MM15 Painting Walk Through Part 3

Ok...Lets have a go at Round 3 of the Painting walk through. 

I would like to start by answering a few questions that have come up about the basics of how I paint. 

As you can see from the pictures I mount my figures to old paint pots using Blue-tac...this allows you to rotate and manipulate the figure without actually touching it and thereby potentially damaging the parts that you have already painted.  You must do this!  I'm amazed at how many people still hold onto the the figure itself while painting....don't be one of those people!

I use a wet pallet for mixing my paints.  Mine is a home spun version...I use a shallow airtight rubbermaid container (sandwich size) with two folded paper towels in the bottom which I saturate with water.  Atop this I place a piece of baker's parchment.  This "paper" allows a small amount of water to pass through it into the paint...this slightly thins the paint and keeps it wet...my paint never dries out.  In fact there are times that I can come back to the same blob of paint after 2-3 days and still use it.

For Brushes I am currently using the much revered Windsor and Newton Kolinsky Sable Brushes...sizes 1 and 0.  That said I just ordered a set of the sable/synthetic blend brushes from Rosemary and Co. and look fwd to giving them a try.

I don't go in for wet blending...in fact I'm quite afraid to even give it a try...:)  Most of my painting "skills" were formed before such techniques were developed...I'm an old school painter... as you can tell by the lack of washes in my sequences...and my obnoxious color choices. Basically...I fear change!

I think that answers most of the questions that have come my way...but I'm happy to answer more so please don't hesitate to ask.

Lets get back to work on the figure...I have a fairly short update for you today which will cover the blue sequence.

As previously mentioned, I base coated the blue areas with an old Ral Partha paint...I'm not sure what it was actually called but it is a very dark blue.  The next step involves adding about 25% PolyS Dragon Blue.  This is my all time favorite blue paint...luckily I bought up a couple of bottles before it went out of production so my supply should last through the rest of my Puff and Slash army.

Next I reverse my formula and use 75% Dragon Blue and 25% Dark Blue

And then a highlight of straight Dragon Blue

 This is looking pretty good....but to make the Blue really "pop" you still need to take it up a level or two higher. So I start mixing in some VMC Offwhite (820)....just a little bit at first...

 ...and then just a little bit more for the very highest points of the blue areas.

 Perfect! now this is really starting to look like he will fit with the rest of my army. 


Sadly this tutorial has now caught up with my painting...:-( so I'll put in a bit of time tonight and try to get this guy wrapped up in the next post.  All I have left to do is his beard...belt...bag...and pistol...base.  And of course...the ever troubling eyes.


Cheers for now!


Blue