IJA Tea Brown (Cha-iro)

The color

Tea brown, in Japanese cha-iro, belongs to the shades associated with the vehicles and equipment of the Imperial Japanese Army in the period up to 1945. It is a muted brown tone with a warm cast, which on a model looks neither like chocolate nor like rust; compared with European browns it is earthier and less saturated. The paint comes from the Orange Line range by Hataka.

How to apply the paint

Shake the bottle thoroughly before use, as the pigment settles at the bottom when standing. Choose the thinner and the thinning ratio according to the manufacturer's instructions on the packaging, that is the thinner made for this range; mixing with products from other ranges does not pay off. Spray in several thin coats and let the surface set between them, as one heavy coat covers the detail and dries less well. It is a good idea to prime the base, since on bare plastic and on metal and photo-etched parts the paint holds substantially worse. With a brush the shade also goes on in two passes; do not drag the first coat back and forth, but lay it down in short strokes.

Where you will use it

It suits models of Japanese ground vehicles, equipment and boxes in a diorama and figures as well. It takes toning well, so a lighter variant for fading the areas that were exposed to the sun is easy to mix from it.

Who it is for

For modelers of Japanese vehicles and for anyone looking for a muted earthy brown shade for their palette.

• the tea brown shade, cha-iro
• the Orange Line range, brand Hataka
• the thinner made for this range according to the manufacturer's instructions
• apply in thin coats, with a brush as well as with an airbrush

Thinner, brushes and airbrushes are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.