I'm currently working on the many letters and graphics on the ration items - It is the slowest part of the painting for me. This process requires my smallest brushes to carefully render each letter. I always have a 6 inch ruler near me to keep the letters straight and consistent in size. It's very easy to let the letters lose their consistency, so I constantly check and re-check to make sure they look correct. Of course they are never 100% perfect, but they are close... I'm not a robot lol!
The graphics on the matchbook were probably the most difficult because of the highly pigmented green required. It's mostly
Permanent Green and Cad Yellow with a touch of white. High chroma colors like this can be difficult to remove when a mistake is made because they can stain the dry layer of paint underneath. Sometimes its better to use an exacto-knife to scrap away the mistake instead lifting or scrubbing it away with a clean brush with a bit of thinner. And yes.... I make plenty of mistakes. To add to the difficulty, a second layer will be needed on the matchbook graphics. One layer just isn't opaque enough.
Here is an interesting fact about the VD matchbook from the ration reproduction website...
Permanent Green and Cad Yellow with a touch of white. High chroma colors like this can be difficult to remove when a mistake is made because they can stain the dry layer of paint underneath. Sometimes its better to use an exacto-knife to scrap away the mistake instead lifting or scrubbing it away with a clean brush with a bit of thinner. And yes.... I make plenty of mistakes. To add to the difficulty, a second layer will be needed on the matchbook graphics. One layer just isn't opaque enough.
Here is an interesting fact about the VD matchbook from the ration reproduction website...
 | These are one of the best-remembered items from the GI K-Ration and other ration packs. They graphically warn GI's (and modern day re-enactors) that venereal disease is "Easy to Pick Up." |
