Vietnamese / Asian Skin Tones: What's Your Recipe?

I'm painting some civilians but it's been a long time since I've done something other than Caucasian skin. Well, except for trolls and orcs. Anyway my old formula is base coat with Coat d'Arms "Dun" a yellow-ochre kind of color. Then highlight with Oriental Flesh. Looks okay but not great.

Anyone have a "recipe" for Asian skin, esp. in smaller figs like 15 or 20mm?

I couldn't be bothered to do a skin tone much different than caucasian. Although my girlfriend is Vietnamese, she tends to get quite dark in summer.

I get that.

On the table top I'm not sure anyone will ever notice in 15mm.

But then I paint lace on 15mm for the fun of it....

ExtraCrispy wrote:But then I paint lace on 15mm for the fun of it....

Vietnamese girlfriend B6. That's cool.

I have actually never come up with a recipe for what I call Oriental skin tones. I would like to.

I say "Oriental" not "Asian" as people from India are also Asians, but their skin is totally different from Vietnamese. I don't know why Oriental dropped out. Is it some form of PC that went over my head?

If a policeman asks for a description of the bank robber, "Asian" may not be very helpful.

Tom

GarryOwen wrote: T say "Oriental" not "Asian" as people from India are also Asians, but their skin is totally different from Vietnamese. I don't know why Oriental dropped out. Is it some form of PC that went over my head?

Yes, not sure why that changed, I think it IS considered PC now. And you're right, the term Asian uses a wide brush.

I think on the tabletop though, the color difference may not be all the noticeable, and in 28mm I use the same formula I use for caucasian skin. Though if you're a "lace painter" in 15mm, you may not want to settle for "same sameness".

The term "Oriental" went out because it is a Western-centric name for Asia.

When you lay down a map you "orient" it with Asia to your right, thus North ahead of you. That is where "Oriental" came from. It assumes that white, western people are the "standard" and everyone else a deviation from this.

It's why I'm so happy to see Crayola's new box of skin toned crayons:



Likewise when you buy paint, "flesh" is always Caucasian (even in Asia) and all other tones are variations, implying Caucasian is "normal."

So in asking for a "recipe" I know there's a huge range under the umbrella "Asian" much less Vietnamese.

But in my defense, I paint all white guys the same way too.

My first attempts, years back, were just awful and looked like WW2 propoganda posters - of the thick glasses, buck-toothed "yellow" Jap variety. Like I said my current recipe is just okay.

I use a more tan color for my ARVN, VC and civilians. NVA are a little lighter and closer to Caucasian as my research has led me. My Yards are darker than the civies. It's easier to see the distinction in 20mm, but in 15mm you have to be careful or the figures look TOO dark.