Miniature Painting

[Blinkus Maximus 47]

1 minute ago, Barb Bliss said:

I've been doing the poor man's version of this.  Pyrex dish, white felt, and cooking parchment paper.  Works pretty well.

Yeah, I've got one that I use for certain times of the year. Just not summer or winter because the air here is so dry I get about 1 or 2 hours of working time with the paper before it dries out and lifts up. The only reason I'm upgrading from my tupperware version is because they had someone who lives in extremely dry conditions review it and it didn't dry out or lift.

[RomyCat 924]

Those two Kickstarters look cool. Alas, a 7th Continent has stolen my wallet. I have no more spare money for a while.

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

16 minutes ago, RomyCat said:

Those two Kickstarters look cool. Alas, a 7th Continent has stolen my wallet. I have no more spare money for a while.

True that.  Fortunately I no longer have a mortgage payment anymore.  Of course, my car needs to last another 5 years :-|

Edited October 10, 2017 by Barb Bliss

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

Romy, time lapsed painting of a mini by that guy that has the campaign for the holder.  If nothing else, check out some techniques and who cool the holder is.

 

 

[RomyCat 924]

Wow, he is good. I would love to own that holder. Drat 7th Continent (which I really want to play). Now I can't afford other Kickstarters. 

One thing I did different is use a paper towel to test colors and get rid of extra paint, instead of my hand.  I have been painting cave terrain, barrels, crates, and a few other objects.  I will try to post a picture in a few days once all the sealer had dried. I am really enjoying painting, though I know I still have a lot to learn. Watching painting videos has been very helpful to me. What others are doing is amazing. 

Edited October 18, 2017 by RomyCat

[RomyCat 924]

This is my first time ever to paint models, and I really enjoyed the experience. While I bought two beginner Reaper paint kits, I wanted to take the pressure off myself that my first minis had to be perfect. Reaper paints are high quality but come in small bottles. Not wanting to waste enormous amounts of expensive grey or brown, I headed to Walmart and picked up a cheap set of acrylic paint for $10.

I decided my first painting experience would be with my cheapest minis. All these you see in the pictures, I bought at Dungeonstone at a very low price for minis.

Link: https://www.dungeonstone.com/

These minis come solid white and are dusty from their manufacturing process. I gave them a good wash with soapy water then spray painted them with a black primer. Then I began painting, experimenting with the techniques I had read about in the Reaper booklets that came with the kits I had brought: basecoat, shadows, highlights, wash, glazing, and drybrushing. 

Everything in the pictures is painted with cheap acrylic paint accept for two tiny swords on coffins for which I used a Reaper metal paint. On one of the stalagmites, I experimented with a wet water effect using Scene-A-Rama Blue Realistic Water which I picked up at a craft store.

The final results are not perfect, but I learned a lot in the process. I especially need a lot more practice with drybrushing. The biggest issue I had was with the sealer I used. I brought Krylon Cover Max on Amazon. Most reviewers said it worked well, but one complained that it sometimes ate away the paint. With my first batch , the sealer worked fine with the barrels, crates, and stalagmites, but when I later used it on the coffins and columns, I ran into that dissolving issue. Turns out when the sealer pools, it begins to dissolve the paint. Around the edges of my coffins and in some of the floor cracks, I got light gray lines. Fortunately those coffins only cost me $2, so no big deal. That is why I started with my cheap minis first, to iron out serious problems.

I went back to researching, looking for brush-on sealers that will not pool, ones especially made for acrylic paint. Based on reviews, I ordered Dullcote, hoping it will work much better.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0069FYJYI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm already working on some of my more higher quality mins now, enjoying applying what I have already learned.

Edited October 21, 2017 by RomyCat

[RomyCat 924]

PS: The pillars I on purpose tried to give a grungy look to. During my first version of them, they actually looked very new and polished, then I tried to give them a worn down look as if they were in a ruined palace.

[Konas 2,963]

On ‎10‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 11:46 AM, RomyCat said:

PS: The pillars I on purpose tried to give a grungy look to. During my first version of them, they actually looked very new and polished, then I tried to give them a worn down look as if they were in a ruined palace.

Nice work! Very well done. It does not look like the work of a beginner.

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

Romy, those look really nice.  While watching some glorious football, I finished up my chests, doors, and archways (still need to start on the door thresholds though).  Once I get someone over that has a camera on their phone, I'll get some pictures up here.  Not sure when that will be as I need to pull pumps, get some plants in doors, drain rain barrels, drain hoses, blow out the sprinkler system, et. al in the next few days.  I looked at the forecast and it includes the "s" word on Friday!  Darn it!  Nothing messes up a Halloween costume more than a winter jacket. :-(

I did the glossy coat, and then the matte coat per Mike.  Wow, does the matte finish look way better. 

