_GOTOBOTTOM
Modeling in General
General discussions about modeling topics.
painting helmets?
invictis
Visit this Community
Netherlands
Member Since: May 28, 2003
entire network: 49 Posts
KitMaker Network: 0 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - 07:55 PM UTC
Hi,

I wondered are there any helpfull tips on painting helmets. What I used to do was just add some black to fieldgrey for example for it seems helmets are always slightly darker. but....I collect helmets myself and they are always damaged, special camo jobs, weathered...how do I do this, I could never airbrush a small helmet 1:35..so how does one do this, blending would be an option and a dirt wash maybe and some dusting with powder maybe?...I have been thinking to wetaher the helmets with washes and dusting and weathering them with powders..anyone tried this yet?
hope to hear from someone soon,



Alco
FAUST
#130
Visit this Community
Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Member Since: June 07, 2002
entire network: 8,797 Posts
KitMaker Network: 1,186 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - 08:14 PM UTC
Alco

What I usually do when painting camo on a helmet or uniform I paint the groundlayer first.. The paint all the Camo with a very small brush. After that is cured I add a wash or two over it (mostly some kind of dust tones) this is to tone down the hard camo colors and to blend the paintlevels together.. Another note I have to say here is that it doesn`t` need to be a thick wash. 80% turpentine with 20% paint or 90%/10% will do the trick

brandydoguk
Visit this Community
England - North, United Kingdom
Member Since: October 04, 2002
entire network: 1,495 Posts
KitMaker Network: 0 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - 10:35 PM UTC
One tip I read somewhere, if you paint helmets with matt paint and want them to have a slight sheen to them to differentiate the finish from the rest of the figure is to rub the completed helmet on your nose. The oils from your skin do give a slight sheen and it can look quite effective plus it saves having to do an extra coat with varnish.
invictis
Visit this Community
Netherlands
Member Since: May 28, 2003
entire network: 49 Posts
KitMaker Network: 0 Posts
Posted: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - 11:04 PM UTC
awesome!...thanks for the tips people, must look really weird rubbing tons of german helmets on my nose (maybe I should try it with a Tiger tank..lol), I will give it a try though, thanks!!!.


Alco
slodder
Visit this Community
North Carolina, United States
Member Since: February 22, 2002
entire network: 11,718 Posts
KitMaker Network: 2,584 Posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 12:14 AM UTC
I do airbrush the base coat for my helmets.

The way I do it is with toothpicks and a blob of clay. I stick a small blob of clay on the end of a toothpick and then wedge it into the bottom of the helmet. I stick a bunch in a row in some sytrofoam and spray away.
As far as color and tips see above.
Dont forget straps! Use some wine foil or food container lid foil and cut out two small strips and CA them in position.
Marty
Visit this Community
Massachusetts, United States
Member Since: June 16, 2002
entire network: 2,312 Posts
KitMaker Network: 871 Posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 12:19 AM UTC
To paint scratches you can use the base color and lighten it a bit. Then using a fine brush and paint irregilar thin lines here and there. You can also apply a little bit of a steel/aluminum paint to simulate bare steel.
kkeefe
Visit this Community
Massachusetts, United States
Member Since: May 12, 2002
entire network: 1,416 Posts
KitMaker Network: 0 Posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 01:13 AM UTC
I too airbrush my helmets separately , then apply a darker wash prior to dry brushing with a lighter shade of the base coat. I also use a silver artist pencil to bring out the steel around the brim or any nicks.
chip250
Visit this Community
Wisconsin, United States
Member Since: September 01, 2002
entire network: 1,864 Posts
KitMaker Network: 606 Posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 04:17 AM UTC
I dont know how to paint, but what I do is put some sticky tac on a little stick and put the the helmet on the sticky tack end. It helps because you can turn it.

~Chip #:-)
blaster76
Visit this Community
Texas, United States
Member Since: September 15, 2002
entire network: 8,985 Posts
KitMaker Network: 2,270 Posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 06:31 PM UTC
I want to hear more about this nose thing. You do what with your nose? Personally I like to use kleenex. ROTFLMAO seriously, I have done the same thing only rubbed the oils from my fingers, the nose would enable more pieces to be done. What a novel idea.
brandydoguk
Visit this Community
England - North, United Kingdom
Member Since: October 04, 2002
entire network: 1,495 Posts
KitMaker Network: 0 Posts
Posted: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 11:01 PM UTC
I guess I'm lucky, with the size of my nose I can do more than one piece at a time, mass production in fact heh heh. The reason that I rub small parts on my nose rather than fingers to get the sheen of painted metal is that I always give my hands a good wash before modeling to prevent greasy fingerprints on the kit, and as the article said the face is the next readily available area for this technique. The golden rule is to always check in the mirror after to make sure there are no streaks of paint all over your snout, a definite turn off when chatting up the ladies I think.
 _GOTOTOP