andrea paint sets

[jim1215]

Trying to get some info on andrea paint sets to help with shading and highlighting iuare they worth it ..i do have alot of individual vallejo colors and andrea colors .i try to use a med color and highlight with lighter then a darker shade ....still trying to get the hang of it are the paint sets worth iit or stay with the usual technique ....thanks and happy holidays jimmy

 

[Einion]

They're worth it if you think they're worth it, it's a very individual thing; some people would never touch 'em, others use them quite a bit.

Be aware that this kind of thing can tend to create a sameness in your work and in the long term over-reliance on premade sets will hold back the development of your ability to mix a range of colours as you need them, which is an absolutely vital skill. See comments in this previous thread:
http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29414

Einion

 

[housecarl]

Much more fun learning to mix them. Also you can't buy the individual colours, if you use one more than the other. That, and they're expensive.
Carl.

 

[Jim Patrick]

I say buy the sets. I find them to be VERY nice and extremely helpful to, not just for the beginner, but to moderate level and advanced painters as well.

Yes, they are a little more expensive than buying the colors by themselves. But consider this. The colors offered in the paint sets are not offered in their normal line of paints. True, there are a few colors you will find repeat (A FEW!) but not an entire set. So the colors, nearly all, are not repeat colors you can find in their normal line of paints.

For a fantastic example of how to use these paint sets, as well as acrylic paints, buy the book by Julio Cabos (Andrea Press). Julio covers all the basics here and will go a long ways towards understanding acrylic paints. Gray Creager did a nice review of this book over at Timelines.

http://www.timelinesforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12613

I do NOT! believe these paint sets hinder an artist’s progression. Consider this: When we are taught to write our letters a certain way or to draw a face a particular way, does this stop us from developing our own style for writing or drawing? No. It simply sets the fundamentals that are so badly needed in order to develop our own styles. In fact, if you purchase the book you will find Julio Cabos explaining, in detail, adding different colors to some of these paint sets to achieve variations in the final colors.

Again, I cannot recommend these colors highly enough. Buy them!

Jim Patrick

 

[Einion]

I do NOT! believe these paint sets hinder an artist’s progression.

I'd bet any amount of money you'd care to name that they can and do.

Even using single readymade colours holds back mixing development, so there's no way that entire sets of shades doesn't. There's only one way to really learn how to mix, and that's to actually do it.

Case in point: those unique colours that are only offered in the sets, if one runs out before the rest of the set, how many of their users mix a replacement... how many of their users know how?

Einion

 

[housecarl]

Case in point: those unique colours that are only offered in the sets, if one runs out before the rest of the set, how many of their users mix a replacement... how many of their users know how?
Exactly,
Carl.

 

[geaugan]

I happened to see a photo of a fairly new figure painters workshop the other day. He had the complete line of P3 Paints and it looked as though he had several hundred of the Reaper Paints. I figure he will never learn how t paint. My feeling is, if you want to just put pieces on a game board, then painting by number is fine. On the oher hand, if you want to create something and compete you have to learn how to mix.

 

[bigtodd]

I say go for it. I bought the red, white, and black sets. They give you a great start when you are learning to mix shades.

Einion is correct when he mentions it could lead to a "sameness," when you do a lot of figures. I noticed this on the color white after two figures.

One way you can vary the colors is shift the light dark range. Instead of starting with the base color as the base, use the first highlight as your base and work up with the other colors adding a touch of white to you highest highlight and use first shadow as your darkest color.

After you are comfortable using these sets. Take a chance and mix your own. It is a ton of fun!!!!

Todd

 

[jim1215]

Thank you all for the input..my question came because i just read julios book and said ok rhis only works if i had paint sets ..i have a ton of individual bottles of borh companies valkejo and andrea and have a pretty good idea from trying and much reading feom.the pros on planetfigure ....i might try the fleas set because my biggest problem is faces ..i own over 75 kits some 75mm mostly 54mm.( i just keep.buying) and i really dont want to try my favorites because my faces are not that good ...clothes im ok at and should get a passing grade lol...but i will try the flesh set...also gold and silver looks like.it might work ....but i got some good ideas on chainmail....so i guess practice practice...thanks guys

 

[mcsneed17]

First thank you for the question because i am thinking of buying the newest set German field gray but i do not know what uniform to use it on other than a german uniform -ww2.

 

[Meehan34]

Thank you all for the input..my question came because i just read julios book and said ok rhis only works if i had paint sets ..i have a ton of individual bottles of borh companies valkejo and andrea and have a pretty good idea from trying and much reading feom.the pros on planetfigure ....i might try the fleas set because my biggest problem is faces ..i own over 75 kits some 75mm mostly 54mm.( i just keep.buying) and i really dont want to try my favorites because my faces are not that good ...clothes im ok at and should get a passing grade lol...but i will try the flesh set...also gold and silver looks like.it might work ....but i got some good ideas on chainmail....so i guess practice practice...thanks guys

The andrea flesh set is very warm. I would dig through the paints you already have and build your own set. I have the andrea flesh set and use it only for leathers.

 

[Jim Patrick]

I'd bet any amount of money you'd care to name that they can and do.

