Preparing and painting

[Leman]

Thought it might be interesting to post some of the techniques I've developed over the years and see what this generates. As a start I 'll describe how I prepare figures for painting:

1. Remove flash. Most of this seems to be on the underside of the base, ends of swords and bayonets, and the fifth leg of the horse. For all of this I find a good, sharp scalpel does the job. Rarely do I have to resort to a file.

2. Next I temporarily base figures on lolly sticks. 6 is a good maximum, leaving room at each end of the stick for holding while painting. Quite early on I discovered that Copydex is brilliant for this. It holds the figure in place, but when complete the figure can just be peeled off the rubbery dry Copydex.

3. Copydex should be allowed to dry overnight, Next prime the figure. For this use primer, not just an undercoat of ordinary black or white. My primer of choice is Vallejo white primer. Once this is thoroughly dry I then give the figure a wash of Model Colour black primer.

My figures are now ready for painting.

[Subedai]

1. Remove flash on figure using either a scalpel or its larger brother. Any lumps or flash under the base are removed in very short order by the use of an 8" bastard file. This is usually quite quick unless filing the underside of infantry bases when the job is usually accompanied by a huge number of expletives as the pads of my thumb and first finger are assaulted by the small sharp bits on the figures.

2. Attach figures to painting sticks with double sided tape,

3. Undercoat with enamel white. Leave overnight to dry completely.

4. Wash with diluted floor magic mix and ink.

5. Paint.

[Leon]

For cleaning the flash off the bases, I use a small pair of clippers when I'm doing the website pics.  Brace one snipper against the edge of the base, squeeze the other snipper across the underside of the base and all the little nobbly bits are gone.  On really small or thin bases it can be tricky to get purchase for the bracing snipper, but generally it's very quick and easy, and avoids the potential filing/severing of fingers with scalpels and files!

[Leman]

The worst cutting I've ever experience is during the dreaded rebasing sessions, now virtually at an end.

[Techno]

and avoids the potential filing/severing of fingers with scalpels and files!

Oh...Please.....Who on this forum is daft enough to cut themselves with a scalpel ?
Cheers - Mr Elastoplast.

[Leman]

Dr. Suityourself?

[Subedai]

Oh...Please.....Who on this forum is daft enough to cut themselves with a scalpel ?
Cheers - Mr Elastoplast.

That would probably be the shortest thread ever.


Who hasn't nicked,sliced, amputated or cut themselves with a scalpel?

[FierceKitty]

Real preparatory requirements:

1) Lock cats in bedroom.
2) Sit down to begin.
3) Realise from affectionate furry sensation at ankles that one moggy has slipped through the net.
4) Pursue moggy.
5) Lock him in the bedroom.
6) Say hello to wife as she comes into the house.
7) Sit down to begin.
Say "What, dear?"
9) Swear sotto voce.
10) Help wife carry in large piece of industrial machinery she has just bought.
11) Sit down to begin.
12) Realise a second too late that wife has opened bedroom door en route to having a shower.
13) Give up and settle down with a book.
14) Look up and say "What, dear?"
15) Wonder whether your better half has just reproached you for not painting hard enough when your holiday is nearly over.

[toxicpixie]

Heh, replace car with dog and baby and that sounds eerily similar to my attempts to paint outside of work hours, FierceKitty! Although oddly I don't lock the dog & baby up in a room unsupervised

[FierceKitty]

I could profit by your example. The kitten got at my bedside reading matter this afternoon....

[FierceKitty]

Cats, by the way. The wife's taken the car for a weekend away.

[toxicpixie]

Cat was what was intended, typing on phone with baby sleeping across me not easy

Ironically Mrs Toxic is currently doing some painting (kitchen stuff, hideous louvre doors in '90s orange being set to classic cream/off white) whilst I babymind. Or at least act as a mattress for the wee one to fall asleep across

[Leman]

Real Preparatory requirements

1. Buy sack with brick inside.......