Howdy folks,
Not that I've made any Gold medals, just a silver one, but I might give you some ideas of reasonaby simply improving your paintwork...
First of all let me apologize that I don't know (still!) how to post any pictures here so you'll have to do it with plain text. My examples in the competition entries speak for themselves though I hope, and otherwise I'm Always willing to answer any questions.
Please keep in mind that this is my method; it certainly is not the best or fastest around; it's just how I like to do things...
Let's get on with it:
For a start make sure that you have the right materials at hand; in particular brushes. It may sound like a waste of money but working with the old enamels (still my preferred paint) eats away at your brushes pretty quickly. Painting a unit of about 30-40 figures will cost me at least one 000 brush. Even so; it's worthwhile; painting the smallest details with a spent brush is as good as impossible. You can you still use the spent brushes afterwards for other areas though so it's not a complete waste of money (I tell myself...).
Always try to steady your hands on something... I rest my underarms on the edge of the table and rest my right (brush) hand in my left (figure) hand. Hold the brush just above the metal part.
Make sure the paint is of the right consistency so it doesn't run.
The main thing: check your work constantly; if you want a perfect paintjob just don't be satisfied too easily! If you see a slight mishap or the paint has run where it shouldn't; correct it imediately so you don't forget about it.
For my 10mm figures I usually don't put on a special base coat; I just give the figures a head to toe coat of the basic uniform colour, so for my Boer War figures that's a khaki brown colour. I paint a few trousers and hats in slightly different shades of khaki. Even if it hardly shows on the individual figure it does show on the overall effect of your unit. I then paint in the different pieces of equipment in the layers as they would have been worn, so haversack first, then the Slade Wallace equipment, then the messtin cover and the greatcoat roll, then the white strap over the messtin cover (the only exception: paint the greatcoat roll white first and then paint in the grey cloth; as the white straps are so narrow this simply works best; same goes for blanketrolls on saddles etc.). Make sure you use colours that are close to the original and don't cut corners in using different colours for different pieces of equipment; it will show in the end. My average British Boer War infantry figure has about eleven different colours on it though they may not show immediately...
I tend to work in a production line fashion. painting up to 40 figures in one batch; painting one colour/item at a time. It gets a bit boring sometimes so I mix infantry with artillery and/or mouted units in one batch; keeps it interested!
As soon as all the detail has been painted and dried for about 24 hours (and here it is; the trick you've all been waiting for!) I paint a layer of Armypainter quickshade over it (paint it quick and thorough; try not to pass the brush over the same area to often since it maight take some paint off!). For my British I use the Strong Tone which gives the shadows a brownish hue. It goes well with the basic colours I use and gives the figures a slightly dirty/worn appearance which I like. The quickshade gives a nice appearance of shadows and outlines equipment, belts, uniform features etc. that are on the figure itself perfectly. It will even mask slight painting mishaps where you have just 'crossed the line'... It is impotant though that you try to remove any mouldlines before you start painting since they will show with the quickshade! Also; the quickshade will darken the colours; keep that in mind when choosing your paint...
After the quikshade has dried I give them all a coat of matt varnish with the Armypainter spraycans. This is also an art in itself; humidity, temperature and spraying distance are all crucial. Even so; now I've mastered it, it works!
With some of my 1/72 and 28mm figures I then sometimes pick out some details again with the appropriate colours and I especially work up the 'shiny' metal bits like musketbarrels, bayonets, swords/sabres, cuirasses, brass fittings etc.
I know a lot of people don't like the quickshade way and I must say that I was kind of opposed to it as well being and old-school painter working with black basecoats and working up colours by washes and drybruhing. Even so; I quickly realised that painting whole armies the old-fashioned way was never going to happen. I also have to work five days a week and just have a few hours in the evening and the weekends. There also seem to be some quite a bit cheaper altermatives in the avareage DIY shop staining department but I've never tried them so I do'n't know really...
So; if you like the look of my figures just give it a try; it might work for you too.
As said before; any questions or remarks; just drop me a line!
Cheers,
Rob
Enamels...wow!
I really like using them (in terms of consistency), but just don't think they are worth the hassle (thinners, cleaning brushes, fumes etc).
There is no denying the quality of your results though :)
Great stuff Rob !
