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How to paint a figure head in 35 scale using acryliks.

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  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Bournemouth UK
How to paint a figure head in 35 scale using acryliks.
Posted by Bodge on Sunday, August 2, 2009 4:24 PM

Hi everyone well here goes for my first real tute as a lot of you wanted over on the armour site. First of i prime the head in a suitable primer.

Then mix some flat flesh with water to a thick ink consistency and block in some colour. You will notice this is slightly transparent,dont worry because you want to build up with several light coats. Make sure you dry with a hair dryer between coats

When you are happy with a uniform look then mix up some shadow, i use a red and brown for this but always mix in some of the base colour aswell to make the colours tie together. Then paint in the shadow areas around the eyes and nose and in the creasesaround the mouth and on the neck and in the ears But allways just touch the tissue with the end of the brush first to take up excess water on brush so you dont flood the face. Allways mix the paint with water aswell and at this stage do it to a thin ink cosistency.

Remember to dry with hair dryer in between coats. Then mix up some very thin base colour to a very thin ink and block in over the shadows , dry then again, dry and again untill you see a smooth contrast between colours.

Now its time to paint in the highlights, mix up some light flesh with the base colour 70- 30  and some water to a thick ink consistency  ,touch the tissue and paint in the areas of high lights, round uppercheek bones ,round eyes, lower eyelid ,cheek crease down to mouth.

Now its time to paint in the line accross the top eyelid and a dot for the eye in grey/black and then the eyebrows in the same colour. Obviously you need a brush with a verygood tip for this as its very tricky ,good brushes are essencial for all this work.

Next stage i have mixed up some of the dark red colour for in the mouth, painted the lips ,top one being darker than the bottom one and painted the teeth in verylight flesh. Notice i havnt used white as its too stark for this size figure also no whites to the eyes as you wouldnt see someones whites of the eyes at twenty foot away in reallife and thats the scale difference and when added makes figures look unreal and cartoon like.

Next up ive mixed up some of the grey/black colour and the flatflesh to a dirty fleshy colour and then added the five oclock shadow and dabbed in the hair line.

 

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • From: S.W. Missouri
Posted by Pvt Mutt on Sunday, August 2, 2009 4:51 PM

Thanks Bodge that helps a lot.Thumbs Up [tup]

Tony the Mutt

Shoot Low Boys They're Ridin Ponys

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Bournemouth UK
Posted by Bodge on Sunday, August 2, 2009 5:05 PM

Last few pics are bad light as its getting dark and daylight is better for photos. I may still do a couple of blend coats and then i need to do the oil treatment so more to come tommorrow.Thumbs Up [tup]

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Sunday, August 2, 2009 8:02 PM

Thanks.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/PerfectLady/smileys/SpongeBob-1.jpg

I'll be soaking.

Sherman-Jumbo-1945

"I never know what to expect here anymore."

 

 
Mic
  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: AusTx, Live Music Capitol of the World
Posted by Mic on Sunday, August 2, 2009 8:14 PM

Great toot for the acrylics, Bodge. I did that same Hornet head for a figure a few months back, seriously fun to paint him. Incredible expression. Yours is outstanding!

Steve

 

Steve M.

On the workbench: every tool, paint, brush, glue I own

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Everett, WA
Posted by Schnobs on Sunday, August 2, 2009 9:02 PM

Hi Andy!

It's Christmas in July!! I got my figure tute that I asked Santa for!

I am going to be greedy ungrateful boy and ask for the complete figure tute as well!  Big Smile [:D]  I am almost ready to do a camouflage uniform and I am pretty intimitated to be sure. 

Andy you make it look easy!  Thanks so much for sharing like this it very welcomed and appreciated.  OH BTW I loved the seat cushion and first guy just like you originally did it!  Fantastic!!!!  Thumbs Up [tup]

 

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. That principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer
  • Member since
    January 2012
Posted by I make stuff on Monday, August 3, 2009 1:02 AM

Thanks SO MUCH for sharing, Andy, this is really a fantasci tute, although you make it look easy.  That is simply fantastic painting.  I am working up a Hornet head myself, your detail on something that is literally the size of a pea is breathtaking.

Thanks again,

Bill  

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Netherlands
Posted by Grem56 on Monday, August 3, 2009 2:48 AM

Exceeds my wildest dreams Bodge, thank you very much for sharing this with us. Practice, practice, patience and more practice............................................... cheers,

Julian

 

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  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Carmel, IN
Posted by deafpanzer on Monday, August 3, 2009 9:50 AM

Hi Andy!

Thank you very much for doing this... it HELPS! Big Smile [:D] Looks like it will be difficult for me to continue and use MM emanel paints as it is what I use.  Vallejo paints that everybody has been raving about are nowhere to be found at LHS around here in Indy so will order when I have the chance.  It is always a pleasure following your work.

Andy

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Bournemouth UK
Posted by Bodge on Monday, August 3, 2009 10:48 AM
Cheers guys, allways glad to help.Thumbs Up [tup]
  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by the doog on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 12:07 PM

AN excellent toot, Andy! Thanks for taking the time to document it all!

