My Way With Oils

[Ron Tamburrini]

Looking good Ron, I wonder if the cheap artmaster filberts would do the same thing although they do tend to go turkey very quickly
I know i mentioned this already but are you still working in glazes at this stage .

Ron T
PS I take it you let it all dry somewhat between coats

 

[kagemusha]

Filberts are not nearly as soft as make-up brushes and this is what you need most for this style of working with oils IMHO. All applications, apart from the stippling, are what I refer to as glazes. For me, it is all about the transparency of oils and how this thinness of paint avoids the muddying that oils are prone to if you put too much on, and over, each subsequent layer. Hope that makes sense.

Ron

 

[Ron Tamburrini]

Ron
are you lifting off the oil with the makeup brushes or using them just for the final lifting off the oils .

A lot off questions I know but this style for me is where I want to go.

Ron T

 

[kagemusha]

I use them between each colour I apply to keep the layers as thin as possible in order to maintain transparency and luminosity. It also prevents any 'shine' building up and avoids the dreaded brush marks.

Ron

 

[megroot]

It is getting more and more interesting.
Used your technique this evening on a figure. But I have to buy this weekend some Make-up brushes.
The good old fibre's didn't work so smooth.
How many layers do you have to paint till the basecolor is covering the figure?????

Marc

 

[kagemusha]

Hi Marc, what do you mean by the base colour? If you mean the scrub coat, (as in the very first pictures) only one thick coat. Then you thin it back until it looks like in the second set of pictures then allow it to dry. Hope this helps. If not feel free to ask again.

Regards

Ron

 

[Carlos69]

Ron I thin enamels with white spirit for brushing and lacquer thinner for airbrushing. Enamels brush paint very well also ..

I see on the shield as an example, the following colour layers built up over the scrub cote utilise that for the shadows grinning through the transparent colour layers. Do you not add more shading later on in to the colour cotes ? I work my lowlights in to my oil base cote wet on wet then wet on dry. Once you have painted many minis using the Zenithal lighting principal it becomes second nature as to where the shadows go. In the early days I use to base the figure in black enamel then spraying from above in the basecote colour it maps out all the shade for you so you can proceed over the top with oils, kinda' like painting by numbers.

When you basecote in enamel with the topcote colour the oils do not appear like a glaze but opaque as the coloured basecote backs it up, hence working highs and lows into that.

Still an interesting method you use there and great to see and log, as sure will be able to use it at along side my methods.

Cheers

Carlos

 

[kagemusha]

Hi Carlos, very interesting to have you lay out your method alongside mine. Yes I do work in more shading as it is needed and this was what I tried to show in the woodgrain on the back of the shield and, also, on the front with the stippling. I know the pictures are less than great but hope they provide an insight into how I work alongside the written explanation. Appreciate your support and input as a comparison.

Thanks

Ron

 

[Sturm Grenadier]

Hello Ron, Very interesting postings and comments thus far. A question on the back of the shield; Are you using a controlled wash with the sepia, or are you using straight oil paint? I also agree with you about make-up brushes, and sponges, they are great for glazing. Will follow this one Ron. Regards, SG

 

[megroot]

This is your first layer;
It's what you call a preshading.
Then you give the first colored coat (what I call the basecoat)

Is this one layer enough to cover the figure, or do you need more base coating.
If I don't use a underlayer from Vallejo I had to paint it many times two or three times before the skinparts are covered.
Then i start shading and highlighting.

Hope I made it clear???

Another question: What do you use to clean the makeup brushes????

Marc

 

[kagemusha]

Hi SG, the sepia on the back of the shield is painted for reasons of control. Personally, I find washes have a singular effect. Great if you want the same result all over, but difficult to vary the depth of colour without multiple applications.
Hope that helps. Good to have you following.

Regards

Ron

 

[kagemusha]

Hi Marc, ok mate let me try and make it easier to interpret. In the first pic you use what you see is the result of 'thinning' back the scrub coat overall and the flesh you see, (which you call the base coat) is a single application of a flesh mix. I think it is my poor explanation that has you a little confused here so, I will try to word it better now, I applied the flesh tone in the same way as the scrub coat and thinned it back with the smaller make-up brush. What will help is to make your flesh tone darker than normal to allow for the thinning out. I hope that helps Marc and sorry if I did not make it clear the first time around.
To clean the make-up brushes I use ordinary white spirit when I have finished but, keep in mind, you should not do this whilst working with them as they take time to dry. Remember to keep wiping them out on a paper towel or, ideally, a piece of cotton cloth while you are using them to thin the paint back. Please ask as many questions as you like because it takes a while to get comfortable with any new technique.

Cheers

Ron

 

[Tubby-Nuts-REMOVED]

Heck!!

 

[kagemusha]

Hi mate, well that looks pretty good for a first shot at anything, let alone a 90mm horse as complex as PM's Red Lancer. Looks like oils over enamel base and you seem to have kept the oil reasonably thin. If I can offer a couple of useful pointers, the shading of the muscles could extend slightly further outwards to soften the depth of the moulding. A trick I use for the legs/socks is to stipple the colour on which gives softer edges and allows you to add in other colours for hi-lites. Hooves are actually less commonly seen as pure black even on so called black horses which, invariably, are a very dark brown depending on the light falling on the coat. One things for sure tho, your on the right road with this mate. Nice one.

Ron

 

[Tubby-Nuts-REMOVED]

Cheers, Ron, I appreciate your thoughts, and advice!.as you know this stuff better than I. ...... Its funny how things look different, when photographed!... I am spotting all sorts of stuff!... The texture on the 'Yellow facings', has been 'Obliterated', by the, 'Camera-Flash',.Although that still (WIP)... As regards the shading of the muscles,... I thought, Hmmm ! thats subtle, but now viewing it, from a third-person perspective, It looks completly different!..... 'Bloody Camera's', and never lying! and all that 'Tosh!... However, I can take solace, in the fact that you didn't die through laughter!... never ever, posted pics before... and I would never forgive myself, if they caused harm!

Ps. Oils over Acrylics.

Mark

 

[Tubby-Nuts-REMOVED]

Sorry, Ron! I will go PM, with this!, as this is your thread!...

Mark

 

[kagemusha]

Hi mate, I always try and respond in the way I would like to be responded too. Cameras kill! I have even stripped a figure and started over because it looked so bad in photos. One thing I would suggest is that you reduce the size of your pics before you post them. Makes them less aggressive. As for laughing..........no..........never...................wouldn't dare....................now look what ya made me do!

Ron

 

[Tubby-Nuts-REMOVED]

Ron. .......Do I need to call a 'Doctor', out?... !........ Yes, I should have gone with the thumbnail option!... Live and learn!

Mark

 

[Helm]

Looks good to me Mark the shading on the muscles is maybe a little heavy but that might be the camera. I prefer a low contrast look to my figures if you are going for the high contrast style then it is pretty much cock on.

Steve

 

[kagemusha]

No. I'm fine. Really.