Where have all the figures gone!?!?!?

Cadet Chuck

I must disagree- I don't care to fool around painting figures that come with aircraft kits-  Just my opinion, no offense intended,

Just outta curiousity, why not?  Anyone that paint a cockpit and associated detals like the instrument panels, harnesses, switch-panels, etc, can paint a figure... Personally, I think folks get taken back by faces, but in the common scales, they aren't that difficult... 

Near as I can figure, folks seem to think that they have to paint faces as well as a Portrait-artist/Master Figure-painter, or they aren't gonna do it... There's no need to paint that kind of detail in 1/48th unless you're going photograph it so that in the picture it's standing 12" tall..

In 1/48th, a figure that's four inches away from you (that's about as close as your eyes can focus) has about the same amount of visible detail as a real person standing 30 feet away (I didn't do the math, just guesstimating)... So you don't need the details that you wouldn't see on that person... 

If the problem is eyes, take a look at someone's face that's 20 feet away from you and see what you'd have to paint.. Since GIs are out in the sun a lot and have a tendency to squint, eyes needn't be more than little black slits... Add a "five o'clock shadow" and you've eliminated 75% of the face-shading "requirement" (85% if you paint a moustache, lol)...

Here's what I mean:

In the photo below, it's easy to see the flaws in the paint-job...

But the figure itself is only an inch and half tall, so it's gonna be closer to this size for your viewers:

Above, he's a bit closer to what your viewers would see (although still too big, really.. Closer to 1/32)... While one can sertainly get closer, the general "public" would get no closer than about a foot, and that's plenty of distance to cover any flaws...

FSM as a decent article regarding figure-painting for aircraft dios:

http://www.finescale.com/en/How%20To/Articles/2005/05/Nine%20steps%20for%20painting%20figures%20for%20aircraft%20dioramas.aspx

It's a bit more "in-depth" than a person really needs to get started, but it covers the bases, and specifically deals with 1/48... I don't use all the "glazes" and "filters" he talks of, but KISS it with base colors, some face-shading with the afore-mentioned facial hair and use a combination of washes and dry-brushing to achieve the effects I want..  I prefer enamels instead of the acrylics, and alsouse oils a bit too, but mostly just for the lips and hair...

Here's an article that cover easy face-painting:

http://www.finescale.com/How%20To/Articles/2012/04/5%20steps%20to%20fantastic%20faces.aspx

Give it a try (if you want to), I'd like to see the work..

Refer to the recent Bronco M-24 chafee review.......

The original point of the thread was the frustration of not seeing the figures that are included in a kit when they are reviewed. It's okay if you aren't a figure person  - I just want to see the figures that come with the kit when it is reviewed!

I must disagree- I don't care to fool around painting figures that come with aircraft kits-  Just my opinion, no offense intended,

I share the consternation with those who are frustrated over the lack of pilot/driver/crew figures in modern-day model kits.  

I think, particularly with the mania many current kit manufacturers have for including large amounts of alternate parts for different versions of their subject, its quite ridiculous not to include such figures -- which can be used or omitted as the builder chooses.  

To me, a pilot, a driver, or crew member figures make the model.  

I've made mentin of this a couple times, and I've seen ONE review that had figures (hurriedly-painted) featured.. Drives me nuts when they leave them out, I too want to see them.. If the reviewer can't paint them he should at least assemble 'em , give them a squirt of primer, and show them...

Agreed... not everybody likes to do figures especially guys who review the kits.  Great suggestion... if they don't like to paint figures, at least can they just put them together and leave them at primed stage for us to decide if those figures are good or not. 

Like you I must have figures to go with all of my armor builds.