4 - Painting za Russkies: Combat Attire

Please sign in to your membership account, or, if you are not yet a member, please sign up for your free membership account.

Now that the Russikies are "Fleshed and Faced," they need proper attire. Hmmm...let see...what would the fashionable Bolshevik be wearing from 1941-1945? And here, strolling down the runway, is Mikail Strasonovski, wearing the latest from the East of the Urals collection! A truly fine ensemble of khaki jacket and brown drab pants. Or for a real change…brown drab jacket and khaki pants!!!

Step Five is applying the first layer of clothing color onto the overcoats, jackets, and pants. For this step I used various colors from Soviet Khaki to British Brown Drab. Polly S has dozens of khaki and drabs and the "Old Lady Craft Paints" also have dozens of shades that will do (although the names will be most unmilitary, like Field of Clover, Trees in Spring, etc.). This layer is applied similar to the first layer of flesh (i.e., trying to keep an outline of black primer between areas). And, again, using a small amount of Slow Dry.

Step Six, like the second flesh step, is the base color. Sometimes a lightened first color; sometimes an entirely separate color. Anyway, same old process...Slow Dry...Paint...Apply Paint...Stand back and admire work...say Crap!, missed a spot!!

Step Seven are clothing highlights. Film at eleven! As before, apply to the high spots (i.e., shoulders, upper back, upper arms). Basically, anywhere more light will strike the figure. Highlight colors would be the Step Six colors with some light yellow, light gray, or possibly white added. Also, at this step I would start painting small accents like belting, packs, pouches, straps, etc.

When highlighting khakis and drabs, try using grays and light yellows instead of white. White will sometimes "bleach" the color too much.

Step Eight is picking out the remaining details like guns, belting buckles, buttons, etc.

And, of course, the chicken!!!!

And for those who desire "the rest of the story," here is a rear shot.

So, that is the painting of Za Russkies. After painting, the figures were coated with a Matt/Dull Finish. I use Krylon Acrylic Matt, as the odor is much less as it is not solvent based. You do need to clean the nozzle after each use by wiping away the excess, or the nozzle will become clogged. (Doh! We hate having clogged nozzles!!)