My First Flat (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

No - I haven't moved to a small apartment - I've just had a go at my first 30mm Flat figure, (see two views below). I haven't shown him head on - as you wouldn't see him at all!

In a fit of madness - I bought these figures from Berlin Zinnfiguren a couple of years ago, by mail order - and they have remained untouched in a drawer ever since then. Well - until I saw Ray's (nmrocks) recent post - and his wonderful display of Flats - and then I remembered them.

Now as I'm always urging others "to have a go" - I felt that I was being a bit hypocritical, in not at least TRYING - so.........I've had a go. Whilst they aren't the best I've seen, I'm quietly pleased with my effort on this first Scots Greys at Waterloo, shown below. But....MAN.........are they fiddley! I've also learned a bit about how to tackle them - as I've gone along - so will go on to do the others next. Note one completely as purchased ( and the extraordinary detail on something so small) - and another just begun. jb

 

[nmrocks]

Johnny! your lying? this can't be your first try! that looks great man!, see if I could do that well I'd paint too! Great job! :salute::
Ray

 

[johnnybach]

Johnny! your lying? this can't be your first try! that looks great man!, see if I could do that well I'd paint too! Great job! :salute::
Ray

Have to tell you Ray - it IS my first attempt at a genuine 30mm flat. I have had a try at some Half-Round figures - which I showed you before - but never had the nerve to try for the real thing - before seeing your wonderful collection in your thread.

My half-rounds were relatively easy - because of their size (approx. 70mm tall). You can really treat these very much the same as a fully round figure - but these flats are something else. I looked long and hard at some of yours - before I realised that a major difference is in the shading of the figures. Looks like the cleverer painters get the LOOK of a more rounded figure, by emphasizing the high and low points of figures - by lighter and darker shades of the same (or similar) colour. So that's what I tried to do - with a 5X0 brush.

That's another difference from when I bought them - until I plucked up enough courage to try painting. Between times - I found a new supplier of small sable brushes. I notice a few small mistakes and omissions to my first figure - from some images that I've downloaded of some Scots Greys at Waterloo, so I'll re-visit my figure to add them in.

Apart from that - I'm not too displeased with him, as a first attempt. I have seven more to this set - so will continue with them until completed. The castings came from Berliner Zinnfiguren (BZ) - and were very reasonably priced - so I'm pretty pleased all round, with my new flat.

Thanks for your positive comments - and for giving me the inspiration to try. :salute::johnnybach

 

[DMNamiot]

Great work as always! They are amazing aren't they. I love the detail on the flats I have.

Keep up the fantastic work Johnny!

Dave

 

[johnnybach]

Great work as always! They are amazing aren't they. I love the detail on the flats I have.

Keep up the fantastic work Johnny!

Dave

Cheers Dave. Yes they are - but not so easy to paint things that small. I have seen other Flats on the BZ site - which are larger (40mm and even 52mm). Maybe I'll investigate some of those, at some future point - as I can't see me doing many more at 30mm ( that's ONE INCH tall - for those of a non-metric persuasion!).

I must say though, it's a bit of a kick painting things which were really at the beginnings of the hobby. Glad you like him too - jb

[P.S - Cheers also to my chums who ticked the box - which is very encouraging to this novice with a new challenge!]

 

[theBaron]

Congratulations, John, on entering the world of the classic flat! Very nice job, especially for your first foray.

You're correct, the flat painters use their technique to make the two-dimensional figure appear three-dimensional. The techniques are very much like painting on canvas.

I have a bunch of flats in my stash, because I was going to teach myself the classic techniques the German flat painters use, with oils, but that project receded into the background. I mean to return to the flats, but maybe with acrylics instead. Oils take a long time to master, I think.

I look forward to more tiny, tiny works from you!

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Congratulations, John, on entering the world of the classic flat! Very nice job, especially for your first foray.

You're correct, the flat painters use their technique to make the two-dimensional figure appear three-dimensional. The techniques are very much like painting on canvas.

I have a bunch of flats in my stash, because I was going to teach myself the classic techniques the German flat painters use, with oils, but that project receded into the background. I mean to return to the flats, but maybe with acrylics instead. Oils take a long time to master, I think.

I look forward to more tiny, tiny works from you!

Prost!
Brad

Hi Brad. Glad you like my first attempt. I'm still using Humbrol Enamels though - as always. I thought it might be trickier to try using anything else other than what I'm used to - so I stuck with what I know. It's certainly different - but not THAT different to my usual thing - just MUCH smaller!

Is there such a thing as a Glossy Toy Soldier style Flat? If not - I'm in trouble!

Number two is underway.

