Modelling Waffen-SS Figures (Osprey Modelling 23)
By Calvin Tan
ISBN: 1841768375
79 pages
paperback


This is the first book by Calvin Tan with Osprey. Calvin Tan is an expert figure modeller, renowed for his spectacular figure sculting and tehcniques. We won himself several tittles in Euro Militaire. He’s a Singaporean. Some of us here probably been with him or at least seen his excellent work.
The camouflage worn by the Waffen-SS can pose all sorts of challenges and those of us that have tried their hand at painting this know the potential heartache that awaits. Severals book on this elite unit are available for the reference of booth modeller and ww2 reenactment.
In this book, he explain his techniques on painting the Waffen SS in 1/35 scale, which is a good selection as many of modellers around the world, use this scale as their favourite subject.
This book is divided in 4 chapter, where in each chapter, different level and method is descibe with step-by-step picture instruction. The skill level increase in complexity from one to another until ultimately, the modeller is exposed to techniques for designing ones own figures. This book explores the main patterns of Waffen-SS camouflage and dress and describes how to achieve these finishes in clear, step-by-step instructions. Advanced figure sculpting techniques, including conversions, are also featured, providing plenty of detail and diverse challenges to modellers of different abilities. Calvin Tan's superb base artwork and multi-layered painting technique are highlighted in this visually detailed, packed and engaging treatment of one of the most enduring, popular figure-modelling subject areas.
The featured subjects in this book include an SS-Sturmmann, an SS-Scharfuhrer, and SS-Schatze, and a Panzergrenadier machine-gunner.
All of the painting is done with Vallejo acrylics with some mixtures of gunze and oil colors.

In chapter 1, reader is exposed to the painting and detailing the figure equipment for example, the bag, sling and gas mask canister. This is by far the most simple project in this book which also involved a minor conversion made to the figure. In this chapter, the author show how he painted the SS infantry with the plane tree camouflage pattern using mixture of vallejo paints and applying several thinner glaze of them. The author also show a set-by-step face painting which is done with Vallejo acrylics.

In chapter 2, a far more advance project which involved SS-Scharfuhrer from a panzer units. In this chapter, the author also show how he do and detailing the ground work not only the figure itself. In this chapter, the figure is painted with the pea dot camouflage pattern of the panzer Waffen-ss unit.

Chapter 3 continues on his previous method except the conversion is a lot more complex and two figures are involved the author work with two set of figures to pose a small vignette. In this chapter the figures are painted with the “Italian”, “Oak-leaf” (spring) pattern.

Finally in chapter 4, the author shows how to scuplt a figure by using metal wire and modelling putty. While he use the head, boots from his spare box, he also add a few more step in detailing them for example, he used a small disc cut from stretch sprue to make soles for the boots. This is by far the most advanced stage in figure modelling where the figure is sculpted from scratch. This chapter skill was labelled as Master. In this chapter, he posed the figure on a burnt and damaged T34 from MiG Production and he told story about the historical background of the vignette that he want to build.


Conclusion

This is indeed a very helpfull how-to books dealing with figure painting. I can say this maybe not the best but close to it. For those of you that choose acrylics as your painting medium than this book is a must. While the tittle says it’s for the Waffen-SS unit, I can also recommend this book to all modellers as the method he used in this book, can be also applied to other army or camouflage patterns.
The vallejo color mix are shown at the last of each chapter. This is a nice touch that I figured can help modellers that is painting this type of cammo pattern. In each paint chart, he also showed what’s the pattern of cammo look like, in case we want to copy it and paint our figures (which often seen on DML figures box art). There are also other type of materials used in this book to details the figures for example brass, PE set and Archer fine transfer. The only minor dissapoinment, is he didnt tell what type of putty that he used.
I forgot to add that most of the figure he choosed are from white metal (Hornet) with the additions of resin or plastic parts swap from spare box.
A liitle things to be remember that all of the chapters in this book are labelled as advance while chapter 4 is labelled asMaster, so this book maybe intended for serious figure modellers. My opinion is, beginner like me, can also enjoy the full benefits of the book by simply ignore (but not negleted) the extra superdetails works which he performed. We can simply build our figure OOTB and painted the figure as what he did.
Another point is, his painting step is so much different from mine (and perhaps to many of u..). He started by painting the figure black and work the color to the final lighter color. I remembered this method from a friend of mine who teaches fine art in Lim Kok Wing a few years ago.

