Hi All,
After a long hiatus from the hobby I started Masterbox's frontier fighting hand-to-hand combat kit. Now I never was a very good painter but with the differtent techniques I found on the website I got a fairly good result that I am quite proud of. See for yourself:





Now I must say painting figures is a very welcome distraction from a Pz. I kit I'm doing. But I do want to get better. As you can see on the faces the texture of the paint is kinda rough. Can this be prevented by thinning the paint of should I quit using Tamiya?

Feedback greatly appreciated.
CHeers
Thomas

Thommie...NEVER use Tamiya acrylics for brush work,especially on a face. There are plenty of reasons and I am sure that you found out while you painted that poor guy

Hi

Yes I'd agree, ditch the Tamiya paints for brush figure painting. If you can buy Vallejo, I would recommend trying those. Model Color, thinned with water or their own thinner.

Also, I would do something about those mould lines on the figure before painting further. Due to the lumps and the heavy brush marks I'd suggest stripping the figure and starting again. That way you can clean off those mould lines at the same time.

Here's a site that gives colour recommendations and tips on Vallejo paint.

Vallejo colour mixes

Further info at http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/

Alan

No actually dont listen to these guys, you see YOU CAN get fantastic results with using Tamiya, its just that you got to get good with it, ive painted rommel and it was an outstanding result, its just that your painting wrongly with it, instead of using the liquid, scoop with a small spoon and pull out that gooy sticky stuff from the bottom of the paint jar. that will help.

Thanks guys for your replies. Buying Vallejo is not really an option because of a limited budget. I first want to get a bit better using Tamiya, don't wanna ditch all those bottles just yet.

Richard, do you mean scooping out the residue on the bottom of the jar and using that? Of scooping it out, and using the remaining liquid?
Thanks in advance

Hi Thomas

I used Tamiya for years on everything. Never had any progress with figures though. Then two factors really bumped my figure painting up a notch or two: 1. Using Vallejo Acryllics, 2. priming the figures.

As far as I know Tamiya paints are specifically made for airbrushing and they're great for that. Maybe thinning the Tamiya paints some more would make them work better for figure painting.

My 2 cents...

Cheers
Stef

Allright, so Vallejo is the way to go (hey, just invented their new slogan, (c) (r) tm by me, just to be sure). I guess I could buy a few bottles. Which would you recon would be the minimal must-haves for painting faces? I will stick to the tamiya paints for uniforms and equipment beacuse of my budget (allready got those).

Thanks in advance

Hi

As a guide here is some colour mixes as used by some noted figure painters listed on the Colorado Miniatures web site.

Colours

Hope it helps.

You don't have to ditch the Tamiya paint, just use it for AFV airbrushing, if you have one. I just found if you painted with it and then went back over it lifted the paint already just brushed on causing lumps etc. in the finish like you've shown. No such problems with Vallejo. Like Stefan I do prime my figures first though. I use Games Workshop Chaos Black in a spray can.

Alan

Hi

More information, tips etc. can be found about Vallejo paints on their web site.

http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/

Alan

Hey Thomas, I too would reccomend using vallejo,
you may have seen this tutorial i made, but it can be used as a "quick" technique before delving headlong into figures.
FPWA

Wow you guys! You never cease to amaze me. Everyone is so helpfull.. I just ordered a couple of fleshtone related Valejobottles.. Once I get them I'll post new pics.. Thanks again all of you!

Well, you could do all your mixing yourself. You would just need the three basic colors (red, blue, yellow) and black and white. You can mix all colors from that. Personally I like the pre mixed colors so I would add to the above tree flesh colors (dark, medium, light) or you can just take one (the dark one) and lighten it up yourself. There is also a set with face colors: Face Skin (Ref. 70124). I would also recommend some sort of brown.

Be sure to get some distilled water for thinnig. You can get a whole can of it real cheap.

HTH! Cheers!
Stef

No no, in the bottom of the jar is this gooy stuff that is like blue tac, just scoop that out and use that, dont use the liquid or the figure will be shiny.

Not going to go on the figure very well unless you intend putting it on with a trowel. Sounds totally wrong to me. I'd like to see the results of your figures using this method, got any pictures?

Maybe I and the paint manufacturers have got it wrong, as per instructions on the labels, I've always thought you stirred paint to thoroughly mix it. With jars and tins using a stirrer of some description or in the case of bottles like Vallejo etc. by shaking and striking it on the palm of your hand. I've seen comments were people have got a shiny effect to their paint and the usual response and answer is it wasn't stirred enough, so I find your comments strange.


By the way for Tamiya paints they do a product to ensure a matt finish anyway. It's called Flat Base X-21 and you mix this with paint to ensure the paint achieves a matt finish. You don't apply it to a model on its own to matt it down, that seems to be a mistake some have made. Its an additive not a finish in itself.

Alan

Hi Alan,
Besides some fleshtones I also ordered Valejo medium matte. Do you use this in the same manner as tamiya matte as you describe above, i.e. mix it with the paints and not as a final layer? And if so do you mix it with all your layers (dark to ligh) or only with the final one?
Learning a lot, thanks in advance!

Hi Thomas

To be honest I don't know. I don't really remember seeing it. It sounds like a product you would put with say, a gloss paint to make it matt, but as I've no experience of it I can't really advise you on it.

I started to use the Tamiya Flat Base when painting my figures but would keep forgetting to add it to colours when I was working so I've more or less given up on using it. I did overcook the amount I put in once and it resulted in like a white staining on the figure so that's another reason I've stopped using it.

My intention is to finish the figures without adding any "flattening" agent to the paint, then if my figure is glossy in any way I'll give it a coat of matt clear seal/varnish like Testors Dullcote etc. That way it'll flatten the paint and at the same time add a layer of protection to the paint finish.

If you have any of the Tamiya X-20A thinner from using Tamiya paints DO NOT use it to thin the Vallejo paint . It will make the paint go like cottage cheese !! Just thin Vallejo with distilled water or their own Vallejo thinner.

Alan

Alan, thanks again! Hopefully I can start this weekend!

Hi Thomas

Do read the painting tips on the Vallejo site regarding application. Basically what it shows is that these paints are "semi transparent" in nature for want of a better expression. In other words you apply them in layers and the colours are defined by how many layers you apply. Don't expect to cover an area with one coat, the idea is you build the layers up to create the highlights and shadows. As I say, check out the Vallejo site for their tips on application.

Alan

This could be usefull as well:

https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/2274

Cheers!

Ill try to upload a pic