For a little light diversion, and before I got my head round modelling chalk cuttings, I decided to have a go painting some of the figures of people (and dogs!) I have been collecting for a while, from all different sources, to bring a bit more life to Brookford.

Looking at some wargaming sites recently has made me realise my figure painting techniques stopped developing at about age ten! Recently, I did a bit of surfing which led me to various websites with some good "how to" descriptions and illustrations.

The idea is that you start with the figure black, as in no light falling on it. You then think about where the light is coming from (usually above) and dry brush "light" onto the figure where it would fall, by dry brushing white onto the higher areas, downwards, so that when you look at the figure from above, there is a preponderance of white, and from below, a preponderance of black. When very dry, you apply thin washed of translucent colour, so that the shadows and highlights start to emerge, all in the appropriate colour. So you don't paint shadows on, they're already there, in the creases, in the folds, under the chin, between the fingers and so on. Anyway I'll try and show you what I mean.

It's all about shadow, so here goes, with the black underneath everything else, and a start made on the flesh parts:

Notice Jethro at the rear, painted using my previous technique - he can remain as he is for now as the "control".

Here they are with a bit more work on the flesh and the white dry brush to help accentuate the features and the shadows. I hope this works!

It took a while to get that hair off his nose with very fine tweezers! Bear in mind his face is about 3mm from chin to brow.

Then I managed to get a first coat of colour wash on a few of the figures. I started on the facial expression on the guy in the middle, but it was bed time before I got to start on the other two. Lots more to do, all the touching in of over-painting etc etc, plus several more washes to get the shading and the reflected light better, but I think that the foundation of the black primer then the white dry brushing at the beginning may prove to be a satisfactory way to go.

I had a go at a couple more figures - the tractor driver and the mother and child and this is how they ended up so far:

I had started off adding colour to the white dry brushed areas:

I'm not sure why he looks so glum!

Then I added more colour wash over the new colour when it had dried, as well as most of the black shadow areas:

The paint wasn’t dry when I took some of those - they are mostly matt finish. It took me about two hours to do those two. That’s these two pretty much finished.

I think it looks like a paternity suit in the offing!

Here are some more, using the same techniques:

Just the crew of the O2 class 0-4-4T to do next.

Cheers,

Paul