Shape
Shine
Silhoette
Shadow
Spacing
Surface
Smell
Movement
All these can give you away, or conceal you...
LS
Shine
Silhoette
Shadow
Spacing
Surface
Smell
Movement
All these can give you away, or conceal you...
LS
camouflage why it works (or not) what insights do any one have on this?
- Thread starter mr dazzler
- Start date
-
Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Now without wanting to get too much into this debate, I believe there is a necessity to distinguish between "Hunter" camoflauge and "military" camoflauge. The prey observes differently and in fact sees differently. Many prey species see only in monochrome so tone disruption is more important than colour. Similarly scent, sound and movement become far more critical (some hunting suits now contain scent blockers - technology making up for a lack of fieldcraft). There really is a world of difference between what is needed for animals. Bear in mind that animal should not be actively searching so a "high seat" may be all thats needed (deer rarely look up) or a hide can be obvious if left in place for the prey species to get used to it (its still camoflauge since it hides you and has become, in there eyes, normal). Ghillie suits were of course originally built to disguise stalkers on open morrland - they are really not necessary in woodland for huntin animals.
Disguising against deliberate human search is a different and more "military" matter - I'll leave that to those with an interest in such things - hiding from animals is more fun since it implies developing a knowledge of the prey species habits, senses and physiology. I love the insights you get from just observing let alone hunting with camera or rifle.
Red
Disguising against deliberate human search is a different and more "military" matter - I'll leave that to those with an interest in such things - hiding from animals is more fun since it implies developing a knowledge of the prey species habits, senses and physiology. I love the insights you get from just observing let alone hunting with camera or rifle.
Red
Here's links to a couple of forum discussions of camouflage patterns and designs -
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=106738
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71352
And links to a couple of camouflage designers websites -
http://www.hyperstealth.com/
http://www.roggenwolf.com/
Roggenwolf has that rarest of things, camouflage patterns that would work in temperate grassland (Thorns steppe and tundra)
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=106738
http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71352
And links to a couple of camouflage designers websites -
http://www.hyperstealth.com/
http://www.roggenwolf.com/
Roggenwolf has that rarest of things, camouflage patterns that would work in temperate grassland (Thorns steppe and tundra)
Hi Fin
Can you explain please what you mean by reversible set up, I never heard of that before!
Still on the topicof camo, I thought I'd wear some alpentarn siwiss ones this evening. I now know color is relatively unimportant (at least at night or with animals), But WHY did they include great splogdes of bright burgundy RED in among the alpentarn? Is that a color that ocurs in the swiss alp's. It looks like a pizza actually. There must be a reason for it I suppose, the swiss people are great designers they created some of the best letter forms and fonts. The danish ones on the other hand (my wifes favorite camo pattern) use PLENTY of the dreaded balck in among it. It would be intersting to see a danish pattern with the black and light green areas reversed.
I did a couple more idea's
theres some crackers on the other designing computer but cant work out ho to transfer them to this one (it wont cooperate with photobucket
) Hey any of you lads as has photo shop or similar set's of good filter's and a diggiital camrea, come on dont be shy why not see what you can create from your local surroundings or habitats?? I'd love to see your camo idea's
cheers Jonathan
The Swiss camouflage a copy of a late WW2 German camouflage pattern. Possible reasoning for the colours and design of the pattern was for it to be effective in bombed and shelled urban areas as well as rural environments.
Have you seen this website? http://www.kamouflage.net/
Have you seen this website? http://www.kamouflage.net/
This is a repost of an article I wrote a year or so ago, many of it's main ideas were hit on earlier in the thread. It's about the use of Camouflage for stealth camping. . .
http://www.gnn.tv/B10394
Camouflage is one topic that is seldom covered in backpacking manuals, simply because hiking down the Appalachian Trail does not require you to sneak. However, if you are going to be walking any considerable distance without trails, you will find yourself crossing many right-of-ways and being forced to camp in locations where you are not wanted. Thus, camouflage is an essential task for any Guerilla Camper.
