WEBSITE FIGURE PHOTOGRAPH'S - Please Vote!

[Leon]

We're looking for the best way to display the figures in the pictures on our website.  So have a look at the four methods in the pictures below and let us know which you prefer.

Top Left - Grey undercoat
Top Right - Bare metal
Bottom Left - White undercoat with Black wash
Bottom Right - Black undercoat

[lentulus]

The black wash really helps, but before you assume the most amount of painting, try it over the bare metal.

[nikharwood]

I've voted...but I'd agree with lentulus: a black ink wash straight to bare metal would be worth trying...

[Doug]

Grey undercoat

[goat major]

I think black ink wash on bare metal gives the best definition of detail in a photo. Empress Miniatures have been using this very effectively - e.g. the officers at the top of this page http://www.empressminiatures.com/page6.htm

I think the trick is to get the wash to lie dark in the detail but leave the exposed areas looking like bare metal so that you get a good contrast. I'm not sure whether an acrylic ink does this on bare metal easily (i've never tried it) or whether an enamel spirit wash would be better.

[Aart Brouwer]

I'm not sure whether an acrylic ink does this on bare metal easily (i've never tried it) or whether an enamel spirit wash would be better.

I have used a dark acrylic paint wash as a base on WWII Pendraken Germans and the result is fine. The trick is you need to wash, rinse and dry the models thoroughly (ten minutes in the oven at 150 Celcius) before you apply the ink wash with a tiny blob of PVA mixed in. Bring it on rather thickly, watch the ink settle in the recesses, then draw off the excess ink with a dry brush or the corner of a dry tissue. Not only does it save a layer of paint and help maintain the original level of detail, it also enhances the end result. When you're done painting the main areas, you don't need to give the models another wash before you highlight the final details. In fact you can dry-brush certain areas (such as creases in uniforms) quite firmly without loss of detail. After all that dry-brush is only your second layer of paint.

Cheers,
Aart

[clibinarium]

The black ink wash works best if the figures are well washed with detergent beforehand. It's settling inthe crevices depends on there being no fats i.e. skin oils from handling on the metal as this repels the water in the ink and causes it form little droplets that just look messy. It also helps to puta drop of detergent or Klear in the ink which discourages the droplets from forming.

[Sandinista]

I like fully painted figures to look at, makes it easier to spend money

[Leon]

I like fully painted figures to look at, makes it easier to spend money

That's a lot of figures to fully paint!

[Leon]

We'll give the black wash a go as well then.

[landorl]

I don't think that painted figs are necessary.  Some painters can make a bad fig look good, or a good fig look bad.

I like bare metal with ink wash to show the details.

[jchaos79]

I have vote white with black wash... But, In my humble opinion the important is to see the product you are going to buy. So, if this method will decrease the rato of photo upload, then I change to bare metal.

I prefere to get an idea of the pose and the figure to choose them, better than have few spectacular pics and a lot of "blind references". The bare metal pics that are now in your web are good enough for me.

[17-21l]

I personally think that you should give free samples of , say 1 pack of all the various codes I would be thinking of buying - thus I would have a good understanding of what I would expect if I went ahead with the purchase.
Therfore I have been contemplating a new British AWI army but am undecided of what it could contain - please sent x1 pack of each code to Msrs Carl esq- at the usual address, many thanks.

[Megamatman]

I personally think that you should give free samples of , say 1 pack of all the various codes I would be thinking of buying - thus I would have a good understanding of what I would expect if I went ahead with the purchase.
Therfore I have been contemplating a new British AWI army but am undecided of what it could contain - please sent x1 pack of each code to Msrs Carl esq- at the usual address, many thanks.

Nice try! 

[Leon]

I personally think that you should give free samples of , say 1 pack of all the various codes I would be thinking of buying - thus I would have a good understanding of what I would expect if I went ahead with the purchase.
Therfore I have been contemplating a new British AWI army but am undecided of what it could contain - please sent x1 pack of each code to Msrs Carl esq- at the usual address, many thanks.

We'll get started on those, should have them down to you by 2013...