Painting Jam 33 - FAQ

[MassiveVoodoo]

Hello Painters,

as it looks like it this is the first Painting Jam in 2014.

Painting Jams are answers to frequently asked painting question the jungle recieves. We try our best to give you answers that help you have more fun and joy in your own painting ways. Please remember that our answers are just... well, our answers. There might be other ways, other oppinions and other good tips, but you were asking us and all that we can provide are our answers. Pick from them what you like and we hope we can help with our thoughts, that we share here in the jungle so more people could gain information from it.

First question: Why do my figures just look like Power Rangers?
Second Question: Wet Palette problems? Third Question: Which figures to choose?
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Mr. Pérez
from Spain asks via private message:
"Hi Roman, I really apreciate your work, i really love yours scenes and your light and intention treatment. Actually, i´m stuck trying to improve this skills, because all of my miniatures looks like power rangers. Do you konw some tricks about that? Any book to learn this? I want to tell a history with my minis but in this point is very hard."
Roman:
Hi Mr. Pérez, thanks for your kind words. I do not find much time to answer you as I got so much mails going on, but if your miniatures look like power rangers you might work with some more desatured colours more often. To desaturate a colour add some grey to it, mix grey in a strong blue for example to make it look more realistic in the end. Hope my thoughts help! Keep on happy painting!

After some weeks Mr. Pérez wrote back:
"I`ll never can express the gratitude for you`re help! Actyally the tips which you tell me works! Your`re an awesome man. THANKS FROM SPAIN"

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Ivo
from Czeck Republic asks via mail:
"Hi Roman! I am currently having some issues with my wet palette. Unfortunately, it eats my paint! I will put some photo in this mail for you to see. I really have a problém painting my minis, because i have very little time before the paint dissapeard into the void. I can barely basecoat, then if i want to highlight or shade and the use glazes to smooth out the transition, the paint is gone. It looks like it somehow strangely soaks into the baking paper. This one is silicon coated. Only things left behind are those drops of paint from Vallejo bottles Please can you help me? Sincerely, Ivo"

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Roman:
- It might be the baking paper, I am not sure about the silicon coat, try to turning the paper around, try another baking paper
- it might be too less water in your wet pallete. The baking paper is not able to soak enough water from below
- Problem that i see is obvious to me: do clean edges when cutting the baking paper, at yours I see areas standing up at the edges, that leads to areas where air can get underneath the paper and dries the connection place between paper and watery foam/tissue.

Ivo answers:
"I was also wondering about the baking paper, and my result with another one are the same. The one I tried was white one (one on the photo is a brown kind), but the results were the same! So I went a little mad, but after that, i tried less water and it helped a little! Could it be the problém? Too much water and too little kitchen towel?"

Roman: I'll get some rolls of some different baking paper we use here at our studio during the next days for you and prepare to ship in the next days. I always buy the cheapest baking paper. The more expensive ones tend to have a silicon cover that causes problems while painting. Let's get your issue sorted out then.

Ivo answers:
"Thank you so much for the baking paper! I didn't expect to be here so fast and that you will send so much of it! Thank you again! Unfortunately, the problém still occurs. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, maybe I'll try the foam from your tutorial. it was a bit better when i added more toilet paper, there is a pretty thick layer of it in my tray. But the paint i still gone after several brush strokes. I am not putting as many of it on my brush, so I don't know where is it going. I guess I'll have to stick with dry palette. But that's okay, i tried it and it works, frankly. So thank you once more, you are my hero!"

Roman:
What colours are you using? Maybe it is the water in your local area? I am really getting excited to solve this problem now

Ivo answers:
"I am using mostly old Citadel paint ( for the test I used Ultramarines blue yesterday) with some Vallejo Model Color to it. I was trying this yesterday with some pure baking paper you sent me and it was the same thing over and over again. Now we're talking I use distilled water for thinning paint and cleaning my brushes. But if I may recommend you, dont' help me anymore, it will either drive you mad or you will get mad on me, and I dont want any of these options "

Roman:
Ivo, you are talking to the wrong person, if I should stop helping you. I have a busy week in front of me with private coaching, friends and the Duke of Bavaria. Next week I will do a painting jam with only your topic and we will find someone who finds a solution to that.

