Skip to main content

My Approach

I start the painting process typically with a basecoat of either Liquitex acrylic white gesso, or white paint (Humbrol orange, yellows, and browns for horses).  Usually two coats, to ensure a nice solid coverage of the metal or plastic figures.  Until recently, I used Liquitex acrylic black gesso, or paint, but have moved away from it since it dulls brighter colors, requiring an extra step of two to do them justice.

Anyway, after basecoating, I tend to use a mixed media approach.  Winsor-Newton alkyd oils are ued for for large areas with smaller details picked out in either Humbrol enamels or Citadel (ex-Games Workshop) acrylics.

The brushes I use are mostly Cottman synthetic by Winsor-Newton, but I do have and use a few 000 and 001 size sable brushes for tiny details.  However, I have found that my painting skills have improved somewhat over the last several years, and as long as I use brushes with good (i.e., 'fairly new') points, even a #2, #3, or #4 round will work for most detailing.

Finally, I have reached the point where I am satisfied with neatly painted figures that look good at arm's length.  I no longer feel the need to spend considerable time and effort, or ruin my eyes further for that matter, trying to paint really tiny details that no one but me, or painting pedants, will notice.  It speeds the painting of large units appreciably and is an extremely liberating way to approach figure painting.


Popular posts from this blog

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!

And It's the End of September!!!

  Saxony's Ploetz Cuirassiers, an illustration lifted from the Kronoskaf website, which has thus far guided my spectacularly glacial painting of 30 28mm Eureka Saxon cuirassiers purchased all the way back in October 2016. A gray, cool Saturday here in Mid-Michigan with rain in the forecast. The Grand Duchess is away at a conference, so it's just "The Boys" here at home. The Young Master (almost 15) has retreated to his room for something or other following breakfast while I have stolen back down here to Zum Stollenkeller (masquerading as my office) with a second mug of coffee and both cats comfortably ensconced nearby. Enjoying the late morning and still in my pajamas! Not much planned for today beyond designing a couple of promotional flyers for workshops my department is presenting (small parties we will throw?) in October and November.  With maybe a bit of on the next podcast script. More important,  I am toying with the idea of returning for an hour or...

Happy September 2nd!!!

    T his weekend, the question of what, precisely, constitutes an "imagination" came up in an online forum of which I am a part.  To be fair, the issue originates from further afield in a Facebook group that I am not a member of, but I weighed in with my own view.  The following was in response to the question posed yesterday (Sunday) morning by an exasperated member of my own rather more gentlemanly town square, who had been met with a strident response to information he shared about his (admirable) hobby activities on said FB group.  Here is, more or less, what I wrote: To my mind, the concept of imagi-nation(s) is a broad one.  It can range from historical refights or what-if scenarios/battles/campaigns between armies of a particular era, to completely made up combatants operating in a quasi-historical setting, to the rather generic red and blue forces of the Prussian Kriegspiel that examine a particular tactical problem, task, or exercise.   ...