I have noticed that a lot of figure builders fully assemble their figures before painting. Is this a good practice? I have tried a couple of them like this, ONLY to find that it was pretty hard to paint some parts. What do you think?? Thanks...

I do what I do with AFVs, put together as much as possible before painting. I often leave the arms off until the body is painted to ease the paint job. But then again I don't consider myself a figure builder, just a poor amature.

Erik

Hi Sean

I usually build the figure first as I like to file and fill the area around the arms and legs so to speak to give it a smoother finish . I paint all my figures by hand so use fine paint brushes to get into those hard to reach places .. but thats just me
It all depends what you feel comfortable with as most of my figures are 1/32 or 1/35 multipose figures.

What size are you working with ?

Steve C jnr

1/35th as of right now.

I always assemble mine before painting, I even add the weapons, though many people don't, as it is easier to paint a figure holding a weapon across the body without the weapon, but I just like to get the gluing & any filling out of the way. But I belong to the followersof Shep Paine (?) - "if you can see it you can paint it " (& if you can't see it, how is anyone else going to know if it's painted or not?). I do lots of things you're not supposed to, I use Humbrol enamels (even on larger scale metal figures), & washes. I never use oils or anything fancy. I don't claim to be the best figure painter around (couldn't hold a candle to Calvin Tan et al), but I'd like to think my figures don't look too bad. There's some with the vehicles in my gallery.

I build as much as I can before painting. I always leave equipment (canteens, weapons, pouches etc.) off the figure and paint that individually before adding. When the figure is asembled I re-paint again where neccesary.

those figures look real good steve. one thing that I can say about putting the figure together first is that you do not have to scrape any areas for the glue to stick. However, how do you paint the front of there uniform and face if there arms and or weapons are in front of them?

Hi Plasticman... at the risk of following the pack - I put my figures together first, including canteens and backpacks, but leaving off the helmet if possible - this makes it a tiny bit easier to paint the face, especially the eyes... then spray prime in a light flesh colour (acrylic) which is a great base for olive drab clothing too - and do four or five washes on the skin areas with dark browny-red, increasing in depth, then the eyes (off white dotted with black - and I hate it) then the lips, hair, brows, then higlights on cheeks and nose... then uniform, then pouches, bandoliers, belts, boots, weapons, then stick the helmet on and paint that, then weather and detail and finally matt varnish. God, it sounds simple run together like that but it takes about three days with drying times included - but I can do five or six at a time.

Richard

Each figure is different and should be treated as an individual. You should plan each figure. You don't need to spend a lot of time planning figures, but you should have a gameplan.

Some figures will need more filling and gluing which is best done before painting. Others will have areas or equipment that are better painted before gluing because of accesability.

How you handle them should also be considered. I always drill a hole in the foot and put a stickpin in for handling.

Modifications are also important. Are you going to put grenades in the belt? Replace the head or hands? Add or take away equipment? I like to remove molded on belts and replace them with evergreen strips. I will stick grenades or pistols in the belt. If you do that, you need to pain under the belt. I usually shave off medals and badges. There are good replacement badges available in PE. There are also some unbelievably accurate Archer Transfers for rank insignia.

Best advice is plan, experiment and practice.


These heads were sprayed with Flesh, Brushed with pastel powder and given a mist of clear flat spray. The pastel dry brush -mist with clear clear flat was repeated until it looked right. Three different flesh tone pastels were used. The hair on all of them was done in a bright yellow. I would drybrush with Mig Pigments and pastels, followed by a clear flat mist until the hair shadows and highlights looked convincing. Lips were done after I was happy with the faces. A light pastel rose colored drybrush, followed by a mist of clear flat. Are you begining to see a pattern here?

This guy was done the same way.


So were these. You might notice two of these guys have dark skin. They were done using the same method and colors as the others. The more you repeat the applications of pastels and clear flat mists, the darker they get. This is great for highlighting, lowlighting and making sunburned or negro figures. The same method can be used to highlight and lowlight clothing, equipment, boots, etc.... It leaves a flat finish that is very convincing.

I have gotten away from your original topic. So let me get back to my main point. Just plan how you want your figure to end up. Then plan back from there to achieve your goal. Paint and glue what you need to, when you need to. Have fun. and dont' take it to seriously. You may notice I have not mastered eyes yet. But with practice and experimenting with new methods, it will come. Viel Gluck

I usually build as much as possible, then paint.
I keep heads seperate, but these are usually AM heads anyway, and just need to be set in. Guns where possible are kept seperate also ... but all the work is done before painting. Anything that wont go together easily after painting, is attached beforehand. Im a disaster with glue .. tending to be a bit heavy handed, so I find it easier to cement or glue in advance.

Carl ... interesting method with the pastels and flat cote. Might be giving that a go meself!!

It works, and doesn't look heavy handed as traditional methods ten towards.

I think I will do an online build of one of my figures.

Hi sean ,
If a figure is holding a weapon I usually don't glue it to the figures hands until after painting.
If arms are close to the body I'll sometimes paint the body but leave the area that will be glued (ie the arms) then touch -up after.
As for faces again I paint them apart from the neck before glueing and then touch-up after with a very thin paint brush or even a cocktail stick.

Steve C

I'm the same i always build the figures first so i get a feel for the figure will look before painting plus i use super glue when gluing and it tends to leave a whitish residue when drying which i dont want to ruin my painting but i guess its just an individual thing what feels right for one won't for another do what feels right