TAMIYA BOX ART

[George]

I like Tamiya Box Art.

I wanted to paint the Russian Figures in this kit like the Box Art using artist oils. The more I studied the colors on the box art, the more I realized there is not one color, rather several colors blended together.

Can anyone get me started with what color of artist oils?

Could one start with yellow ochre? Then shade and light light.

 

[JasonB]

Google "Telogreika" and look at images. You will see that they came in a variety of shades. If you wanted to do this specific shade, Ochre seems a reasonable base color. I would base coat with something like an acrylic Khaki and overcoat with oils to get the wanted tones.

 

[Steve Ski]

Howdy, George.

I agree with Jason, Ochre will work and I would personally use a light khaki acrylic base tone, then blend the oils to how you want them according to your reference pic. The blending is where you should get some great tonal variations.

 

[Nap]

Hi George

I’m not a Oily but there’s wise words from the above members , I’d go for a similar dark ochre in Acrylics

Hope we see the benchtime from you

Have fun

Nap

 

[winfield]

Raw Sienna is a candidate also.

 

[fogie]

I guess you took the photo with your phone.....it's not possible to judge a proper
colour 'cos the picture is too gloomy. Essentially you won't find a colour match
directly from the tube, so it will probably be a mix of raw sienna, indian yellow,
with touches of umber, ultramarine violet, and red to adjust the 'temperature'.
I work with oils and use just five colours (Black and white don't count...they're
classified as neutrals) to mix anything I need. The import thing is to look at
some more reference to provide an aggregate colour in your mind, and to then
mix the paint to an ulltra smooth consistency. Once you make a start things
will develop their own momentum and you'll find the way.....

Mike

 

[George]

Mike/fogie, thank you. Yes, you are right it is a "gloomy picture", I will do better next time. Nevertheless, even though based on a "gloomy picture", you have given me good advice. Well done indeed. So perhaps to get at these khaki colors, it would be an equal mix of raw sienna & indian yellow. I am not sure I have this "Indian Yellow" is it like yellow ochre? I am curious to see what red does when added. Oils fascinate me, these oil colors are so "alive." It is hard for me to get use to them, it is like painting with tooth paste. And drying can take forever, even weeks. George

 

[fogie]

Hi George....Yes indeed, oils certainly require a bit of effort - but they mix and blend together well.
Indian yellow is a very rich colour - like fresh egg yolk - and I use it because it can be lightened to
a lemon tint or darkened to an ochre shade. In short it's wonderfully versatile. Tiny dabs of Red
adjust the warmth of a colour....subtle stuff, I know, but the effect is valuable. The key to using oils
lies with the consistency.....we have to get from 'toothpaste' to 'double cream'. For years I've relied
on Spike Lavender oil for this.....it evaporates quite quickly and speeds drying time. Of course, we're
talking of small amounts of paint here so correspondingly small touches of Spike Lavender. I could
waffle on all day, but nothing will help you more than practice. Put in the practice, George, and soon
you'll be flying Bon chance....!

Mike

 

[George]

JasonB, Steve Ski, Nap, Winfield & Mike; thank you all very much. George

 

[Babelfish]

Use as a starting point the tips that the other guys have offered, then just muck around with various colours until you hit on what you're looking for, what pleases your eye.

Possibly jot down some notes as you go along, to refer back to later if you want to repeat a step.

No matter whether you're a beginner or have been doing it for years, painting inevitably involves a good amount of trial & error. Despite what the "How To" books might claim, there's no magical "recipe" for any shade, it's all about technique and developing a feel for how various colours interact with each other. But as Mike says, once you start to get the feel for it, it will all start to fall into place. Just be patient and don't give up if at first you don't succeed!

- Steve