Camouflage is also a matter of courtesy and I wish more traditional hikers would begin to utilize it. While every hiking book talks about âleaving no traceâ, is seems no one has considered âhaving no traceâ of any importance to campers. It seems every tent out there is safety orange, fire engine red, sky blue or a combination of all three and few things bother me more than finding a hidden spot overlooking a gorgeous meadow, only to watch some guy set up his signal flag tent in the middle of the vista. Please, be inconspicuous, if only to not annoy me.
There are two parts to successful camouflage, equipment and action. Equipment is something best handled at home. Before âmovingâ, which often entails lots of sidewalk hiking and dubiously legal camping, I take the time to check all my gear. This allows me to inventory as well as check for damage and wear.
I begin with a small bottle of acrylic paint and a can of cheap, flat black spray paint and start by unpacking everything and laying it out as neatly as possible. I start with my pack, using the acrylic paint to paint buttons, slides, snaps on the pack and scratches on the frame. An excellent paint for this purpose is sold as surplus stores as M-Nu. If the frame is too scratched, I will take it outside and repaint it with the spray paint. I then repeat this with my ponchos, my hammock, my coats and my shoes. Eyelets, guy hooks and anything else shiny gets painted over. I then take my tent stakes and give them two coats of spray paint. This does not last long, but the only goal is to eliminate shine on the tops of the stakes. When they get shiny again, I cam always mud them over. In todayâs littered America, no one notices anything shiny in the bushes anymore anyways.
Then I repack everything as it will be for the trip. I put on the pack and jump up and down, listening for the slapping of straps, jingling of loose catches. I wrap offenders in a single layer of electrical tape and repeat the process until the only sound is the occasional squeaking of my hip strap.
My equipment is now officially stealth.
-
In practice, camouflage requires attention to 8 factors:
1: Shape and Outline â Few things stick out like a straight line or a human silhouette in the woods. Tent and tarp ridgelines are obvious even if the tarp is of a camouflage pattern. To hide tarp ridgelines you can add sticks under the tarp to give the top of the ridgeline a crumpled, irregular outline. The best bet is usually to pitch the tarp as low as you are comfortable with. I have pitched tarps low enough that raising my head in the morning was impossible, requiring instead for me to slide out of my sleeping bag.
2: Color and Texture â Remember that red tent? Nothing gives you away more than brightly colored gear. A red tent is an eviction notice. Even if you opt not to go with camouflage, choose tents and tarps in earth tones and neutral darks, which allow you to hide in. The same hold true with clothing, but try for darker colors. Camouflage clothing is often self defeating for the guerilla camper because it is conspicuous anywhere outside of hunting preserves. My only camouflage is my shell clothing and my ponchos. I wear khakis when hiking so I can spot ticks on my legs, but when trying to be inconspicuous in the woods, Iâll slip on my shell pants.
3: Shadow â While natural shadows provide good hiding places, your shadow can give you away easily. The shadow of a shelter at dawn can stretch across an entire valley. You can avoid this by pitching your tarp to the west of natural cover such as trees, rocks, or ledges.
4: Shine â This is mostly covered by preparing your equipment at home, so the sun doesnât cast reflections off brass or aluminum snaps and grommets. However this also takes into account your tent material. Unfortunately, most plastic tarps and waterproof fabrics are naturally shiny. This can be alleviated by scattering dry dirt along the ridge of the tent. The left behind dust will dull the reflectiveness of the fabric. DO NOT USE MUD. Mud is shiny, hard to clean off and once dry becomes obvious as it cracks and crumbles. The reflection of eyeglasses can also be diminished by sprinkling dust on them, but donât bother, youâll probably just wreck your glasses.
5: Movement Movement has a distinct effect on human vision. Our nervous system is attuned in such a way that if something moves we will instinctively look at it. Itâs the reason why you canât sit in a pub without constantly looking at a TV and its one reason a loose tarp flapping in the wind is painfully obvious even if it blends in perfectly.
6: Noise â The other reason a flapping tarp is obvious is the rhythmic snapping of loose corners and slack ridgelines. Pitching the tarp lower often alleviates this as well as additionally hiding the shape and outline of the tarp.
