The long awaited figure tutorial

T-rex wrote:

I hear to never use acrylics on figures because it too thick and doesn't achieve the skin look and enermals are better, is this true? cause all i got is tamiya acrylics.

 I'm just starting in 1/35 figures and by no means as accomplished as some of the others who have posted, but generally I use oils for the face(Blending) and Vallejo acrylics for everything else. They dry a lot faster and as long as you thin them they cover excellent,IMHO. They're not as durable as enamels, but unless you plan on juggling your completed figures acrylics should work fine for you.

T-rex wrote:

I hear to never use acrylics on figures because it too thick and doesn't achieve the skin look and enermals are better, is this true? cause all i got is tamiya acrylics.

Se the posts from Dupes and me, as well as Hermes regarding Tamiya vs. Vallejo/Andrea. This 200mm bust was painted almost entirely in Vallejo and Andrea acrylics. Acrylic Citadel brass for the buttons, an oil wash in the hair and Humbrol gold on the shoulder boards.

Finally, a figure painting tutorial, just what i need, with all the kits bougth and dio's waiting to be done, I need to know how to paint figures, it been a skill that i haven't still master.

I hear to never use acrylics on figures because it too thick and doesn't achieve the skin look and enermals are better, is this true? cause all i got is tamiya acrylics.

The Vallejo colors aren't entirely inaccurate, there are just a few that are slightly off. Many of them are made to go in threes, with a base, shadow, and highlight, and don't look good by themselves. Later in the tutorial I'll teach you about filters and how to change the tone of a color after you've applied it.

Dupes - you'll still be best off with Vallejo, nobody else is any more accurate. You just need to ask around, because you wouldn't know that 'US Uniform' is actually the Vietnam-era color and not appropriate for WWII. Nobody should worry too much about getting spot-on color shades - temperature and tone of the real uniforms would vary with production batch, wear, and dirt.

Hermesminiatures wrote:

Hmm...are you totally monochromatic, or do you just have problems with red-green or blue-yellow? I could see that being a problem...

Actually, blue and yellow are the "good" colors for me...hence the corresponding bike scheme. Heh. Red/green/brown tend to be a pretty confused mush. Don't have a copy of my army medical records anywhere close, so no official diagnosis, but i seem to remember failing all of the color tests pretty badly.

Hermesminiatures wrote:

If you do end up having to use off the shelf colors, I'd suggest that you ask around for the best colors to use for a particular project...Vallejo's colors aren't exactly what you'd expect. For example, WWII US Uniform is a bright apple green, not the olive shade it should be

That could certainly be a problem. Do you have any recommendations for a figure-paintable brand that might have more accurate colors?

Hermesminiatures wrote:

I personally find many of Vallejo's uniform colors atrocious and usually mix my own - just so you don't think I'm sitting over here with a collection of every single bottle of Vallejo paint, I only use about 10 colors very frequently.

Would it be at all possible to indicate what mixes you use for something like US unform colour please?

This would be a great help.

Cheers

Mike 

Hmm...are you totally monochromatic, or do you just have problems with red-green or blue-yellow? I could see that being a problem...but it depends on the type of colorblindness you have. If it's the most common type where you have problems with green looking red or black in poor light, you could probably still mix your own as long as you use really good light.

If you do end up having to use off the shelf colors, I'd suggest that you ask around for the best colors to use for a particular project...Vallejo's colors aren't exactly what you'd expect. For example, WWII US Uniform is a bright apple green, not the olive shade it should be

Glad you brought up those Panzer Aces/Colors lines...meant to ask you about the quality and appropriateness of both of those. Any thoughts?

I fear that with my inherent colorblindness, mixing up the proper colors for things I want to paint accurately might be a problem. Actually looking at the 72 bottle "Military Colors" set as a possibility...it's a TAD pricey, though.

Yeah, the numbering can bet a little confusing. However I have been using the color name as well, which is pretty standard and which most retailers should provide.

Here's a chart with both numbers and the color name:

http://www.ttfxmedia.com/vallejo/cgi-bin/_modelis_carta.asp?p1=ing&p2=modelcolor

Also, Panzer Aces, Panzer Colors, etc. are special lines with slightly different formulation. Not that you can't use them for figures, but they aren't technically Model Color. I personally find many of Vallejo's uniform colors atrocious and usually mix my own - just so you don't think I'm sitting over here with a collection of every single bottle of Vallejo paint, I only use about 10 colors very frequently.

When you get metallics, get either Model Master metallizers or the Vallejo alcholo-based metals. The normal Vallejo metallics are rather pearly and have an annoying and unrealistic sparkle.