Ok, bet is on. But how do you intend to pay? Honestly Einion? I cannot disagree more with you here. How can one say that using a paint set hinders a painters ability to mix colors? This is a pretty broad statement Enion....One that, if you take a step back, surely you will see the error in this. NO ONE can ever say this never works or always works. You just can’t....

Even using single readymade colours holds back mixing development, so there's no way that entire sets of shades doesn't. There's only one way to really learn how to mix, and that's to actually do it.

But what about those that are just learning? Is this not a good place to start? And what about those that do understand this (mixing colors) and use these paints? Are they now hindered because they used the paints? Look at Julio Cabos' work! How can you argue against his results? Look at the Andrea 7th Cav figure I have painted. Albeit FAR!!!!!!!!!! from being a decent figure (in my eyes) I used the paints sets regularly on it. There are 4 very distinct colors of black on him. Guess what? I used the Black Paint Set every time. I varied the colors and ended up with different shades. WOW! Imagine that....

Case in point: those unique colours that are only offered in the sets, if one runs out before the rest of the set, how many of their users mix a replacement... how many of their users know how?

How often do you run out of a bottle of acrylic paint? I have found the paint goes bad long before I run out. And how many figures do you get from one bottle? Chances are you will buy the set again before you need ONE SINGLE BOTTLE. Speaking of chances....Chances are a painter will LEARN to mix colors long before a bottle is empty. Or, a better question, what is the average life expectancy of a bottle of acrylic paint? Pretty silly question isn't it? None more so silly than to state that using a paint set hinders a painter’s ability.

Einion

Einion my friend? There is simply no way you can EVER prove this to be true or false. You cannot make a statement such as “this ALWAYS works or this NEVER works”. Look down through the ages at the great artists and one thing they always had in common was that their style flew in the face of conventional wisdom or thinking. They did not…..ahhhhhh forget it. You simply cannot prove your point. Nice try though….

Jim Patrick

 

[Figure Mad]

As a beginner, use the paint sets to give yourself a head start, then as you progress, add in other colours to give yourself the variation you want.

You will use colours from the sets that you like, others will get left to the side, but whats important is the learning curve to mixing great colours for uniforms and for skin tones from the paints you own and prefer to use.

It doesnt even matter what medium you use, just think even the great oil painters had to have a tube of Burnt sienna or Colbalt Blue, to mix with, all your doing is starting at a different point in the process.

Learning to mix the colours you require will come along, as you realize that the colours you are using are just not quite right. You just add a little of this and a little of that to get the colours you need. One of the keys to good painting is Observation, really look at what you need it to look like as a finished figure. You will learn that some things dont work for you but others do. Lots of people will give advise, but its based on what works for them within their painting methods. Explore and enjoy using and mixing paints, its what makes this a great hobby.

I think some of us are forgetting we all started somewhere and progressed to where we are now ......... Just enjoy it.

Dave

 

[housecarl]

First thank you for the question because i am thinking of buying the newest set German field gray but i do not know what uniform to use it on other than a german uniform -ww2.

I'd buy a field gray, use sunny skin tone and black to shade. Save some money, and you won't have 6 paints sat there doing nothing.
Carl.

 

[Einion]

Whoa, no need to shout Jim!

Ok, bet is on. But how do you intend to pay?

Hehehe, how do you intend to pay?

How can one say that using a paint set hinders a painters ability to mix colors? This is a pretty broad statement Enion....One that, if you take a step back, surely you will see the error in this.

I didn't quite say that Jim. What I did say is in the long term over-reliance on premade sets will hold back the development of your ability to mix a range of colours as you need them and using... readymade colours holds back mixing development. And what this is getting at simply is that if you're not mixing you aren't gaining any experience in mixing - not that much of a stretch.

But what about those that are just learning? Is this not a good place to start?

Yes or no; people will have different opinions on this (clearly ) Remember, I did start off my first post by saying they're worth it if you think they're worth it, it's a very individual thing.

Look at Julio Cabos' work! How can you argue against his results?

I don't need to Jim; no straw-man arguments please.

You cannot make a statement such as “this ALWAYS works or this NEVER works”.

And you can't state that if you don't practice doing something you'll get better at it (in case it's not obvious what I did there, I know this isn't what you're saying).

Einion

 

[harto]

Ok, I am an oiler. Up until now I have only used acrylics to undercoat for enamels and oils. I am just trying my first face in acrylics and bought Andrea's flesh set to give it a try. However, for those who are decrying that I am not mixing, I am still mixing as I am taking the base colours and slowly adding increased amounts of the two highlights and base colours progressively to build up graduated highlight and shadow. When using oils I would custom mix my flesh colours, what I like about these is I can still add a touch of grey, blue, green etc but I have a pretty sound base colour to work with which I know will always be a consistent starting point. How many of us have ended up wiping a figure and restarting because we just can't seem to get the desired shade of flesh tone to begin with and this only becomes apparent after you have started shading and highlighting. I am also using a wet palette and Tamiya acrylic retarder to give myself more time to work with the paints but I would recommend them to anyone wanting to give themselves a good head start in getting a flesh base. I am using the second base colour (the darker of the two) which has really helped me get started on a pirate figure where I had struggled for ages trying to get the right swarthy flesh tone.

John