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Do figures belong in here?


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Sorry, I can't find any pics of my stuff. It's a common technique in wargaming though, along with a few other techniques that may better suit painting a lot of figures. If you do a google image search for 20mm wargame figure painting techniques you'll see a bunch of photos of the various results.The image below shows three different techniques, all of which have good facial detail. The figure on the right is the black undercoat "3 layer" method.

 

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I used a very dilute wash over the faces and hands of some figures I did for a tramway type coach. The figures themselves were reworked Preiser(6), Roco(1) and Slaters(2):

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Don't over do it though or they look like coal miners.

(Note the photo was taken before the final matt varnishing, though most of the colours used were matt anyway).

Edited by BernardTPM
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I used a very dilute wash over the faces and hands of some figures I did for a tramway type coach. The figures themselves were reworked Preiser(6), Roco(1) and Slaters(2):

Edwardianfiguressmall.jpg

Don't over do it though or they look like coal miners.

(Note the photo was taken before the final matt varnishing, though most of the colours used were matt anyway).

 

Oh I love these! .. the facial detail and colour really brings them to life. Hmmm .. this is something I need to work on. PS I did laugh about 'looking like coal miners' - although a mistake in this area could come in handy if you are modelling a coal mine.

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I find dark primer and layers of drybrushing produce a nice result (sorry, no pics), especially for facial features which too often look washed out from a monochrome application of flesh colour.

Again, sorry for no pics at present - I'll search for some later

But I agree with the technique of spraying figures matt black to start with, and drybrushing gradually lighter shades to build up the tones

and suggest relief and highlights. I got better at this because I attended a Games Workshop / Warhammer day with my son

The Games Workshop acrylic paints are great! Really helped my painting techniques,

and the acrylic paints mean I can paint a figure in much less time than when using enamels

 

Yes those old Airfix / Dapol figures are still brilliant.

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Again, sorry for no pics at present - I'll search for some later

But I agree with the technique of spraying figures matt black to start with, and drybrushing gradually lighter shades to build up the tones

and suggest relief and highlights. I got better at this because I attended a Games Workshop / Warhammer day with my son

The Games Workshop acrylic paints are great! Really helped my painting techniques,

and the acrylic paints mean I can paint a figure in much less time than when using enamels

 

Yes those old Airfix / Dapol figures are still brilliant.

 

.. Thanks for the tips - I'm interested that you found acrylics that work for you. I found myself using enamels as I'm used to the way they flow and remain workable when thinned. I might invest in some Games Workshop acrylics to see how I get on. I assume you still finish off with a matt varnish to protect against handling? 

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here's a pic of a couple of figures on my O gauge "Poynton Sneer" layout which has been around a few years now...
I always prefer figures in a relaxed pose, rather than those in "shovel wielding, mid-air action poses" - As characters standing around, chatting or looking bored,
waiting for a train just look more natural to my eye....

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.. Thanks for the tips - I'm interested that you found acrylics that work for you. I found myself using enamels as I'm used to the way they flow and remain workable when thinned. I might invest in some Games Workshop acrylics to see how I get on. I assume you still finish off with a matt varnish to protect against handling? 

Yes, I always used to use Enamels.

However, I can paint several figures in Acrylic before the 1st coat of enamel has even dried

The only thing with Acrylics, is they can dry too quickly, for some applications / techniques

Takes a bit of getting used to - however, if you work quickly enough, you can even wash the acrylic off, if you're not happy with your painting

 

Games Workshop / Warhammer paints are good, honestly. They can have funny names, like "Goblin Green" etc, and some odd, unusable colours

but there are some great colours in their range.

I especially like their metallic colours - they really do look like very convincing metal - which metal itself, being too shiny does not

(It's all about atmospheric perspective & scale - but I won't bore you! lol)

 

EDIT. Another technique is to start off painting your figure white

And then applying darker washes - but I didn't find that so easy, myself - apart from some alien figures my son was painting

These looked a bit like Star Wars Storm troopers, and the washes really suited their white body armour....

Edited by marc smith
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Yes, I always used to use Enamels.

However, I can paint several figures in Acrylic before the 1st coat of enamel has even dried

The only thing with Acrylics, is they can dry too quickly, for some applications / techniques

Takes a bit of getting used to - however, if you work quickly enough, you can even wash the acrylic off, if you're not happy with your painting

 

Games Workshop / Warhammer paints are good, honestly. They can have funny names, like "Goblin Green" etc, and some odd, unusable colours

but there are some great colours in their range.

I especially like their metallic colours - they really do look like very convincing metal - which metal itself, being too shiny does not

(It's all about atmospheric perspective & scale - but I won't bore you! lol)

 

Oh I wouldn't worry about being boring - we're all members of a railway modelling forum after all and you can assume we are like minded individuals!

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I like to uses a base of Humbrol flesh followed by a dry-brush of Revell. How much dry brushing depends how pasty the colour should be as the Revell is lighter.

 

Games Workshop shading inks are great for adding shadows but odly, look great in real life but less good in photos, at least when I use them.

