Colour Corrections for Gazquez, The Paint Guide for Figures of World War Two

You'll no doubt recall that I reviewed this book last year and that I highlighted some of the many proof reading problems which bedevil what is an otherwise excellent title. I've used the book various times since I wrote the review and while issues such as the appalling English, the way in which the text often bears little resemblance to the corresponding photos, and many other proofing and editing issues which are too numerous to mention eventually leave the reader dizzy with confusion, the issue which has exercised me most is the unreliable nature of the colour call outs. I have no idea whether these problems originate with the author or the translator, but some of the errors are bizarre and others are jaw dropping, especially when the correct Vallejo numbers or names are used on the same page. It's a shame that readers are left to try to make head or tail of what is often a baffling text, but since I've been driven to this expedient I thought it reasonable to share the fruits of my labours.

So, using the superb ModelPaint42 app I've systematically gone through the entire book and have tried to establish which colours are actually being indicated. To be clear, I'm not suggesting alternatives to the colours listed in the text, but I am trying to make sense of the confusion which runs throughout the book so that it becomes more usable. It's an interesting, thought provoking source of reference and yet I've found myself constantly having to second guess the colours. Hopefully the following list will make life easier for all concerned, myself included. Some of the corrections are pretty minor, to the point of stating the obvious, some make a huge difference to the understanding of the text, while others present conundrums which I've found impossible to solve.

p. 16: Blue Grey 943 should read Grey Blue 943 - let's start with a bit of pedantry, but believe me this is the tip of the ice-berg and after a while the reader becomes ever more unwilling to make allowances for minor errors.

p. 18: Black 951 should be Black 950.

p. 19: Ivory Bone 918 is actually Ivory 918 but it is referred to in this way throughout the text.

p. 22:

• Purple 960 is Violet 960. 

• Red Beige 804 is Beige Red 804.

• Old Pink 944 is Old Rose 944.

p. 23: 

• Under 'reddish hair' Red Vermillion Cadmium is Vermillion 909.

• Burning Shadow 941 should be Burnt Umber 941 - this is one of those usages which is correct in other locations in the book, so why isn't it correct here?

• Cadmium Red 909 is a baffling one. As the above reference makes clear, 909 is not Red Cadmium so where on earth has this come from? Could it mean 814 Cadmium Red or is it really 909 Vermillion? I don't know.

• Under 'brown hair' Blue Grey 943 should be Grey Blue.

p. 31: Dark Navy Blue 898 should be Dark Sea Blue 898.

p. 33:

• German Camouflage Extra Dark Green 986 is probably the most serious error in the book, especially as it's repeated multiple times. Is this really the base colour for white snow trousers? Well actually 986 is Deck Tan, a much more logical colour, while German Camo Extra Dark Green is 896. When you realise this everything falls into place - someone mixed up the numbers and got things very wrong as a result. Unfortunately, in some instances the German Camo Extra Dark Green is used correctly so I'll try to indicate this.

• p. 36: Magenta 954 is a confusing choice because this number actually refers to Yellow Green. Is this what's meant? I have no idea.

• German Camo Extra Dark Green 896 is twice used erroneously - replace this with 986 Deck Tan.

• Red Chestnut 982 should be Cavalry Brown 982.

p. 38: Bright Orange 822 should presumably be Bright Orange 851 because 822 is German Camo Black Brown - another colour which is used correctly elsewhere in the book.

p. 43: Again replace German Camo Extra Dark Green 986 with Deck Tan 986.

p. 45:

• A bizarre example of proof reading compounding an error. The text box here sums up the process outlined on p. 38, but the mislabelling on p. 38 morphs so that 822 now becomes German Camo Dark Brown when it should be Bright Orange 851. So not only is the colour in the main section now renamed, but it's still wrong.

• Under the section on the tanker German Camo Extra Dark Green is again used incorrectly and should be replaced with 986 Deck Tan.

p. 47: Again the same old problem with German Camo Extra Dark Green.

p. 51: Under 'chestnut splinters' we have the same problem with German Camo Extra Dark Green.

p. 56: USA Olive Drab 889 is used in the box on metal, but in the text it is replaced with Silver Grey 883, which I assume is the correct colour.

p. 74:

• Green Dark Olive 968 uses the number for Flat Green. I can't find any evidence that a colour called Green Dark Olive exists in the Vallejo range.

• German Clear Brown camouflage should be German Camo Pale Brown 825. The same applies to German Camouflage Light Brown 825 further down the page. A classic example of the appalling standard of proof reading.

p. 75: Two further incorrect uses of German Camo Extra Dark Green where this should be swapped with 986 Deck Tan.

p. 76:

• Green German Camouflage 896. Dear me. So, here we have 896 actually representing the correct colour, for the first time in the book as far as I can tell, but for some reason it's also the first time in the book when its name is listed incorrectly when it should be German Camo Extra Dark Green. This isn't just sloppy, it defies logic.

• US Field Drab 983. This number is actually Flat Earth, while US Field Drab is number 873, which is used correctly in multiple places elsewhere in the book, including on the following page. Which is the correct colour here? No idea.

• Red Chestnut 982 is Cavalry Brown 982 and again this is used correctly elsewhere. Why is it so difficult to be consistent (and accurate)?

• Under the section on the entrenching tool German Camo Extra Dark Green is used incorrectly and should be replaced with 986 Deck Tan. This is in the same table where the colour is used correctly.

p. 77:

• Yet again German Camo Extra Dark Green is used incorrectly, twice.

• Orange Ochre 929 should presumably be Light Brown 929, especially as the next line lists 929 as Light Brown. Why was it so difficult to get both correct?

p. 78:

• Under the section on the helmet German Camo Extra Dark Green is again used incorrectly and should be replaced with 986 Deck Tan.

• Burnt Shadow 941 should be Burnt Umber 941 (see the other variation on this theme on p. 23).

• Khaki Yellow 976. Again, dear me. This should presumably be Buff 976, especially as this is used correctly further down the page. The same mistake is repeated in the next line. Khaki Yellow could be correct though.

• Leather 312 is Leather Belt 312.

p. 81:

• German Camo Extra Dark Green is listed as Green German Camouflage and although the name is incorrect it might be the right colour here. The same might also be the case further down the page where it is listed as Camouflage Extra Dark Green.

• Dark Leather Brown 871 should be Leather Brown.

I can't claim that this is a comprehensive list but hopefully it'll be useful. As to the size of the list and what it says about the book, I'll maintain a diplomatic silence.

Happy Modelling.

Nick