Painters joy or nightmare (1 Viewer)

[beating retreat]

Hi Folks
I thought Id lost these pics but my son found them on his computer today. I painted this about a year ago I found it at car boot sale, it is marked Andrea inside the elephant and I have seen it on their website titled "The Crown Jewel". It was in pieces when I found it, some bits were missing but a gloss paint job and some gold chains, I thought it was a bargain at £20.00 GBP.

Regards John

 

[thebritfarmer]

What a great item and beautifully painted John.

 

[Mardasson]

Wonderful job John !
Michel

 

[theBaron]

Yep, another great piece, John! You have a really fantastic style. What do you use for the glaze effect?

Prost!
Brad

 

[kilted vampire]

Fantastic. Any more in that car boot?

 

[1879fanatic]

John,
That is one &$% of a piece of art! Exquisite, colorful and exciting to look at!

Mike

 

[Mister Dave]

Absolutely gorgeous. Is it for sale?

MD

 

[beating retreat]

Yep, another great piece, John! You have a really fantastic style. What do you use for the glaze effect?

Prost!
Brad

Hi Brad I use an acrlylic varnish by a UK company called Miniature Paints,if you look at the thread "painting gloss figures" which is part of the painting thread I have left a website address of a supplier. I always put one thin coat on first diluted with clean water to the consitency of milk using a size 3 sable brush, making sure to brush smoothly and slowly onto the surface ensuring no bubbles are left (if you brush to rapidly with acrylic paints sometimes it leaves bubbles).Acrylic paint will dry within 1 hour, but I leave overnight to dry in a dust free area, then give another coat in the same way,leave to dry before handling. I find this varnish gets tougher with age and it is none yellowing like enamel varnishes. you can always use a spray varnish, but my personal preference is to brush on,that way any blemishes or mistakes I can pick up and rectify.

 

[aujj65]

Hi Brad I use an acrlylic varnish by a UK company called Miniature Paints,if you look at the thread "painting gloss figures" which is part of the painting thread I have left a website address of a supplier. I always put one thin coat on first diluted with clean water to the consitency of milk using a size 3 sable brush, making sure to brush smoothly and slowly onto the surface ensuring no bubbles are left (if you brush to rapidly with acrylic paints sometimes it leaves bubbles).Acrylic paint will dry within 1 hour, but I leave overnight to dry in a dust free area, then give another coat in the same way,leave to dry before handling. I find this varnish gets tougher with age and it is none yellowing like enamel varnishes. you can always use a spray varnish, but my personal preference is to brush on,that way any blemishes or mistakes I can pick up and rectify.

How do you find varnishing over metallic colours like silver and gold? Many years ago I found out that some varnishes can "activate" the paint again which then smears across other colours.


Btw, that is filthy cheap at £20!

Jeff

 

[theBaron]

Hi Brad I use an acrlylic varnish by a UK company called Miniature Paints,if you look at the thread "painting gloss figures" which is part of the painting thread I have left a website address of a supplier. I always put one thin coat on first diluted with clean water to the consitency of milk using a size 3 sable brush, making sure to brush smoothly and slowly onto the surface ensuring no bubbles are left (if you brush to rapidly with acrylic paints sometimes it leaves bubbles).Acrylic paint will dry within 1 hour, but I leave overnight to dry in a dust free area, then give another coat in the same way,leave to dry before handling. I find this varnish gets tougher with age and it is none yellowing like enamel varnishes. you can always use a spray varnish, but my personal preference is to brush on,that way any blemishes or mistakes I can pick up and rectify.

I thought that you might use multiple layers!

It really works well, you get a refractory effect, an effect of depth to the clear glaze, like I said, your technique gets a result that looks like a piece of glazed ceramic. Very well done!

And you just do this as a hobby, or did you ever paint for any manufacturer? How did you come about hitting on your technique? It's very distinctive.

Prost!
Brad

 

[beating retreat]

Hi Jeff and Brad

Jeff yes youre right some varnishes do activate metallics, enamels,pelikan plaka and tamiya are some of the culpritsI then used humbrol gloss acrylic that was OK then I could not get it anymore. I was at a wargames convention saw the MP varnish decided to try it and have not used anything else since. I always use a special brush put aside


Brad when I discovered and drooled over Michael Sutty military figurines which are far beyond my wallet, I decided to develop a similar style with toy soldiers. Also with the highly detailed toy soldiers these days I personally was not happy with covering facial detail with a coat of pink paint and dots for the eyes( apologies to traditional collectors I am not knocking original toy soldiers ) so I tried painting in facial detail and other details as I do with matte figures. the same applied to horses all that detail I couldnt just cover it with one block colour and with some experimentation I arrived at the style Im happy with today.

Regards John

 

[1879fanatic]

John,
We're obviously happy too. As Brad mentioned-"like glazed ceramic"- Just splendid work!
Keep it up & have Fun!
Mike

 

[Nooooo9]

Very well done. Great job.