Paint chips (1 Viewer)

[kilted vampire]

One of the banes of Toy Soldier collecting is chipping. You drop a figure or someone does it for you.

Acrylics are wonderful for filling these chips up. I just did a few of them this week and that is why I bring this up.

The process is simple. Mix your color to match. With a very fine tip brush take the paint and fill the area where the paint is gone. Let dry. Repeat until the area is filled and smooth. This takes a little while but three times usually does the trick. Next a thinned out wash to further blend the spot filled. Finally a clear coat or two to match the existing surface, ie glossy or matte. This will also smooth out the surface.

I put the process down first and hope to follow with some pictures.

Hope this helps.

 

[PJDeluhery]

Good tip, KV. I just drop a blob of paint and wait for things to even out!

 

[wadepat]

One of the banes of Toy Soldier collecting is chipping. You drop a figure or someone does it for you.

Acrylics are wonderful for filling these chips up. I just did a few of them this week and that is why I bring this up.

The process is simple. Mix your color to match. With a very fine tip brush take the paint and fill the area where the paint is gone. Let dry. Repeat until the area is filled and smooth. This takes a little while but three times usually does the trick. Next a thinned out wash to further blend the spot filled. Finally a clear coat or two to match the existing surface, ie glossy or matte. This will also smooth out the surface.

I put the process down first and hope to follow with some pictures.

Hope this helps.

Hi Michael,

I very much look forward to following the photo documentation of your "touching up" procedure. I think it will be most helpful to me. Thanks for taking the time to supply basic information that may be "old hat" to many, but is very valuable to me.

Warmest personal reagards,

Pat

 

[johnnybach]

I couldn't agree more with the "old hat " comment.

I have only recently joined the forum and very much value any tips - which may be old hat to those who have been around from the beginings of the forum. Living mostly in an area where toy soldier fans are to put it mildly, a bit thin on the ground, I have developed my "skills", for what they're worth - in splendid isolation. Learning the hard way, what works and what doesn't.

I'm pretty sure there are others out there waiting to come into the light too. I therefore hope that from time-to-time, some members who have been "in" for a long time, will put out such so-called "basics" - which may be basic for some - but new nuggets of gold for such "loners"as me.

Thanks KV, I'll give the chip-tip a go - when I drop one next. Something I must confess, I try to avoid like the plague! - johnnybach

 

[PJDeluhery]

I think most of us learned how to fix figures through trial and error - I employ a lot of modleing and painting techniques learned in a lifetime of figure and plastic modeling. But it's still trial and error. I'm glad there are others out there interested in repairs -maybe conversions? If you've got questions or a project - ask here and I'm sure someone will give you an answer.

Mixing and matching colors is the hardest part of repairing. One tip I can give you is to take a toothpick and put a drop of the color on the top of each paint bottle. When it dries, you have a ready-made pallette for matching the color on your chipped figure. Store your colors together - all the reds, then all blues, etc. and you can pretty quickly find a match. Also, colors typically dry a bit darker than they look when you wet mix them - though you ought to be able to get pretty close with the wet mix color. If need be, do your mix, let it dry, and compare colors dry to dry. Problem is: what did I mix and in what proportions?? You might want to keep a notebook of your successful mixes for future reference.

I always use a "standard drop" in mixing (a drop formed at the end of a toothpick) - so my formulae run like this: 3 drops red, 2 drops white, 2 drops green. It's not exact but you can come pretty close - consistently.

To zero in on color matching, the first thing to do is establish what the color is you are trying to match - is it blue, green, brown or what. Then, always mix from light to dark - it takes less paint to darken than to lighten. So, for example, if I am matching a dark scarlet red - say a British uniform - I look at my paint bottle tops and find the closest red. From there, I'd darken with green or brown until i get the shade I need.

Hope this helps.

 

[johnnybach]

Yes PJD - it does help. I have just recently started to keep a log of what I do with my figures. I record the source of casting with any makers numbers etc., date, cost and what paint and mixtures I am using: e.g, Humbrol gloss 35/ 31 etc. The number of drops does seem a good idea to try out - Thanks - I'll give it a go.
My own tip is to save any white "spread" lids for use as disposable palettes. I have seen others using plates - but the "Commandant" always objected to this practice - and I find that the white surface of a plastic lid works better. Once the surface is "full" - just bin it and reach for the next one. (I eat more toast now). Lastly, a plain white toilet roll near to hand is always useful for cleaning brushes/ fingers. - johnnybach

 

[PJDeluhery]

I have to say that I agree with the "Commandant" on that one. I never use anything for modleing that is used for food.

Plastic lids make great pallettes; also wax paper or butcher paper. And, yes, a soft, lint-free rag or paper product is essential to keeping brushes in working order. Good luck with your project!

 

[kilted vampire]

I sometimes use foil over the plastic lids.

 

[mikemiller1955]

Michael...love the little tips you give...they are very useful and reliable...