Technique question.

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wing_nut

Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2010
Messages
21
New to figures is definitely me. Hope this is the right pace to ask this questions. I thought may be it should go in "Paint" but that seemed to be more. painted stuff that questions about it.

Anyway... As I read and learn things that are totally new to me as far as techniques go, I already have a question. I am using Vallejo Model Colors and learning about thinning way down and adding multiple layer to build up Shadow and highlights. But for what is more or less my 1st figure, the guy will have a 3 tone camo uniform. How do you add the shadows and highlights to that?

And if this is in the wrong place, please let me know where to go.:D
 
The simple answer is that you will need to paint on a base colour and a shadow and highlight colour for each of the three colours in the camo scheme (ie. nine colours).

Start by applying the base colour for the underlying and most dominant colour of the camoflague scheme, then apply your highlights and shadows.

Then apply the second camo colour- highlight and shade;

and then the third camo colour - highlight and shade.

Once you have completed painting these colours on, it's a good idea to apply a wash of black over the shadow areas to tie all the colours together.

My best suggestion is to buy one of the many books that shows you acrylic painting techniques with a step by step process.

And practice, pratice, practice.
 
Hello Marc,

a real challange for your first figure! Tony's suggestion is absolutely correct, however, not the only way to do it. Depending on the size of the figure and the finish you are after, you'll need 2-3 consecutive tones of highlights and shadows.
As an easier way (IMO) or just simply an alternative, I'd suggest you to paint all the base colours of the pattern, then do the shadows and highlights with one-one colour, that goes fairly well with all 3 colours - a universal colour for highlights is Sunny Skin Tone (70845), for shadows could be German Camo Black Brown (VC822), but it's up to you. Before you go on the figure, find the proper dillution ratio, expreiment on a plastic card over the base colours, so you don't ruin the painted figure, if it goes wrong.
You may need to adjust them at the lightest basecolour - add a lighter colour into the highlight mix (Sunny Skin's might not light enough), same for the dark (German Camo Black might be too dark). Once it's done, repaint the pattern with suitably dilluted base colours to blend in highlights and shadows, and to return the original tone of the pattern, but highlights and shadows should show through, like this you can even play with the transitions at this step.

I think it's easier to repaint the pattern once more, than to paint 2-3 degrees of highlights and shadows by each patch, and mix 10-12 colours (3 x 2-2 shadows and higlights), when you can do it with 3-4 mixes. Another advantage is, that you can adjust the degree of highlighting separately for each colour (eg. the lightest colour can be repainted - 'glazed', more times at shadows, if it seems too dark), while if you have separate mixes for each colour per highlight and shadow, it can be tricky to remix the colours if needed and correct mistakes.

My 2 cents, hope it helps! Good luck :)
Denes
 
Tony, Denes... thank you both for your responses.

I feared that Tony's method was going to be the only way to go. That might be a little daunting for a newb. Whatever way i try it can always be stripped and started again.

This is where I am...

120mm_Paint.jpg


And this is where I want to get to... or reasonably close. The base looked right on the palette but needs to be lighter. That's the easy part.

Based on these color Denes, do you still recommend those colors for the highlights etc?

(For discussion purposes only)
verlinden-2391.jpg
 
Hi Marc,

As Denes pointed out, there is always a different way you can go. There are no hard and fast rules for painting and we develop our own methods and techniques to achieve the results we like.

I've used the method Denes suggested and it works. I've also used other methods and they have been equally successful and unsuccessful. I suggest you try severaldifferent methods and see what you prefer.

Sometimes you just have to "have a go" and learn by a process of trial and error. You can be certain that every figure modeller has had their fair share of disasters and failed experiments. What keeps us going is the desire to improve and develop our painting style.

The only thing you can do is try the method that you feel is best for you. The worst that can happen is you stuff it up. If that happens, strip the paint off and start again and try a different approach.

It's not about the destination, it's about the journey.
 
wing_nut said:
But for what is more or less my 1st figure, the guy will have a 3 tone camo uniform. How do you add the shadows and highlights to that?
This might seem like an odd suggestion but it might be better to put that aside and do something simpler - imagine you're new to hiking and already set on climbing a pretty steep hill, no need to make the task any harder than it already is by trying to lug a 30kg pack while you're doing it.

In terms of highlighting and shadowing camo, the two basic approaches have already been mentioned. For smaller scales (1/35 in particular) the colour-by-colour approach is probably overkill - although it is the method that will give the best results if done right it's very difficult to do at the best of times.

More info in this thread, which links on to a couple of others:
http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26763

Einion
 
Hi Marc,

I you really do want to go camo on your first figure there is another easy way that already looks quite good:
1. Paint your camo pattern using relatively light versions of the colours
2. When done, coat everything with burnt umber oil paint and let dry for 15-30 min
3. Wipe off the oil paint using wide flat brushes (keep the brush dry and wipe clean, do not use thinners). Wipe until an even stain is left, without any thick oil paint left. The last wipe you can do with a clean dry cloth, leaving the tops of folds fully cleaned.
4. Let dry thoroughly (more than a week)
5. reinforce shadows and with a small brush using burnt umber or black oils.
6. if necessary: spray a dull coat to remove gloss caused by the oils.
7. very lightly drybrush using base colour to bring out some folds.

It's a rather old Verlinden-esque method, but it's is easy and looks quite good.
The more sophisticated methods described by Tony and Denes you could try once you've gained some confidence. Or start right away of course, depending on your bravery (or curiosity)... :)

Cheers,
Adrian
 
Again I want to thanks you for the responses. Armed with good advise and a bunch of links I will come up with a plan and see how it goes.

Einion, there is no argument to the logic in that. But I am a stubborn old fart and have to give it a go. Good, bad of middle of the road... it will be a learning experience.
 
Camo painted and oiled

It's a rather old Verlinden-esque method, but it's is easy and looks quite good. So if I use this methods it will look like Verlinden did it? Works for me!:)

So anyway, I did try your the method you described Ferris. I am not unhappy with what it looks like so far. I'll try the more advanced techniques when I get more experience.


Painted-fig.jpg
 
For Shadows

I'll use finely ground pastel chalks applied with a very small brush them lightly feathered in with a very soft OO synthetic brush. If you use a dark brown, very lightly, some nice effects can be obtained. A 5 o'clock shadow on a figgy's face can even be reproduced with this effect using black or brown pastels. Hope this helps!
 

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