With the main act complete, I’ve moved on to the supporting act. This time it’s two showgirls. Overall I used very similar techniques to Cassandra and Colette, but I wanted to vary the skin tones a little. There is a third showgirl model, but she’s a limited edition and while I’ll probably pick her up if the stars align and she’s available, but I don’t think I would ever actually run 3 Showgirls. Still I’m only just learning Colette and to be frank struggling to get much traction with her so who knows how I might be playing her in a month or two.

With the showgirl in the skinny dress I was aiming for a darker, yellower skin. As if her background was more Asian than the white-procelain colour I’d used for Colette and Cassandra. The colours were very similar to those two, and while slightly different shades were used, it was more down to emphasis and balance of the colours rather than difference in the colours used.

Skinny:

• Skin:
  • Base Coat: 75% Flat Flesh (VMC 70.955) & 25% Basic Skintone (VMC 70.815)
  • Mid-Tone I: Flat Flesh (VMC 70.955)
  • Warmth I: Yellow Ochre (VMC 70.913)
  • Warmth II: 25% Flat Flesh (VMC 70.955) & 50% Bright Orange (VMC 70.851) & 25% Yellow Ochre (VMC 70.913)
  • Highlight I: Basic Skintone (VMC 70.815)
  • Extreme Highlight: 50% Pale Sand (VMC 70.837) & 50% Sand Yellow (VMC 70.916)
  • Shadow I: USA Tan Earth (VMC 70.874)
  • Shadow II: Flat Brown (VMC 70.984)
• Hair:
  • Base Coat: Black Grey (VMC 70.862)
  • Wash: Dark Wash (A.MIG-1008)
  • Highlight: Sky Grey (VMC 70.989)
• Dress:
  • Base Coat: Deep Green (VMC 70.970)
  • Shadow: Green Shade (VGC 73.205)
  • Highlight I: 50% Deep Green (VMC 70.970) & 50% Lime Green (VMC 70.827)
  • Highlight II: 25% Deep Green (VMC 70.970) & 75% Lime Green (VMC 70.827)
  • Highlight III: Lime Green (VMC 70.827)
• Dress Trim:
  • Base Coat: Lime Green (VMC 70.827)
  • Shadow: Deep Green (VMC 70.970)
  • Highlight I: 50% Lime Green (VMC 70.827) & 50% Sand Yellow (VMC 70.916)
  • Highlight II: Sand Yellow (VMC 70.916)
• Dress Bow:
  • Base Coat: Sand Yellow (VMC 70.916)
  • Highlight I: 50% Sand Yellow (VMC 70.916) & 50% Pale Sand (VMC 70.837)
  • Highlight II: Pale Sand (VMC 70.837)
• Corset:
  • Base Coat: Deep Green (VMC 70.970)
  • Highlight: 50% Deep Green (VMC 70.970) & 50% Pale Blue (VMC 70.906)
  • Details: Pale Blue (VMC 70.906)
• Corset Trim:
  • Base Coat: Sky Grey (VMC 70.989)
  • Highlight: White (VMC 70.951)
• Hair Piece:
  • Base Coat: Deep Green (VMC 70.970)
  • Wash: Dark Shade (VMC 73.201)
  • Dry Brush: Lime Green (VMC 70.827)
• Stick:
  • Base Coat: Chocolate Brown (VMC 70.872)
  • Highlight I: Beige Brown (VMC 70.875)
  • Highlight II: Dark Sand (VMC 70.819)
• Boots & Gloves:
  • Base Coat: Black Grey (VMC 70.862)
  • Highlight I: Luftwaffe Uniform Grey (VMC 70.816)
  • Highlight II: London Grey (VMC 70.836)
  • Details: Sky Grey (VMC 70.989)

Smokey:

• Skin:
  • Base Coat: Brown Sand (VMC 70.876)
  • Shadow I: 50% Brown Sand (VMC 70.876) & 50% Beige Brown (VMC 70.875)
  • Highlight I: 50% Brown Sand (VMC 70.876) & 50% Flat Flesh (VMC 70.955)
  • Shadow II: Brown Sand (VMC 70.876)
  • Highlight II: Flat Flesh (VMC 70.955)
  • Warmth I: Light Brown (VMC 70.929)
  • Warmth II: 50% Flat Flesh (VMC 70.955) & 50% Bright Orange (VMC 70.851)
• Hair:
  • Base Coat: Chocolate Brown (VMC 70.872)
  • Wash: Dark Wash (A.MIG-1008)
  • Highlight I: Beige Brown (VMC 70.875)
  • Highlight II: Brown Sand (VMC 70.876)
• Dress:
  • Base Coat: Gold Brown (VMC 70.877)
  • Wash: OIF & OEF Wash (AK 121)
  • Highlight I: 50% Gold Brown (VMC 70.877) & 50% Golden Yellow (VMC 70.948)
  • Highlight II: 50% Golden Yellow (VMC 70.948)
  • Shadow: Beige Brown (VMC 70.875)
• Stockings:
  • Base Coat: German Camouflage Black Brown (VMC 70.921)
  • Wash: Dark Wash (A.MIG-1008)
  • Highlight I: Chocolate Brown (VMC 70.872)
  • Highlight II: 50% German Camouflage Black Brown (VMC 70.921) & 50% Saddle Brown (VMC 70.940)
  • Highlight III: Saddle Brown (VMC 70.940)
  • Highlight II: 50% Rose Brown (VMC 70.803) & 50% Saddle Brown (VMC 70.940)
• Vambraces:
  • Base Coat: Black (VMC 70.950)
  • Highlight I: Black Grey (VMC 70.862)
  • Highlight II: London Grey (VMC 70.836)
• Shoes:
  • Base Coat: Black Grey (VMC 70.862)
  • Wash: Dark Wash (A.MIG-1008)
  • Highlight I: 50% Black Grey (VMC 70.862) & 50% London Grey (VMC 70.836)
  • Highlight II: London Grey (VMC 70.836)
• Hair Piece:
  • Base Coat: Violet (VMC 70.960)
  • Wash: Violet Ink (VGC 72.087)
  • Highlight: Blue Violet (VMC 70.811)
• Flowers:
  • Base Coat: Red (VMC 70.947)
  • Wash: Red Shade (VGC 73.206)
  • Highlight: Rose Brown (VMC 70.803)

One extra item is that I picked out the eyebrows. While terribly exaggerated, I think this gives the face some structure, that is missing from the other girls. That said on Colette the hat shades this area and makes this area fairly subdued, while Cassandra is blond (so the eyebrows are muted) and has bangs.

One thing that is probably worth noting about how I’m doing the skin is that I’m spending more time on this component than any other. Each layer is almost unnoticeable when it is put on and every colour is applied at least 2-3 times (sometimes many more). The result is very minor variations that you almost have to trust are there. All the paints are watered down to 50% paint and 50% water, and sometimes more. The only exception is the extreme highlights which is in the 25% water, 75% paint ball park. However, this is literally applied to a half dozen tiny spots – never brushed, just touched on. While very time consuming I think it is worth it. Our eyes are drawn to the face and flesh, the clothes, equipment, shoes are all secondary to our eyes. After we’ve assessed the face we then move onto these other parts, and then it’s often quite a superficial glance rather than a prolonged look.

Here’s a picture of all the girls together. Nice and bright.