What colors do you use for camouflage?

Camouflage

How To Paint Camouflage Patterns

Pick a Pattern/Template
To get the true look of camouflage, design your pattern and choose the colors based on the surrounding areas where the camouflage piece will be located.
Table of Contents Show
Choose the Colors
Choose the colors starting with the base color and then the highlights. Always use paints with an ultra-flat finish such as Krylon® Camouflage with Fusion for Plastic® Technology to ensure there is no light reflection.
Design or Choose a Stencil
There are several choices for choosing a stencil. You can scan a stencil, use a template, design one yourself or use local leaves and branches.
Start Spray Painting
Begin with the color that covers the most area and then move into the other detailed areas. When the paint is dry, position one stencil at a time over the surface, secure it in place and spray paint the stencil area with the second lightest color. Leave the stencil in place until the paint dries. Repeat with each stencil leading up to the darkest color.

Camouflage Painting Tips

The best way to camouflage an object is to match it to the surroundings in which it will be located.
Use colors in the same family that work well together.
Start painting with the lightest color and move to the darkest color.
Take your time! Since there is a lot of overlapping, small mistakes won’t show.
As with any spray paint, use several light coats instead of one heavy coat.
Always read the directions before applying the spray paint.
Stencils:
– Create your own stencils by hand.
– Look to nature; use local tree leaves and branches as your stencils.
– Use Krylon provided stencils: Camouflage Stencils PDF

Introduction: How to Paint Camouflage

I will show you my method for easily painting camouflage on nearly any surface with cheap spray paint.

You will need three colors of paint in a motif that will fit your surroundings.

I strongly recommend flat or satin finishes. Try to avoid high gloss that might be reflective.

I am using green, tan, and black. I will be painting some military surplus ammo cans to be used for geocaching.

You may also wish to clear coat your work when done and for metals it is recommended to primer the surface before painting.

Step 1: Gather Materials

Gather your materials:

Spray paint

Leaves

Something to paint

I am painting an ammo can purchased at my local military surplus store. The paint is in three colors. I am also using primer and a clear coat on the ammo cans. I will also need sand paper to prep the ammo cans.

Step 2: Prep the Surface

I prepped the ammo cans for painting by sanding any rust and old paint from them, then I primered them with spay primer.

The lids of the ammo cans slide off the half barrel hinges easily making them easier to prep and paint.

Step 3: Start Painting

I painted the entire surface of the ammo cans forest green in one raven coat.

Step 4: Add Leaves, Paint

Next I laid leaves on the surface and gave short blast of tan paint to the edges of the leaves. This leaves an outline of the leaves with a foggy edge to the tan color.

Step 5: Change Colors, Repeat

Repeat this process of giving short blast of color about the edges of the leaves with another color. I try to keep the leaves laying in a different orientation than the last time. I also like to have them overlap the previous outlines some too. For my last color I used black.

Step 6: Finish Your Project

I finished up with a clear coat to hopefully better protect my paint job.

Lastly go out and use you newly camouflaged toy. I am using these ammo cans for geocache containers, hopefully for a night cache.

Have fun and be safe.

1 Person Made This Project!

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ARTS & CULTURE — Life Science

Have You Ever Wondered...

What color is camouflage?
Is all camouflage the same?
What does the word “camouflage" mean?

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Lasya. Lasya Wonders, “How does camouflage work” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Lasya!

Do you know any adults who serve in the military? How about those who hunt for game? If so, you may have seen them dressed in a certain type of clothing before. It’s meant to disguise a person so they’re not as easily seen by others. What are we talking about? Camouflage, of course!

Do you have a camouflage shirt? If so, what color is it? This type of clothing can come in a variety of colors and shades. These blend together in a wide variety of patterns. Camouflage is used in all sorts of different climates, terrains, and landscapes.

Camouflage works most often in one of two ways. Camouflage clothes often make someone harder to see, thereby concealing their identity. Sometimes, though, camouflage might be designed to make a person look like something else. The word “camouflage” actually comes from a French slang word meaning “to disguise.”

There are many examples of natural camouflage from the animal world. Some animals use this method to help them hunt or stay safe from predators. In today’s Wonder of the Day, we’ll focus on human-made camouflage clothing.

Camouflage clothing got its start with military efforts to develop disguises. These were needed for soldiers, tanks, airplanes, and the like during World War I and World War II. One of the most popular styles of camouflage uses random splotches of army green, brown, and gray. This helps disguise someone in a woodland setting.

As battlegrounds expanded to other climates, terrains, and landscapes, it soon became clear that one style of camouflage would not be sufficient. For example, army green camouflage clearly would not work well in a desert setting. A more appropriate pattern would be filled with muted tans, browns, and grays. Of course, it also wouldn’t fit in a snowy landscape that was almost all white.

Today, the United States military alone has at least 10 different types of camouflage uniforms. They once had two: one green uniform for the woods and one brown uniform for the desert. Now certain branches of the military, such as the Marines and the Navy, have their own special camouflage patterns.

Most countries around the world outfit their military in their own unique versions of camouflage. That means there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of this clothing around the world today.

Camouflage clothing has become popular amongst civilians, too. While fashion is usually about standing out from the crowd, camouflage is all about blending in. Have you ever worn camouflage? Do you think it made you stand out or blend in? Either way, we’re sure you made a fun fashion statement!

Standards: CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1,

Wonder What's Next?

Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day is a brand-new invention. Come check it out!

Try It Out

Did you enjoy today's Wonder of the Day about camouflage? Keep the learning going by exploring one or more of the following activities with a friend or family member:

Want to read a book about camouflage? Check out Carolyn Otto's What Color Is Camouflage? from your local library. If you can't find it, you can always click on the link to see and hear a child reading the story to you online! After reading or listening, discuss the book with a friend or family member. What did you learn? What did you enjoy most about the book?
Still curious about animals who use camouflage? Some of them are professionals! Learn more about the ways animals camouflage themselves and take a look at some examples from Project Learning Tree. Can you spot all the animals? Which animal has the best camouflage? If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you want to be? How would you camouflage yourself from predators? Talk about what you think with a friend or family member.
Up for a challenge? Create your own camouflage outfit! What should it look like? Well, that depends upon where you're going to be wearing it. If you live near the woods, green and brown might be good colors. If you live near the beach, tan and light brown might work better. First, decide where you're going to wear your camouflage clothing and then decide what it should look like based upon where you're going to wear it. If you have an old plain t-shirt, use that. You might need to get some paints at the store to make your camouflage shirt complete. You can also use actual items from your surroundings. For example, you could affix some leaves to your shirt if you want to disappear into the forest. Be creative with your design! When you're finished, take a picture of your camouflage creation and ask an adult to help you post it to social media. Be sure to tag us @wonderopolis—we can't wait to see what you come up with!

Wonder Sources

https://www.heddels.com/2020/08/discernable-history-camouflage/ (accessed 17 June 2021)
https://www.forces.net/news/evolution-military-camouflage (accessed 17 June 2021)

Wonder Contributors

We’d like to thank:

Beckett and Myra
for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

Keep WONDERing with us!

What are you wondering?

What colors do you need to make camouflage?

One of the most popular styles of camouflage uses random splotches of army green, brown, and gray. This helps disguise someone in a woodland setting.

Do they make camouflage paint?

About Camouflage Spray Paint Rust-Oleum® Specialty Camouflage Spray Paint provides a non-reflective, ultra-flat finish for maximum hiding. Apply it to metal, wood, plaster or masonry to create scenic, one-of-a-kind camouflage designs. This spray paint offers long-lasting durability when applied on top of primer.