7: Scent â Scent is important no matter where you go, but usually not for human antagonists. Even in the middle of a national park you will find residents who it is best to avoid. The smells of campfires, food and cooking all attract wildlife. This can be fine if you are only expecting raccoons, but in area with bears you should keep all food at least 500 meters from camp and do all cooking at least 750-1000 meters away from camp. If you are doing stinky cooking (A hungry man can smell cooking bacon from two miles) donât do it where you arenât supposed to be. You can always cook a mile down the trail.
8: Light âDo not use flashlights after dark. If you must, diffuse the light through a dark colored sweater or t-shirt. If possible use a red lens filter, Maglites have an accessory pack with light filters, and Tikkaâs Taktika headlamp has a switchable white/red filter. The same holds true with campfires and the telltale sparks of lighters and matches. On a cloudy moonless night, a cigarette can be seen from over a mile away, and the quickest way to get a ranger to your stealth site is a smoke trail.
By keeping these factors in mind, both while moving and while camping you will be much less likely to attract unneeded attention to yourself.
Stalking:
Once in a while the daunting idea of backtracking two miles is too much when you encounter no trespassing signs. Often, I have encountered gated communities, golf courses and even public drives which the residents have chosen to close to the public. One must not forget train yards, either. At these times it is useful to move stealthily.
Sneaking into a train yard requires a different approach to making it through a gated community. Sometimes it is enough to simply be inconspicuous while at other times you will need to be nearly invisible.
Inconspicuous is easy. Shave and put on a clean shirt. Walk upright and smile a bit vacantly as if you live in the neighborhood and are just returning home from a nice hike with your gigantic homeless backpack. Often youâll never even see anybody. If somebody is out watering their lawn, smile and nod. Congratulations, youâve just joined middle America. If stopped, feign ignorance, nothing is as believable as an ignorant suburbanite.
Invisible is hard. Dark clothes, a dark pack and no jingling is imperative. If you sound like a herd of eight reindeers youâre not making it far. Recheck for sounds, especially sloshing which is most common. If possible put all water in one container or top it off before moving on. Tape or pack anything that is jingling or slapping. You will seldom need anything as over the top as facial camouflage, a dark scarf or handkerchief around the face and mouth will work for this and then you donât look like rocky raccoon in your mug shot.
Moving is best done upright, unless your silhouette will give you away. Slowly place the ball of your lead foot on the ground. Listen closely for branches of leaves. If you hear it, move you foot a few inches and lower it again. Slowly place your weight down on that foot, and move your trail foot forward placing it on the ground in the same way. This is much easier done on gravel than through leaves. The trick to not dig as you place your foot. While moving, consciously consider noise, light, shadow, movement and silhouette. Do not climb fences, instead, look for gaps. Go over walls and obstacles with a low profile, by swinging your torso atop it then swinging your legs over as low as possible. If you must cross open areas, look for long shadows and move quickly and quietly, keeping as low a profile as possible. Move slowly and deliberately and resist the urge to run across open areas.
If you must crawl, the best way to move is by doing a modified push-up onto your hands and toes and crawling forward with one leg and arm at a time. The trick is to not shift your weight abruptly. I find it easiest to hover my body a few inches off the ground with my hands at chest breadth apart. Do not drag yourself as it leaves an obvious trail and makes too much noise.
I will be honest, I have seldom needed to become âinvisibleâ to go anywhere, but when hiking with friends a playful game of stalking can be fun, especially with people who have watched too many âmadman in the forestâ horror films. Be careful though, sneaking under the picnic table and grabbing an ankle can get you kicked in the face.
When to be seen.
