This is an article written by Forum member Rex Hurley, which originally appeared on the Baccus site (https://www.baccus6mm.com/includes/howto/buildings/paintingbuildings.php (https://www.baccus6mm.com/includes/howto/buildings/paintingbuildings.php)). Rex kindly offered it to us as well, as the methods used will work just as well on 10mm buildings.
How to Paint Buildings - by Rex Hurley
I chose to write this article as I had some lovely Timecast micro and other larger scale buildings awaiting the paintbrush and realised that regardless of how many of the manufacturers sites you visit, that while there are lots of lovely pictures, there usually isn't any 'How to's. So I decided to put pen to paper!
In this article I outline the steps to take an idea from concept to finish and all the steps are equally relevant regardless of the scale you are in working. I always use Vallejo acrylics for all my work but comparable paints such as GW, Cote de Arms should work equally as well.
The Project
For this particular project, I wanted to create a small farmyard to compliment my 6mm Napoleons Battles Project which had a variety of Timecast buildings in it, with a road going past that could also be used in other era's such as WWII and Modern.
To achieve this I began by thinking up a whole lot of ideas and laying them out. When I was satisfied I had selected my models, which included 1 part of 20E/L1 for the workers house, 1 part 20E/L2 for the owners house, the barn 20E/L4, a couple of haystacks 37/001, a couple of wheels from a French Limber set, a set of fences 37/007, a couple of Heki trees and a 150mm x 150mm 2mm MDF base,
Step 1
As with all painting having a well lit comfortable painting area is essential. However a solar powered figure crushing cat isn't!!
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5027/5647932380_41c512311b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647932380/)
Step 2
Again as with all painting prep is essential. For these buildings some say washing is useful to remove dust, I don't do that. Rather, I dust the models off by running a large frayed brush over them, removing all excess dust from the models in doing so.
Step 3
I then follow this with a good spray of Games Workshop Chaos Black straight from the can. You can of course use Car Primer or other types of spray but I prefer the GW paint as the nozzle is specifically designed with a finer nozzle which creates a better mist and cover than normal car spray cans.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5141/5647933736_85df7887f3.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647933736/)
Step 4
Select the colours you want to use then start building up the layers of colour. Always remember that all base coats should be a darker complimentary colour of the final result and that, being smaller, you have to be bold with your colour selections to get the highlights visible at gaming distance. The black also adds to the depth.
In this case I was looking for traditional white washed buildings with terracotta/orangey coloured roof tiles, and light reflecting off the windows. So my base colours were:
- For whitewash, 869 Basalt Grey
- For the roof, 818 Red Leather
- For the windows, 841 Andrea Blue
- For the grass base, 850 Medium Olive
- For the haystacks, 921 English Uniform
- For the doors, wheels and fences, 984 Flat Brown
I applied this using one of my favourite gnarly old brushes, which is worn down to the nub, and is perfect for work like this where you have tight spaces and require a rubbing motion to get the results.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5310/5647934440_8125b80833.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647934440/)
Apply the paint by getting a bit on the end of the brush then rubbing it on a piece of paper or similar (I use my paint board as you might be able to tell!) to get slightly more than drybrushing but not too much. Then rub it on to the surface of the building, letting the natural style of the paint, the black undercoat and the raised building moulding to generate the results. Don't fill in all the gaps, let the black come through a bit and don't worry about being overly accurate as we will tidy up any overlap later on in the process.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5309/5647371633_c84a9c345e.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647371633/)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5022/5647937578_710a8b56f6.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647937578/)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5221/5647940292_8f2d65e9ff.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647940292/)
Step 5
After the base coat is dry use the same technique for the next top coat but apply it to a smaller area than last time allowing the base coat to show on the edges thus giving your model the depth of colour. Remember your top coats need to compliment the colour palette that you started with. In this case my top coats were:
- For whitewash, 70951 White
- For the roof, 70929 Light Brown
- For the windows, 844 Deep Sky Blue
- For the haystacks, 978 Dark Yellow
- For the doors, wheels and fences , a repeat of the 984 Flat Brown
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/5647377277_4c64f25d41.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647377277/)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5310/5647944074_8a757e9f00.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647944074/)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5181/5647381705_9ac9eee387.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647381705/)
Sometimes with white you may have to do another touch up, just to give it some zing. I did, but that is personal taste as to what you want.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/5647948026_6c650c464b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647948026/)
Step 6
Now clean up all the overlaps and edges with the right colours and any trimmings such as the black wooden battens on these buildings, plus any small items such as hinges, door handles, lattice framing, etc.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5309/5647949852_d204be6de0.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647949852/)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5022/5647951452_01da1bd204.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647951452/)
Step 7
Now you have finished painting your items lay them out on your base board and glue in place. I use PVA for this and leave it overnight.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5310/5647955812_ef7e8acfb7.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647955812/)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5186/5647961178_af065fc012.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647961178/)
Step 8
Apply sand or your preferred basing material to the base and let dry. For myself I use fine bird cage sand from the petshop which is clean, cheap and easy to use.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5068/5647966280_d846d51408.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647966280/)
Step 9
Apply static grass and, hey presto, you're done!!
