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Dont toss out those old Tamiya figures

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  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Dont toss out those old Tamiya figures
Posted by M. Brindos on Sunday, September 6, 2015 3:38 PM

As some of you know I've been working on the old Tamiya 1/35 M-48A3 kit. Yes its a bit dated and there are lots of things wrong with it in comparisson to what is currently available on the market, but the figures are still worth keeping.

With some work they can still be quite good looking and I'll show you a few tricks to bring them up to todays standards.

I will begin by stating that I'm a big fan of the newer resin figures. They require a lot less work and paint up beautifully with little effort. But I've come to love plastic figures over the years, and especially recently with such lovely figures being produced by MiniArt. If you have not worked with those figures then you should give them a try.

Now let me show you what you can still do with those older figures that don't measure up to modern expectations.

....................................................

The tools you'll need are nothing out of the ordinary. Aside from the homemade scribing tool/saw I made from an old No. 11 Exacto blade you won't need anything fancy.

I started by filing the two halves of the figures body level so they will fit together without any serious gaps.

Using my scribing saw I went around the edges of the pocket flaps to give them some better difinition.

With the 45 degree blade I score over the old shirt seam and then using a sewing needle I rescribe the line.

I use Testors liquid cement to smooth out the lines. If you 've scribed them too deep simply re-apply more liquid cement later and the edges will smooth out more.

This deepens the seam lines and gives them enough depth for a wash later to bring out these details.

Using the 45 degree blade again I carve out the sleeves and give definition to the vest he's wearing. Without this step he looks like he's wearing a big sloppy shirt.

Now most of you are aware of using the side of you knife blade to scrape seams. I like to carve out the wrinkles. This gives more definition to the sleeves and pants and generally looks much better then a flattened seam.

Once you get the basic figure assembled you should spend some time thinking about the odd poses that some of these guys appear to have. Such as this figure. After all of that work he sat on the cupola hatch looking a bit odd. His left arm hanging down and his right just hovering beside his leg. He also seemed to naturally lean to his left.

His right hand could be frozen in action so I left it alone. His left seemed quite natural once I added a cigarette to it and his lean seemed far more appropriate once he was looking around the repositioned MG.

Then I moved on to the driver figure, which is just a bust meant to sit in the driver's hatch.

I started by rescibing in the details and separating his shirt collar from this shirt with the scribing saw.

and moved on to his left side.

Once I added a mic he seemed ready.

...............................................................

Hopefully this will help some of you guys with your figures. You don't always need to buy the best resin figures to get the results you want. Sometimes you just need to give them old plastic ones some attention and my hope is that you guys will pick up some of these tricks and give it a go.

Now I just need to paint these figures up and see how they turn out. The added work should really bring them to life.

Thanks for reading this and if you have anything to point out that I missed or need to better clarify go ahead and drop in a comment. I'm no expert, but I do know a few things lol.

Comments and critiques are appreciated. I do like to know when I've got something wrong and if there is something I should add here (besides painted and finished figures)  let me know, PLEASE.

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, September 6, 2015 3:49 PM
Some nice work there Mike. I still have some of the very early Tamiya German figure sets as I think they still have there use's. I have only started converting figures recently but its really nice to be able to get the figures to match the dio rather than the other way round. There is a book published by Squadron and written by Bill Chilstrom called Converting and Detailing Plastic Figures, which I have found very useful.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Sunday, September 6, 2015 3:53 PM

I'll have to see if I can get a copy of that book, Bish. I can always use more information!

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, September 6, 2015 3:59 PM
I was put onto the book by Hans von hammer who unfortunately has not been on for a while. But he is big into this sort of thing.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Sunday, September 6, 2015 4:20 PM

If I could get more tricks and tips for this stuff I'd be happy. Too bad he's not around, but maybe he'll show up eventually and I can perhaps learn some new stuff.  :)

I'm still trying to figure out why most of us are so afraid to get into serious figure painting. Its all the same bag of tricks we already use on other subjects. But I thought if I can help show people that it's not as challenging as people seem to think it is, then I'm doing us all a service lol.

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Sunday, September 6, 2015 4:25 PM

Hello!

I'm with you and Hans von Hammer, recently also known as Sgt Rock Fury - those Tamiya figs can be suprisingly good after some sanding, and most of the time the price is unbeatable. In some cases though, they just beg for resin heads - the faces are hard to save. My results with plastic figures can be seen here (scroll a little for the Command Figures set):

http://www.vietnam.net.pl/M55mod2en.htm

and here (some more resin and less Tamiya):

http://www.vietnam.net.pl/M42mod6pl.htm

Good luck with your builds and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, September 6, 2015 4:27 PM

M. Brindos

If I could get more tricks and tips for this stuff I'd be happy. Too bad he's not around, but maybe he'll show up eventually and I can perhaps learn some new stuff.  :)

I'm still trying to figure out why most of us are so afraid to get into serious figure painting. Its all the same bag of tricks we already use on other subjects. But I thought if I can help show people that it's not as challenging as people seem to think it is, then I'm doing us all a service lol.

