WIP My first figures - Ma.K 1/20 acrylics and oils

[Mart]

First 'real' post here on PF and my first 'real' attempt at painting figures. The chap in the shorts is a figure titled 'I'm back' by Brickworks, the other is the pilot from the Love Love Garden 'Kangaroo' kit - both are 1/20.

Getting into Maschinen Krieger (Ma.K) a few years back, I found that there were these fantastic figures so I picked up a few but I hadn't (until now) painted any of them. I've decided to give it a go and been practising on some cheapo 'plastic soldiers'.

This is my attempt at 'proper' painting, following the awesome Youtube vid from 'Small Solider'. Step 1, the 'acrylic sketch'. I'm really pleased how it's come out and so a bit nervous to over paint in oils! Any feedback or tips would be really welcome. Cheers m.

 

[Rob]

Looks like a very good starting point. The Ma.K models are great. I remember seeing a lot of the suits in 1/35th being done, the character figures much less often.
Do you have the female pilot figures also?

 

[Mart]

I’ve got a few female figures, mechanics, an officer, an astronaut and a pilot. Most in 1/20 but a few in 1/35. Plus a couple of kids and some spare heads.

 

[Rob]

I’ve got a few female figures, mechanics, an officer, an astronaut and a pilot. Most in 1/20 but a few in 1/35. Plus a couple of kids and some spare heads.

I hope you continue to post these. The pilots, particularly the girls are a lovely blend of manga styling with more realistic/historic aspects.

 

[Larsen E. Whipsnade]

First "real" attempt, Mart? Pretty darn good if you ask me. Nice job. Looking forward to seeing more.
Rick

 

[Mart]

Thank you. I’ve been building models for a while but all of my figures have been a rather basic: paint, wash and dry-brush. It’s probably fairer to say this is my first ‘deliberate’ figure painting.

 

[theBaron]

Nice progress!

Yeah, I build MaK subjects, too, and one of the attractions of the genre is the figures, both the ones that come with the kits, and the aftermarket figures made to go with the kits. Brickworks' resin figures are excellent, as are figures by makers like LoveLoveGarden, AtelierIT, Lincoln Wright's Scale 1/20 brand (now discontinued, sadly), and several other makers. Big enough to show some good detail, but not to big to take up a lot of space. You can make some nice vignettes or dioramas that don't take up a lot of space-unless you want to.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Mart]

The LLG figures are amazing. I had no idea that Linc produced figures - will have to do some investigating.

 

[theBaron]

The LLG figures are amazing. I had no idea that Linc produced figures - will have to do some investigating.

Yeah, Linc produced the much-pirated Helen (top) and Gertie (bottom) figures:



and a "Space dog" figure, a bulldog in a space suit. I don't know if he produced any others. He issued those around the time I got into MaK in the mid-Aughts, and then shortly after that, he pretty much wound down Scale 120. Those are really well done figures, and not too pin-up-y for good use in a vignette, in my opinion.

Prost!
Brad

 

[marco14]

whel ,that is absolute a very good begin,im also a newbie so I don't judge
but it's beautiful
Mario

 

[Mart]

Thanks Marco!

@theBaron - thanks for sharing, I think ‘Helen’ would flood great as part of a vignette the other is a bit too pin-up for my tastes.

 

[theBaron]

...@theBaron - thanks for sharing, I think ‘Helen’ would flood great as part of a vignette the other is a bit too pin-up for my tastes...

I can sympathize, because I have the same opinion of several of the figures that have been released in the past few years. For me, Gertie is close to the edge without going over. I'm finishing her with the alternate right arm, which is bent at the elbow with the hand against something vertical-much like the One that Returned (your figure). I'm posing her next to a Melusine, in an awards ceremony. She's just been given the SDR's highest combat award, kind of their version of a Blue Max. So she'll have the medal on a ribbon around her neck, with it resting in her decolletage. I have been thinking about adding a bit of a brassiere, though. But that she has her tunic unbuttoned is part of her character, in my story. I'm adding markings on her Mel that will be her taunt to the mercs. Kind of like Kempf's "Kennscht mi noch" markings on his Dr. I.

