Tips (1 Viewer)

[kilted vampire]

Here is a good one. I use acryllic flat paint mostly. As I do my work I handle the figures and the paint being soft quite naturally comes off. What to do , you might ask? Well you might ask. I cover the paint in a glossy varnish which is harder than the flat acryllics. The varnish is water based. I get it from a local art and crafts supply store. Really inexpensive too I might add.
Another thing the gloss acts as a skin which protects the paint and keeps the whole paint job together. I have not been priming the metal and this seems to work.

 

[aujj65]

KV.

If you paint on bare metal do you find that the brushes wear out quicker? I used to paint large volumes of figures for Sarum Soldiers some years ago and found it better to spray undercoat in a dark grey before painting the main colours. Also I find that the undercoat brings out the detail of the casting.

I like what you have been doing with the home castings by the way.

Regards

Jeff

 

[kilted vampire]

Too soon to tell Jeff. Thanks too.

 

[Bob]

I always undercoat figures, whatever the size or whatever they’re made off.
If I’m painting small scale figures I spray black undercoat, and this acts as a shadow. Anything I miss is also shadow.

Larger scale figures (30mm upwards) get a white undercoat. I normally use a spray white car primer for a smooth thin finish. If I don’t have any spray (which is rare) I undercoat with acrylic white from the tube.
A good friend of mine who makes and sells some excellent figures JML Figures used to paint on bare metal but has now changed. Martin Tabony, who I rate as one of the top 5 sculptors anywhere always undercoats in white.

The only way to get pure colour is to paint on a white ground.
Thirty years ago I used gauche paint which would not take to anything without any undercoat.

If you use a good undercoat not only will you get better colours you will find that the paint will not flake off.
I know several companies who will only sell undercoated castings – mainly because it gives them a chance to cover any blemishes.

Of course one great thing about this hobby is that it is personal and its up to you what you do – I offer the advice, take it or leave it as you wish

 

[Leadmen]

I always under coat with primer on metal and plastic. I coat figures after painting with gloss varnish and then spray matte if I am doing a matte figure. Floquil flat figure spray works best but getting hard to find. I also think it saves on brushes when undercoating the figures.
I used those round plastic painting wells. I cover them with heavy duty tin foil and when wells are all used I throw away the tin foil and replace it. I found liter pop bottle lids fit on modelmaster paints and do a good job of keeping paint from drying up.
Did anyone try the new water base spray paints by Krylon? They might work good on foam to make dioramas. I have not tried it yet.
KV , you are doing a good job on painting. I was not impressed with Lil Army molds. I tried some but stands seem too small on some figures. The wwl doughboy falls over easily. I prefer Prince August but have not casted in two years.Also, I touch up mettalics after final coat of varnish. Leadmen

 

[kilted vampire]

Thanks John. The Lil Army molds just have a lot of character. The bases get me though. Some of the figures are 60mm plus and have really thick bases. Other ones seem to be more traditional in size and bases are sized accordingly. Do you have any molds that you want to get rid of? Looking for ACW and Zulu Wars British Colonial too.

 

[Wraith]

I use auto primer for metal and auto plastic primer for, not surprisingly, plastic. I've messed around with black, mid grey and white primers, but prefer the grey for WWII stuff.

I use Tamiya and Vallejo matt acryllics to paint (went off Humbrol enamels since the acryllic quality has improved so much). I finish off with Testors Dull Cote, but this really gives a veeery flat finish. Could do with finding something a little less flat, but not quite a semi gloss.

On foam dio pieces, I've found that as long as the foam is 'sealed' with a water based coat of paint first, solvent based products don't seem to melt them. This means I can use off the shelf Tamiya spray cans for wafting over large areas, without having to fart about setting up and cleaning an airbrush.

I've also started using Plasti-Kote 'Stone touch' sprays, which give a stone like finish in a variety of different colours / effects, to quickly create a sand finish or concrete etc.

Simon

 

[aujj65]

I use auto primer for metal and auto plastic primer for, not surprisingly, plastic. I've messed around with black, mid grey and white primers, but prefer the grey for WWII stuff.
Simon

Simon

Have you noticed that when manufacturers show prototype figures they are nearly all a shade of grey. I used to use white as an undercoat years ago but I changed to grey (Holts car primer) as the price was about a 1/5th of the Humbrol spray and have used it ever since.

Whatever colour is used I think that the undercoat brings out the detail of the castings and, as Bob has pointed out, hides some of the imperfections.

How did you find Black as an undercoat?

Jeff

 

[Wraith]

Simon

Have you noticed that when manufacturers show prototype figures they are nearly all a shade of grey. I used to use white as an undercoat years ago but I changed to grey (Holts car primer) as the price was about a 1/5th of the Humbrol spray and have used it ever since.

Whatever colour is used I think that the undercoat brings out the detail of the castings and, as Bob has pointed out, hides some of the imperfections.

How did you find Black as an undercoat?

Jeff

I agree re bringing out the perfections with an undercoat.
I didn't like the black. I found that painting on it took several coats, by which time, any advantage you might have using the black to accentuate shadowing, was lost, whereas with the grey, it's a bit more subtle. I prefer to shadow and highlight after the block paint has been applied, I feel I've got more control over the painting that way (probably deluding myself).

