Flesh tones

[Mark Oddy]

Hello all

I’m starting to branch slightly into small vignettes/dioramas obviously using the odd figure or two in 1/76 1/72.  Using run of the mill Airfix, humbrol, revell paints what kind of mixes do people use to represent a decent non pink finish?

I realise that it will change theatre to theatre given the weather but a start point would be nice as I just don’t seem to be able to get it right.

Thank you

Mark

[Slackbladder]

Can't help with Airfix/Humbrol/Revell paints, but having done a fair bit of figure painting if you wanted to broaden your paint palette a bit I use Games Workshop paints for my figures. Being water based they are easy to thin out with a bit of water so as not to be gloopy and cover up fine detail (especially on 1/72, 1/76). I still have Bronzed Flesh from years ago which I think in their new colours would translate to Kislev Flesh or Flayed One Flesh and then use a flesh or brown wash which migrates to the edges of clothing or into the detail lines of facial features etc. Base colour and wash would only set you back about £10 and I've had mine for 20+ years.

 

Previous results can be seen here in 1/35th.

Edited October 15, 2023 by Slackbladder

[Mark Oddy]

1 hour ago, Slackbladder said:

Can't help with Airfix/Humbrol/Revell paints, but having done a fair bit of figure painting if you wanted to broaden your paint palette a bit I use Games Workshop paints for my figures. Being water based they are easy to thin out with a bit of water so as not to be gloopy and cover up fine detail (especially on 1/72, 1/76). I still have Bronzed Flesh from years ago which I think in their new colours would translate to Kislev Flesh or Flayed One Flesh and then use a flesh or brown wash which migrates to the edges of clothing or into the detail lines of facial features etc. Base colour and wash would only set you back about £10 and I've had mine for 20+ years.

 

Previous results can be seen here in 1/35th.

Thanks for that, perhaps I should remove my blinkers and look further than the obvious model shop offerings.

[Nemanja]

Hello, Mark. If you are using Humbrol enamels, you could try with the flesh mix Bill Horan used: 50% Humbrol flesh, 40% Humbrol white and 10% Humbrol Natural Wood. You can use that for the starting mix and gradually add white or Natural Wood for lighter or darker shades, and even some red combined with the base Flesh tone for the cheeks and lips. Experiment with the mixes, play with the shades and I am sure you will achieve a satisfactory result. 

[Mark Harmsworth]

I found this useful:

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/painting-skin-face-basic-level-sbs.124485/

 

good luck

Mark

[Mark Oddy]

Thanks for the replies, it’s given me a great start point away from very pink flesh!

[Jochen Barett]

9 hours ago, Mark Oddy said:

Thanks for the replies, it’s given me a great start point away from very pink flesh!

So you probably started with the old

3 parts white (Humbrol 34)

2 parts yellow (Humbrol 24)

1 part red  (Humnrol 60)

suggestion given in the 70ies   (reduce red, add 63 sand)

or even ready made Humbrol 61

[Bozothenutter]

As a person of colour.....'flesh' has more than one colour.

I'm sure it's not intentional,  but it grates a bit.

[Mark Oddy]

18 hours ago, Bozothenutter said:

As a person of colour.....'flesh' has more than one colour.

I'm sure it's not intentional,  but it grates a bit.

That was why in the original thread I was looking at a broad spectrum of theatres especially India and the far east where 5 sqn (my choice of kit colour schemes) operated. Lots of scope for people of of all colour.

I sincerely hope not to cause anyone any offence.

cheers

mark.

[Bozothenutter]

3 hours ago, Mark Oddy said:

That was why in the original thread I was looking at a broad spectrum of theatres especially India and the far east where 5 sqn (my choice of kit colour schemes) operated. Lots of scope for people of of all colour.

I sincerely hope not to cause anyone any offence.

cheers

mark.

I don't offend that easily....😉

The 'grating' started when my kids (who are mixed) started going to school and asking for the 'skin colour' pencil.

Somebody somewhere must have said " if you can't change the small things, how are you going to change the big ones?"

[Robert Stuart]

I use artist's paints: a mix of burnt sienna (red-brown), ultramarine blue, yellow ochre and white will handle most skin variations, from the equator to the poles.
More advanced use, I'd add under paint with terre vert (earth green), burnt umber (dark brown) or raw umber (green/brown).

OT: burnt sienna + ultramarine is my favourite mix for blacks.

OT2: google the Zorn palette (use cadmium red, yellow ochre, mars black and white; traditional version was Vermilion, Ivory Black, Flake White and Yellow Ochre).

[Ratch]

Flesh is not a single colour. I use lots of flesh paints, not all together, sometimes mixed, sometimes laid down in dry-brush layers - nature is not uniform.

I use acrylics:

Andrea Color 1st & 2nd Base, 1st & 2nd Shadow, 1st & 2nd Light

Vallejo Model Color 70815 17 Basic Skin Tone

Vallejo Model Color 70927 19 Dark Flesh FS32555

Vallejo Model Color 70845 20 Sunny Skintone

Vallejo Model Color 70860 21 Medium Fleshtone

Vallejo Panzer Aces 342 Highlight Flesh

Vallejo Model Air 71076 Skin Tone

Games Workshop 61-76 Flesh Wash

 

If you want time to manipulate tones, oil paints may be the way to go.

Reeves Oil Colour Flesh Tint using white, red, yellow, blue and/or brown to vary the tones.

[Shotandshell]

Hi Mark

 

All have made valid points here so I'm adding my tuppence too.  My suggestion would be to try avoiding enamels with the scale of figures you are considering since enamels tend to be thicker than most, even when thinned down and I feel they are not ideal for smaller surfaces as they tend to obscure details.  Oils, too, can be problematic on such smaller surfaces so I would recommend trying out acrylics.  They DO need getting used to, I am not going to mince words, but don't get discouraged.  Once you get the hang of them I don't see any better medium tbh.  Lots and lots of valid techniques on YouTube if you look around.

 

Hope this helps a bit and best of luck with future results.  Looking forward to see your work on the forum.

 

Mike

[Mark Oddy]

Thank you all for your various inputs, I have a good base to work from now though I’m sure there will be a lot of trial and error going on. However we all have different skin so variations are acceptable in my eye!

Thanks again

Mark

[Mark Oddy]

On 16/10/2023 at 17:52, Jochen Barett said:

So you probably started with the old

3 parts white (Humbrol 34)

2 parts yellow (Humbrol 24)

1 part red  (Humnrol 60)

suggestion given in the 70ies   (reduce red, add 63 sand)

or even ready made Humbrol 61

Thank you @Jochen Barett the above mix has given just the right tone of UK flesh I was looking for. Perfect for my little vignette.

I think my next project (Mohawk based in India) May cause a few more problems with the tanning but I’m sure it’ll work out.

Thanks again.

cheers

Mark