I have to say that one think that I've noticed as well is the mportance of starting with a good figure head to begin with. Man, when you have sharply defined, well-molded features, it's much easier to paint something that resembles a real person than those crappy soft-molded plastic heads from some manufacturers. When you have the features in such fine detail, this makes color demarcation and shading so much easier.

People wanting to learn figure painting should start with good figures, where they can get an accurate assessment of their skill. You just can't do nuthin' with some of those older figures.

Mic
  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: AusTx, Live Music Capitol of the World
Posted by Mic on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 12:19 PM
 the doog wrote:

AN excellent toot, Andy! Thanks for taking the time to document it all!

I have to say that one think that I've noticed as well is the mportance of starting with a good figure head to begin with. Man, when you have sharply defined, well-molded features, it's much easier to paint something that resembles a real person than those crappy soft-molded plastic heads from some manufacturers. When you have the features in such fine detail, this makes color demarcation and shading so much easier.

People wanting to learn figure painting should start with good figures, where they can get an accurate assessment of their skill. You just can't do nuthin' with some of those older figures.

Sign - Ditto [#ditto] Sign - Ditto [#ditto] Sign - Ditto [#ditto]

Steve M.

On the workbench: every tool, paint, brush, glue I own

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: On my kitchen counter top somewhere in North Carolina.
Posted by disastermaster on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 3:37 PM

   http://www3.b92.net/ipb_images/style_emoticons/default/huh.gif  .............need to do the oil treatment so more to come tommorrow.

 http://www.smiliemania.de/smilie132/00000290.gif Did I miss something? 

http://www.innovationbyinstinct.com/services/hosting/clients/accountyp/status/DisasterMaster/%23t1-4.jpg

Sherman-Jumbo-1945

"I never know what to expect here anymore."

 

 
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Bournemouth UK
Posted by Bodge on Wednesday, August 5, 2009 1:27 PM
Oh sorry about that Steve ,bit busy on other maters but i will get round to it .Doog nice to hear from you. About starting with a good figure my mate Ian can start off with a dog of a figure and makeit look like it was made by Alpine     really ,  but i know what your saying ive often said to people get the right fig and it will almost paint itself and those hornet heads are really well sculpted .
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Bournemouth UK
Posted by Bodge on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 2:21 PM

Better late than never, to finnish of this head i mix up some red and brown to a very thin ink , very thin mixed with thinners and just touch on areas of shadow and this flows on nicely, be careful not to flood the figure though and its best if the head has had several days to dry. well thats it i hope ive been of help. cheers   Andy.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Everett, WA
Posted by Schnobs on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 2:49 PM
 Bodge wrote:

Better late than never, to finnish of this head i mix up some red and brown to a very thin ink , very thin mixed with thinners and just touch on areas of shadow and this flows on nicely, be careful not to flood the figure though and its best if the head has had several days to dry. well thats it i hope ive been of help. cheers   Andy.

Cool Bodge!  I used your tutorial fairly closely for my Russian Hornet heads with a modicum of success.  Thanks again for posting this Bubba!

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance. That principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer
  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: East TX
Posted by modelchasm on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 3:05 PM

Bodge - AWESOME TUT!!!! While I use pretty much the same technique, I still picked up some useful tips from you! THANKS!!! I can't wait to try the new tricks out on my delta figures in my MH-6 build.

Thanks again....

"If you're not scratching, you're not trying!"  -Scott

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Weymouth, Dorset, UK
Posted by chris hall on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 3:25 PM

Excellent tutorial, Bodge! I've never really got the nack of doing faces with acrylics in 1/35 and larger, and this willbe of immense help.Copied for fture reference.

Cheers,

Chris.

Cute and cuddly, boys, cute and cuddly!
  • Member since
    September 2009
  • From: hamilton , Ontario
Posted by EliteModelling on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 7:10 PM
AMAZING.(thank you)Big Smile [:D]

 

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Bournemouth UK
Posted by Bodge on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 11:05 AM
Cheers guys, Big Smile [:D]
  • Member since
    May 2009
Posted by Dr. Coffee on Thursday, September 10, 2009 7:28 AM

Bodge, Thanks for posting a very useful how-to guide. I just purchased the paint figures article collection, but the basics on the fundamental techniques you describe are, well, somewhat absent in that collection.

Have you considered writing this material up in a FSM article?

DoC

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • From: Coastal Maine
Posted by dupes on Friday, September 18, 2009 1:40 PM

Bookmarking...now.

Great stuff, Bodge! Make a Toast [#toast]

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • From: Eugene, Oregon
Posted by hughes2682 on Monday, November 16, 2009 1:17 AM
Thank you so much for the tutorial. Much of what you do I have been doing as well. However, you added a couple of extra touches and WOW! I've got to try that with my figures I've got coming up.
Cheers
Dave

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  • Member since
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  • From: Brizioland
Posted by Brizio on Monday, November 16, 2009 6:47 AM
This will help, thank you for sharing!
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