painting a wash

There are some people who prime wargame scale figures in black but most of us prime in a light color, gray, white, or tan then start applying base colors. With Andrea/Vallejo paints, you would thin them about this consistency to apply the base colors and build up until  you get the depth of color you need.

For a good acrylic tutorial, go to www.acrylicosvallejo.com, choose English then Model color from the drop down menu and scroll to the bottom of the page. You can download and save this.

What type paint are you using?

 

Normally I lay the base colors in first then work from highlights to shadows.  The reason is its easier to cover lighter colors with darker ones, except for faces and skin, I work in reverse for those with shadows first then highlights.  Dont know why, just seems to work better for me that way.  The mix of 2 to 1 is still a little heavy for a wash but should suffice for laying a base coat (1:1 works also depending on the paint your using as pigment consistency varies between manufacturers).  For a wash generally I go with a 8:1 or 10:1 mix.  Glazing a little higher, like 15:1 or something like that.  Hope this helps.  The numbers above are just some general ratios I use, its more of a feel thing that you develop with time and practice.  Oh yeah...priming is a great way to control tones, as you probably already know.  White is going to make your colors a little more brilliant, grey a little more neutral, black will give them a earthier tone.

I am using the Andrea Miniatures paints now but I have a new kit arriving - Verlinden Waist Gunner Down! and I want to get new paints for it.  I am hoping it will have instructions.

The best paint to use I have heard is the vallejo - that's right eh? (Canadian - can't help myself)

I thought I would start with the wash and work my way up to the final details.

The info I get from the members is fantastic!  I love this forum!

 

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Verlinden's figure instructions are the finished kit on the box top. There are no paint color references whatsoever. I've never even seen any assembly instructions.

I've been using Andrea/Vallejo more and more over the last couple years. Make sure you read the article/tutorial at http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com under model color inthe drop down menu. That will give you much better results than my first attempts right from the bottle.

Verlinden? Instructions? Ha! Their motto is "You don't need no steeenking instructions!". They only supply a basic sheet or two with their kits, but, as ajlafleche said, the picture of the finished model on the box top is all you get with the figure kits. This is a book I'd recomend, Osprey Publication's  US Army Air Force (1) (Elite)

 There are some other excellent books out there as well. I have one called Gear Up! Flight Clothing & Equipment of USAAF Airmen in WWII that has lots of great pictures, including color pics of various clothes and equipment.

You can find both at Amazon.

Well, I just received the kit yesterday.  It was in a small box and had many MANY pieces and a little sheet of instructions on how to put together.  It looks a little daunting since I am used to Andrea Miniatures.

I will get started this weekend but first I will read the online article and track down the books you mentioned - we have a hobby shop here with tons of Osprey books.

Wish me luck!  I will post pictures as I go along so maybe you could give me some pointers.

Stacey