Tips and Suggestions

Started by Avalon, 28 March 2012, 10:04:17 AM

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Avalon

I received a small batch of 'practice' 10mm figures (combination of WWII Paras and vehichles) to hone my skills on before I start on the main project.

Having not painted miniatures for 15 years everythings a little blured in the memory, not to mention the eyesight has started to go.

I've got the following things

Helping hands set up.
Selection of brushes (Revell premium) ranging from 5/0 for detail upto 2 for undercoat/base/washes
Paints (cant do much without them)
Cyno glue

I'm hoping to pick up some fine modelling clay for filling gaps in assembled equipment, and files for removing the flash and mould joint lines this weekend.

Any suggestions or tips for things that I've missed, and any options in regards to an alternative magnifying solution is much appreciated.

Luddite

28 March 2012, 10:40:31 AM #1 Last Edit: 28 March 2012, 10:43:54 AM by Luddite
Bases and basing material.

Pendraken do a good range i understand!

Lasercut MDF seems popular nowadays.

As for basing material, its will depend on your preference, but for 10mm you'll probably need some fine grain sand and fine flock.  Everyone has their own style so its a matter of figuring yours out.
I understand Games Workshop have recently released som 'textured paint' that provides a good, simple basing option (i'm not sure on this though - heard it through the grapevine).

Clippers, to go with your files and help out on the more stubborn chunks of flash, and much safer than crafting knives.  

I also find Pendraken figures are often on overlarge metal bases so i clip these off.  They aren't as bad as some companies, but on a decent batch i can often find myself clipping off enough lead to make another couple of figures!   ;D

Spray paint for undercoating.  The old debate is black or white, and that depends on your paint style.  I've always gone for black and i think in 10mm its the best option. 
That said, of late i've started using a sort of chocolate brown colour which i found at Halfords.  It gives a more 'natural' undertone i find, as most historical miniatures have a good coating of various shades of brown anyway!

Depending on your preferences for painting and varnishing, the 'Army Painter' system is popular, although in my opinion massively overpriced (there are cheaper alternate options - e.g. stained wood varnish).  Personally i don't like the finished look of this 'dipping' system but you may like it.

I'd reccommend picking up Games Workshop's 'Devlan Mud' inkwash.  'God wash' as its known.  Depends on your paint style of course but if base-caot & washes are your style Devlan Mud is the way to go.

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http://luddite1811.blogspot.co.uk/

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Chad

Avalon

I invested in one of the magnifying headsets from Front Rank. Not cheap, but I would be lost with out it.

Chad

Hertsblue

Cutting mat (always useful)

Scalpels or fine craft knives.

Batons, lolipop sticks or similar to mount figures on for painting.

Some form of palette to mix paints on.

Roll of kitchen towel to mop up any spillages.

:)
When you realise we're all mad, life makes a lot more sense.

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goat major

i'd echo clippers for cutting anything more than flash - i've had a scalpel blade snap on me and ping off my eyelid before- scarey!

I've been using optivisor style head magnifiers for some time - theyre very good. But i just picked up some strong reading glasses from the chemists for less than a tenner and they are equally good (and slightly less embarrasing!). I took a pendraken figure in to the shop to make sure they were the right strength

For primer you need to decide whether to go spray or painted route - then as mentioned above decide on black or white or another colour. I dont use spray primer on 10mm - it doesnt work well for me. For 10mms i always use humbrol matt black. Which means you need some thinners as well

Painting strips are a must and available at a very competitive price by pocketing them next time you go in starbucks/costa etc

For brush care i would recommend two products. Tamiya acrylic thinner is fantastic for making sure you get the paint out of your brushes - much better than water. I use it every half an hour or so to prevent paint drying into the bristles. The other amazing product is brush soap (get it from art shops) - use at the end of a session and it will keep your brushes pristine (it even gets out dried paint - not sure how!)

PVA glue - for basing or scenery work it is invaluable. Get some from a DIY shop rather than a model shop though

For super glue - may favourite is the loctite gel - much easier to apply than the normal type which floods your fingers with glue when least desired







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Avalon

Thanks for all the advice and tips, the figures I've got are from WGS, and are pretty clean in terms of flash etc, Just waiting for the Pendraken order to arrive (not expecting it much before Easter though especially with the move).

I hadnt thought about bases, but will add them to the list, though im not sure what size/shape to use, so will probably buy a selection to figure out what I like, same with the materials.

I have a craft knife & cutting pad already, though could do with some finer blades.

for the battons I'm using the wooden coffee stirrers that you get in places like Starbucks, Neros, and the company drinks room ( :d). For Pallettes I use old computer Magazine CD's, especially the silver coated ones.

I'll have a look at the head set magnifier/glasses along with a head torch/bench torch to give a bit more illumination when painting, as the area I hve set aside is great during the day but towards evening it gets a bit dull.

GW was on my list of visits this weekend so will look out for the god-wash, after modelzone to stock up on some vallejo desert/earthy paints, as well as other camo-colours.  

In regards to the Black/White primer/undercoat discussion, in the past I've found it depends on the colour schemes that im going to use over them, so generally go Black for darker colours, and Grey if the top coats are lighter (areas of flesh).   Eg, I'd probably go black for standard camo's, and Grey for the lighter desert colours.  

I'm not sure about the cyno the brand, I think its a generic fluid one.  I was setting up a row of infantry on a stick as a sample to work out the spacing when said flood occured.

Avalon

Heres my first couple of attempts at painting a couple of Bren Carriers,  I'd love to get feedback from some of the more experienced painters in regards to advice, and general comments.


Each model used Vallejo paints, the same prime (Mid-grey) and base coat (Middlestone, the only differences in the two are that one has 2 dry brush layers, the other only one, also the washes are different, one used Devlan mud, the other Gryphone Sepia.


FierceKitty

I don't drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee.

robert

I use plastic bottle tops - milk/coke etc to mount figures on whilst painting - you get a gripped edge to hold.  Glue on with a spot of copydex - when finished and dry the figure just peels off it.

Palettes - I use butter/margarine plastic lids.

Basing - I mix up some polyfilla type stuff and cover the base around and up to the figure base - to fully mask the lead base.  Provides a nice bit of weight to the figures.

When base filler is dry - paint earth brown, not forgetting the edge of the base, then flock/static grass/pebble etc onto a watered down mix of PVA.
That is the sort of bloody nonsense up with which I will not put - Winston Churchill

Ben Waterhouse

For me I mount the castings on the cork tops out of spirit bottles as they have a firm wider base usually plastic and a long cork; sort of like this...



and I just use blutack to hold them on

Duke Speedy of Leighton

Stirring stick from Costa Fortune or Starbucks!
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2016 Pendraken Painting Competion Participation Prize  (Lucky Dip Catagory) Winner

robert

I take your point Ben about the spirit bottle tops but to prepare 20 figures for painting you need to buy 20 bottles of booze :)
That is the sort of bloody nonsense up with which I will not put - Winston Churchill

Techno

Quote from: robert on 01 April 2012, 10:42:42 AM
I take your point Ben about the spirit bottle tops but to prepare 20 figures for painting you need to buy 20 bottles of booze :)

I think that's a wonderful excuse tho' !! ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil.

Ben Waterhouse

Quote from: robert on 01 April 2012, 10:42:42 AM
I take your point Ben about the spirit bottle tops but to prepare 20 figures for painting you need to buy 20 bottles of booze :)

He he he!

I can have around 50 troops ready for painting at any one time.....

8)