 

And there's nothing wrong with the Dapol figures, very nicely sculpted if a little tall. Try WD Models for excellent military people.

 

Painted figures.jpg

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That's superb work in that scene from your O gauge layout - everything about that scene works so nicely - even down to the the cat at the man's feet and the punctured oil drum!

 

I agree about the relaxed poses - that was my hope when I started to place figures on 'Braeside' - I feel these groups work better for a lack of 'shovelling'?

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Edited by brylonscamel
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I like to uses a base of Humbrol flesh followed by a dry-brush of Revell. How much dry brushing depends how pasty the colour should be as the Revell is lighter.

 

Games Workshop shading inks are great for adding shadows but odly, look great in real life but less good in photos, at least when I use them.

 

And there's nothing wrong with the Dapol figures, very nicely sculpted if a little tall. Try WD Models for excellent military people.

 

..more first class figure painting there Phil! - what scale are the military figures you posted? .. the detail that you've picked out on the mouldings is impressively fine. (I just answered my own question by going to the W^D Models website)

 

Edited by brylonscamel
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..more first class figure painting there Phil! - what scale are the military figures you posted? .. the detail that you've picked out on the mouldings is impressively fine. (I just answered my own question by going to the W^D Models website)

 

As you've found out - 1:76 - but they look good enough to be bigger. A trip to http://www.wdmodels.com/ is well worth it.  

 

The layout is 4mm:1ft - "Owen's Bridge" which appeared in BRM this time last year as a 3 part series.

 

OBlorry.jpg

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After wiring up under the layout, painting figures is my least liked activity.  Consequently, they don't look half as good as these!

 

Brian.

 

That's very kind of you - I must say I'm liking the 'I'll show you mine, if you'll show me yours' aspect of this forum - there are some fine examples of other peoples work popping up on this thread already! PS I'm sure each one of us has an activity we like least. I don't enjoy stripping paint - messy, time consuming and nerve-wracking!

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I remember many years ago (20?) meeting Brian Fayle (a Canadian Diagnostic Radiologist who according to his website will now be 86) who came to the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association exhibition in Nottingham and gave a demonstration of his figure painting technique using black undercoat to highlight the shadows. This is the first of a series of his webpages demonstrating his technique

http://www.brifayle.ca/2abaseshadows.html

 

Hope that's helpful and just shows that there's nothing new . . . just a reworking of old ideas but perhaps with better materials - although comments elsewhere suggest that new Humbrol paints aren't as good as the old ones !

 

.

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After wiring up under the layout, painting figures is my least liked activity.  Consequently, they don't look half as good as these!

 

Brian.

Oddly enough, wiring the layout up is my least favourite activity of railway modelling

I was about to ask if you'd like to wire up a layout for me, whilst I painted some figures for you

.... but then noticed that your location is a bit too far! lol

 

I have to say, I really enjoy a bit of figure painting. I have to gear myself up, plan ahead, and have several on the go at the same time

But it's really quite relaxing and satisfying. Unlike ballasting or wiring, it's the sort of modelling you can do while sat in the lounge, watching TV

..... and pretending to be spending some "quality time" with SWMBO ;)

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  • 4 months later...

Started off a year or so ago with some 1/72nd wargames figures.  These are HaT Industrie with a few of the old Airfix thrown in.  I then decided to have a go at civilians, in this case Mike Pett Supercast and Aidan Campbell.  These are a little on the large side for 1/76 and I fear they will be outshone by the Andrew Stadden Edwardians when I get round to the latter.  I also have some Monty's, WD Models and Dapol/Airfix that I think very worthwhile figures. 

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  • 1 month later...

May I add to all this with some examples from a couple of projects I have been helping out with recently.  First, a supply of various 4mm scale Edwardian figures, and second a selection of (mixed manufacture) figures for the 1940's layout.

 

My painting methods have changed over the years and now include face detail as much as I can, and some subtle highlighting on the clothing with a dry brushing technique together with a hint of dark wash in crevices here and there.. I always enamel matt varnish afterwards and generally first cut off the metal 'pegs' and re-base all figures with 0.5mm brass wire rod drilled and super glue into one of the figures' feet[attachment) to assist layout location. post-600-0-49309000-1465247370_thumb.jpg

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May I add to all this with some examples from a couple of projects I have been helping out with recently.  First, a supply of various 4mm scale Edwardian figures, and second a selection of (mixed manufacture) figures for the 1940's layout.

 

My painting methods have changed over the years and now include face detail as much as I can, and some subtle highlighting on the clothing with a dry brushing technique together with a hint of dark wash in crevices here and there.. I always enamel matt varnish afterwards and generally first cut off the metal 'pegs' and re-base all figures with 0.5mm brass wire rod drilled and super glue into one of the figures' feet[attachment) to assist layout location. attachicon.gifDSCN1596a.jpg

 

... another first rate contribution Pete - you've been very subtle with the use of colour which makes for a very convincing 'period' look. I am intrigued as to what the track worker is carrying that's a bright red and green - he really jumps out from the rest of the group (in their collection of brown and blue work-wear)

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