Just as it is occasionally important to go undetected, there are occasions when being obvious is life saving. If you are ever in hunting areas, on or off season, do not attempt to go undetected. I carry two âsafety orangeâ nylon pennants about a foot long. They weigh nothing, and I seldom think of them. If passing through hunting preserves, I always pitch my tarp in the middle of a clearing with the flags on either corner of my ridgeline. During turkey season Iâve seen guys blindly firing shotguns into bushes at the slightest scuttle. If there are guns around, do not go stealth. It is always better to be accosted for trespassing than shot for being a turkey.
http://www.gnn.tv/B10394
Camouflage is one topic that is seldom covered in backpacking manuals, simply because hiking down the Appalachian Trail does not require you to sneak. However, if you are going to be walking any considerable distance without trails, you will find yourself crossing many right-of-ways and being forced to camp in locations where you are not wanted. Thus, camouflage is an essential task for any Guerilla Camper.
Camouflage is also a matter of courtesy and I wish more traditional hikers would begin to utilize it. While every hiking book talks about âleaving no traceâ, is seems no one has considered âhaving no traceâ of any importance to campers. It seems every tent out there is safety orange, fire engine red, sky blue or a combination of all three and few things bother me more than finding a hidden spot overlooking a gorgeous meadow, only to watch some guy set up his signal flag tent in the middle of the vista. Please, be inconspicuous, if only to not annoy me.
There are two parts to successful camouflage, equipment and action. Equipment is something best handled at home. Before âmovingâ, which often entails lots of sidewalk hiking and dubiously legal camping, I take the time to check all my gear. This allows me to inventory as well as check for damage and wear.
I begin with a small bottle of acrylic paint and a can of cheap, flat black spray paint and start by unpacking everything and laying it out as neatly as possible. I start with my pack, using the acrylic paint to paint buttons, slides, snaps on the pack and scratches on the frame. An excellent paint for this purpose is sold as surplus stores as M-Nu. If the frame is too scratched, I will take it outside and repaint it with the spray paint. I then repeat this with my ponchos, my hammock, my coats and my shoes. Eyelets, guy hooks and anything else shiny gets painted over. I then take my tent stakes and give them two coats of spray paint. This does not last long, but the only goal is to eliminate shine on the tops of the stakes. When they get shiny again, I cam always mud them over. In todayâs littered America, no one notices anything shiny in the bushes anymore anyways.
Then I repack everything as it will be for the trip. I put on the pack and jump up and down, listening for the slapping of straps, jingling of loose catches. I wrap offenders in a single layer of electrical tape and repeat the process until the only sound is the occasional squeaking of my hip strap.
My equipment is now officially stealth.
-
In practice, camouflage requires attention to 8 factors:
1: Shape and Outline â Few things stick out like a straight line or a human silhouette in the woods. Tent and tarp ridgelines are obvious even if the tarp is of a camouflage pattern. To hide tarp ridgelines you can add sticks under the tarp to give the top of the ridgeline a crumpled, irregular outline. The best bet is usually to pitch the tarp as low as you are comfortable with. I have pitched tarps low enough that raising my head in the morning was impossible, requiring instead for me to slide out of my sleeping bag.
2: Color and Texture â Remember that red tent? Nothing gives you away more than brightly colored gear. A red tent is an eviction notice. Even if you opt not to go with camouflage, choose tents and tarps in earth tones and neutral darks, which allow you to hide in. The same hold true with clothing, but try for darker colors. Camouflage clothing is often self defeating for the guerilla camper because it is conspicuous anywhere outside of hunting preserves. My only camouflage is my shell clothing and my ponchos. I wear khakis when hiking so I can spot ticks on my legs, but when trying to be inconspicuous in the woods, Iâll slip on my shell pants.
3: Shadow â While natural shadows provide good hiding places, your shadow can give you away easily. The shadow of a shelter at dawn can stretch across an entire valley. You can avoid this by pitching your tarp to the west of natural cover such as trees, rocks, or ledges.
4: Shine â This is mostly covered by preparing your equipment at home, so the sun doesnât cast reflections off brass or aluminum snaps and grommets. However this also takes into account your tent material. Unfortunately, most plastic tarps and waterproof fabrics are naturally shiny. This can be alleviated by scattering dry dirt along the ridge of the tent. The left behind dust will dull the reflectiveness of the fabric. DO NOT USE MUD. Mud is shiny, hard to clean off and once dry becomes obvious as it cracks and crumbles. The reflection of eyeglasses can also be diminished by sprinkling dust on them, but donât bother, youâll probably just wreck your glasses.
