[ECC] Stuart's Painting Clinic

Since I didn't get to attend the ECC, I'm rather keen to hear about Stuart's
mini painting clinic. Several folks threatened to post their notes, but...

-Ted

Ted said:
> Since I didn't get to attend the ECC, I'm rather keen to hear about

I'm actually about 2/3 of the way done transcribing (they're not that
long, but I've helped start a newspaper since ECC...)--here's the
synopsis.

I. Concepts: a. You are painting wargame pieces, not painting contest entries.
You do not need to blend colors nor paint eyelashes. b. Give the impression of
camo (and other details) rather than actual camo. c. Smaller figures require
stronger contrast to make details visible.

II. Preparation a. good strong light (daylight, architect's desk lamp) b. good
brushes (OOO, OO, O, 1). Long bristle brushes are generally
better than short--they hold shape better and hold more paint.  You
can also use cheap brushes for drybrushing, and cosmetic latex sponge wedges
for vehicles or other large surfaces. c. primer spray (cellulose auto primer,
black or white); inks (GW or equal); acrylic paints; clean water; archivist
fine line pen (0.2mm);
magic wash (1part Future floor wax, 3-4 parts water)
d. popsicle sticks, tongue depressors or similar to use as a handle while
figures are being painted. e. clean flash and mold lines from minis and wash
them to get mold release compound off.

III. General painting techniques
a. do not paint from the container--you'll get paint in the ferrule of
your brushes, which ruins them. Paint from the cap or pour some onto a
palette.
b. wash your brushes frequently--swish them through the water, don't
grind them on the bottom. c. after you wash your brushes, point them by
rolling the bristles on your tongue (cowards can also roll them on a crease of
your palm but it doesn't work as well)

IV. Painting minis a. prime black (if you want a realistic look) or white (for
heroes and
others who should have a "clean" look)--make sure you change the angle
of the mini so you get full coverage b. if you primed black, drybrush white c.
give your figure a coat of your base color, but thin the paint so
it's milky--you don't want to hide the contrast between black low
spots and white high spots d. ink the low spots with a darker shade of the
base color (eg with an olive base, use dark green, not black). e. damp brush
with the base color f. dry brush with a lighter shade of the base color (eg
sage green, not white) g. add details like camo speckles, webbing, shoulder
patches if you're up to it, etc h. blackline the details you want to stand
out, using the archivist pen at cuffs, belts, pocket seams and flaps, etc
i. wash with Magic Wash "with ink to taste"--(haven't tried that yet,
I'm going to start with 1 part brown ink to about 8 parts wash, and try it
first on figs that I'm prepared to strip and repaint if needed).

G'day,

Given how individualistic being creative can be (and I'd count fig painting as
creative whether its for the table or a fig show) I was pleasantly surprised
to see I nodded my head to most of Stuart's points. However (and far be it
from me to disagree with the grand master himself, but...) I think brushes are
an individual's preference...

> Long bristle brushes are generally

I loath long bristle brushes, I must paint with crappy hand style as they
"bend" over at the tip very quickly and lose shape more quickly (at least in
my hands). I much prefer to get short bristle sable brushes. As for paint
content, well as Stuart points out you don't want much on board anyway. The
shorter length means you have to be more careful in that area, but its no big
deal (for me at least) given how much frustration you lose. However, like I
said could be a personal preference thing;)

Cheers

> > Long bristle brushes are generally

Beth replied:
> I loath long bristle brushes, I must paint with crappy hand style as

If you mean the tips curl, apparently that's a hazard of artificial brushes.
IIRC, Stuart was saying that a long bristle will tend to curve gently rather
than make a sharp bend which causes the bristles to splay. That's how I
understood it, anyway, but Chan Faunce and Brian Bell might be able to give a
better explanation.

> On Sun, 7 Apr 2002, Laserlight wrote:

> > > Long bristle brushes are generally

I find my long brushes sometimes get 'hooks' at the tips - most of the
bristles are straight, but right at the end the hairs hook, sometimes nearly
in a 180. They don't splay, just hook around right at the tip. (This is with a
natural hair brush, not artificial...)

I do get better control with a long bristle than a short - for a
lot of fine detail I prefer a new, fine long brush over a thinner short brush.
Just depends on your own painting style and what you're used to, I suspect.

Trimming sometimes works - you're never going to get the same fine shape
as the original, but a brush that's been trimmed of it's hooks and splits
will still work fine for larger work - base colours, inks, etc. When my
brushes get really wrecked, I cut them right down for dry-brushing - a
short, stiff brush works well w/ drybrushing.

I believe he also saw a difference between the white and yellow artificial
bristles.