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Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: dlmos on 06 January 2009, 06:07:38 PM

Title: Painted my first US Para! (Bases finished 1/12)
Post by: dlmos on 06 January 2009, 06:07:38 PM
Well I just got done with my first US Paratrooper!  He's a 28mm from Artizan, I plan to use him for Battlefield Evolution and Disposable Heros.  All in all I'm happy with how he came out, although I'm still learning when it comes to highlights.  Only things left to do is add a bit of static grass to the base, mark his unit ID and varnish.

(http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/rr35/dlmos/DSC01852.jpg)

(http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/rr35/dlmos/DSC01853.jpg)

(http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/rr35/dlmos/DSC01854.jpg)

Lemme know what you think!
-dlmos
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: marrony on 06 January 2009, 06:09:52 PM
Nice work! Well done. :D
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: Captain Blood on 06 January 2009, 07:06:16 PM
Very neatly executed.
Look forward to seeing the whole unit  ;)
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: DFlynSqrl on 06 January 2009, 11:43:46 PM
Very nice Dave!  Look forward to seeing it in person.  Just remember that he has to keep the bazooka pointed down instead at one of my units.   ;)
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: dlmos on 07 January 2009, 01:49:37 AM
Thanks guys! :D

And don't worrie about him pointing the bazooki at your troops, he doesn't do prisoner escort! lol
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: archangel1 on 07 January 2009, 06:44:23 AM
Nice job.  You might want to tone down the rank stripes a little though.  Right now they make him a prime target!
I've got the same figure on my workbench, undercoated and flesh primed.  Have to get back to him soon.  My biggest beef with the mini is his left foot - it's tiny! Especially when you carve off the base.  I'm trying to decide whether to have the team walking through water or very high grass, just to hide it.
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: Calimero on 07 January 2009, 12:31:40 PM

Nice painting! I like the color shade of the uniform  :-*

...My biggest beef with the mini is his left foot - it's tiny!...

Sadly, quite a few of the Artizan WWII German seem to suffer from the same problem  :?
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: dodge on 07 January 2009, 01:04:12 PM
That's very nicely done

good highlights , I like the rank , has come out much better than I could do.

dodge
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: Remington on 07 January 2009, 01:36:32 PM
Good one! Nice uniform colour and your highlights are quite fine, don't worry.

I would also tone down the rank. By the way, how often were ranks actually left on the uniform on the field? Wouldn't that make picking out the NCOs easier?
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: dlmos on 07 January 2009, 02:54:43 PM
Thanks guys, actually the rank stripes are molded onto the mini so thats not free hand (i'm not the good lol ). I do think your right about them being a bit bright though so i may retouch them with a bit more neutral color, maybe a real light tan.
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: Remington on 07 January 2009, 03:05:33 PM
actually the rank stripes are molded onto the mini so thats not free hand

Oh!  :D So, I guess the NCOs did keep their rank stripes on their uniform.
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: archangel1 on 07 January 2009, 06:52:40 PM
...I do think your right about them being a bit bright though so i may retouch them with a bit more neutral color, maybe a real light tan.

I was doing some quick checking and as far as I can tell, rank markings of the period should be yellow on a black field.  I can check for sure when I get home because I have an all colour book on US Paras in WWII.

EDIT - From Blandford's 'Army Badges and Insignia of World War 2'

"...the chevrons were embroidered in light khaki silk, or woven in light yellow silk on a dark blue gaberdine material."

My 'D-Day Paratroopers - The Americans' book by H&C shows rank stripes in all sorts of colours - white, yellow, OD.  Guess you can pick your favourite.  There should be a Division patch on the left shoulder and if your boys came down on D-Day, there's a good chance they'd have an American flag patch on their upper right arm, particularly if they're 82nd AB, although that would be tricky in 28mm.
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: Svennn on 07 January 2009, 08:37:25 PM
Yep, very nice job
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: Janick on 08 January 2009, 01:15:00 AM
awesome work...the shading is stunning!  :o
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para!
Post by: dlmos on 10 January 2009, 05:05:39 AM
Just a quick update, I've finished 6 more guys for the first rifle squad!  I decided I was over-highlighting and tryed to ease up on it, now I'm much happier with the scheme.  I'm still having trouble with the faces but think those will only get better with practice.  The only thing left is to get some static grass to do the bases with and I should pick that up tomarow.  Next up are then NCOs and BAR gunners  :D

(http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/rr35/dlmos/DSC01863.jpg)

(http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/rr35/dlmos/DSC01864.jpg)

-dlmos
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para! (updated 1/9)
Post by: dodge on 10 January 2009, 09:30:45 AM
Very nice the colours are great,

looking forward to those bar men

dodge
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para! (updated 1/9)
Post by: Remington on 10 January 2009, 10:20:37 AM
Brilliant!  :-* Really like them. As for the over highlighting, I guess it depends on what you desire. I think over-highlighting comes out better on photographs, but I am not a fan of it either. But the rest of the troop look as brilliant as your first guy.

Talking of static grass, consider some bushes by Noch or Mininatura. They are a piece of cake to handle and always look good. I mess up my static grass quite often.
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para! (updated 1/9)
Post by: DFlynSqrl on 10 January 2009, 02:48:27 PM
I got to see them last night.  They look even better in person!
Title: Re: Painted my first US Para! (updated 1/9)
Post by: dlmos on 13 January 2009, 02:20:44 AM
Well I've got the bases finished finally, it's my first time using static grass but I'm really happy with the results.  I should have the last of the squad finished up this evening so I'll try and get a group shot up tomarow.  One thing I'm still debating it whether or not to use unit markings on the base.  Has anyone else done this?  I'm planning on playing Battlefeild Evolution: World at War if that makes any differance.

(http://i467.photobucket.com/albums/rr35/dlmos/DSC01870.jpg)

-dlmos