5: Movement Movement has a distinct effect on human vision. Our nervous system is attuned in such a way that if something moves we will instinctively look at it. Itâs the reason why you canât sit in a pub without constantly looking at a TV and its one reason a loose tarp flapping in the wind is painfully obvious even if it blends in perfectly.
6: Noise â The other reason a flapping tarp is obvious is the rhythmic snapping of loose corners and slack ridgelines. Pitching the tarp lower often alleviates this as well as additionally hiding the shape and outline of the tarp.
7: Scent â Scent is important no matter where you go, but usually not for human antagonists. Even in the middle of a national park you will find residents who it is best to avoid. The smells of campfires, food and cooking all attract wildlife. This can be fine if you are only expecting raccoons, but in area with bears you should keep all food at least 500 meters from camp and do all cooking at least 750-1000 meters away from camp. If you are doing stinky cooking (A hungry man can smell cooking bacon from two miles) donât do it where you arenât supposed to be. You can always cook a mile down the trail.
8: Light âDo not use flashlights after dark. If you must, diffuse the light through a dark colored sweater or t-shirt. If possible use a red lens filter, Maglites have an accessory pack with light filters, and Tikkaâs Taktika headlamp has a switchable white/red filter. The same holds true with campfires and the telltale sparks of lighters and matches. On a cloudy moonless night, a cigarette can be seen from over a mile away, and the quickest way to get a ranger to your stealth site is a smoke trail.
By keeping these factors in mind, both while moving and while camping you will be much less likely to attract unneeded attention to yourself.
Stalking:
Once in a while the daunting idea of backtracking two miles is too much when you encounter no trespassing signs. Often, I have encountered gated communities, golf courses and even public drives which the residents have chosen to close to the public. One must not forget train yards, either. At these times it is useful to move stealthily.
Sneaking into a train yard requires a different approach to making it through a gated community. Sometimes it is enough to simply be inconspicuous while at other times you will need to be nearly invisible.
Inconspicuous is easy. Shave and put on a clean shirt. Walk upright and smile a bit vacantly as if you live in the neighborhood and are just returning home from a nice hike with your gigantic homeless backpack. Often youâll never even see anybody. If somebody is out watering their lawn, smile and nod. Congratulations, youâve just joined middle America. If stopped, feign ignorance, nothing is as believable as an ignorant suburbanite.
Invisible is hard. Dark clothes, a dark pack and no jingling is imperative. If you sound like a herd of eight reindeers youâre not making it far. Recheck for sounds, especially sloshing which is most common. If possible put all water in one container or top it off before moving on. Tape or pack anything that is jingling or slapping. You will seldom need anything as over the top as facial camouflage, a dark scarf or handkerchief around the face and mouth will work for this and then you donât look like rocky raccoon in your mug shot.
Moving is best done upright, unless your silhouette will give you away. Slowly place the ball of your lead foot on the ground. Listen closely for branches of leaves. If you hear it, move you foot a few inches and lower it again. Slowly place your weight down on that foot, and move your trail foot forward placing it on the ground in the same way. This is much easier done on gravel than through leaves. The trick to not dig as you place your foot. While moving, consciously consider noise, light, shadow, movement and silhouette. Do not climb fences, instead, look for gaps. Go over walls and obstacles with a low profile, by swinging your torso atop it then swinging your legs over as low as possible. If you must cross open areas, look for long shadows and move quickly and quietly, keeping as low a profile as possible. Move slowly and deliberately and resist the urge to run across open areas.
If you must crawl, the best way to move is by doing a modified push-up onto your hands and toes and crawling forward with one leg and arm at a time. The trick is to not shift your weight abruptly. I find it easiest to hover my body a few inches off the ground with my hands at chest breadth apart. Do not drag yourself as it leaves an obvious trail and makes too much noise.
