SPA Modeler

How are oils different to enamels? Enamels are oil based or am I misunderstanding the difference. What brand of oils do you use? Abteilung 502 series? I know Michigan Toy Company carries them. Pricey too....$8 -$9 per tube.

Honestly, I wouldn’t know where to start or the step by step process from start to finish. I admit, figure painting does intimidates me.

There is a bust of General Casimir Pulaski figure kit I’ve been wanting to get and do. He is immortalize here in my hometown with statue on the Memorial Parkway.

http://artoneida.org/art/items/show/190

Oils dry much more slowly, and allow lots of blending. You can’t achieve the same look with most any type of other paints.

Artist oils are a completely different animal. They come in a tube, I like Windsor newton and thin with turpinoid. Like Stik said they dry slowly.. like a week or so but you can apply them and work the paint. Blending or taking paint off. When I was doing figures I would put a base of enamel down and do shadows and hilites with oils. I felt it was the best way to control and blend. Takes a bit of practice for sure.

BlackSheep214 wrote:How are oils different to enamels? Enamels are oil based or am I misunderstanding the difference. What brand of oils do you use? Abteilung 502 series? I know Michigan Toy Company carries them. Pricey too....$8 -$9 per tube. Honestly, I wouldn’t know where to start or the step by step process from start to finish. I admit, figure painting does intimidates me.

Hey Brother, it can all be intimidating until we just give it a go. Nobody I know was born with a brush in their hand, so if they can do it, we can too, right? Remember, enamels dry real quick, just play with each medium and you'll see the specific properties of each.

Like Stik and John mentioned, oils are a different animal. I very rarely use Abt oils, too wet, mostly artist oils such as Windsor & Newton, Grumbacher, etc. Unlike what they are saying, my drying time is much faster due to the fact that I use "regular old paint thinner" and most always thin my oils a bit on the pallet before application. I never dry out my oils on cardboard either, (that sounds contradictory, but it's not). My dry time is 1-3 days max and I can sometimes speed that up with an old hair dryer. I've done it for so long I know how the oils react. I've learned when to stop working an area as the base tone will become visible down to the primer. It's like anything else, play with it and learn it.

Watch a few of these tutorials for 2D painting with oils, the concept is the same, but like I said, you would be blending in a much smaller area rather than a canvas. There are a lot of useful tips on every one of these vids, from learning to lay out a pallet to how to blend, or not. Check out Daria's YT channel and see if this is for you. I cannot advise how to work with acrylics, but I can assist with oils.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QapONEamQg

Hope this helps.

Sargent Lancer

Sgt Lancer is finally done, but it took a bit longer than expected due to other than bunker issues, i.e., outside work. Ok, no worries, we Ruck On. I really love how this resin used has made so many problems with scratch and slag just easily disappear. The rework is quite nice from a flexibility stand point, and the time involved is very short. Fix it, get er done. This really is fast becoming the best set I have ever worked. And let’s just say this, working colors in the arena has been a challenge, but a fun run, to say the least. And no, I won’t be making a habit of it any time soon, HA!



Please disregard the resin visible on his boot, it got rubbed off, even after a dull coat and several days drying time. Why does it always happen during the photo sessions? Who knows, but it does, HA! T’sall good, it’ll get taken care of in short order.






As you can see, nothing has changed in the process, nor has there been any major issues to deal with, so Sgt Lancer will be set aside with the other four to await the 42nd Highland Infantry Regiment "Black Watch" unit reunion. Did I mention I’m still having fun with each and every figure so far? Well, I am, and I really can’t wait to tackle that drum that Drummer boy has hanging from his waist,…………..Sheesh, really, ya gotta be kiddin me, right? Ah, I dream of olive drab in my sleep,…………..

Ruck On. Thanks for watchin. Cheers, Ski.

Dude that's incredible work!

Medicman71 wrote:Dude that's incredible work!

Incredible work indeed! (I can’t find the boot area with the rubbed off paint that you mentioned Ski…)

I am really enjoying watching all of these guys being painted up. Figures are a weakness of mine and it's one of my modeling goals to meet. When I got back into the hobby full swing just over a decade ago, I was building aircraft primarily and at the time I'd always wanted to know how to pull off the perfect automotive gloss finish on car bodies. Now.....I'm on a quest to work on my military vehicle building, painting and weathering and next up will be my fear of figures. Thank you for the inspiration Steve.

Thanks, Mike!

Thanks, Stik. Ya, it's there, but I'm picky come photo time I recon, lol.

Joe, you got me beat when it comes to a clean car build, Buddy. I couldn't keep a canopy, let alone a windshield, clean for nothin. I started on figures way back in the beginning, way back in the mid 70's, lol. Sheesh, has it been that long???

First Rifleman

The line-up is getting larger as time progresses. I’ve been behind the power curve lately, but things will pick up shortly. There are three more Highlanders to paint and two French troops left in the line-up, then the base work.

Here he is for your comments. Nothing in the process has changed from above, so we Ruck On, Bby!

Looks like these guys are getting anxious!



The blood splatter and weathering will be taken care of later.







Thanks for watching, more to follow ASAP. Cheers, Ski.