Skin Tone Mini-Tutorial for Armor modelers

Well I completely stink at figures, so I'll have to give this a try. Especially since I have a few figures coming up.

Thanks.

Where does the yellow ocre come into play? You show an initial mix of Raw Umber and White, but do not have that Raw Umber listed in your four colors?  

stikpusher

Where does the yellow ocre come into play? You show an initial mix of Raw Umber and White, but do not have that Raw Umber listed in your four colors?  

I've since corrected it...the Yellow Ochre is just a variable to make for a slightly palers tone, if you desire. I add like, a mosquito turd of it tomy mix, sometimes not at all. You can pretty much get what you need with just the Raw Sienna and WHite.

Thanks for posting your tutorial Karl-I really need to take a stab at some figures and this will be a great tool;

Thanks for the clarification Karl. I have some oils with all those colors and will have a go at your method described here. This looks like just what I needed!

No problem, Carlos!

Hey, just be aware--I stopped painting in oils years ago because of the tendency that I noticed for White oil to disappear into the base coat after several months. All my figures looked rather "suntanned" after a few months because the White pigments would just absorb into the base. That's the main reason I use acrylics now--longevity.

Thanks Karl... How long do you wait between each stage of this? Minutes? Hours? Days?

The acrylic dries in a matter of minutes--much more convenient than oils! That's another benefit!

I should add as well, that a drop of dishwashing liquid in your water bowl can make the acrylics blend even easier cuz it cuts the surface tension.

Great tute. You make it look easy. Great results, if I ever got a figure half as good I'd be elated.

I'm confused though. Are you saying you use acrylic for the base skin tone instead of the oil mix shown above in the first step?

Those are NOT oils, Greg. They are Artists Acrylics. Get them at any Hobby store chain like AC Moores or Michaels.

Ahhh, I missed that part, these are acrylics and not oils.... got it...

the doog

Those are NOT oils, Greg. They are Artists Acrylics. Get them at any Hobby store chain like AC Moores or Michaels.

Holy smokes, talk about missing the forest for the trees. Could the word "ACRYLIC" be any clearer on the tubes? I had my artists oil tubes in my mind I guess.

I hate it when I do that, and thanks for straightening me out, Doog!

Karl thanks, I can never et enough info on figure, thats because I'm really bad with em. So bad in fact thats why I don't use many in my builds but yours looks like a straight forward method that I'll certainly try. Thanks, Terry

Very nice and simple.Thanks for your time in posting.

Great how to do it... there are so many different techniques, colors, ways to do it "easy" as the number of modelers in the world.

I have some questions, do you use any varnishes to seal between colors?, for how long do you let the oils dry before the next hand?

Thanks!

Terry, Greg, landohm Tojo-- I'm always glad to help; I hope you have success in your figure painting!

Hugo, no I rarely ever "seal" anything at all. ANd with acrylics you don't have to worry about that at all.

The one oil wash I do is so light that it really doesn't even take but a few minutes to start drying. In that time you can start to manipuklate it and shade it as it dries. That's about all I do. NOTICE, too, that the paints I use are artist's ACRYLICS, just to clarify! :)

I have another question, Doog.

Assuming that you thin the artists tube acrylics. How? Water? Guessing the amount of thinning is trial and error just as in thinning any acrylic for brush painting, correct?

Exactly, Greg. I don't actually thin them for the base skin coat, but for other shading effects, you just go by trial and error. There's no formula; just whatever you need them to be.

Thanks, Doog.

I am very impressed with your results and will certainly try your method.

Thanks again for taking the time to post this cool tutorial!

Excellent tutorial, and those colours are exactly what I use for skin tones when painting on canvas.

One question about blending, does the dish soap actually help extend the drying time?  Blending acrylics on this small scale is very difficult I find.

regards,

Jack

That's a good question. I use enamels for blocking in my main colors, but I use acrylics for shading as well as you. Does the dish soap act to slow down the drying time?

Straight forward and it cant be any easier.

BTW. Those figs look AWESOME!

Greg, thanks too for looking in and your kind words. :)

Jack--I'm honestly not sure whether or not the soap extends drying time o not, but what it DOES seem to do is help you move that paint around just a little easier, and helps it to dissipate more efficiently so you don't have to monkey with it so long. It's very interesting to know that these are your colors of choice for canvas painting. I honestly just came up with this combination almost by pure accident. :)

Mike, as I said, I just add the soap for breaking surface tension. It seems to help move the paint around a little easier. That was always my main objection to acrylics vs oils. Oils are so much easier to move around on the subject, but it seem to help when you add the soap.

Ernest (Ibuild48) -- did I get it right? thanks, man; I hope it helps you in your figure painting!

Nice quick and tidy tutorial. Thanks. I needed to read this AND now try this.

What do you use to thin the oil wash?

I just use low-odor mineral spirits. The jar I have is about 4 months old, lol. There's fully a half-inch of dissolved pigments on the bottom....maybe that takes some of the "bite" out of it; I never seem to have problems with putting it over acrylics of any type.

ok thanks