Edited October 23, 2017 by Barb Bliss

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

I also spray primed (in the wind - not the smartest move, but the temps are dropping) the next set of items, only to realize after I finished that the paint was oil based.  I assume it's ok to paint acrylic on top of oil primer???

[Blinkus Maximus 47]

On ‎10‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 9:40 AM, RomyCat said:

This is my first time ever to paint models, and I really enjoyed the experience. While I bought two beginner Reaper paint kits, I wanted to take the pressure off myself that my first minis had to be perfect. Reaper paints are high quality but come in small bottles. Not wanting to waste enormous amounts of expensive grey or brown, I headed to Walmart and picked up a cheap set of acrylic paint for $10.

I decided my first painting experience would be with my cheapest minis. All these you see in the pictures, I bought at Dungeonstone at a very low price for minis.

Link: https://www.dungeonstone.com/

These minis come solid white and are dusty from their manufacturing process. I gave them a good wash with soapy water then spray painted them with a black primer. Then I began painting, experimenting with the techniques I had read about in the Reaper booklets that came with the kits I had brought: basecoat, shadows, highlights, wash, glazing, and drybrushing. 

Everything in the pictures is painted with cheap acrylic paint accept for two tiny swords on coffins for which I used a Reaper metal paint. On one of the stalagmites, I experimented with a wet water effect using Scene-A-Rama Blue Realistic Water which I picked up at a craft store.

The final results are not perfect, but I learned a lot in the process. I especially need a lot more practice with drybrushing. The biggest issue I had was with the sealer I used. I brought Krylon Cover Max on Amazon. Most reviewers said it worked well, but one complained that it sometimes ate away the paint. With my first batch , the sealer worked fine with the barrels, crates, and stalagmites, but when I later used it on the coffins and columns, I ran into that dissolving issue. Turns out when the sealer pools, it begins to dissolve the paint. Around the edges of my coffins and in some of the floor cracks, I got light gray lines. Fortunately those coffins only cost me $2, so no big deal. That is why I started with my cheap minis first, to iron out serious problems.

I went back to researching, looking for brush-on sealers that will not pool, ones especially made for acrylic paint. Based on reviews, I ordered Dullcote, hoping it will work much better.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0069FYJYI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm already working on some of my more higher quality mins now, enjoying applying what I have already le

 

 

Those look great RomyCat! Everything looks very neat with no paint where it shouldn't be, and those pillars look especially nice.

[Blinkus Maximus 47]

13 minutes ago, Barb Bliss said:

I also spray primed (in the wind - not the smartest move, but the temps are dropping) the next set of items, only to realize after I finished that the paint was oil based.  I assume it's ok to paint acrylic on top of oil primer???

I haven't tried it, but I can't really imagine it causing too many problems. People have used oils and acrylics on the same models before. Only issue that might come is if you seal it with an acrylic sealant it might react poorly with the primer, but that can happen with any primer and sealant.

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

Ok, Doors and chests are done.  Pillars are a work in progress, but not happy with the tops/bottoms yet.  Any suggestions?

 

 

 

 

 

[Lindsey 747]

Those doors look so awesome now!

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

4 minutes ago, Lindsey said:

Those doors look so awesome now!

Thanks!  I finished the bridges last night.  I think they turned out the best of all of the bridges/pillars/doors.  The weather sucks, so it's hard to find a neighbor outside to take a picture for me.  Worst case, I'll get a picture up of them on Sunday night.  I dry brushed on a little green/umber/grey mixture glaze here and there to simulate moss.

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

My next project is shown below.  I mistakenly primed him with oil based grey paint.  When I tried painting on the "dark flesh", I could still see some grey through it.  So I bit the bullet, and painted the flesh areas again with a medium flesh color.  I'm still seeing some grey peeking through in a lot of areas.  On one  hand it's kind of cool looking.  On the other hand, it's ticking me off, and making me wonder if I'm going to have this problem with all the figures I primed at the same time.  If I primed them again with acrylic primer, do you think this will help or is it just a light color over a darker color problem?

[Konas 2,963]

24 minutes ago, Barb Bliss said:

My next project is shown below.  I mistakenly primed him with oil based grey paint.  When I tried painting on the "dark flesh", I could still see some grey through it.  So I bit the bullet, and painted the flesh areas again with a medium flesh color.  I'm still seeing some grey peeking through in a lot of areas.  On one  hand it's kind of cool looking.  On the other hand, it's ticking me off, and making me wonder if I'm going to have this problem with all the figures I primed at the same time.  If I primed them again with acrylic primer, do you think this will help or is it just a light color over a darker color problem?