 

[theBaron]

Is there such a thing as a Glossy Toy Soldier style Flat? If not - I'm in trouble!

Number two is underway.

There sure is, John! The early flats sold commercially were painted in gloss to semi-gloss, and usually to a much simpler level of detail than those painted by hobbyists or commercially available today. Think of Alois Ochel's Kieler Zinnfiguren and Kilia lines, for example. I think the trend to paint them to a higher detail dates more or less to the same time as the same trend with fully round figures, in the years between the World Wars. They can be a lot of fun, and I agree with you, there is a lot of detail engraved on those tiny figures.

Prost!
Brad

 

[thebritfarmer]

Looks great JB, the dappling on the horse is superb as well.


Celebrate with a nice glass of Brains

 

[johnnybach]

Looks great JB, the dappling on the horse is superb as well.


Celebrate with a nice glass of Brains

That would be nice - but I'm in the wrong Country for a drop of the Amber Nectar! I'll just have to make do with a drop of the red stuff!

Glad you like the colour of the nag! He might have a companion by tomorrow. jb

 

[johnnybach]

There sure is, John! The early flats sold commercially were painted in gloss to semi-gloss, and usually to a much simpler level of detail than those painted by hobbyists or commercially available today. Think of Alois Ochel's Kieler Zinnfiguren and Kilia lines, for example. I think the trend to paint them to a higher detail dates more or less to the same time as the same trend with fully round figures, in the years between the World Wars. They can be a lot of fun, and I agree with you, there is a lot of detail engraved on those tiny figures.

Prost!
Brad

The reason I mentioned Gloss Painted figures - was that quite a lot of modern painters of Flats - seem to be using Acrylics. I do understand why they do it - as Acrylic paint dries a lot faster - so you can overpaint more quickly - and with shading of different parts - that's a big bonus of time saved, and means they get finished much sooner after starting.

However - that's just not for me - I like painting with enamels - so will just have to see how they turn out. I'm quietly enthused to carry on with the rest of my eight figures for now - as I would like to see for myself how they are going to look as a group - but not really sure if the 30mm variety will be a permanent thing for me. Man................they are beautifully formed and cast ...........but so SMALL! jb

 

[johnnybach]

And then there were two!

 

[johnnybach]

And now - there are four. Two views below - showing my latest pair - added to my first couple. I'm really beginning to get into painting these small flats now - and really enjoying a new experience. They are wonderful little things to paint - and not such a daunting task as I first anticipated.

Note that I tackled the one which for me, was going to be the most difficult (the one tumbling head over heels - because he's obviously been hit!). Not so bad as I first anticipated - and such fun to see almost "come alive" as he was painted. Hope they're both okay!

What great sport this is! {sm4} jb

 

[nmrocks]

Great job Johnny! keep it up, they look great!!
Ray

 

[johnnybach]

Great job Johnny! keep it up, they look great!!
Ray

Cheers Ray - and thanks for the compliment. I'm still learning as I go along - but getting a bit more comfortable with the painting now.

Due to our little discussions elsewhere in the Forum - I had a look at the Michigan Toy soldier/Two trees site - and found the same set of castings that I am painting - illustrated there - but looks like painted in matte acrylics????

Here they are - done that way. ( with thanks to Michigan TS Co.). Shows rather neatly, I think, that there is no "right or wrong" way to paint these - just different ways. I'm getting more and more keen to develop this area of my collection. Thanks for the insights, chum. jb:smile2:

 

[theBaron]

Well done, John! "You've taken a step into a larger world", as Obi-Wan Kenobi said.

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Well done, John! "You've taken a step into a larger world", as Obi-Wan Kenobi said.

Prost!
Brad

Yo Brad! But more like..............One large step for Johnnybach - into a MUCH smaller World, methinks{sm3}........... jb

 

[Dragoon]

Bravo Johnny! Fine job of painting on these tiny warriors.

 

[johnnybach]

Bravo Johnny! Fine job of painting on these tiny warriors.

Cheers Ken! I must admit that it's the first time that I REALLY had a close up and personal look at these little casts. I have to say that I take my hat off to all of those clever, artistic people who have the skill and patience to engrave the details to be found on them. That's probably why I put off any attempt at painting them before.

I'm probably painting them all wrong - but certainly enjoying them - albeit in short spells - because the concentration required to paint the detail is intense for me.

Tempted???? jb

 

[johnnybach]

Another pair join my growing charge of the Royal Scots Greys at Waterloo. It's slowly dawned on me - that you only need to take two pics of these - as IF you took a photo of them head on - you wouldn't see very much at all! It's also starting to get a bit busy now - so check out 1 and 3 (from the left) in the first pic - for the latest arrivals. jb