| thegeneral | 10 Aug 2011 3:20 a.m. PST |
OK. After all these years, it's time to get to grips with it. How to paint horses properly, that is. I'll be using Humbrol enamels (No acrylics. No!). So what techniques and colour combinations has everyone else found to be effective? |
| XV Brigada | 10 Aug 2011 7:48 a.m. PST |
Why do you want to use Humbrol (or any other) enamels? I didn't think they'd been used since people stopped making cave paintings. It can't be done really effectively and horses painted with enemels always look overstated and tacky in my view. Use artists or students oils over a white undercoat. Oils are better as they take a long time to dry which allows you to, blend, highlight and shade while the paint is still wet. Otherwise use artists acrylics. Never use black or white straight out of the tube/tin/jar or whatever regardless of medium. Bill |
| Connard Sage | 10 Aug 2011 8:05 a.m. PST |
One tip. Look at real horses. ----------------------------------------------------------- Why do you want to use Humbrol (or any other) enamels? Perhaps he likes them? Oils are better as they take a long time to dry Oils take forever to dry, especially if thinned. And they stink worse than enamels, for longer.. I prefer acrylics over enamels or oils. Chacun a son gout. |
IronDuke596  | 10 Aug 2011 8:53 a.m. PST |
I too use Humbrol plus Testors enamels as I find the coverage of acrylics poor ..one coat only with enamels. Re painting horses I use the various guides/threads that have been recommended in TMP. Essentially, for dark horses ie chesnut; chesnut for the body, black or dark brown for the mane, flat white for the stockings and face, and black for the hoofs. I then use army painter or min wax for the shading and dullcoat for the final coverage. |
| Mike the Analyst | 10 Aug 2011 9:39 a.m. PST |
Have a look at browns available from model railway suppliers as well. Railmatch and Phoenix precision are two brands I am aware of. |
| unfashionabledc | 10 Aug 2011 10:26 a.m. PST |
You may find Peter Gilder's advice useful:
link and a couple of examples using a similar technique:
link Dave D uses an updated hybrid oil and enamel technique that is very effective:
link and his greys are particularly nice:
link |
| olicana | 10 Aug 2011 10:40 a.m. PST |
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| olicana | 10 Aug 2011 10:44 a.m. PST |
Lots more horses here link
All Humbrols, fantastic paint!
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| SDallimore | 10 Aug 2011 1:43 p.m. PST |
I use the oil paint wipe method; so I use Humbrol Enamels and Oil paints…works a treat. Never mind the naysayers if you like Enamels then use them. |
| XV Brigada | 10 Aug 2011 3:37 p.m. PST |
People can use what they like of course. Acrylics are not compulsory. But enamels also require the use of solvents such as turpentine or white spirit to thin and clean brushes. These are flammable and toxic and have to be disposed of as hazardous waste, so I minimise use of all oil based paints where I can. I find no advantage with Humbrol enamels as far as the end result is concerned, on the contrary. Their red and yellow pigments provide no better coverage than acrylics in my experience, such as those produced by GW or Vallejo. Other acrylic pigments give a one-coat cover. Returning to painting horses though, a drying agent which one can get from any art shop reduces the drying time of students oils significantly depending on how much of it you use. No more than about 24hrs. The effect is well worth the extra effort. Thin the oil paint with turpentine (don't use white spirit except to clean brushes) and apply it in layers over a white undercoat. The undercoat also assists the drying process and lightens the effect on the highlights where it shows through. The opposite is the effect in shadow areas where the paint collects and darkens the effect. It is also a progressive effect and one can remove paint using the wiping technique or add it to darken shadows while the paint is still wet. I rarely find this necessary with 10mm figures though. I have started using artists acrylics with the same method and although it dries more quickly the same effect can be had though you need to work a bit more quickly and have to do one horse at a time rather than batches. I use white undercoat for all my figures and other than horses I use modelling acrylics exclusively. Depending on the pigment I will sometimes thin the base coat with a little water to achieve the same effect of high/low lights as described above. I use a brown wash such as GW Devlan Mud to finish horses, men and equipment. The dirty water goes down the kitchen sink! Bill |
| Schlesien | 10 Aug 2011 7:25 p.m. PST |
I scanned a copy of a web page I printed awhile ago and posted it online. It breaks down the horse types and the corresponding humbrol paints. "Painting guide for wargames horses"
link |
| Cardinal Hawkwood | 11 Aug 2011 2:53 p.m. PST |
interesting..I have painted in all 3 mediums and find Acrylic absolutely the best , so many colours especially from Cote des Arms..block in wash , highlight.I am about to actually mix my own highlights. so I have the pot there and ready to go..
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| bgbboogie | 12 Aug 2011 6:45 a.m. PST |
Brick red was really good mixes well as well. |
| Supercilius Maximus | 14 Aug 2011 7:00 a.m. PST |
<<One tip. Look at real horses.>> Best piece of advice in the thread, IMO. Look particularly closely at how the "white" and "black" areas (socks, stripes, blazes, hair) are not quite as bright or dark as they might look at first sight, and also how these areas merge into the main coat colour and each other. These tend to be the least natural looking aspects of painting model horses. |
looks at some new terrain products, which use space age technology!
