2 - Fleshing Out the Rock Giant

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I spent the first half hour with the parts 'n parcels of both pieces - along with my X-Acto knife and Dremel tool - cleaning the flash (which was minimal) and sanding some of the rougher edges.

As these are high quality pieces, the arms fit quite well and I opted to try two separate poses with the Giant's throwing arm. Both poses seemed quite natural.

I used a thin mixture of water-based DecoArt paste for filling any exposed cracks. As noted above, though, these are quality pieces and such adjustments were exceptionally minor. I used Duro Quick Gel superglue to attach the arms. It has served me well on hundreds of pieces. (Especially when the quality of the miniature is so high.)

For the basecoat, I used Krylon Ultra Flat in a light khaki color. There are many schools of thought on the color of base paint. I prefer the light khaki for the base color, as it allows me to see the detail in the piece, without distracting from the brightness of the added colors as the piece "comes alive." One can, then, return after painting to add shading. (This is a personal preference, of course.)

My family members think me a bit daft at this point in my projects, because I proceed with the flesh tones...and, additionally, begin conversing with the piece to determine the personality and preferences of the character. (As a cartoonist, this comes naturally to me. Other artists will understand, and not call the Men in White Coats to have me committed just yet...)

There are many "tube colors" for flesh tones, as we all know. These are often very nice and suit the purpose exceptionally well. I prefer to mix my own (as do many painters). On these pieces, I used a combination of Burnt Sienna and Snow White for the basic flesh tone, and then shaded it with Burnt Umber.

I use Liquitex, Palmer Prism and Apple Barrel acrylics. Palmer Prism is my preferred choice due to the weight of the paint - even when thinned with water. It seems to cover and blend nicely when air is dry and extra warm, as well.

Next Time: Detailing and Basing