DA.C - View Single Post - How I paint figures.(easy and simple with gauranteed results

JohnReid · 03-17-2008, 07:05 PM

First and foremost it is all about having the right tools to work with,the skills you can develop with time.
My experience has been that most modelers use the stuff they see in the hobby shops for their figure painting.First mistake! or they go to craft stores which is almost as bad.
Think artists quality here.It may be a little more expensive up front but cheaper in the long run.Remember our goal here is to give ourselves the best shot at this as we can.You want the best paint,the best brushes and quality figures to paint.In our case the best paint is really not the most expensive.The brushes are expensive but some of mine I have had since the beginning.Learn how to care for them and they will last you a lifetime.Don't buy cheap figures.Try to find the most realistic looking that you can buy.
I have had only limited experience in the different scales ,having only worked in extreme opposites of 1/72 and 1/16th. I would recommend that you start with the larger scales for good detail and practicing your techniques.When I started painting it was raptors or birds of prey usually in 1:1 scale.Large birds but with minute feather detail ,so I got lots of practice on both ends of the scale.
You don't need a lot of different subjects to learn painting.I used to paint the same bird over and over, using castings.Sometimes this was hard to do because I thought what I had done was not too bad.It is also nice sometimes to keep a record of where you have been.
When I started figure painting they were mostly the Tamiya 1/16th scale figures that you find in most hobby stores.They are not too expensive and usually have lots of good detail.They require a little clean up here and there deburring and filling in the odd hole but nothing serious.The pieces usually fit together very well , the seams soak up the super thin glue with a minimum of hassle with very little sanding required.The more expensive resin casting can be left for later as our skills improve.
Today there really is little difference in the quality of detail between plastic and resin.
to be cont.......

03-17-2008, 07:05 PM	#3
JohnReid JohnReid Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Montreal,Canada Age: 67 Posts: 197	Re: How I paint figures.(easy and simple with gauranteed results First and foremost it is all about having the right tools to work with,the skills you can develop with time. My experience has been that most modelers use the stuff they see in the hobby shops for their figure painting.First mistake! or they go to craft stores which is almost as bad. Think artists quality here.It may be a little more expensive up front but cheaper in the long run.Remember our goal here is to give ourselves the best shot at this as we can.You want the best paint,the best brushes and quality figures to paint.In our case the best paint is really not the most expensive.The brushes are expensive but some of mine I have had since the beginning.Learn how to care for them and they will last you a lifetime.Don't buy cheap figures.Try to find the most realistic looking that you can buy. I have had only limited experience in the different scales ,having only worked in extreme opposites of 1/72 and 1/16th. I would recommend that you start with the larger scales for good detail and practicing your techniques.When I started painting it was raptors or birds of prey usually in 1:1 scale.Large birds but with minute feather detail ,so I got lots of practice on both ends of the scale. You don't need a lot of different subjects to learn painting.I used to paint the same bird over and over, using castings.Sometimes this was hard to do because I thought what I had done was not too bad.It is also nice sometimes to keep a record of where you have been. When I started figure painting they were mostly the Tamiya 1/16th scale figures that you find in most hobby stores.They are not too expensive and usually have lots of good detail.They require a little clean up here and there deburring and filling in the odd hole but nothing serious.The pieces usually fit together very well , the seams soak up the super thin glue with a minimum of hassle with very little sanding required.The more expensive resin casting can be left for later as our skills improve. Today there really is little difference in the quality of detail between plastic and resin. to be cont.......