Ivo answers:
"Have a nice week Roman!
You are very kind to me, but to be honest, I'm not a painter at all. I'm more of a "slab paint on a mini" type of guy. I can't even draw, all I can do, is to draw a stick man My only hope is to get better over time and be as good so I cannot feel ashame in front of painters anymore. Thank you for everything you have done for me so far!"

Roman:
Let's start with your wetpalette problem then first Experience grows with small steps ... and it is a neverending long road Will get back to you after the weekend of the Duke of Bavaria

Roman:
Hey Ivo, i am not up to the Painting Jam yet but I think I found a solution for you. Something I did use during the last week for testing, some cool paper my friend Max suggested. It is different that baking paper and I will maybe stick to it in the future I guess. Very interesting. You got to read the introduction and the guide written on it. Even there are only 12 sheets in it, it is very interesting as the colour always stays wet and if you are done with a colour you can take a tissue and remove it properly to start a new painting session. I will have some further tests on it before I write more about it on Massive Voodoo to check for plus and minus during extrem use, but I am sure this will help you:

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Make sure to read a bigger article about "StayWet" soon in the jungle.​

Ivo answers:
"Thank you for you email, i might look to it eventually. I reminds me of a wet palette described to me at my local forums. I don't know how to translate it properly to English, but it's basically a "sucking paper" (piják in Czech) which i remember from my elementary school. It was used to absurd the excess ink from a pen. So you put it onto your wet kitchen towel (sponge, foam...) and on top of it goes "pausing paper". I might try this first, because it's dead cheap, cheaper than baking paper, and we don't have Amazon here yet so I have to wait till it's opened in my country. But I can tell my aunt in Germany, she will be coming this summer (hopefully) so she can bring me some of this stuff you told me about. Thank you again."

Roman:
Well, sor far we can put that all up to a Painting Jam. Maybe there are others who have the right idea or the one that my brain lacked. Could you please sent me another photo of your actual wetpalette.

Ivo answers:
"I finally made the photo of my wet palette. I don't know if this is normal state and I just put too many paint on my brush, or is still the same. Frankly I can't tell the difference anymore."

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Roman:
Mmh, I am still not sure about the amount of water in your wet palette. Still for me the baking paper does not look "connected" to the tissue properly. There is too much air beneath. When you place the baking paper make sure to wet your fingers, put them on top of the baking paper and fettle it straight to the tissue. Make sure to remove all air bubbles beneath the paper, also take care of the edges, they should be sharply placed and connected to the tissue. I know it is hard with tissue beneath, so I really consider you try to go for the foam option wet palette.

For the moment I am not sure what to tell you more as in my eyes the colours do not look wrong. I consider putting this up to the painting jam now to see if there are other painters who can help us with this issue. If you are one of them please hit the comments below and help Ivo enjoy painting as much as we do! Any help appreciated!

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Ashton
wrote via email:

"Hi Roman, I have enjoyed reading everyone's article on the Massive site, you all have great stuff. I currently play miniature wargames and paint the associated mini's, but I am looking to expand. Much of the stuff that is painted on the website is larger scale. I have been looking for sometime now to pick up a bust or larger scale figure to paint, but I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. Would you have any suggestions of what a good, larger scale first project could be? Thanks in advance, Ashton"
Roman:
Hi Ashton, thanks for the kind words you say about the jungle. I think the first and biggest advice I can give to you is to choose a larger scale figure under the same terms as you choose a smaller one: Fun! Look out for what you are really up to paint and decide from the heart. Let us make it like this, you search a couple of models that you are interested in, sent them links to me and I give you feedback.

Ashton answers:
"Hi Roman, Thanks for getting back to me, and what you said is what I figured you would say, but I do appreciate you taking a look at some things. These were the two I was thinking of starting with this one and that one. The first one I really like the face on it, I feel there is a lot of detail on it and character. I think the fabric and cloth will provide me a good opportunity to practice cloth on a large area. It is also a mini related to a game a play called Warmachine. The second one, I dont know what it is, but something about it speaks to me. I also think the large areas of flesh will help me practice flesh techniques over a large area as well. If you are interested please take a look at my Facebook page, Thanks."

Roman:
Hey Ashton, both are nice choices. In fact we are still not at a point were I really come in game. I mean, now it is up to you to choose on what you want to practice on. Simple as that. Don't fear, but respect new things Best Wishes Roman

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You will find this Painting Jam linked up to the library of Painting Jams - FAQ - click here!

Keep on happy painting!
Your MV-Team

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