Since 2018 I have devoted myself full-time to painting Napoleonics in our favorite scale and with gratitude to the many people who have helped share their skills I may have learned a few things that might be of assistance, particularly to those just starting out or new to painting in 1/72 scale.
#1) Have an area set up with good lighting and comfortable seating for painting. A proper rest for your back and arms will make itself known to you very quickly.
#2) You can only paint as good as your brush and paints are. You will never paint details well unless you have a brush suited to the purpose.
#3) Paint is not just paint. What I mean is using acrylics we have the option to use thinner or water. They behave differently on your brush and thinner will often leave a sheen that using water will not. Older paints will be thick and require a thinning medium but if used without mixing will leave lumps and blobs you probably don't want.
#4) Test your brush and paint before applying. Excess paint or watery paint can ruin work you've already done. Make sure by my making test streaks on paper towel the paint comes off the brush like you want it to. For painting clean lines this is a must.
#5) You can never clean your brush too often. Do it regularly and you will be happier with your results.
#6) Make sure your figures are washed and cleaned of any flash or mold lines you don't want. For really top notch figures invest as much time as needed before that brush even comes out.
#7) Priming matters especially on metals and very soft plastics. Just make sure you don't apply it so thickly you lose detail - this can happen very easily using spray cans.
#8) Have several references for historical units. Lots of illustrations and painted figures out that are not using correct color schemes.
#9) Intense work will wear your eyes out. I have spent weeks painting units and declared them finished only to look through a camera lens and notice a multitude of things I had missed or done poorly. Allow yourself time away so you can view with fresh eyes (and renewed patience).
#10) Because 1/72 scale is so small colors need to be a bit brighter to show up well. Contrast between adjoining colors is critical to making a figure "pop". This is where blacklining comes in, leaving solid black lines between areas helps each color to stand out better. If overdone this looks bad if photographed closely. You must decide what distance you want your figures to look best at and settle for that. What looks best at 6" is very different from what looks good at 6'.
I was a photorealist painter for years before turning to models so some aspects of the hobby did not come naturally to me. Exaggerated colors and blacklining are still topics where my inner debate yet rages on.
If this helps anyone mission accomplished. I suppose I should have made #1 enjoy yourself. Painting can be very relaxing and satisfying as a hobby. Don't expect your early work to look like what you might see on forums where masters who have spent decades perfecting their styles is displayed. I was happy with my first units but I find them laughable these days. It's all about improving as you go and with consistent effort you will. Paint with joy in your heart because you are creating and the troubles of the world will fade away while you work.
Cheers,
Bessiere
Modelling
What I've learned about painting 1/72 figures
5 posts
• Page 1 of 1
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Bessiere
- Posts: 1141
- Member since:
23 May 2019, 15:50
This is an excellent and very useful guide, both for newcomers and also for some of us older painters ...there is always something new to learn, or at least a habit which 'needs' to be changed to improve the overall effectiveness/efficiency of the painting process. Thank you Bessiere!
Just a couple of other thoughts:
Batches: When painting units and large numbers of figures, pre-planning the size of each batch is important so that (a) you can paint a reasonable number of figures and see progress and (b) so that the whole task does not become over-whelming and remains 'manageable'. For my part, it depends a bit on the complexity of the unform, and generally with C18th/C19th unforms this means batches of 10-12 figures in a go, sometimes smaller for cavalrymen and gun crews. This means that, let us say, a 28 figure regiment breaks down into 2 main batches and perhaps a smaller batch of officers/colour bearers/musicians. Amongst other things, doing this helps you to paint the figures reasonably consistently, and certainly helps in term of the all-so-important enjoyment of this activity. For example then, painting the tunic lacing and cross belts on a British 1815 infantryman remains enjoyable for the first 10 figures; but is less enjoyable if you are trying to paint these all in one go on a 30+ figure Guards battalion!! Batches help keep you sane
The effect of distance and what you see for real: Many years ago when I started out on this splendid hobby I had a book called 'Model Soldiers' (and still do have it) which had a chapter on painting figures...in those days inevitably with Humbrol or other make enamels. One piece of advice in the chapter which has always stuck with me is that figures don't need to have every detail painted, for example eyes. Taking a look at someone in the street, say at 50 yards or so, indicates what you can actually see, and also the effect of shade and light. Realising this helps a bit when painting significant numbers of figures, since the effect is about the mass and what you will see when the unit is arrayed on display. Sure, key stand-out figures need a little extra work, but generally speaking knowing what to paint and what to simply suggest eg: with shading, can help the painting process when you need to be able to see progress in terms of completed figures.
Colours: I agree with your thoughts, although personally I do find that some colours can sometimes be a bit too 'eye popping'; some Vallejo blues are very strong, and I often tone these down a bit, reflecting perhaps that dye-stuffs for ordinary soldier's clothing would not be as bright as modern day synthetic dyes. I tend to keep the brighter reds and blues for the more expensively dressed officers.
Keep it fun: I agree completely with your views. This is a hobby, but not a production line. Painting figures is an enjoyable and relaxing pastime, very satisfying and requiring many skills. But as you say, take a regular break, rest your eyes, do something different for an hour or two...before returning to the painting table.
