Airsoft Camouflage Basics - Face Camouflage
Face camouflage is a masking technique used both in military operations and various outdoor games, including airsoft matches. The aim is to reduce the visibility of a person to opponents or observers, which can be crucial for effectiveness and success on the battlefield or during the game.
What to use for face painting in airsoft?
Face camouflage should only be done using paints dedicated for this purpose. Closing your eyes and spraying yourself with a can of Fosco left over from painting airsoft guns is a bad idea. Using paints designed for application on the skin minimizes the risk of irritation or allergic reactions. Moreover, it's important to remember that every camouflage pattern should be easy to remove after the game ends.
The market offers a wide range of face camouflage paints. My choice for creating a well-covering camouflage is the 3-color palette from BCB, with the "desert" version being my favorite due to its varied colors.
The paint comes in a small, handy box containing compartments with 3 colors (in my case - brown, sandy, and olive) and a useful mirror.
There are also other color versions available, as well as two-color sticks, which I am not a big fan of – they have a limited palette of two colors (usually green and brown) and do not include a mirror to check the results of your hard work.
How to Apply Face Camouflage?
Applying face camouflage is not just about randomly smearing paints. It is important that the colors and patterns match the environment you are operating in, from dense forests to urban jungles and desert areas. The selection of colors should neutralize the natural reflection of light from the skin, and the patterns should mimic the textures and shadows of the environment, creating a 3D camouflage effect.
Camouflage is best done fairly quickly and efficiently. There is no need to get too worked up over fussy shapes and patterns.
First - a repetitive pattern will be easier for the human eye to pick out, and second - after a few hours of marching in the field, the whole thing will blend together anyway. It's not worth it.
When painting, the most important to remember are 3 rules:
- Paint the protruding, convex parts of the face (nose, ears) with dark shades.
- Concave areas (eye sockets) we paint with light shades.
- We cover the entire surface of the exposed skin with paint - painting the face alone and leaving the neck glowing nullifies the whole effect.
Airsoft camouflage technique
The technique of airsoft camouflage suggests starting by adhering to the first two rules. Apply the paint in small amounts to your fingers and rub it into "strategic" places on the face until full coverage is achieved.
Then paint the rest of the face in an irregular manner, mixing colors, so it's easiest to just apply the paint to 3 fingers and rub it over the entire face.
Tip: Don't forget about the neck and the area behind the ears!
Voila! Your tactical makeup is battle-ready. In the midst of summer maneuvers, it's advisable to touch up every few hours. For camouflage removal - moist wipes are handy in the field, while at home, the rest can be washed off with regular makeup remover.
Author: Paweł "Fishbonee" Napieralski
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