Waffen SS Uniforms & Eichenlaubmuster (Oak Leaf) Camouflage

The oak leaf pattern and the black uniform

Printed camouflage fabrics of the kind that appeared from 1942 on the field blouses and smocks of German units are among the most frequently painted surfaces in historical figure work. The pattern combines blotches of several earth and green tones and it is reversible: one side leans to a spring green, the other to an autumn brown. Along with it go the dark uniform of tank crews and the gray-green cloth of ordinary kit.

What the set is made up of

Twelve bottles cover this whole palette: two different blacks and a dark gray for the uniform and the kit, browns from burnt umber to an earthy tone, a pair of greens and finally a light shade for skin and a cream tone for small details. The selection is put together so that the intermediate steps and both shadow and highlight tones can be mixed from it without buying further paints.

Properties of the paints

The line is intended for brushwork on figures: it has a high proportion of pigment, covers in a thin coat and is easy to control when layering. It dries to a velvety matte surface that takes glazes and pigments well.

A procedure that works

The pattern is painted from the top down: first the base in a lighter earth tone, then, once dry, irregular blotches in the greens and browns, and finally small dots in the darkest color. On a figure in a small scale it makes sense to reduce the size of the blotches compared with reality, otherwise the pattern grows visually heavy. It pays to keep the brush fairly dry while doing so, so that the edges of the blotches stay crisp and the paint does not run into the folds of the fabric.