Just a couple of other thoughts:
Batches: When painting units and large numbers of figures, pre-planning the size of each batch is important so that (a) you can paint a reasonable number of figures and see progress and (b) so that the whole task does not become over-whelming and remains 'manageable'. For my part, it depends a bit on the complexity of the unform, and generally with C18th/C19th unforms this means batches of 10-12 figures in a go, sometimes smaller for cavalrymen and gun crews. This means that, let us say, a 28 figure regiment breaks down into 2 main batches and perhaps a smaller batch of officers/colour bearers/musicians. Amongst other things, doing this helps you to paint the figures reasonably consistently, and certainly helps in term of the all-so-important enjoyment of this activity. For example then, painting the tunic lacing and cross belts on a British 1815 infantryman remains enjoyable for the first 10 figures; but is less enjoyable if you are trying to paint these all in one go on a 30+ figure Guards battalion!! Batches help keep you sane
The effect of distance and what you see for real: Many years ago when I started out on this splendid hobby I had a book called 'Model Soldiers' (and still do have it) which had a chapter on painting figures...in those days inevitably with Humbrol or other make enamels. One piece of advice in the chapter which has always stuck with me is that figures don't need to have every detail painted, for example eyes. Taking a look at someone in the street, say at 50 yards or so, indicates what you can actually see, and also the effect of shade and light. Realising this helps a bit when painting significant numbers of figures, since the effect is about the mass and what you will see when the unit is arrayed on display. Sure, key stand-out figures need a little extra work, but generally speaking knowing what to paint and what to simply suggest eg: with shading, can help the painting process when you need to be able to see progress in terms of completed figures.
Colours: I agree with your thoughts, although personally I do find that some colours can sometimes be a bit too 'eye popping'; some Vallejo blues are very strong, and I often tone these down a bit, reflecting perhaps that dye-stuffs for ordinary soldier's clothing would not be as bright as modern day synthetic dyes. I tend to keep the brighter reds and blues for the more expensively dressed officers.
Keep it fun: I agree completely with your views. This is a hobby, but not a production line. Painting figures is an enjoyable and relaxing pastime, very satisfying and requiring many skills. But as you say, take a regular break, rest your eyes, do something different for an hour or two...before returning to the painting table.
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Minuteman
- Posts: 1140
- Member since:
06 Mar 2020, 21:38
I see that some people have very philosophical thoughts about our shared hobby.
I have nothing to add to this.
For myself I have some rules that come from the Japanese Bushido.
Never do anything to make others admire you for it.
(Ok, ok I like it too when other people like my work.)
Be never satisfied.
Paint with your heart, not with your brush.
And most importantly, you have to love what you do.
Because what you do out of love, you will always succeed.
Of course, these are not rules for everyone.
These are just the thoughts of an old man who still loves
this hobby as much as when he first started.
Fifty years ago now.
I have nothing to add to this.
For myself I have some rules that come from the Japanese Bushido.
Never do anything to make others admire you for it.
(Ok, ok I like it too when other people like my work.)
Be never satisfied.
Paint with your heart, not with your brush.
And most importantly, you have to love what you do.
Because what you do out of love, you will always succeed.
Of course, these are not rules for everyone.
These are just the thoughts of an old man who still loves
this hobby as much as when he first started.
Fifty years ago now.
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Konrad
Supporting Member (Gold) 
- Posts: 2639
- Member since:
19 Oct 2007, 12:59
Good advice Minuteman, thank you! Many paint this scale to create armies for gaming (it was my "excuse" haha!) I decided on 36 man battalions off the bat, perhaps I was overly ambitious. Your advice about batches is spot on; paint the same parts on 8 or 10 at a time so repetition doesn't get you down. Finish that group before moving on so you can see results and get some satisfaction in having finished figures.
Colors can indeed be too strong and understanding the color wheel is the best way to tone them down rather than adding black or white paint add the opposite color; for instance adding red will tone down greens, etc. Flesh tones are perhaps the trickiest of all colors since none of the premixed paints seem to be exactly what I want. On that note a wet palette and using a retarder medium allows you to mix a batch of color and keep it usable for more than a couple minutes. Acrylics dry fast. I also use an atomizer spray bottle of water to spritz on my paint to keep it usable. I use the tops of medication bottles to hold paint. You can also cut off the edges and use them as bases for leader figures so I get double duty out of those.
Cheers,
Bessiere
Colors can indeed be too strong and understanding the color wheel is the best way to tone them down rather than adding black or white paint add the opposite color; for instance adding red will tone down greens, etc. Flesh tones are perhaps the trickiest of all colors since none of the premixed paints seem to be exactly what I want. On that note a wet palette and using a retarder medium allows you to mix a batch of color and keep it usable for more than a couple minutes. Acrylics dry fast. I also use an atomizer spray bottle of water to spritz on my paint to keep it usable. I use the tops of medication bottles to hold paint. You can also cut off the edges and use them as bases for leader figures so I get double duty out of those.
Cheers,
Bessiere
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Bessiere
- Posts: 1141
- Member since:
23 May 2019, 15:50
There is much to be said for Japanese philosophy, for myself I follow the Zen of doing/not doing, non-effort if you will. Do or not do, there is no trying as Yoda might say. Never being satisfied doesn't mean don't be happy with your efforts but being open to improving even when you can't yet see what needs it. It is a lifetime pursuit I also began over 50 years ago using testors gloss paints and airfix figures. Didn't we all have lime green US marines or gray wehrmacht with pink faces?
We have seen our hobby grow by leaps and bounds in our lifetime. Imagine how much further it has yet to go for the next generation. We have been ridiculously blessed in our time.
Cheers,
Bessiere
We have seen our hobby grow by leaps and bounds in our lifetime. Imagine how much further it has yet to go for the next generation. We have been ridiculously blessed in our time.
Cheers,
Bessiere
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Bessiere
- Posts: 1141
- Member since:
23 May 2019, 15:50
5 posts
• Page 1 of 1