US Airborne Screaming Eagles for Bolt Action

[stoessi]

@Kane
Sure, happy to:

I use Model Color US Field Drab (1. shadows), Middlestone (base), Dark Sand (1. highlight) and Pale Sand (2. highlight). I spray these onto the miniature with my airbrush to get the first global light. After that, the brushwork starts: I use AK Interactive Enamel Wash Brown for green vehicles to make the shadows stand out better overall. Then I use the above base color and the highlight colors to emphasize parts where I want more light. I have to admit though that I wasn't perfectly happy with the last 5 guys and with the next airborne on my workbench I am now adding a second shadow with US Field Drab and Black after the brown wash. Much happier with the WIP result already.

Making splatters with AK Interactive Earth Effects or Dry Mud is also an easy way to add dirt to the lower parts of the trousers and to hide any painting mistakes you might make.

[Meso Solly]

Stoessi, could you tell me where you acquire your basing materials and the technique you have perfected to model them ?

[stoessi]

@Meso Solly
For my US airborne, I have used metal washers as bases. I start by making a mix of plaster, sand and water that I slap onto the washers. When this is dry, I prime the whole miniature.
The bases are then painted in various brown colors using a wet-in-wet technique and then dry-brushed with lighter colors. Sometimes, I also add mud effects from AK Interactive.
In terms of grass tufts and other greenery, I use various products: Grass tufts, moss & flowers from MiniNatur, bushes and other tufts from Polak. I also use static grass from various vendors in various colors depending on the look that I want to achieve (i.e., dry grass vs. fresh green grass).
What I always do with ready to use grass tufts is to
a) sprinkle some brownish pigment (scraped from pastel chalk) onto the tufts and I either push the dry pigment with a brush into the tufts or I soak the whole tuft with water after applying the pigment
b) dry-brush the grass tufts very gently with a light color like Buff or Pale Sand

Hope this helps,
Thomas

[stoessi]

I've really enjoyed the days off over Christmas and New Year's and with so much time at my hands I got the next batch for my Screaming Eagles finished. I also tried a different setup for taking pictures and the results are MUCH better than with my old setup. Happy nerd.

As I got my hands on the SkirmishCampaigns book Normandy '44 - First Hours (http://www.skirmishcampaigns.com/norfh/index.htm), I decided that I am going to work on painting up armies for playing the scenarios. This way I can focus on exactly those figures that are needed for each campaign and I am already looking forward to painting a few Germans.

Anyway, here are the new boys for my US Airborne. Note the guy from the 82nd - I thought I'd try out how hard it is to paint their shoulder patch compared to the Eagle. Turns out that this is just as hard as there really isn't a lot of room for painting.



























Group Shot of the whole 101st that I have painted up so far:


Cheers,
Thomas

[Gothic Line]

 Rally like these Paras must be the best in the market so far...Great picture in the "Bocage"...!

[Andym]

More great work! That's got to be some of the best painted 28mm(?) WWII Stuff I've ever seen!!

[wrgmr1]

Excellent work, lovely shading technique.
Your faces are superb.
I especially like the boot laces.

Here are some I painted a few years ago, sadly sold and lost in the mail to the recipient.

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc173/tjm3/Disposable%20Heros/IMG_2729.jpg

Cheers,
Thomas

[dm]

Stunning work

[stoessi]

@all
Thanks!

@wrgmr1
That is just sad... Pity to lose such nicely painted minis.

[Hitman]

 

Greating looking figures, and I really like what you did with your basing technique. They look fantastic. Well done sir!! Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Hitman
 

[Grey Panda]

Wow...just beautifully painted...real works of art!

Thank you for posting these truly inspiring photos

John

[stoessi]

I've only made minor progress over the past few weeks after the great (and productive) break between the years. The next batch of 13 US Airborne is already primed and prepared on my workbench. Last batch of airborne before I start painting up some Germans as the opposing army for the little Normandy scenario that I am preparing. Anyway, here are the latest pictures:

[Doomsdave]

As a former Screaming Eagle these warm my heart.  Very nicely painted.  I am especially impressed with all the detailed markings and patches. 

[stoessi]

That is the nicest compliment I could hope for. Happy to get such feedback from a real Screaming Eagle! Thanks so much!

[scrivs]

Great work, I especially like the facial expressions you have captured.