I have an idea for another vignette, with a poster of Gertie on the front window of an SDR recruiting office, and group of school girls admiring it. The poster will show an image of Gertie next to her Mel. She's a Strahl heroine.

Helen is much better to fit into a more "realistic" diorama, that's very true!

I look forward to seeing your finish with this one. I take it you'll stand him next to a suit?

By the way, your figure is Brickworks' improved resin figure, based on the original injection-molded styrene figure in the old Nitto SAFS kit. A big improvement-resin allows so much crisper sculpting and casting.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Nap]

Hi Mart

Good to see what your working on , and there are interesting responses from others regarding the figures ...Brads obviously got something planned ...lol

Good start on your pieces , enjoy and learn with every brushstroke ...we all do

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Mart]

I'm posing her next to a Melusine, in an awards ceremony. She's just been given the SDR's highest combat award, kind of their version of a Blue Max..... I'm adding markings on her Mel that will be her taunt to the mercs......

I have an idea for another vignette, with a poster of Gertie on the front window of an SDR recruiting office, and group of school girls admiring it. The poster will show an image of Gertie next to her Mel. She's a Strahl heroine.........

I look forward to seeing your finish with this one. I take it you'll stand him next to a suit?

Prost!
Brad

Edited for space / readability with my responses - if that's not ok here let me know, I'm not wanting to mis-quote anyone.

Brad - these are awesome ideas - do you have some photos to share?

My chap will indeed be posing next to a suit, a LLG Kangaroo that I've got underway. I'm also painting up the pilot for the Kangaroo and will post some pictures once I get past the base-coating stage.

 

[Mart]

Disaster - or an annoying set-back?

I masked the arms and legs up with Tamiya tape so I could airbrush the clothing, on removing the tape a few days later it has pulled up some of the paint, all the way down to the resin. The part on the leg isn't to noticeable as it's on the inner-thigh but the but part on the arm stands out a country mile.

I'm surprised it happening as I thought I'd prepped well. I had washed the resin in soapy water, primed (via the AB) with Mr Surfacer 1000, then Vallejo model colour and finally oil paint - which after 20 mins in a crock-pot I had also left for a couple of days before masking.... Maybe I was just too quick in pulling the tap off.

Now that it has happened I could really do with some advice not on the best way to fix it? I'm assuming, re-do just that part, eg thin layer of Mr Surfacer, acrylics and then (hopefully) blend it back in with the oils? But open to suggestions. Do I need to re-do the whole arm?

Any tips for how to prevent this happening in the future would also be good.

cheers m.

 

[Nap]

Hi Mart

A mere set back I think , you should be able to repaint and blend back , a option would be to put the relevant parts in dettol if possible and clean off and start again

This might help


Rather than tape to mask off you might think about looking at a masking fluid



Hope this helps

Nap

 

[Mart]

Thanks Nap.

I’ll have a go and post the results. Cheers m.

 

[Rob]

I would file around the damaged area, apply a new undercoat and redo the flesh. File the area first as the result of tearing the paint off that deeply will leave you a noticeable step/ridge.

 

[Mart]

I decided to strip and start again. There were seam lines that I didn’t spot until after painting (and thought I could live wit.h because I was pleased with how the skin tone had worked out) so I figured I might as well fix everything.



So this is where I’m up to - primed with Mr Surfacer and basic skin tones added in lacquer- hopefully more durable.

I’m going to try painting the clothes fully with acrylics (I’m not confident on how I would do that with oils); then do the ‘acrylic sketch’ for the skin tones.

When that’s done I’ll mask off the clothing and do the oils for the skin.

If this is a terrible plan, please let me know. I figure I’m much happier patching up clothes painted in acrylics than I am skin done in oils - so this might be better.

Is it worth ‘sealing’ the acrylics with a matt clear before starting the oils, or is that just a waste of time?

 

[Rob]

Drastic step but for the best if you recognised a problem. Leaving it would have continued to annoy you.

Is it worth ‘sealing’ the acrylics with a matt clear before starting the oils, or is that just a waste of time?

Can't hurt as it is an extra layer of protection against possible grease or rubbing from handling. But any thinner you use to clean off potential oil colour overpaint will take the mattcote and acrylic as well so it is not proof against that. If you are spraying you will have to hard mask.