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5149/5647407147_6af715f4e0.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647407147/)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5301/5647412613_4173b4d5d3.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647412613/)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5647417787_1266b44b05.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647417787/)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/5647989370_22e0e8efe7.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647989370/)
And a teaser of other ideas that are possible, only your imagination limits what can be done!
Cheers, Rex.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5647431111_e260482c98.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pendraken/5647431111/)
Useful links:
Vallejo Paints - http://www.pendraken.co.uk/Vallejo-Paints-c27/ (http://www.pendraken.co.uk/Vallejo-Paints-c27/)
Basing Materials - http://www.pendraken.co.uk/Basing-Materials-c29/ (http://www.pendraken.co.uk/Basing-Materials-c29/)
Timecast - http://www.timecastmodels.co.uk/ (http://www.timecastmodels.co.uk/)
8)
Very interesting! Thank you Leon to share this with us!
That's a fine tutorial, Leon, and the result looks great.
However, I have one nit to pick.
Quote from: Leon on 24 April 2011, 01:37:09 AMAs with all painting having a well lit comfortable painting area is essential.
One really shouldn't leave one's paint out in a sunny spot. Better put everything in a drawer under the desk or on a side-table that's permanently in the shade.
I learned this the hard way. 8)
Cheers,
Aart
Quote from: Arsenus on 24 April 2011, 07:41:30 AM
Very interesting! Thank you Leon to share this with us!
Thanks to Rex Hurley!
Quote from: Aart Brouwer on 24 April 2011, 11:13:44 AM
One really shouldn't leave one's paint out in a sunny spot. Better put everything in a drawer under the desk or on a side-table that's permanently in the shade.
Thanks for that, good tip!
Thank you for this tutorial :)
I usually use 6mm figures with 10mm figures anyway - it just seems to work, so that's a great tutorial for me. Also, thanks for the tip about sunlight.
DP
That kitty looks cute. (It's a pretty building as well, don't get me wrong!)
Nice tutorial Leon. I think we can all learn something from this.
Quote from: wargamesbob on 07 September 2011, 09:00:58 PM
Nice tutorial Leon. I think we can all learn something from this.
No worries, all credit to Rex Hurley! 8)
That's one great tutorial! Thanks Rex and Leon!
fab...Can you...come and paint my house....
Nice to see that up on the forum.
Nice article, very inspirational!
Thanks Leon and Rex,
Now to get to work on my load of 15mm buildings I picked up at 'Colours", well after I get some paint on my new 10mm Pendraken Austrians that is. First things first! :D
Thanks!!!!! >:< >:< >:<
Very good tutorial - helpful and inspirational
One trick I was taught about weathering buildings - particularly in the age before concrete and tarmac roads is to go with 'splash up' zone.
When rain hits the ground around a building it naturally spatters mud up onto the build to a height of c 30-40 cm. Equally in a hot dusty climate you end up with dust kicked-up onto the building. So worth considering adding a weathering feature to your buildings as this helps them not look like they are a new build.
Similarly - unless you are a civilised (Roman or Chinese) ancient area - most buildings don't have gutters - rain is shed from the roof directly onto the ground - this also applies today to thatched buildings (I once lived in one and the rain drain off can seriously ruin flower beds or lawns). So you might want to consider a drainage line around building on the ground directly under the eaves where the water has turned the ground to mud. It's little effects like that which can hugely improve the realism of the final model.
NB: I have even used 2mm static grass in patches on a thatched roof to depict moss - particularly in the shadow behind a chimney or in a roof gully.
Cheers
Mark