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| Brigade ANZACS from the talented Martin Robson, who is no moron! |
The Morons guide to figure painting
by Bob Crumpton
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| Brigade ANZACS from the talented Martin Robson, who is no moron! |
Let's face it. The world is populated with 3 kinds of people. The talented, the
capable and the useless. However, any talent unless discovered, is useless. The fortunate treetop dwellers are therefore, those with talent, who have
discovered it, and chose to use it. The rest of us mere mortals can admire, and aspire, but face it again - we aren't ever going to get there are we ? Without
the talent one can be a journeyman but never a Chippendale.
And so to figure painting. There are people out there who take my breath away. They paint details on figures where I can't even see the details. Flick through
any magazine, and you'll see works of art by Kevin Dallimore, Phil Hendry, Colin Dixon, Richard Ellis, and that's just 2 magazines......
Several of the artists do explicit guides on how to achieve their results. That is a wonderful gesture I think. However, much as I admire Kevin Dallimore's
work, Foundry's paint system, et.al . I'll be honest - I am never going to be a pro figure painter.
What I try to do is get the figures on the table, in a
suitable condition not to be laughed at, and at a price where I'm not going to scream if someone goes within 2 feet of one. I read the guides, I aspire to get
better - but here's how it happens for me at this moment in time.
(1) The worst thing on a miniature is a bald metal bit where it shouldn't be.
(2) The second worst thing is a gloss effect to make poor 'Gnashus the Barbarian' look like a toy soldier - the poor guy has enough trouble being made
of lead and painted by me !
Answer to (1) Undercoat
Answer to (2) No high gloss varnish or finish.
Right - undercoat. I believe the current vogue is black. I'm not too sure about that.. My use of undercoat is to ensure the rest of the paint sticks, but
mainly to hide the bare metal if I miss a bit in my senility. The missed bit, is, by sods law, either the hardest to get at bit of moulding, or where the eye
is naturally drawn to, whichever is the most embarrassing.
I undercoat in brown, or dark green, whichever I happen to have more of at the time. Never
'dip' figurs - it is an insult to the moulders' art. Thick brush/medium brush/inexpensive brush yes. Dip - no.
**** Now go and watch telly, play on the computer, have a beer. ANYTHING but start paining before the coat is dry.
Fast forward to man looking at regiment of green zombies. Do the flesh bits. NO not down to fingernail level - if its a hand paint it, ditto face, bare foot
etc. Return to ****
Return to green and pink/brown things. Logic says clothing on top hides clothing
beneath, so, I would now tend to do : shirt, **** , boots, ****, trousers, **** , hair, ****, jacket., ****
If at **** you went for a beer each time, now would be a good stage to pack in till the following day.
We should now be looking at something, which, from 6 feet away would look like the end product.
However we tend to game closer than that, so, out with the finer brushes and patience and finish off. What do I mean by that ? Well, bits
of weapons, silver, gold, feathers, webbing and strapping ........and its ****
time again.
Final to my painting strategy is the small fine brush to detail OUT the over paint (where possible) . Highlighting ? Painting eyeballs onto 15 mm figures ?
Cue the artists - its out of my talent range........
Next - the morons guide to basing.
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