I can see the benefits of using a black undercoat if your doing a quick job on lots of figures, but once I start, I tend to get really anal about each figure being 'just so'. Downside to this is that it takes me ages to finish them and still doesn't improve them beyond my capabilities. Still, keeps my out of trouble.

Simon

 

[kilted vampire]

I am going to start using white primer for 54mm. The black primer is best used on 25mm and 15mm. If you miss a spot on the smaller figures it would look like a shadow.

 

[kilted vampire]

The white base/primer coats makes brighter colors stand out more. The best tip for right now is always paint the flesh colors first then the other lighter colores then thedarker ones. This has been printed in numerous hobby books and remains true even now.

 

[Wraith]

I'd certainly agree with that. Besides, if I scr*w up anywhere, it tends to be doing faces, so if it's the first thing I paint, it tends to be easier to sort out and repaint if nothing else has been painted.

 

[aujj65]

The white base/primer coats makes brighter colors stand out more. The best tip for right now is always paint the flesh colors first then the other lighter colores then thedarker ones. This has been printed in numerous hobby books and remains true even now.

Strange, but I like to paint the main colours first and then the fleshy parts later as I did for Brad's Royal Horse Artillery.

Jeff

 

[Wraith]

Strange, but I like to paint the main colours first and then the fleshy parts later as I did for Brad's Royal Horse Artillery.

Jeff

Ah, but what would you know Jeff, it's not like you did it professionally or anything. Oooh, hang on, I've spotted a flaw in my reasoning.

I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that I probably make more mistakes when painting than you do Jeff and so starting with the most complicated part (for me), the face, means that once I've got that right, the rest is relatively plain sailing.

The other reason is that I use a different coloured wash for flesh, than I do for the rest of the figure, so I try and get that all done first before the uniform, equipment, etc.

Whatever works I guess. Interesting to see how others do it. A lot of good tips out there.

Simon

 

[aujj65]

Ah, but what would you know Jeff, it's not like you did it professionally or anything. Oooh, hang on, I've spotted a flaw in my reasoning.

I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that I probably make more mistakes when painting than you do Jeff and so starting with the most complicated part (for me), the face, means that once I've got that right, the rest is relatively plain sailing.

The other reason is that I use a different coloured wash for flesh, than I do for the rest of the figure, so I try and get that all done first before the uniform, equipment, etc.

Whatever works I guess. Interesting to see how others do it. A lot of good tips out there.

Simon

Simon,

You and KV are in the majority when it comes down to painting the flesh first, most articles on painting figures that I have read suggest this, but when I started out painting wargame figures some many years ago the faces were one of the last things I painted and so I have continued with this sequence.

At the end of the day as long as the figure is complete, I don't see that it makes any difference what you paint first or last as long as the paint is in the right places. And yes I do make mistakes, that's what the small brush is for...touching up and touching up the touching up etc...

Jeff

 

[Wraith]

At the end of the day as long as the figure is complete, I don't see that it makes any difference what you paint first or last as long as the paint is in the right places. And yes I do make mistakes, that's what the small brush is for...touching up and touching up the touching up etc...

Jeff

And the paint on your figures is very definately in the right places Jeff. The step by step you posted was both enjoyable and informative.
As for the small brush for the mistakes, I've got a range of sizes for different sized mistakes.

 

[kilted vampire]

And the paint on your figures is very definately in the right places Jeff. The step by step you posted was both enjoyable and informative.
As for the small brush for the mistakes, I've got a range of sizes for different sized mistakes.

Let us be the judge of that

 

[Wraith]

Let us be the judge of that

I'll get some up soon! I've got lots of little batches in various states of completion. I'm just really bad at focusing my attention on one batch at a time.

 

[kilted vampire]

I'll get some up soon! I've got lots of little batches in various states of completion. I'm just really bad at focusing my attention on one batch at a time.

Keep it simple, Simon! One soldier at a time!

 

[jac28]

Strange, but I like to paint the main colours first and then the fleshy parts later as I did for Brad's Royal Horse Artillery.

Jeff

Hi all,

I use Armory Gray Primer to prime anything I'm painting whether it's metal or plastic. It's the best I've found (my opinion) for the way I work. Black makes it too hard for me too see all the details and white causes the colors to be very bright (if that's the effect you want - white primer is the way to go).

I use mainly Citadel acrylic paint, but have supplemented those with the much cheaper acrylic "craft" paint found at Hobby Lobby, Michael's, etc. I begin by painting the face, hands and any other exposed skin, then the hair, etc. I then paint basically as the figure in question may have gotten dressed: pants and shirt followed by jackets, armor, etc if applicable, followed by gloves, shoes/boots, hats, helmets - then, belts, pouches, etc.. Lastly any weapons or anything being held in the hands..

I've attached photos of Ron Barzso's 1805 U.S. Marines and Barbary Pirates that I painted. These figures are plastic.

Hope you enjoy and keep on painting!

Jim