"Samurai and the 'dip' method...?" Topic

I was wondering how the 'dip' method would work on 15mm samurai and what tint to use???? Would it be too dark or brownish??? Any ideas?
Thanks

You know, I hate to say this...but the best way to find out is to try it.

That's what I did after hearing about it for the first time. I found two extra SYW figures I had lying around and painted both...then dipped one.

I figure the whole thing cost me: $3 for the figures and another $5 or so for the dip.

So, find a sample figure and have at it!

The DIP technique will work on virtually any figure type, or scale. For custom colors, you will need to employ the Future Floor Wax version of the technique: mix acrylic, water-based paint, of the color of your choice, with Future Acrylic Floor Wax, in a well-sealing jar. Try pouring in the Future first, then add a *little* paint, cover, and mix well, then try it on a sample figure. If it is too dark, then quickly wash it with water and brush-soap, to remove it. If it is too light, then clean the figure as already mentioned, add some more paint, mix, and re-apply. You will have to experiment, to see what you like best.

For color, I assume you are after the usual shading effect of the DIP technique. For this effect, you will want to start with either a black paint, or a dark brown-black color. I just used some Future with jet-black acrylic paint last night, on some titanium-white skinned, Frost Giant figures, and it looked great on their clothes, straps, and boots, but it is too dark on their bright-white skin -- they look like filthy buggers in desparate need of a cold shower... I'll be breaking out the Oxy-Clean for their baths (re-painting their skin), but I'll keep the dark black mix for their equipment.

Use some inexpensive, "school paint brushes", from Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc., for applying the paint-Future mix, and be sure to stir it up frequently, as the paint will tend to settle quickly, in the jar. Also make sure you wash the cheap brushes out after use, to save the $0.18 that it cost you ($0.89 for a pack of 5 brushes...). ;-)

With the Future Floor Wax version of DIP'ing, you can customize the colors to whatever you need, and you avoid the fumes, causticness, and hassles of the urethane-stain technique. You will want to use vinyl gloves, with either technique, and a good drop cloth, but the Future is the way to go. It smells sooo much better, and it dries in 20-30 minutes, without heating the figures! Also, a 16-oz. bottle of Future will run around $5.00. After the figure dries, hit it with a clear, matte coat, spray paint, and you are ready to game. Cheers!

Forgot to mention that you may want to invest in some small, empty paint jars with screw tops, for storing custom mixes of paint-Future solutions. I can see a need for at least two shades of black-DIP, as well as some dark-brown-DIP mixes. Cheers!

Just curious if anyone else has tried sealing the figs BEFORE the dipping. I think this would help avoid such issues as Sgt Slag had on his fair skinned giants with the skin color absorbing some of the dip color.

This should protect the colors already painted and avoid having them stained by the dip itself. Then seal the figs again when the dip is dry.

I tried this on a few test figs and it worked well for me. Just wonder if anyone else has tried this extra step en masse yet before I dive in on a pile of 15mm Napoleonics...

Yes, I seal the painted figure with a coat of gloss Krylon before using the black paint/Future wash. It still darkens the figures somewhat, but a quick drybrush would be all that's needed to bring them up. I used to blackline everything, but since using the Future wash I'm saving a LOT of time. I've used it on 25, 15 and 10mm figures to good effect.

Hi. I was a a HUGE fan of Dipping with Minwax. I still think it's great. But Sgt. Slag is dead on. Using Future works just as effectively. Is 90% less messy. Future is 1000% more cost effective. Future is also easier on brushes. It is more flexible in the variety of colors you can create for Dipping. It dries MUCH faster. Take it from a guy who has Dipped 1000's of figs. Go with Future! You will be glad you did!

John

Does anyone have a link to some pictures of some miniatures using both the Minwax and future dip methods? Side-by-side would be nice.

Great ideas.......thanks for all your help, I'll sure give the Future a try, my figs are already sealed so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. Again thanks
saki

Wasn't the dip method originally developed to combine washing and sealing into one?

Matte medium or PVA glue works better IMHO than Future. Dilute them a bit -- about 2 parts medium and 1 part plain water -- and use just like the poly dip. I don't seal before dipping.

Future has a tendency to spread out while drying. The figure will become uniformly darker.

Matte medium will stick to crevices and textures and not spread out while drying. The figure has more of a black lined look. Darker dip colors can be safely used.

I still use Future to seal and sometimes the uniform color is exactly what you'll want. It's useful stuff to have around.

ArchDuck Chuck,

Yes, it is designed to combine the sealing, and washing, into a single step. There are several ways of dealing with the problem I encountered: apply the Future/Black 'wash' to the specific areas needed, only, then cover the rest in clear Future; remove the excess Future/black paint wash from those areas where I don't want it so dark; drybrush/re-brush the areas too dark, afterwards; or just do drybrushing/washing with paints/inks, and use the Future as a sealer only. There are likely other techniques, in addition to what I've listed above. It's just another set of tools to throw into the box. I believe the US Marines say something like, "Adapt, Change, Improvise!" ;-) Cheers!

The matte medium or pva glue thing I never heard of before. But if you don't dillute it a lot, won't it just cling to the whole figure and darken everything then, or will it eventually creep into crevices? Or do you put it only where you want it to go?

Just to muddy the waters, Minwax Polyshades is in fact a combination of wood stain and polyurethane sealer (the evil stuff that smells bad, probably causes cancer, and seals the mini with a nigh indestructible coat of clear plastic). Theoretically, one could combine the polyurethane with black or chestnut ink to get a similar effect. The only reason to do this is that polyurethane is strong. Paint job survives a trip through the washer in your pocket strong. The perfect thing for setting up convention scenarios - quickly painted figs (so that you can do enough of them in the time allotted) that will survive whatever con goers and the Department of Homeland Security throw at them.

OK I tried the Minwax "Dip" and it turned out pretty nice. A real nice effect, but now my ECW are all shinny, Kind of British like!

Any suggestions? Do I dull coat them now? How will this effect the "Dip"?

HELP, I just knew somthing bad was going to happen when I stuck them in there!!!

skipper John,

Relax, crack open a beer, or other liquid refreshment of your choice, and read on...

The polyurethane coating, whether you bought the "Satin Finish", or the "Glossy Finish", will be way too shiny for what you want. The solution is to apply a dull-coat, like Testors. You can also brush on a matte finish, clear coat. It doesn't really matter how you apply it. This will, in no way, affect the polyurethane coating, other than to dull it. As a side bar, when the figures start to look shiny again, they need another coat of matte, as the old one is wearing off, exposing the polyurethane.

If you you would like an equally durable coating, with less mess, and minimal fumes, try the Future Acrylic Floor Polish, as discussed, above. Cheers!

Thanks sarg! There was just a bit left in the wine bottle from last night so I downed it! I feel better! I might try that more often!

Dull coat it is! Thanks again.

Sgt Slag, you heretic, gone over to the dark side have you. Unfortunately I’ve been fooling with floor wax for some time with less then satisfactory out comes. I have yet to reproduce the same effect as the Tudor polyshade. I know that you are very familiar with both so could you please tell me exactly what you do (amounts, proportions brands names and/or equipment.) to achieve the exact same finish?