I will be honest, I have seldom needed to become âinvisibleâ to go anywhere, but when hiking with friends a playful game of stalking can be fun, especially with people who have watched too many âmadman in the forestâ horror films. Be careful though, sneaking under the picnic table and grabbing an ankle can get you kicked in the face.
When to be seen.
Just as it is occasionally important to go undetected, there are occasions when being obvious is life saving. If you are ever in hunting areas, on or off season, do not attempt to go undetected. I carry two âsafety orangeâ nylon pennants about a foot long. They weigh nothing, and I seldom think of them. If passing through hunting preserves, I always pitch my tarp in the middle of a clearing with the flags on either corner of my ridgeline. During turkey season Iâve seen guys blindly firing shotguns into bushes at the slightest scuttle. If there are guns around, do not go stealth. It is always better to be accosted for trespassing than shot for being a turkey.
suburban bushwacker
Full Member
Great thread guys!
I have often wondered if the current trends in camo were more about catching the eye of the would be hunter in a magazine or on a rail at the shops, than avoiding the eyes of prey animals. We've all seen the ads for the main brands were the picture has been carefully composed and lit to make the brand look super affective and the blends can certainly fool the human eye in those circumstances. however as BR says the physiology of most animals eyes is different to that of a human eye
The wool camo guys KOM and SID cant offer 'photo print' and claim that their designs are based on 'nature proven' tonal schemes i.e. Blowdown is supposed to match the fur of a mountain lion.
What are your thoughts?
Another point is range. Bow hunters and air rifle hunters may get some advantage from the fine detail of 'realtree' with its life like leaf effects as they need to get in close whereas your average deerstalker at 50 - 150 metres from his quarry will get not benefit at all.
Oh and muntjac certainly do look up, they have been preyed upon from above in their native jungle environment and evolution has formed this additional instinct.
Oh and muntjac certainly do look up, they have been preyed upon from above in their native jungle environment and evolution has formed this additional instinct.
Thanks for those ecxellent link's Risclean, plenty to study on there :You_Rock_
As regard's alpentarn red, I know some of the the soils in normandy can almost aproach that red, but it somehow seems so artificial and intense? It is fascinating though to try to understand all the different aproaches to the subject, what criteria come into play etc. What intrugues me as a visually trained artist, is that acheiving a decent camo pattern forces you to take account of definate specified physical conditions and constraints, yet you still end up with a loose abstarct design, which is satisfying for a visual artist.
I noticed that somw of the "overall even" type pattern's eg alpentarn or raindrop stirchtarn, tend to merge into a single "tone" when you get further away (same as a photo in a magazine is made of lots of tiny distinct dots that "blend together and appear as a whole when viewd at reading distance) So you could still get a "body form" shape but just sort of filled in with a merged mid tone grey or whatever they merge into. Even black and white stripes appear gray from a long way off. I am drawn to the splinter types I think, especially if theres animated speckled areas contrasted with flat dead areas. At one time I thought the east german stichtarn raindrop type was plain sily, but after reading about how military clothing and other gear is actually used in conjunction with actual physical camo disguise, and fieldcraft etc, perhaps its not so silly after all? I took a simple shot of the lawn, one single touch with photoshop pixellate/mosaic, and something very like a marpat/cadpat emerges (graspat ?) I also did a design based on scanned chipboard??!! Why not if you can have choc chip??
As regard's alpentarn red, I know some of the the soils in normandy can almost aproach that red, but it somehow seems so artificial and intense? It is fascinating though to try to understand all the different aproaches to the subject, what criteria come into play etc. What intrugues me as a visually trained artist, is that acheiving a decent camo pattern forces you to take account of definate specified physical conditions and constraints, yet you still end up with a loose abstarct design, which is satisfying for a visual artist.
