1:32 German fighter pilot and dog WW II

Black Dog 1:32 German fighter pilot and dog WW II

A German fighter pilot with a dog in 1:32 scale. Pairing a human being with an animal is rare in aviation subjects and it gives a scene what a uniformed figure alone cannot, namely an ordinary human moment. An animal figure is also a chance to try a painting method different from the one a modeler is used to with uniforms.

Why the dog transforms the scene

An animal on an airfield draws the eye at once and at the same time steers the composition: the dog looks toward the pilot and the viewer follows the same path. In practice a patch of grass, a low fence or a crate is enough and the scene works even without an aircraft model, although it shows best beside a large machine. Put the animal closer to the edge and the man further from it; the diagonal that arises holds the composition better than symmetry.

Painting fur

Fur is painted differently from fabric: leave the base darker, then go over it with a dry brush in the direction of the hair and finally add just a few light strokes on the back and the head. Coat the nose and the eyes with gloss varnish, because without a sheen an animal looks artificial. Leave the pilot's clothing matte by contrast; the contrast of the two surfaces does the whole good. Watch the size of your strokes: at this scale hair is suggested, not painted strand by strand.

Who it is for

• modelers looking for a less usual subject for a large aviation model
• makers of smaller scenes with the quiet atmosphere of an airfield
• painters who want to try animal fur
• collectors of figures with a more civilian treatment
• modelers who want an unconventional piece in an aviation collection