 

I have been doing figures for years, but then when you do dio's, figures are pretty important. I think one of the things that might put people off figures is the skin. I struggled with it for ages, in fact it was only last year that I started to get a grip on it. I still have a long way to go, especially when it comes to converting figures. Some of the stuff in that and otehr books i have seen is amazing, with people making limbs and even complete figures from putty.

Thanks for posting this, everything like this will help.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Sunday, September 6, 2015 4:31 PM
Pawel, I know what you mean about heads. I do need to get myself some nice resin ones. Some nice work on those figures, I really like how you have blended in the Miliput on the figure with the jerry can.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Sunday, September 6, 2015 4:36 PM

That is some very nice custom work Pawel. I love how you make your figures fit into your subject the way you do. :D

I haven't gone quite that far into modifying my figures yet (mostly arms and heads so far), but something tells me I'll get there eventually lol.

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Sunday, September 6, 2015 5:26 PM

Nice work everyone- I have a LONG ways to go.

Yes, I just bought a couple of the old Tamiya Walker bulldogs, the figures are really good.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Sunday, September 6, 2015 5:44 PM

You don't have all that far to go, G. Your figures have been well represented. You just need to step out of the box and try some more experimenting. When you start to see figures like you do your armor builds it starts getting interesting.  :D

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    August 2015
  • From: the redlands Fl
Posted by crown r n7 on Sunday, September 6, 2015 11:48 PM

nice job 

 

 

 Nick.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Monday, September 7, 2015 8:09 AM

Thanks for the thread Mike, I use the older Tamiya figures sometimes but haven't really tried improving them other than swaping arms and other parts around to get different poses. Going to have to give these a whirl considering the weakest part of the figures is probably the 'soft' detailing. 

Pawel: Those are really cool, I haven't actually had the guts to make modifications that extensive yet. 

And yeah, resin heads from someone like Hornet are a massive improvement, esp to figures like the older Tamiya ones, not so much with Dragon or MiniArt. 

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, September 7, 2015 12:41 PM

Thank you, crown. It could be much better if I had a third arm to hold the camera lol.

 

Good Morning Gamera. I started using these tricks on the MiniArt figs because they come pretty close to resin figures for detail level. They're just not as crisp and these tricks really help them out. I have a set of German heads from Alpine and they are exquisite.

But these older Tamiya figs are really soft on the details and it can take a lot of time at the bench to get these results. I think its time worth spending because figures always bring a sense of life and action to the builds. We just naturally relate to things in scale when they are present.

The hard part is painting the faces lol. Painting an emotion on a 1/35 figure is a royal PITA but totally worth it if you can get it right, as you well know.

Examples;

Cocky/Playful:

Serious/Intense:

Tired/Miserable:

These are the best examples I can provide with my skill. I'm still working on improving in this area as I see far less people attempting to get such results and I really do find it challenging.

We'll see what I can do with these M-48 figures, even though they won't be used with the build. Some of you guys know I have stand-ins for test fitting pieces as I build. These guys will just add to the collection. More to the point I think they will just look cool when painted and I can use more practice anyways.

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    August 2015
  • From: the redlands Fl
Posted by crown r n7 on Monday, September 7, 2015 1:49 PM

I see what you mean. Those guys look awesome!

 

 

 Nick.

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, September 7, 2015 2:12 PM

Thank you, crown! :)

That means a lot to me. Thank you very much. :D

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Monday, September 7, 2015 2:16 PM

Hello!

Thanks a lot guys, I'm glad you like it.

I'd say anybody who is afraid to break something should give those Tamiya figs a try - even if you do break something it isn't much of a loss - they can be cheaply bought and easily replaced, and each "broken" fig is an instant supply of spare parts. Win-win!

Good luck with your projects and have a nice day!

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, September 7, 2015 2:31 PM

I completely agree with you Pawel. Tamiya figs are very forgiving and easy to work with. But even more forgiving are these MiniArt figures. The plastic is softer and more easily manipulated. Dragon's figures are a close second to those and I'd say Tamiya figs are easily in third place.

And I bow to your ability to customize your figures with such skill. There is an art to what you have accomplished.  :)

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Monday, September 7, 2015 3:03 PM

Great advice and techniques here!

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Monday, September 7, 2015 3:19 PM

Thank you Stik! I know it's not as inclusive as it should be. I think there is a lot more I can add to make it more understandable by novice figure builders. But I lack the technology to get the images I would need to convey my thoughts into reality.

I need a dedicated photo booth and a camera operator lol.

But for those of us who have the basics down already this advice should help them get their skills to the next level without the guesswork.

