st make sure you can is at room Temperature 21 degrees or so, and agitate it (shake it) for at least 2 minutes.

Start at 18" and sweep towards it (but get no closer than 8"), but only with a light even pressure on the spray nozzle. It should come out a nice light cover and then a repeat at different angles to the model. It should come out a nice light and even coverage and therefore not obscure detail.

With Spray cans, the ability to hold the nozzle down lightly and keep that pressure even is key. Any idiot can just push the nozzle down and the spray jets out, the real skill is using it in a controlled manner and not like a fire hose.

Use a good quality spray can - cheap ones can spray blobs of paints (and stink and take a lot longer to dry). In the UK Simoniz or Holts seem fine. Always start the spray to the side of your models never over them as you could get an unwelcome splurge of paint! Use several light coats rather than one. Work outdoors on a non-windy non-rainy day. Inside is a killer on the lungs - don't do it! Once dry, I usually use a couple of washes then drybrush to give a 3d effect (dark / med. / light). After that pick out details. Pretty much done then. Can be quick and dirty. I always use spray can undercoat - I don't want an airbrush.

OP - stipling is when you get an old brush with a splayed tip and randomly dab it on to the surface. It achieves a more random application which can be surprisingly difficult when using a normal decent brush.

In my experience It works well for Brit para smocks (see my para plog in my list of threads) never used it for Gerry camo though.

Finally FoW/Vallejo paints are rather thick, no wonder you got the lines you did. Always thin it, better to apply more thin coats than one thick one.


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On airbrushing, I have found it to be incredably suited to 15mm. Vital for huge numbers of tanks and general undercoating but also great for base costing all those infantry stands too.

I figure the cheap set up I got a few years ago has probably paid for itself in the saving on spray and time.

That's stipling. I however tend to use a more circular tipped brush when painting FoW tanks.

Hey notprop, where did you get your airbrush and what brand is it. I might consider getting one.

I use a spray of whatever the base color will be done exactly as mwnciboo described.


For tanks there are only a few details that really need picking out.

For treads I usually paint them black first. Then I do a fairly heavy drybrush of brown or tan(depending on the terrain) and then a Drybrush of metal. Finally I do a brown wash of some kind.

Then you pick out details with a fine detail brush.

You may or may not use a wash on the hull. Zimmeret looks good with a wash.


I use GW paints aside from the sprays. They don't need thinning.

Undercoating is a much overlooked art, and it is an art.
It is unfortunately something that cant really be taught or explained very well, practice makes perfect.

FOW also do various base colour sprays for armour that are very good and well worth the money, you still need to undercoat though.

danli7 wrote:Hey notprop, where did you get your airbrush and what brand is it. I might consider getting one.

They are a great help but I'm not one of the you pay for what you get camp, though it is undoubtedly true.

I got one of those budget sets that are available all over eBay/the Internet. I bought it from a reputable hobby tool dealer called RGB Tools here in the UK. If you take a look there you should be able to find the same stuff available In the States.

Of course you ban get he better stuff for less in the US anyway so YMMV.

This is how buying your first Airbrush goes...

1. You buy a reasonable Airbrush starter kit one for about £80 - £90 quid. It comes with a compressor, tank the whole shebang , including a nice budget double action airbrush.

2. You use it a few times to get used to it. You start making somehead way. You invest in more paint (Airbrushes eat paint).

3. Now you're cooking on gas about 1-3 hours in to using it, then BANG it breaks. EVERY FETHING TIME!. Without exception you will screw it up somewhere Between 15mins and 3hours of use. Either wrong pressure, bad cleaning, you put it back together wrong after cleaning, needle gets damaged.

4. You now go one of two ways, grow disheartened with the results or the fact it broke and it becomes an ornament in your garage. Or you dip into your meagre savings and buy a new Airbrush (another £60 for a decent one).

It is a professional piece of kit so don't buy one unless you have the funds to commit to it. e.g Airbrush Paint, proper cleaning fluid, proper airbrush thinner etc, etc. Also you are ready to keep pouring money into it, as things like this are ongoing expense.