How do you hold large scale horses when painting?

[Vincent Z]

So I just started this hobby a month or so ago.

I went right into the deep end of the water and started with a few cavalry figures.

And I find that it is very hard to find a way to hold horses on any painting handles (I trust I need not explain why it is, but can expand on the point if asked).

And when I hold it with my hand there are sometimes paints peeling off on the most exposed/protruding areas of the horse (maybe I didn't apply enough primer?). Also if I use oil paint (which I think is fantastic for painting horses), I'll just smudge paints all over if I hold the horse by itself.

Now I've started my first 120mm cavalry figure for my project I just want to ask if there is any wisdom on how to hold large scale horses so I don't damage the paint...

 

[megroot]

Make some metal pins into the hooves, drill some hole into a wooden block and glue the pins into the holes in the wooden block.
That's all.

Marc

 

[megroot]

Make some metal pins into the hooves, drill some hole into a wooden block and glue the pins into the holes in the wooden block.
That's all.

Marc

 

[Vincent Z]

Make some metal pins into the hooves, drill some hole into a wooden block and glue the pins into the holes in the wooden block.
That's all.

Marc

That's a great idea. Just bought some soft wood block and will try this tomorrow.

Thank you!

 

[theBaron]

The same technique is useful for holding a foot figure for painting, too. I'll drill a hole in a figure's foot, for example, insert a pin of stiff wire (sometimes an actual straight pin) and glue it (usually just white glue), and then stick this into a wine bottle cork as a holder. And since I usually have several figures going at one time, I took a piece of a 2x4 and drilled holes in it (with a spade bit) to fit the corks into.

I also got myself one of those holders that consists of a wooden handle and a metal table with 2 halves that open and close with a screw. The table has holes milled in it, and uses small metal pegs to hold a piece. I use that with figures that already have a base attached. But I like the cork system better.

Prost!
Brad

 

[megroot]

I also got myself one of those holders that consists of a wooden handle and a metal table with 2 halves that open and close with a screw. The table has holes milled in it, and uses small metal pegs to hold a piece. I use that with figures that already have a base attached. But I like the cork system better.

Brad

I made them myself.
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/making-a-holder.37077/

 

[dfmoss]

For most of my smaller stuff (54mm and even 75mm single figures) I will most often mount the figure to the final base and use that to hold it. I do this after priming, and often after painting the face. (Separate heads are stuck on a pike, I mean toothpick, and painted before adding to the completed figure.)

For larger figures, I will often just hold the figure by the legs (wrapped in plastic wrap to avoid damaging the primer). I then paint from the top down. Final work on the legs is often done after mounting the figure on the base.

In all cases, I prep the base first and make certain the figure will fit.

If I mount the figure to the final base before painting, I tape off the base to avoid damaging it.

Don

 

[yellowcat]

These are my figure vises. Couple of them are put together with various parts from security cameras. The white metal horse is 90mm.

 

[NRG]

I also wear thin rubber medical gloves when handling partially painted figures I’m working on to avoid sweat/bodily moisture getting on the figure and reacting with the paint.