"Using Oils" Topic

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone here uses oil paints for their figures? If so, how do you like the results?

Also there was a blog I had stumbled across of a guy who was painting Renaissance figures using oils and I remember he had a good tutorial for them. Does anyone know who that might be?

Thanks.

Olicana uses humbrols I believe, those are enamels not oils.
Is this the blog you were thinking of?

olicanalad.blogspot.co.uk

Sheperd Paine uses oils to paint his miniatures; however, he works on 54mm and larger figures. His book, Building and Painting Scale Figures, explains his techniques. In my opinion, its one of the best how-to books I've ever read.

I sometimes use them on horses, but the dry time personaly for me is much to long.

Thanks idontbeliveit. I follow Olicana pretty regularly.

I will check out Sheperd Paine and see if I can find his book.

I like enamels. Will also use acrylics it that is a shade I need.

I used to work in oils, for both 25mm and 15mm, years ago. I think the results were better than anything I have ever achieved with acrylics, but perhaps not drastically better. Subtler, certainly. The main problem, apart from the smell, is that oils take so much longer to dry. That is also an essential part of the technique, in that it makes it possible to blend the paint on the figure while wet so you can more easily get subtle gradients in your shading and so forth, but it does hamper you in getting large numbers of figures done in any sensible time. And in 15mm, which is the only scale I work in these days, the difference is barely visible on the table, only when you look at the figures up close.

Yes I use oils, also on horses and cloaks. And no the drying time is no problem. The advantage is that you can blend perfectly and a lot easier than with acrylics. Paint dries slowly if you use them straight from the tube. You can cut drying tim to a quarter if paints are mixed. I Always paint horses in bunches and the first ones are dry while I'm still busy with the next.
YouTube link
YouTube link

I too used to use oils and enamels (especially for horses!) but the headaches from the thinner were too much after years of use. I was pulled kicking and screaming into acrylics…

BelgianRay--I came across your videos last night while doing a google search. Impressive stuff.

I've also read you can speed up the drying time by putting the figures in the oven for an hour or so.

When I use oil paints to paint a figure etc., I use an artist Alkyd oil paint: Di Vinci or Windsor Newton.

For $20 USD, you can get a crock pot/slow cooker, from stores like Wal-Mart. The low setting is typically around 170 F. They are smaller, use less power, and easy to move around to a convenient location. They are also safe to use for hours a time.

I use a $20 USD slow cooker to cure figures I apply The Dip to. They are fully cured after 30 minutes, on the low setting. The only caveat, is that if you use Hot Glue to adhere anything, like attaching the figure to a base, know that the Hot Glue will melt.

I usually work with my slow cooker out in the garage, where the fumes can vent without issue. In the Winter, my insulated garage is too cold (usually around 40 F) to allow the slow cooker to get very hot -- your mileage may vary… Cheers!

The slow cooker works great with totally metal figures. With plastic, it is very easy to get some droopy models or jacked up plastic bases.

It is possible, T Corret, but I have not had any issues yet. I have processed/baked several hundred plastic figures already, without issue (~180 Caesar, ~90 Dark Alliance, and a couple of hundred plastic Army Men figures). Like I stated, the Low temperature setting is around 170 F. Most thermal plastics melt at 300-400 F. They will become soft, yes, but I've not had any melt, or sag, thus far. If, however, you have misshapen plastic figures, you could straighten them when you take them out of the slow cooker, and immerse them in cold/ice water, to 'set' them. Cheers!