Feel free to add to it in any way you deem necessary. :)

I invite everyone to do so.  :)

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Monday, September 7, 2015 3:52 PM

Love those Mike! I can do a decent job on faces sometimes but have big problems doing it on a consistant basis- well I can always paint over them at least! 

Hope you don't mind but a few I've done. The three figures on this Korean War Jeep are Frankenstein's Monsters assembled from the figure that came with the Jeep, MiniArt Second World War figures, assorted Tamiya parts, and the only legs I could find to fit for the guy riding shotgun were from an old Tamiya Kubelwagen so I modified the pants to a more G.I. style. Shotgun guy also got a Hornet 'East Asian' head as I intended him to be a South Korean interpreter. Looking at the driver now I think I could have used your technique of cutting under the collar etc to add a lot more defination. 

MiniArt figures where I replaced the heads with Hornet 'African' heads for troops of the 761st Tank Battalion, the first of several segregated black tank units to see service with the US Army in the Second World War. The lighting made everything shiny for some reason, guess I should dig the kit out and hit her with more matte varnish. 

And just for the halibut a 90mm pewter cowgirl I did a few years back, guess her pants are a little non-PC now (sigh)...

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Monday, September 7, 2015 4:58 PM

Mike - thanks a lot, and I appreciate it! My goals were to fit the figs to the model, so that they don't look "floating", and at the same time to avoid seeing "the same guy" on every model I do - there aren't this many Vietnam War figs around. Congratulations on your figures!

Gamera - so you're already into modifying figs! You're doing great! I especially like the tanker boys. When you say faces are tough, girl's faces are a lot tougher still, IMO.

As for painting those faces I'd like to mention two things, maybe thay can help somebody.

First would be to avoid pure black and white on the face, especially the eyes. If you use dark grey and light grey instead, it's easier to avoid that "horror stare" on the figs, and the face looks better IMO.

Second thing, that was suggested to me by ajlafleche, was to only paint the lower lip, and rather use dark brown than some pink/red hue here - helps to avoid that "lipstick" look.

I hope this helps somebody, thanks for reading and have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Monday, September 7, 2015 9:42 PM

Also either only paint the "white" on one side of the eye, or make the degree of each side off balance. Otherwise he's really staring at Gamera's figurine. Those chaps not PC? I think they are right where they belong...

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 12:22 PM

Oh yeah, you guys are good alright. :D

I slopped some skin base on my figs yesterday. I like the way that Testors Flat Tan looks as a mid tone to work from. Plus the enamel sticks like glue and I can safely layer my washes and highlights without worrying about lifting the base cote from the figure.

Nice figures guys! Gamera, that is some really fantastic work there. Of course I don't mind if you show it lol.

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    August 2015
  • From: the redlands Fl
Posted by crown r n7 on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 1:12 PM

ok so it begins Yes

 

 

 Nick.

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 9:52 PM

I slopped some Vallejo dark brown wash on them next, gave them a mild scrub to get rid of the areas that built up too much, filled in some whites for the eyes, redid the blocking so I don't have skin tones on my shirt collars, and then cleared it all.

From this point I will pen-in some pupils and shape the eyes, start layering in my highlights, and we'll see what happens from there.

 

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 7:36 AM

Hey thanks guys! 

Mike: Those are coming right along! 

Pawel: Well, these were modified by just swapping parts around. I still haven't tried using a wire armature and sculpting new parts around it to get the exact pose I want. 

I've been using ivory for the 'white's of the eyes, a sorta 'dirty' off-white. It might still be a little too bright. I haven't tried a grey yet. And straight black for the pupils and irises, so a dark grey would work better? For lips I've been using a dark plum sorta of red on the lower lips, I'm going to have to try a more brownish red.  

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 11:28 AM

Today was the first day of school for my kids so I didn't get anything done yet. I usually like to add a touch of pink or brown to my whites so they are not so bright. The camera always shows them to be much brighter than they are. But I have a tip for the pupils you guys may like.  :)

I use a dried out Pigma .01 artists pen for a brush. I mix my eye color and simply dip the pen in the paint and "dot" the eyes in. I have a .02 for larger pupils depending on the figure and how much of the eye is showing.

I've found the best results have been to add a color in and then use the .01 to drop in the center. It's almost an invisible effect in 1/35 scale though and you are hard pressed to see it even with the naked eye. I will be experimenting with higher contrast and see if I can get the effect to pop out better.

Using the dried out .01 pen is easier to use then a typical toothpick because the tip is designed to hold ink. Lining up where you want your pupils then becomes the hardest part lol.

Give that a try my friends. You'll probably find it easier as I have.  ;)

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Tumwater, WA.
Posted by M. Brindos on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 7:08 PM

- Mike Brindos "Lost Boy"

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 7:16 PM

Looks very good Mike! I've tried the Micron pens for eyes but never thought to use a dried out one for a brush, think I have a few of those somewhere around!

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

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