I noticed that somw of the "overall even" type pattern's eg alpentarn or raindrop stirchtarn, tend to merge into a single "tone" when you get further away (same as a photo in a magazine is made of lots of tiny distinct dots that "blend together and appear as a whole when viewd at reading distance) So you could still get a "body form" shape but just sort of filled in with a merged mid tone grey or whatever they merge into. Even black and white stripes appear gray from a long way off. I am drawn to the splinter types I think, especially if theres animated speckled areas contrasted with flat dead areas. At one time I thought the east german stichtarn raindrop type was plain sily, but after reading about how military clothing and other gear is actually used in conjunction with actual physical camo disguise, and fieldcraft etc, perhaps its not so silly after all? I took a simple shot of the lawn, one single touch with photoshop pixellate/mosaic, and something very like a marpat/cadpat emerges (graspat
?) I also did a design based on scanned chipboard??!! Why not if you can have choc chip?? Can I askplease what is photo print, and who are kom and sid?
cheers Jonathan
I like multicam, but I think it's too light for UK woodland, quite like the look of Cadpat but I think the disadvantages of drawing attention to yourself by walking around in full DPM type combat gear outweigh the advantages of being cammed up.
Stopped wearing DPM a long time ago, must admit to having my old DPM sass smock still lurking somewhere though.
Stopped wearing DPM a long time ago, must admit to having my old DPM sass smock still lurking somewhere though.
I wouldnt mind having a go at making some custom BDUs for the rare bit of small game hunting I do. Just for the fun of it more than anything else. Id imagin the best thing to use was dylon bucket dye, mixed up in a spraygun, soaked up in a spunge or applied with a paintbrush. I sha'l have a go when I get some cash.
Ive seen people make their own camoflauge on clothing by getting a pair of olive green pants or something and using a black marker add's a few shapes and it distrupts and breaks up the green very much, i will look for the piccy
Go for it, have a go, lets see some photos of the results . All you need do is take some decent pics in the environment where you go, then use that as source for your design. I suppose if you do your own its tailor made to your location, not being mass produced (highest common factor determining the deigns etc) You could in fact have several sets for a very reasonable outlay
I make my own custom stains and paints to color chairs and other furniture, so I can create more or less any color at all, and as far as I can tell its colorfast and durble also, they dont wash out. Usually best quality artist's oil colors cut with genuine turpentine and mixed with danish oil or boiled linseed plus drier accelerator, it can be thicker or thinner, weak color or strong depending on the propoertion's. If I was going to paint a custom piece of cloth I'd create the design then use an overhead projector to transfer it to the cloth or at least use it as a guide. If you started out with olive green bdu's trousers or jacket you could cut into the color with bleach to lighten some areas if it was needed. Also what cloth you used would determine how much color was taken up depending on how absorbent it is.
Funnily enough about nearly 30 years ago I worked in the states as a studio assistant for an abstract painter who made large paintings using spraygums, squeegee's, sponges, rollers etc (working with the canvas spread out onn the floor), and I remember thinking at the time they resembled camo pattern's
cheers Jonathan
suburban bushwacker
Full Member
Can I askplease what is photo print, and who are kom and sid?
cheers Jonathan
Photo print is, for example realtree and mossy oak, camo that pictures real (or styleised) images from the enviroment your trying to hide in. It has only become possible due to modern print tech.
KOM king of the mountain - not very well known in the UK but considered the last word in outdoor clothes by many hunters and wildlife photographers in the USA, basicaly vey hard wearing (wosted i think?) wool camo wear currently in three paterns.
SID are Sleeping Indian Designs - Kings former business partner and rival
Not cheap, despite being from the usa, but very tough.
Now your talking sharp, you could even make a set of stencils that you could position at random or to get a repeating pattern, or a pattern that repeats but not with mathematical precision, and you could still get detail or sharp edges if you wanted it. I have sprayed colors with a garden spray (like you get kitchen cleaners in)
As far as oil color especially if its bled into cloth, it wont wash out. Even emulsion is there permanently like the proverbail #### on a blanket, and oil is more durable than emulsion. I used to be a screen printer, and the ink used for it on clothings is basically vinyl in a solvent, but that sort tends to sit on the surface of the material rather than bleed into it and can delaminate if the printing was doone carelessly.