I had some questions for Hermes regarding the Vallejo paint, but with a bit of research I answered them myself...I think.

Vallejo refers to their Model Color paints with two different numbering systems, a "ref" (assuming "reference") and "proc" (assuming I have no idea) number. It appears from what Hermes is calling them that the "proc" number - which runs from 1 to 216 - is what's on the side of the bottle. However, many retailers index them by the other "ref" number, which runs from 800-999, plus all of the other medium-type products. 

Then, of course, you have the "Panzer Aces" specific colors, which use a completely different numbering system altogether...althoug it appears that some (many?) of the colors overlap. Will be doing more research in that department, as they come in sets of 8 (amongst others) that may save some of us a few bucks.

I think I'm done now.

Heheheheh...I'll withhold any and all comments about your cycling if it means you'll keep cranking out the figure toot.

15 and 25, eh? Not too shabby.

Ha ha. Patience, people

I have started writing part 3, but I did some biking over the weekend so I didn't finish it then.

Of course dupes will laugh at my being stiff after only 15 miles on Saturday and 25 today, but be that as it may I'll be relaxing for a few evenings now, and should get part 3 finished soon

Hermesminiatures wrote:

Reserved for part 3

push push push  

THANK YOU!!!!!!! 

this is going to bee soooooooooooooooooooo helpfull to me! my old figs are well... you just don't wona go there just no no I won't go there just... just no no.

Thanks! That's what I was hoping.

And a super-prompt reply, to boot.

No, that's all the base colors...no shading yet. The purpose of shading is to enhance the natual shadows and highlights, so it will look like that, only more prominent.

Hermes - part II question.

In between the "finishing the eyes" pic and the "painting all the other colors" pic, have you used anything OTHER than the base colors? I'm just trying to figure out if the shadows/highlights I'm seeing are just due to the lighting, or if you've already done any shading/highlighting with other colors.

Thanks man!

Mr. Lafleche - I know exactly what you're talking about with paint lifting when brush-painting with the Tamiya stuff...

Hermes - I don't even know what "glazing" means, but am ready to learn! Looks like I'll be placing an order from Ausfwerks for another line of paint right after the holiday...

AAAHHHH........Hermes!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Hermesminiatures wrote:

It is pricey at around $3.25 for a 17ml bottle, but its quality is worth it.

Given the small amount needed to get good coverage and the shelf life, it is not that expenssive. I have some that's nearly 10 years old and it works fine. The eye dropper bottle keeps the paint fresher than any screw on top. I've never had the caps get locked on with dry paint, either, requiring a botle of good paint to be tossed or have the bottle break while trying to remove the cap. (I hate when that happens!)

dupes wrote:

Is it possible to do this with Tamiya acrylics? Or is the Vallejo quality that much better? Finally, is it Vallejo "Model Color" I'm looking for?

As Hermes said, Vallejo Model Color (Andrea is just about identical, but doesn't have quite the color range)

To give you an idea of the difference between the two, last night I laid down maybe seven  highlighting and shading layers on a sky blue greatcoat (US Cvaly ca. 1870's) in about 45 minutes. There is never any lifting as happens when a fresh brush load of paint touches the previously applied Tamiya. I thin my piant with distilled water and never have it dry up as was happening before I stopped using Tamiya in the early 90's.

Thanks guys, I hope you will find this tutorial useful!

mark983 - Warriors has started making 1/48 figures, which are pretty good, and Verlinden's 1/48 line is better than most plastic. 1/48 requires slightly different techniques, which I'll outline seperately when we get to painting.

dupes - I use BSI superglues, they are the best IMO.

You can't use Tamiya. It will dry on your brush too quickly, and since it's alcohol-based, trying to glaze with such a paint would be like brushing liquid glue over your just-finished uniform colors

Vallejo Model Color is what you want. I should have mentioned that; Vallejo Air is for, well, airbrushing

Ahhhhh, Hermes. Thank you sir! I know I've been bugging you about this every chance I get...and I'm glad it payed off! Me and my pile of unbuilt-unpainted figs are eagerly awaiting the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th installments...

Couple of questions (already):

What brand of superglue do you use? 

Is it possible to do this with Tamiya acrylics? Or is the Vallejo quality that much better?

Finally, is it Vallejo "Model Color" I'm looking for? 

 Herme, Your toot has come along just as I have got the courage to try figures seriously.

                                                                  Thanks!

Now that I am building some armor I see the need to add some figures to the vehicles.  I am eager to see this tutorial in its entirety.  So keep ‘em comin'.