Hey Barb. Painting acrylics over oil can be tricky at times. With primer I wouldn't be too worried because it contains less oils than regular paint does but if you paint with oil paints and then plan to use acrylics over them, wait a long time. Some oil paints, especially the cadmiums, can take a looong time to dry. Some of the Cadmium reds can actually take about a year to dry fully internally. If you paint acrylics over oils that aren't dry, the acrylics will crack. Some artists use this for a cool crackle effect, but not something you want without intent. I know silly things like this because I dropped way too much money on an MFA in painting. So worth it now just so I can offer this one little piece of advice in this forum....

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

1 minute ago, Konas said:

Hey Barb. Painting acrylics over oil can be tricky at times. With primer I wouldn't be too worried because it contains less oils than regular paint does but if you paint with oil paints and then plan to use acrylics over them, wait a long time. Some oil paints, especially the cadmiums, can take a looong time to dry. Some of the Cadmium reds can actually take about a year to dry fully internally. If you paint acrylics over oils that aren't dry, the acrylics will crack. Some artists use this for a cool crackle effect, but not something you want without intent. I know silly things like this because I dropped way too much money on an MFA in painting. So worth it now just so I can offer this one little piece of advice in this forum....

It's been a couple of weeks since I primed them.  I guess I'll let them sit the rest of the winter.  That even dried out my hardwood floors that had cupped from a fish tank disaster.

[Konas 2,963]

Just now, Barb Bliss said:

It's been a couple of weeks since I primed them.  I guess I'll let them sit the rest of the winter.  That even dried out my hardwood floors that had cupped from a fish tank disaster.

You should be good to go. Primer is very dry. Try one coat of your base acrylic color in one spot and see how it reacts. I am guessing it will be fine. Lindsey and I will be painting this week so we should have some pics. She's working on her Arena Rex rhino and I am actually painting a large painting of Cthulhu for the office. I am pumped up.

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

1 minute ago, Konas said:

You should be good to go. Primer is very dry. Try one coat of your base acrylic color in one spot and see how it reacts. I am guessing it will be fine. Lindsey and I will be painting this week so we should have some pics. She's working on her Arena Rex rhino and I am actually painting a large painting of Cthulhu for the office. I am pumped up.

I'm looking forward to the pics. 

Is there a technique for blocking that bleed through grey?  I'm trying to not make the paint layers too thick (more layers versus thicker layers), but that's a lot of flesh to paint.

I'm thinking of buying a sprayer, but that could make me dangerous...

[Konas 2,963]

2 minutes ago, Barb Bliss said:

I'm looking forward to the pics. 

Is there a technique for blocking that bleed through grey?  I'm trying to not make the paint layers too thick (more layers versus thicker layers), but that's a lot of flesh to paint.

I'm thinking of buying a sprayer, but that could make me dangerous...

Less water in your glaze. The less glazing you do, the less translucent the paint will be. White paint is very opaque so add a bit of it in your flesh tone base layer to cover up the grey.

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

1 minute ago, Konas said:

Less water in your glaze. The less glazing you do, the less translucent the paint will be. White paint is very opaque so add a bit of it in your flesh tone base layer to cover up the grey.

I'll try that.  Thanks.  The amount of grey bleeding through isn't significant now (after 2 coats of paint), and kind of gives him an "orcish" vibe.

Edited October 30, 2017 by Barb Bliss

[Blinkus Maximus 47]

Yeah, seeing the base through is nothing odd, especially with light skin colors. I usually take 4 or 5 coats to get a solid initial color on skin, especially on really large areas.

And like Konas said, if you add a more opaque color like white or browns, or maybe the tiniest bit of red to give it some color, it'll help it cover much better.

[RomyCat 924]

Barb, your doors look awesome. Been working on some myself. I finished the doors but now have the frames to do. I'll try to post pictures when I finally finish. 

I am in the midst of painting Dungeon Funiture Saga pack. Its been fun working the wooden furniture. I am ready to soon start on the stone fountains and the thrones. I have not figured out how I will do the thrones yet. I need to study more pictures. 

[Barb Bliss 4,482]

I'm close to being done with the cliffbreaker cyclops.  Man, painting flesh is hard, and this dude has a ton of it.  I tried several things.  Some worked, but some didn't.  So I decided to embraces the suck, and have him be a cyclops that hasn't had a bath in ages.  Picture coming this weekend.