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"Chinese flesh tones painting assistance requested" Topic


20 Posts

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2,907 hits since 1 Sep 2020
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Comments or corrections?

SgtGuinness02 Sep 2020 4:31 a.m. PST

As the title states, I'm starting some Chinese Black Flag and Boxer troops and need assistance with colors to paint the flesh tones of these troops. I know there are many possible variations, and the tones aren't really too different from mine, however I'm just looking for a basic game tabletop visible difference. My old pot of Howard Hues Oriental Flesh dried up and I've lost my notes from when I painted my earlier collection 30+ Years ago. I'd like a slight variance from my average white Europeans, if possible. Any ideas, assistance, recommendations, links, photos, etc, will be most appreciated.
Be well and stay healthy!
Cheers,
JB

Personal logo John the OFM Supporting Member of TMP02 Sep 2020 7:19 a.m. PST

I use a white prime and Citadel Snakebite Leather. I then dry brush with Ceramcote Medium Flesh to tone it down.
Yes, I know that sounds racist, but I didn't name the paints!
It could be worse. Armoury Paints used to have Mongolhide…

Personal logo Sgt Slag Supporting Member of TMP02 Sep 2020 7:19 a.m. PST

Take your base flesh tone paint, apply it to a 3x5 index card. Then, mix a small amount of yellow paint to your base, and apply that to the card, marking it with a pen, as to how much yellow you mixed in, and how much base flesh tone, you had. Continue adding yellow paint to your base, noting the ratios, applying it to your index card. Let it all dry for an hour.

Come back, and hold your 30-year-old figures alongside of the paint samples, until you find a close match.

If the flesh tone + yellow is not correct, sparingly add some brown, or another color, repeating the card trick, if desired. File the cards for future reference.
Cheers!

SgtGuinness02 Sep 2020 7:23 a.m. PST

Thanks for taking the time and effort to respond!

Personal logo Stosstruppen Supporting Member of TMP02 Sep 2020 7:44 a.m. PST

I use Vallejo medium fleshtone with a sepia wash. Works well IMO.

Rdfraf Supporting Member of TMP02 Sep 2020 8:08 a.m. PST

I suggest Vallejo 70.845 Sunny Skin Tone or 70.927 Dark Flesh.
I am Chinese and those paints match me and my wife the best.:)

Woolshed Wargamer02 Sep 2020 8:16 a.m. PST

I use the same flesh paint (gw Cadian) and then a dark wash. Well – that is what I used on Samurai anyway.

SgtGuinness02 Sep 2020 9:31 a.m. PST

Randy, I guess I can't get ANY BETTER than that recommendation! Thanks buddy.

SgtGuinness02 Sep 2020 9:33 a.m. PST

@ Brian & Strosstruppen, thanks guys. I've got lots of good ideas. Now to buy some paints, because of course I don't have ANY of the colors y'all recommended.

Personal logo Jeff Ewing Supporting Member of TMP02 Sep 2020 9:52 a.m. PST

I know anecdote ≠ data, but when I was in Beijing hitting tourist spots, I ran into a busload of Chinese from some Collective Farm in the countryside taking their holiday in the capital. They were all brown as nuts from working outside in the sun all day. I would guess that peasants in 1900 would look the same. You should consider the dark wash route, IMO.

Rdfraf Supporting Member of TMP02 Sep 2020 9:59 a.m. PST

Jeff is right, Chinese field workers are going to be very dark. In China, lighter skin is preferable as it shows you are not a laborer and part of a "higher" social class.

Frederick Supporting Member of TMP02 Sep 2020 10:04 a.m. PST

I also use a flesh tone – in my case, the Cadian one from GW – with a dark wash

Mirosav02 Sep 2020 11:04 a.m. PST

Howard Hues paints are still available.

skipper John02 Sep 2020 11:08 a.m. PST

Rdfraf wrote:
"I suggest Vallejo 70.845 Sunny Skin Tone or 70.927 Dark Flesh.
I am Chinese and those paints match me and my wife the best.:)"

And WHY were there any answers following after this one???

Eumelus Supporting Member of TMP02 Sep 2020 11:59 a.m. PST

Darker versus lighter skin tone was of course also a European/American class distinction, until the 20th century when the distinction remained but the skin tones swapped – in an industrial society, workers remain indoors while the leisured class plays tennis and goes to the beach…

Garand02 Sep 2020 12:48 p.m. PST

Reaper makes a triad (base, shadow, highlight) of Asian fleshtones. That would be the easiest way to go.

Damon.

DyeHard02 Sep 2020 2:00 p.m. PST

Any talk of painting skin-tones will be loaded.

That said, no two people have the exact same skin-tone.
So, you will want to mix it up as you paint your figures.

And a said above Howard Hues offer a nice set:
Monday Knight Productions
link

Or Last Square:
link

Flesh Hues ($3.95)
Fair Maiden (62)
Flesh (5)
Ruddy Flesh (27)
Suntan (71)
Mid-East Flesh (72)
Oriental Flesh (40)
Native American (61)
Nubian (63)

In the UK:
link

SgtGuinness02 Sep 2020 3:17 p.m. PST

Wow guys, awesome replies!!! I will get a few of the paints and do some tests. Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply to my inquiry.
Cheers,
Sgt G

FusilierDan Supporting Member of TMP03 Sep 2020 3:23 a.m. PST

Here's a good article on skin tones.
link

From CoolMiniorNot

Der Krieg Geist09 Sep 2020 8:03 p.m. PST

Do not add yellow to the flesh tone. That is totally unrealistic as an Asian skin tone… they are not "yello" My wife is Han Chinese ( with a bit of Mongolian and Korean in her ancestry. She is the color of super light creamy coffee and if tanned, no different than causation really. Her son, a slight shade darker and he tans much darker. I have many Chinese, Japanese and Korean friends. Not one of them has a yellow cast to their skin.

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