Thanks for the tips and the kind PM bushwacker :You_Rock_
even with camo there sems to be some that is "representational" and some that is "abstract", but it would seem to make more sense to have a simple/neutral background design and add real leaves/twiggs/heather/bracken etc specific to where you went on any one day? sort of like worzel gummidge , and of course it would take time to get all th actual real camo sourced and fastened on to your clothes etc
this is 2 versions of yaxtarn/mellistarn , derived from trees in and around my village
cheers Jonathan
PS speaking of screen printing, one major problem in the process is keeping the screens "open" (IE not letting the ink dry in the mesh which gives you poor fuzzy print's) so we were doing a lot of cleaning. Our boss got some sacks of reject t shirts, a light olive green color. We just used them as mops to dry the screens after theyd been opened withsolvent's. We suddenly noticed they came up with beautiful random camo like pattern's. In fact we would keep them aside and add new colors from different printings and they overlaped etc, pretty much like tiger stripe. We joked at the time sell them at the car boot for a fiver
As far as oil color especially if its bled into cloth, it wont wash out. Even emulsion is there permanently like the proverbail #### on a blanket, and oil is more durable than emulsion. I used to be a screen printer, and the ink used for it on clothings is basically vinyl in a solvent, but that sort tends to sit on the surface of the material rather than bleed into it and can delaminate if the printing was doone carelessly.
Thanks for the tips and the kind PM bushwacker :You_Rock_
even with camo there sems to be some that is "representational" and some that is "abstract", but it would seem to make more sense to have a simple/neutral background design and add real leaves/twiggs/heather/bracken etc specific to where you went on any one day? sort of like worzel gummidge
, and of course it would take time to get all th actual real camo sourced and fastened on to your clothes etcthis is 2 versions of yaxtarn/mellistarn
, derived from trees in and around my village
cheers Jonathan
PS speaking of screen printing, one major problem in the process is keeping the screens "open" (IE not letting the ink dry in the mesh which gives you poor fuzzy print's) so we were doing a lot of cleaning. Our boss got some sacks of reject t shirts, a light olive green color. We just used them as mops to dry the screens after theyd been opened withsolvent's. We suddenly noticed they came up with beautiful random camo like pattern's. In fact we would keep them aside and add new colors from different printings and they overlaped etc, pretty much like tiger stripe. We joked at the time sell them at the car boot for a fiver
On a course at a location not in the UK they used to teach students how to make their own cammies out of a pair of the old light blue issued jim-jams.
The idea being that you were safely tucked up in your pit and the Russian hordes swept past you ever so considerately not waking you up. Then when you awoke fresh for the day you discovered all you had was the jim jams you stood up in and Ivan and his mates had taken over the cookhouse.
The method used to convert the jim jams into cammies was a modified tie dye using boiled up nettles to provide the colouring. Better than nothing...............
Like most things military it shows and introduces you to possibilities.........jim jams were used but the principle can be applied to any item of clothing. And, tie dye done well can produce something near to cheap tiger stripe camo.
PS I have'nt worn camo since the Queen stopped paying me, but I still like the multicam.......................
For those of you wondering what multicam is, here is their link - I have no affiliation to them:
http://www.multicampattern.com/?gclid=CL7KqsXJkY4CFQ9bHgod5FgONw
The idea being that you were safely tucked up in your pit and the Russian hordes swept past you ever so considerately not waking you up. Then when you awoke fresh for the day you discovered all you had was the jim jams you stood up in and Ivan and his mates had taken over the cookhouse.
The method used to convert the jim jams into cammies was a modified tie dye using boiled up nettles to provide the colouring. Better than nothing...............
Like most things military it shows and introduces you to possibilities.........jim jams were used but the principle can be applied to any item of clothing. And, tie dye done well can produce something near to cheap tiger stripe camo.
PS I have'nt worn camo since the Queen stopped paying me, but I still like the multicam.......................
For those of you wondering what multicam is, here is their link - I have no affiliation to them:
http://www.multicampattern.com/?gclid=CL7KqsXJkY4CFQ9bHgod5FgONw
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