Colour Guide for Painting Desert British Infantry

By James Brown

The dust-coloured Khaki Drill fabric of the British Army’s tropical uniform was rapidly bleached
and faded by the desert conditions. To reflect this, I have chosen quite a pale finish. I have
started with a black undercoat because this approach is familiar to most painters. Feel free to
use a white or coloured undercoat  – some people prefer it, particularly when dealing with light
colours.

Paint references are for the Vallejo Model Colour range.

Flesh (faces, arms, hands and legs)

Stage 1: 875 Beige Brown Stage 2: 860 Medium Fleshtone Stage 3: 955 Flat Flesh

Face Detail
5-o’clock shadow is a quick, easy way of giving a
miniature’s face added character and realism. I
used a very thin glaze of 816 Luftwaffe Uniform
WWII, mixing much more water than paint. I also
used a similar technique to apply a hint of 984
Flat Brown to the lower lip.

5 o'clock shadow wash/glaze: 816 Luftwaffe

uniform WWII

Lip wash/glaze: 984 Flat Brown

 Gear
Base coats

Bayonet Scabard: 950 Black

Water bottle and entrenching tool handle:  826

German Camo Medium Brown

Backpack, staps and webbing: 880 Khaki Grey

Highlight Colours

Entrenching tool handle:  983 Flat Earth

Water bottle: 873 US Field Drab

Backpack, staps and webbing: 988 Khaki

Rifle

Stage 1 Rifle Butt:  826 German
Camo Medium Brown.
Stage 1 Bayonet Handle: 872
Chocolate Brown.
Stage 2 Rifle Butt highlight: 983 Flat
Earth.
Stage 2 Rifle metal: 863 Gunmetal
Grey + 995 German Grey (50/50)
Stage 3 further Rifle Butt
highlight:983 Flat Earth + 929 Light
Brown (50/50)
Stage 3 Rifle metal highlight: 863
Gunmetal Grey

Uniform

Stage 1 Socks: 921 English
Uniform.
Stage 1 Boots: 950 Black.
Stage 1 Shirt and
pants/shorts:880 Khaki Grey
Stage 1 Helmet: 977 Desert Yellow
Stage 2 Socks highlight:  880 Khaki Stage 3 Shirt and pants/shorts: 819
Grey. Iraqui Sand
Stage 2 Shirt and pants/shorts
highlight: 914 Green Ochre
Stage 2 Helmet highlight: 847 Dark
Sand
Weathering
Adding a few paint chips to the helmet is a good way of making your figure look a little battle-hardened. Carefully paint
small chips and scratches, first with 995 German Grey, then with 865 Oily Steel. If the chips look too stark, you can
soften the effect with a very light drybrush of 847 Dark Sand.