Andreas Flesh Paint Set:

gawrycht

 The seem to dry awfully fast ... sometimes before I can mix different colors so I am wondering if this is normal for acrylics in the squeeze bottles.  Thanks for any info anyone can share!

If they are drying too fast before you use them, make (or buy) yourself a "wet palette"  I use this with Vallejo acrylics and it keeps the paint usable for days. Note that this works best with "water" based paints, but not so well with alcohol based acrylics like Tamiya or Gunze. 

Also, moisten the bristles of your brush with clean water before dipping in the paint. You want the brush just moist, not wet (touch the tip to a tissue or paper towel to remove excess). If you don't do this, you may find that the paint dries on the brush before you get it to the model.

Here are the instructions : This is a scan so dont use the tones here.Remove the cap and stir the paint as well ,screen it for debris after and mix well .My Earle fig took a third at the local IPMS ,my first ever entry . Buy the books available -examine the different techniques -practise them all -make your own style.

I will be enamel base ,oil paint on my next try.

Hey, thanks for the tips!  Being new to the figure arena I am open to all the advice I can get.  Nice tip on the warming it up a bit first.  Hopefully that will help getting them mixed better.  I shook them for (what I thought was) quite a while and they still seemed too thin.  That may just be the trick!  Anxious to try it again, now...

Thanks, Rick!  I figured something wasn't right but, not having used acrylics like that before, I wasn't sure.  I think that is what has kept me from trying to paint figures all these years ... totally different canvas and techniques!  I appreciate the confirmation on the consistency issue...

I have the instructions somewhere.If I find them I will post.I used these on my Earle fig up in the fig forum. They are okay but I would not use them as I did on Earle .Mix them up real good after a warming in water or hair dryer. Base coat the face with an enamel like wood color or tan. Use the Andrea colors but I would think of them as a pigment to be thinned almost to a wash ,I would not use them full strength. Layer on the colors thinly ,the quick dry helps here , and slowly build up using the insructions and an artistic eye . If you use them full strength there will be a pancake of paint ,covering details and obscuring any facial expression. Thin with distilled clean water or alcohol , or alcohol/water. Ya gotta experiment to get to where you are comfortable .My best move is the 'walk away' ,when you cant stop werkin on it - walk away.

I know in Shep Paine's books he refers to paint for figures being like soft butter, but in that case he is specifically referring to artist's oil paints rather than acrylics.

Sorry I can't help with the instructions, but the bottles have to be vigorously shaken before squeezing out the paint.  If you get liquid, you need to shake some more. 

Regards,  Rick