My first try at doing 1/35 scale Figures.

Eyes are always a challenge for figure painters, no matter how long we pratice this dark art so don't be too harsh on yourself. When doing eyes, keep a small mirror next to your work area. Check the alignment by looking at the face in the mirror. For some reason, this shows any problems better than looking at the face  straight on.

I see you're using Tamiya. If you're going to get serious about figures, please consider investing in some Vallejo or Andrea paints. They are designed for figure painting and to be brushed. The initial cost can be daunting but they last forever.

Now, on to your figures. So far, they look okay for a beginner. Your have some pretty tough "palettes" to work on, such as that ancient Tamiya US tanker. The sculpting is very soft which makes getting the needed highlights and shadows that much harder to do.

Keep posting.

Have you tried the "Cross method" of painting eyes"? Works like this: Paint a verticle band of blue or brown down the center of each eye this will become the eye's color..  Then paint a narrow band of black in the center of the color. This will become the pupil. then do the upper and lower eyelash, remembering only to go about halfway with bottom lash.   Now trim the two bands and the eyelashes back and into shape with flesh-color. Don't worry about the whites. At scale distances, the whites take on the iris' color... Also, military personel are in the sun a lot. Squinting is pretty common... Many times my figures' eyes are just narrow black slits...

I have to give you credit for the fact that you painted the eyes,  I did not.  I think you did a pretty good job.  The skin seems alittle to red on the first group of four, but looks better on the others, especially the afrikakorps guy, he looks tan.

Keep it up 

If you still try a 1/48th scale figure, I would paint the ground colors, eg, uniform, face, equipment, then use washes to pick out the detail, especially on the face.  For example, any of the aircrew by Monogram usually have enough sculpted detail, that a thin burnt siena wash will pick out the detail enough to look good when displayed.  I always think of a rule we have in the theater, the 40/4 rule:  It has to look good, from 40 feet away, for 4 weeks.

For 54mm-1/32-1/35, I use washes, too, but I do paint eyes at that point.  I paint the eye by either putting a thin line of white, if appropriate (as in, if you would really see the whites, and not, if the figure is in the sun or otherwise squinting), and a dot, then a dark link over, and then the lid.  I've found it lets me be less precise about the line (like trying to paint the eyelash line), by laying the dark color down, then overlapping what will be the lid.

Regards,

Brad 

Ok I'm going out to get me some new thin line paint brushes and order Model Air,Model Color and Panzer Aces Kits so I can get the right types of paint for my up coming projects. Now about these I could just was all the paint off them and start over. The resin soldiers can be washed but not the plastic men. I would like to keep on painting the men it will be some time till I can get all those paint kits. Oh I can get the squeeze bottles one at a time but for the hold kit I need some time on that.

I will keep posting y work step by step here for you all to point out what I need to work on. A face at a time and not in a full groupe like I have started out. Thanks for you all your helpful and artistic criticism.

As I have always been told helpful criticism can only make you get stronger at what your trying to accomplish.

White_R34 wrote:

Ok I'm going out to get me some new thin line paint brushes

If at all possible, get at least one Kolinski sable (a type of Russian Sable, not a brand) brush with a fine point. There pricey, but they hold a point better than any other type and work great with acrylics.

White_R34 wrote:

...Now about these I could just was all the paint off them and start over. The resin soldiers can be washed but not the plastic men....

Can't get the paint off?  Don't give up, this might help.

You could use oven cleaner to remove the paint.  Just do it in a well-ventilated area, and wear gloves, like household cleaning gloves.  The active ingredient is lye, and it will burn your hands, and the lining of your respiratory system.

I use an old glass baking dish, place the figures in the dish, and spray on a layer of cleaner.  It foams right away, and depending on the paint used, you may see the foam start to change color as the paint dissolves, or it may take a couple of minutes.  Once it looks like the paint is coming off, I take the figure out of the dish (hence the need for gloves) and use an old toothbrush to remove the gloop, usually under a faucet with the water running.  Repeat as necessary.

I used this technique originally for cleaning old metal figures, but read from others about using it on old plastic models, and found that it works the same and just as well on plastic, too.  I've stripped entire aircraft, to repaint them.

If you search through the Tips forum, you'll find threads about using other types of cleaning agents, too, like automotive cleaners.  We all probably have our own favorites.

Regards,

Brad

I here you can use brake fluid but thats some realy carosive stuff. I'll try the oven cleaner. About the sabel (Andrea Miniatures) paint brushs I can get them in the same place I get the Vallejo paint and sets. here's some links:

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AEKS0

to

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=AEKS6

As you see some times there on sale. here's a Face and skin Colors set:

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=VJ70124

link to singal Squeeze Bottles 17 ml (9.57 oz):

http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=VJ70815

There all the same price here's a full list of paint order numbers and names.

VJ70815-Basic Flesh Tone, VJ70845-Sunny Skin Tone, VJ70860-Medium Flesh tone, VJ70927-Dark Flesh, VJ70928-Light Fesh, VJ70955-Flat Flesh. You know I with they had a winter skin set. or some colors just for that.

VJ71061-Thinner, VJ71099- Airbrush Cleaner 85ml, VJ71199- the 200ml bottle. Model Air is the same price as Model Colors. They also have Inks and Varnishes.

Now I'm not going to get good over night so I will get what I can and keep you all updated on my progress.

What sort of paint have you got on the figures at the moment?

If they are acrylic ie. Tamiya, you can use plain old hardware store denatured (ethyl) alcohol. Just drop them into a jar and the paint will just dissolve and run off. You may need a brush to clean up the little nooks and crannies. You can leave them soaking as long as you like, it won't harm styrene at all.

Just a note about buying brushes. If you're buying high grade brushes, it's preferable to go to a shop and select your own rather than buying them online.

When you buy online from a hobby store, your brush is just another item. The person packing your order goes to the box of brushes, takes one and puts it in your order - it doesn't matter what state the brush is in, it just gets packed with your order.

Going to a shop and choosing your own, you can check the quality of the point, look for frayed/bent bristles etc. It may be a minimal difference, but it can mean the difference between a so-so finish and a great finish.

White_R34 wrote:

As for the paint it's all Tamiya so I'll try that first. thanks and I'll put up images of the prosess.

The difficulty is that Tamiya paint skins over very fast, even before you can get a second brush load of paint. As you lay that next brush load down, if the fresh paint touches to paint you just applied, it will dissolve the skin, lifting the paint you had just laid and causing it to streak. Andrea and Vallejo don't do this.

well I use the alcohol to start cleaning the figures. After sitting for some time started rubbing off the paint and it did well on one of the soldiers but onone of the heads the face lost it's detail.

Some how that is not realy resin of it was a bad bach. any way I have more heads so I cut off the cap of the one I like and added a nt face and it worked out well.

On Monday I will order the face set and once it get's here I then will start a new paint job on the soldiers. Oh I missed telling you all that the neck on one of the figures was to long so I cut it down. (On the full resin figure)