HELP for beginners using oils on figures

[Steve]

I have bought the professional range of Winsor and Newton oils, Winsor and
Newton Brushes Series 7, WN Liquin, WN Linseed Oil and Daler Odourless
Turpentine (today) and read books good books by Shep Paine, le Hussard du
Marais, Kessler and Winar (Kalmbach Publishing) and loaned the whole lot
(not inc brushes) to a friend who is also starting out on figure painting
making two of us with zero experience. The books make no mention of the
basics of how to apply the paint but seem to assume this is known by even
the beginner. Just what is he doing wrong when he finds that its going on
like 'mastic', i.e. a difficult to flow paint experience, thin and thick
streaks. I suggested thinning it rather than going neat from the tube, the
oil made it no better, neither did the Liquin, he tried white spirit which
was better but still irregular, also trying a stippling action on part of it
each time left a strange pattern which doesn't seem to be blending in as
one, unless something magical will happen over a few days. Just left him
with the odourless turps, is this stuff the real secret ? How crucial is the
mattness of the primer coat in this? Just read an article in Military
Modelling 100 page issue on painting etc figures and it says for the initial
face 'the idea is to have the surface of the model covered with oil paint,
thick enough to be able to mix colour into it, but thin enough so that the
details of the face aren't obscured, the basic rule is if you can see any
brush marks on the model then the paint is too thick......well he had brush
marks like plough lines, dark blue thick ridges and areas of VERY THIN paint
showing as light blue where the light grey base coat showed through, all
with brush marks yet the layer of paint looked thin enough. Underpainting
with an approx matt colour is the norm but even so, should it be like this ?
Looking at good figures in a model show painted in oils shows a perfectly
smooth finish as if airbrushed with shadows perfectly fading into midtones
again as if carefully airbrushed. Its only knowing that this can be the end
result that is giving us faith at the moment. There must be something
fundamental not mentioned by the books , mags and figure painters we have
talked to that we are not doing right. (Authors please note !)
SOMEONE PLEASE HELP !
Perhaps there's an excellent video (UK ok type!) though such fine aspects as
paint texture would need macro close up methods to show up on screen.

P.S. the Military Modelling V30 N5 pictorial step by step on the Earl of
Warwick figure is superbly photographed, facial painting truly excellent,
(also facial sculpting excellent) and the article potentially very useful,
just needs a few very close up illustrations and better description perhaps
for beginners on how to apply the paint !

[Denebrian Slime Devil]

When I use oils, I underpaint with matte acrylic.
This gives the oil paint a surface to stick to. Assuming that you are using
resin or even white metal figures, there isnt enough roughness to thesurface
to allow the paint to *stick* evenly. Oil paints, by thier nature when
thinned will be somewhat transparent. This is useful for those who like the
*glazed* technique of building up one color on top of another to show depth.
For faces and arms I use a 1/4" bright
and mix a nice consistency, then work it into the figure.
Even tho I do mainly military subjects, my figures tend to be girls. Lately
I have started messing with airbrushing the figures (all of them are pretty
small, like 1/25 scale) but for that scale Imthinking of going back to oils.
Shep's books are great, but if your really interested in getting into
figures, and you are working on larger figures, then I would have to highly
recommend reading back issues and the current stuff from The Modeler's
Resource and Kitbiulders. The stuff in there is often horror and (by my
tastes) out there, but the techniques used are solid and predictable. I
have gained a lot from reading about stuff that I care nothing about.

HTH
David Campbell
Helicopters don't fly, they beat the air into submission!
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Steve wrote in message
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[SPri435470]

I am having the same problems with my figure painting and have the same
questions as you with brushmarks and thickness of paint-if you learn any thing
please tell me as I will do the same.

[Clarence Prigent]

Hi Steve,

I had the same problems, brush marks, paint to thick,etc... All my 54 mm
figures were disasters. I've tried everything: smaller brushes, different
brand of oils paints, thinner, linseed oil until I discovered that I had
missed something: "Spread the paint". With a good undercoat and spreading
the colors out, (just pick up a tiny dot of paint with a 0 size brush and
spread it as much as you can) and you should get rid of the brush marks.
Then if you want to blend some colors you have to use a very small dot of
oil paint and use a stabbing motion to blend the color.

To thin the paint, I use taltine (an odorless slovent). I dip my brush in
it and pick up some paint with this brush full of solvent, mix the whole
thing together and then I clean my brush with a tissue. Then I pick up a
tiny dot of paint and put it on the figure and I spread it. (I hope this is
clear. I'm more comfortable in french.)

Anyway, good luck. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

Clarence Prigent

[Steve Hilby]

Use a softer brush (you might have to spend some bucks for a good one)
to help eliminate brush marks. The paint is supposed to be thick; use a
teensy weensy bit and spread it around. Use a flat (matte) base coat
with some "tooth" to help get it spread more evenly.

Steve H