I was surprised about the enamels too.....But wonderful results.
Cheers - Phil
Didnt know you could still get enamel paints :D
Hate the way the buggers dry up no matter how hard you ram the bloody lid on >:(
The enamel thing is really just a thing I got used to doing because there was nothing else around when I started modelling... So throughout the years I got used to all the pro's and cons of working with enamels and I've said goodby to my memory and sense a long time ago after getting addicted to the thinners and spirits (mind you; checking out the average level of converstation on this forum you would think everybody still works with thinner-based paints ;) ). I now know exactly what effects I can achieve with what colour and technique; something I would have to learn all over again if I would switch to acrylics .
What kept me from changing to acrylics was also the availability around my hometown; enamels are to be had at every modelshop in the area; acrylics are now only slowly starting to arrive at the shelf. I also have a problem with the colour you see in the bottle and how it actually turns out to be once it has dried. As said before;I would have to learn all this from scratch again. When I buy an enamel the colour the lid tells me exactly what it's going to look like even if the batch is different from previous ones; the lids don't lie...
Then again; the basic techniques work as well with acrylics from what I've experienced when I tried them so that shouldn't be a problem really.
Cheers,
Rob
I can't say I miss working with enamels :D You're a brave man, Ace of Spades!
Army Painter - I don't tend to use the technique in 10mm, but maybe I should... I have used it with some AVBCW stuff so might roll it out on others! I find the Army painter shades are way too pricey though, so I cheated - B&Q quick dry interior wood varnish, rosewood, £5 a tin, same result ;)
Ah well, it doesn't really have that much to do with bravery; it's more laziness I guess ;)
Even so, I use the quickshade on 20mm, 28mm and 10mm and I find it a very satisfying method although indeed an expensive one (then again; you can get quite a few 10mm figures done with one tin...) !
As I said; I've heard of some alternatives but haven't been able to find the right one yet in the Netherlands. I'll keep looking for it though.
Cheers,
Rob
Hi Rob,
First, I should say that I really liked your army and the colours you used. From your excellent results, it looks like you should just keep doing what you're doing.
Interesting to know that you're in the Netherlands and that enamels are readily available. But there are many shops in the Netherlands selling Games Workshop stuff, no? Can you buy acrylic paint from them? Saying that, most of my paint has been bought through the old interweb.
I would really recommend a Winsor and Newton Series 7 Miniature sable brush for whatever paint you use. Can last years and years of daily painting and so will save money in the long run, and is a joy to use.
Cheers, Michael
Ah, I guess you can't nip to a local B&Q if the nearest is across the Channel! If sending paint & similar through the mail hadn't just gone a bit Wierd I'd offer to post a tin!
Nice results from your current method though so probably better not to mess :D
There is a good Dutch wargaming group on Facebook..I am a member ,they might be able to direct you to some stores
Hi Michael,
The games Workshop range is indeed available at several places here but I find the range of colours too limited for late 19th and 20th century uniforms. You can of course mix your own colours but it's hard to keep it consistent if you want to work on an army over the years. I do use some of their more exotic colours every now and then for certain projects and I use it for my 6mm Franco-Prussian war armies for the simple reason that it's a group effort and we want to be sure we at least all use the same colours. And since for most working with acrylics is easier we settled for GW paints. Vallejo is available here and there but I want a type of paint that I can get on a sunday somewhere in my vicinity when I run out of it... I tend to switch between projects rather frequently so that happens every now and then ;)
I will definitely have a look at the artists brushes you mention; see how long they last in the old enamel world! :)
Cheers,
Rob
Thanks Fenton,
If it's the one simply called 'Dutch Miniature Wargaming' then I am also a member of that already :) You may have seen some post of me there under the name 'God Of-War' (don't ask...please!) which, for those interested is also my Facebook name; feel free to have a look!
But let's face it; this old dog aint gonna learn no new tricks; he's simply to stubborn or arrogant I guess; my brain has softened up enough now through the thinner and fumes that it doesn't really matter anymore... I feel happy!
Even so; thanks for trying to save me but I fear I have passed the point of no return... :(
Cheers!
Rob :D
yup thats the one
Okay thanks!
I've been posting some 1/700 scale warships and planes there lately; you may have seen them...