"In the middle" Topic

I often simultaneously paint figures from several periods as I find it alleviates boredom.
I just noticed that the "middle" features on my painting table at the moment – Napoleon's Middle Guard & my Middle Ages' "Lion Rampant" force.

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As you can see, I'm in the middle of this task & progressing middling-well. So, it may look like a muddle but it is the 'Middle".

Add some Middle-earth figures to round things out.

… or maybe some Stealer's Wheel figures?

That's interesting, though. I usually keep a few different genres of figures on my painting table so I can wait for the ones I just finished to fry before moving to the next bit.

… wait for the ones I just finished to fry before moving to the next bit.

You cook your figures?!?

Just a typo of course since the 'd' and 'f' keys are side-by-side.

I also tend to have several genres in progress at the same time. As you say, it relieves boredom.

Jim

Many of my figures would look better with a little flame treatment ….

Different genres and scales.

ColCampbell, I DO bake my mini's, in a Slow Cooker, on the Low setting (170 F). I paint them with Minwax Polyshades Urethane Stain (usually Royal Walnut). I bake them for 20-30 minutes. It fully cures the oil-based stain varnish. After that, I spray them with Matte Clear Coat, and 30 minutes later, they are ready for the tabletop!

I used to bake them in my oven, at its lowest temperature, also 170 F, with the door propped open. I realized this was dangerous due to the volatile fumes. Now I use a Slow Cooker in my garage -- much safer! I usually open the large door, to let fresh air in, and for the fumes to escape, harmlessly.

I have done this on metal, resin, and plastic mini's. The metal, and the plastic, melt at around 800 F+, and 300 F+, respectively, so the 170 F does not harm them. The plastic mini's become pliable, but that's about it. I've done this with, literally, 100's of Army Men figures, along with 40 toy Cave Men (AD&D Hill Giants), and 40 injection molded Viking figures (AD&D Frost Giants). They have all come out just fine, no damage.

LOL! There is more than one way to paint a mini for the tabletop! Cheers!

Sgt Slag – just when you think you've heard it all!

I am impressed by your ingenuity & would love to see some of the finished product.

My painting efforts seem ….so half-baked compared to yours!

You could do some command figures – Middle Aged

Nice work!

LOL! I brush on The Dip to pretty much every mini I paint. Been doing it since around 1998. If you have seen any of my miniatures in my posts, you have seen the results.

The baking process is only done 15+ minutes after brushing on the Minwax urethane stain, so it has had ample time to be sucked into place by capillary action. When I remember, I soak up the excess pools of Minwax, with the edge of a paper towel -- when I remember, before I bake them…

One of the side benefits of baking the figures, is it off-gasses the super-majority of the fumes and stench. The matte clear coat seals 98% of the remaining fumes.

Samples: 1/72 Caesar injection molded Dwarves; 28mm Essex Gnome Spearmen; 1/72 scale Caesar Orcs; 1/72 Dark Alliance Cyclops; 25mm Grenadier Fantasy Warriors Dwarven Spearmen (mini's made circa 1983?); and a Marx(?) Wooden Fort, repurposed for 25mm-28mm fantasy gaming, with upgrades added to the toy, to make it better in every respect, and a shot of it in a game, manned and defended by Hobgoblins against Humans and Dwarves attacking. Obviously the Fort was not baked… No Slow Cooker big enough to hold it! LOL!

I have watched many a video on YouTube about Speed Paints, Contrast Paints, and now, Slap-Chop techniques… To me, they cannot beat my 10-minute block painting followed by brushing on The Dip, and baking. Again, my style is not for everyone. I go for GEtGW quality (Good Enough to Game With, at arm's length). For me, it is the fastest technique I've found yet. I keep my eyes open for better, faster, easier techniques, but I'm still searching for anything to come close. Cheers!

Well, see, baking is not frying. I'm still fighting this image of orc and goblin figures in a wok with a greenish sauce.

You could do some command figures
wordgames.gg/lewdle
wordgames.gg/dordle