Oil paint figure formula

Titanium white and burnt sienna. Mix these to match your skin (assuming you're caucasian). Add more burnt sienna for shadows and more white for highlights. I've seen recipes with 5-6 colors but have had great success (multiple awards from local to national level) with this recipe. Using only two colors also makes the inevitable touch-up repair a lot easier, too. You'll get to the shade you want very quickly with fewer variables.

Hi, I'm normally not a figuremodeler, but my wife gave me a figure from Pili-Pili.
It depicts a Native American warrior, what's the mixture for that ?

Thanks Ajlafleche,

That sounds like a good one and the simpler the better at the moment sounds great to me.

I'll give it a go and see how it comes out.

QUOTE: Originally posted by DanCooper Hi, I'm normally not a figuremodeler, but my wife gave me a figure from Pili-Pili. It depicts a Native American warrior, what's the mixture for that ?

I've done several using the same formula with a bit more burnt sienna for the base. The skin color on the first people is not that much darker than a well tanned caucasian. I read recently that the appelation "redskin" may have had more to do with the common practice of painting themselves with red paint. Here's a link to some great artwork featuring primarily members of the woodland tribes of the northeast: http://www.oldgloryprints.com/griffing.htm

Thanks Al, "First People", is that how you call them ? It's the first time I hear this expression.
You figure-modellers make it look so easy, but I'm sure I'm going to have a tough time making this figure even only half-decent

After reading the suggestion from ajlafleche, I will have to try this in the future. I have also taken a few awards in the figures catagory, but I have been using a mix of burnt sienna, raw umber, and cadmium yellow for the shadows, then cadmium yellow and titanium white for highlights. Thanks for the tip.

Well, guys, my mix is that. Yellow Ochre at first, then a little bit of Burnt Sienna and Titanium White to balance the whole. For the shadows I use Burnt Umber and for the deep shadows Raw Umber. For the highlights I use Titanium White and occasionally Naples Yellow Deep. For the grey effect on faces I use Paynes Grey and for the lips Alizarin Crimson with a lot of White.

QUOTE: Originally posted by DanCooper Thanks Al, "First People", is that how you call them ? It's the first time I hear this expression. You figure-modellers make it look so easy, but I'm sure I'm going to have a tough time making this figure even only half-decent

It just sounds easy. We just have to keep learning. I've been playing with this part of the hobby since the late 70's and I'm still learning.

As the the term "First People", I have seen and heard that used. Some folks are offended by the term Indian since it is by nature a misnomer, based on the Columbus' mistaken belief he had reached India. Native American, in my mind is also improper useage, since, be definition, anyone born in a country is a native of that country. I also like the term aboriginal, but that often has a conotationof the original inhabitants of Australia.

I have to agree with ajlafleche. I have also won awards at the national level using this same formula. It's simple and one can easily add a few lighter or darker colours to this basic mix to add variety. You just need to remember your colour theory.

For the Native warriors, I think the only point I'd like to add would be to caution people from using too bright a colour for "war paint" on the figure. Native warriors would only have access to pigments that occur naturally. Red as an example, would appear to be a more subddued, reddish brown or orange, which would be arrived at by crushing different plants or minerals to obtain the pigment. More "modern" hues like bright yellows, scarlet and greens would have been difficult to make.

If you'd like, I posted a thread on here entitled "Cheyenne Warrior" just a few posts below this one, that has some pictures of this paint formula in action. Good luck and be sure to share the results!