The books has more than 200 color photos for the pleasant of the reader. I must say I enjoy reading this book.
Another excellent book.

Recommended.

Any comments are welcome.

I've tried to mimic Calvin's method before and decided I don't have that much of patience. I met him once in KL where he did a demo in MH. Were you there Zaidi?
I remember him saying distinctly that a basic skin tone on a 1:35 scale figure can take 2 hours just by the many filtering layers that he puts on. Its so fine that it takes thousands of passes to build up enough layers to cover the black.
You should see his work in person. Will knock your socks OFF!

negative Loo..... i never met him personally nor in the internet..
so when was it??
2 hours?? phewwwwwwwww!!!! that's ok...i think i can live with it..hehe
btw, have you seen the Andrea Miniatures CD (figure painting)?? this one is really amazing... and reallt will knocks your socks plak.... of course, it's done by an expert

so later last night, i thought i would give this method a try...so i airbrush some of my figures with black....
and let see what happen to them next...

wow..paint it black and then apply the final colour. For me i always use enamels (model master range) for skin tones while the uniforms are painted in arcylics. The fast drying properties of arcylics makes it impossible to blend .
Now that i see that the experts use multiple layers of washes makes me want to try out this technique as well.....Just hope i have the patience.

Dear all,

I had the chance to reviewed this book last year before it was launched when I meet up with Calvin in S'pore. It is a value-for-money step by step figure painting book. I don't think there is any book in the market (because I have most of the figure painting books by all the masters) that has such a clear step by step quality photoshots and the no. of photoes just make this book worth investing. The only downside was the printing does not justify the actual quality of the model. The photo was shot in slides, the quality was excellent but the publisher just make a mess in adjusting the color for the first 2 chapters. I've seen all the models in this book personally and it is much better. Most of the kids were sold to collectors already.

I would highly recommend this book to all who interested in improving the figure painting. The technique is more suitable for armor modeller. This method also can be used in armor weathering. The black undercoat gives depth and dry brush highlight the areas needed for highlight/shadow (actual visual of the overheadlighting)

Calvin is a fast figure painter, he probably finished a stock figure within 10 hours. I normally spend about 20-30 hours for complete figure... so 2 hour for a face is not unsual given face is the most important part of producing a good looking figure...

This book highly recommended...already in my shelf.
Other book I would recommend for figure painting is Mike Blanks "Black and White" and "Body language"; Bill Horan's "Military modelling Masterclass" and "Complete Bill Horan", Euromodelismo's 2 overheadlighting and one to be launched by Spanish WWII figure master Jaume Ortiz... his figure is just stunning.... Good luck.

Happy modelling
Allan

good day Allan..
thanks for adding in a few facts...
as what i've been told by richard aka defender, an americam already bought the figures in the book cover for USD4000 and he personally flew to singapore to collect it.

i will take a look of your suggested reading materials. and i'm also waiting for that Jaume Ortiz's book. I read from his website that the book is going to be published by Osprey.

btw Allan, perhaps u can do a crash course on figure painting using vallejo. I would love to attend...

Boss its very nice of you to give us a review of the book after that very good review on the Gen 2 set. These reviews are always good for all of us especially for those thinking of buying it ourselves.

Me I have limited interest in the Waffen SS. Love their camo schemes though. I know its just models and their just figures and we are just representing history but its the last bit that makes me have a lack of feeling towards this subject.

Figure paintings do require a lot of patience but as I'm learning it can both be very frustrating and rewarding almost at the same time. BTW Lim I'm no expert and I may have read your reply wrongly but I don't think you use washes on faces. Again I may be wrong but for acylics its more of a process of layering with super diluted paint with progressively lighter or darker colors depending on the whether its highs or lows to create the blending effect seen on oils.

Boss again excellent work for bringing this to us.

how about giving me ang pow?? herk..herk

btw Tang, u can visit my place if you want to have a look of the book.
Like i said before, the techniques/method can be also applied to others army as well (nor only to Waffen-SS)....so maybe u could find the book usefull to read, but maybe not usefull to buy..hehe

Hi Zaidi,

The week of Mar 11 I could do I demo at MH, I think that day is the in progress armor competition meeting....

I will confirm shortly
Allan

Allan, this is great
do update us here when you already comfirm....