Leo Zanza | 17 Jul 2015 3:57 p.m. PST |
Hello everyone, I'm gonna start painting 28mm napoleonics, however since a previous effort ended in failure (paint came loose)i want to make sure i get it right this time:) -I'm gonna first wash my figures & scrub them -Apply a primer (from vallejo) -Paint in acryl using again vallejo -Finish the models with a mat varnish I heard i'm not supposed to touch the figures while painting, would wearing latex gloves enable me to touch them wile painting without doing damage? Anything else i forgot or any tips would be very welcome! friendly regards, Leo |
baxterj | 17 Jul 2015 4:02 p.m. PST |
Leo, glue the figures with a dab of pva (wood glue) to plastic bottle tops to hold them rather than holding the figure directly whilst painting. |
jeffreyw3 | 17 Jul 2015 4:17 p.m. PST |
Yes, you should never actually hold the figure while painting. Baxter's suggestion is good. Another would be to hot glue the figures to a nail, which you can then stick into a Styrofoam block from Michaels. |
John Armatys | 17 Jul 2015 4:59 p.m. PST |
Alternatively glue a row of figures an inch or so apart on a strip of wood (speeds up painting similar figures a bit). I wouldn't scrub the figures – having stuck them on the painting sticks and waited for the glue to dry (I use Uhu) I simply rinse them in hot water with a bit of washing up liquid, then leave them to dry overnight before priming/undercoating them. |
Fried Flintstone | 17 Jul 2015 5:56 p.m. PST |
I wouldn't freak about holding them in your fingers if you find that more comfortable. I have never had any issues doing that … |
Markconz | 17 Jul 2015 5:59 p.m. PST |
I've got a painting guide here: link |
Dave Gamer | 17 Jul 2015 6:07 p.m. PST |
Yes – I hold them by my fingers – I glued some 28mm figs to head of nails (to use as holders) and drilled holes in a block of block of wood to put the nails in. Too much extra trouble gluing them to the nails. I just grab the figures by the base and paint them. Once painted and based you can touch 'em up again. |
tberry7403 | 17 Jul 2015 6:41 p.m. PST |
If using slotta bases, I attached to the base first, or if they already have bases then glue (white glue) them to thin cardbard squares leaving at least a quarter-inch between the base edge and outside edge of the square. This gives you something to hold on to while painting. |
lacc33 | 17 Jul 2015 8:09 p.m. PST |
Old fashion single piece wooden clothespins works best for mounting for painting for all scales of figures. Been using for over forty years. You get a stable surface to mount the figure and a way to hold then in mass on an apporiate thickness of what ever works with the two prongs. The can be found in squares and round styles, the best are the round as you can twirl them while painting. |
julianmizzi | 17 Jul 2015 8:12 p.m. PST |
or just as cheap – stick em to a piece of cardboard , using PVA or aquadhere . cardboard say 2 inches wide by 12 inches long. then stick to your guideline above. Cheap as chips. |
normsmith | 17 Jul 2015 9:00 p.m. PST |
Wash figures with a detergent, using an old toothbrush to lightly go over everything, this gets rid of the release agent. mount two or three figures on a lolly stick (buy them at a craft shop) or a tongue suppressor, using that paper putty stuff that is meant to hold paper posters up on the wall (called Blu-Tak in the UK). This gives a sort of production line efficiency, so you can just move along the figures painting the same part on each figure (though bottle tops give you 100% easy access to every part of the figure). Hard plastic can be primed with any primer, I use Vallejo. Soft plastic can have problems – it will take Vallejo etc, but will not stand up to heavy handling, rubbing or scratching. The best tip I picked up was to prime soft plastic with thinned PVA white glue with a bit of acrylic paint added to act as a tint, I found this to be very good and was able to paint directly onto that surface. |
DS6151 | 18 Jul 2015 8:21 a.m. PST |
Holding them sometimes rubs off the paint, that's all. Be gentle, and be prepared to do touch-ups, but that's it. Prime them, paint them, seal them, done. Plastics paint just fine, they don't rub off easier than metal, and you don't need to do anything silly like pva covering. |
Zephyr1 | 18 Jul 2015 2:25 p.m. PST |
Holding with fingers (preferably by the base) is fine, as long as your fingers are clean (and not covered with that orangey Cheet-O's cheese. ;-) Oh, and finish the models with a gloss coat first before applying a matte coat. |
deadhead | 19 Jul 2015 3:01 a.m. PST |
Following on from DS6151, remember there are two kinds of plastics. The traditional stuff (1/72), from Airfix 1970s, through Italy, to Russia these days, is soft flexible plastic with the figures requiring no assembly. Getting paint to adhere and stay on does usually need some preparation. What is now so prevalent is the hard polystyrene "kit" 28mm figures (marvellous range developing) requiring less prep before priming. I am a huge fan of Chaos Black spray, accepting that I, personally, prefer duller, realistic finishes to the super-highlighted masterpiece works of art that we usually see here. But I do learn from them! |
wrgmr1 | 19 Jul 2015 10:46 p.m. PST |
I glue mine in a row of 4 or 5 figures onto a tongue depressor. It really helps the assembly line painting I do, usually 36 at a time. I've never washed any figures, just primed them with black or grey metal primer. Paint with acrylics, Liquitex being the one of choice, then model colors or craft paints. Spray with a gloss acrylic then Testors Dullcoat. |
Leo Zanza | 22 Jul 2015 2:18 p.m. PST |
Thanks for all the helpful answers gentlemen, my first try will be painting perry's british light infantry 1815:) ill post em when they are done xd |