How to Paint 'Flames of War'
Tabletop war miniatures have been around for years but for many decades this hobby was not widely available in the United States. However, after the success of games like Warhammer 40000, the industry of tabletop war gaming began to receive more attention. Tabletop war gaming spans genres from history to fantasy to science fiction. One tabletop game that has gained a lot of popularity recently is "Flames of War." Set in World War II, "Flames of War" uses a frenetic turn-based system to create compelling gaming with painted miniatures of troops, tanks and gun turrets. For the example in this article, you will be learning how to paint a tank for "Flames of War." The instructions below can be applied to any tank and you can use the techniques on a wide variety of models.
Things You'll Need
- A "Flames of War" tank model
- Acrylic paint in forest green, white, light brown, black, and silver
- Acrylic primer (white)
- Newspaper
- Paintbrushes
- Cup of water
- Empty yogurt cup
Instructions
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1
Paint the entire tank with white acrylic primer. This will ensure that the paint sticks and will also help your colors pop out. Set the model down on an overturned yogurt cup. This will allow the paint to dry on the bottom of the model without getting stuck to anything. Let the paint dry for an hour or until it is dry to the touch. Paint the entire model forest green and let it dry on top of the cup.
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2
Paint patches of light brown on every part of the tank except the tracks. Do this by painting small ovals on the tank and then adding smaller oblong and misshapen ovals coming out of the shape.
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3
Mix one brush load of white and one brush load of forest green together. Dip the tip of your brush in the paint and then brush repeatedly with light strokes on a piece of newspaper until you can just barely see a trace of paint left behind. Brush this repeatedly over the corner and all the raised textures on the tank to bring out the detail as well as give it a subtle weathered look.
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4
Paint the tracks black. Let the black dry for an hour or until its dry to the touch. Dip the tip of your brush into the silver paint. Wipe the brush off in the same manner as Step 3. Brush this metal over the tracks and wheels.
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Tips & Warnings
Brush off a little of your paint before applying it to the model to cut down on having the paint run.
Be sure to wash your brushes after use or the acrylic will harden into plastic.
Resources
- Photo Credit Illustrations by Andrew DeWitt
