Priming woes

Now that it's settled and I've decided to avoid washes and inks and just go with the three-color method from here on out, I was eager to prime some more figures and get to it.

I decided to try some brush on primer since spraying can be something of a mess. I had bad luck with the Humbrol #33 enamel paint I used previously: it was so old I couldn't get it to mix. So I decided to try to a flat black enamel paint from the hardware store.

It mixed up easily but stunk to high heaven. I wore a mask and opened the sliding glass door, but I still got tremendous headache that lasted about 24 hours. At first the enamel paint went on too thickly. So I cut it with the Gamsol thinner I had. For some reason the thinned paint dried shiny!

Oh, well. Into the paint stripper. Sadly, my old stripper of choice Dawn Power Dissolver has been discontinued. I ended up buying some industrial strength Simple Green. Soon they are going to know me on a first name basis down at the local hardware store.

After that fail, I decided to go back to spray primer so I bought another can of Duplicolor primer. My first go with it I had difficulty getting it to spray into the harder to reach areas. I had done the obvious thing and placed my figures on a cardboard box outside to spray them. Upon further research I found this interesting video tutorial on priming. So I decided to give it a go - with a mask, unlike that yahoo.

I bought a 36" piece of 5/8" square poplar and cut it into 12" sections. Now I can blue-tac my figures onto the end and spray away at them from almost any odd angle.

I've made one modification since I took these photos. The blue-tac didn't stick so well to the porous, rough-cut wood at the ends of the sticks. So I've nailed on some polycarbonate furniture disks to give the blue-tac something to stick to. Last thing I need is a freshly primed figure taking a dive into the dirt...

Head-to-Head (rematch!)

When I finished the first three-color figure, some of you asked to see a comparison on the table. So I figured with a few more levy done I should have a rematch. This time the odds are even! Sorry the focus is a little soft on some of the photos:

Now that I have a whopping six (6) figures completed, I figured it's time to take a well deserved break and work on something different. Below is a hint. Any guesses?

Finally, I'd just like to point out that this is post number fifty! Thanks to all those along for the ride...

Three Color method (2 & 3 finished)

It's been a long time since my last update. We had a creeping funk around here and every single one of us got sick in sequence. That ate up the better part of three weeks. At least we didn't all get sick at once...

Pretty much the same technique as last time. The main difference is that I've given up on the Testor's Dullcote - it's just too humid here in Florida for anything save a skunk to spray outdoors. I've opted instead for a soluble acrylic matte varnish.

Without further ado, here are the second and third Scots levy painted with the three color method:

As you may have noticed, I've plussed up the basing vegetation a bit. I was inspired by Christopher of Bunker Hill's amazingly bushy grassy bases.

The other benefit of the bushy basing is that it covered up the "cankle" on my one-footed javelin hurler that needed repair.

Said repair proved problematic. I pulled his base off again while painting him and had to redo the repair. I think I didn't sink the pin far enough into the foot the first go around.

I'm very happy with the new brush on matte varnish. I only had one issue: it pooled in Old Footy's armpit and I didn't notice it until the next day. I probably should have just left it be, but I decided to try to poke it out with a wooden toothpick.

I managed to get the bit of varnish out, but cracked his foot repair again. This time I choose not to re-repair as the painting was nearly finished. I just dabbed on some super glue and then matte varnished over the crack when the glue was dry. All the more reason for more bushes!

I also toned down the wood grain on the spears. My first three color levy looked like he was toting a piece of zebrawood. Hope you like them!

Three Colour Method (attempt 2 & 3)

Here are a few shots of my next two levy painted with the three colour method. Just gotta stick some spears on 'em and get them based up. Once that's done they can have a proper 3-on-3 battle with those plebeian, dipped levy.

Funny, I accidentally left the spear off of the first figure I painted. Now I like not having to work around the weapon when painting faces, so it's become a habit.

Head-to-Head

My three color method test levy is finally finished and based so I could take some head-to-head shots with my Army Painter dipped levy. I chose to use the two that had the same color tunic. Hard to believe they are the same color. That dip really muddies things up!

If you ask me there is no comparison. Well, perhaps the three color method spear looks too much like zebrawood. But other than that the difference is night and day. I guess the question now is, do I have the patience to paint the other forty guys this way...

Finally back at it!

It's been a while since I posted anything. We had a week vacation out in California and on our return we all got sick. One of the hazards of air travel, I suppose. I started a new job last week as well, so things have been a bit hectic around here.

I glued my test levy's spear on and painted it before I left. I think I might have left too much of the black basecoat exposed. Next time I will try to make that more subtle.

Upon return, I hit the spear with gloss coat and then when it dried, sprayed it with Dullcote. It may have bit a tad bit too humid though. His mustache seems to have a strange white, shiny bit on it (see below). I feel like it's in the matte finish as I can only see it from certain angles. I think Florida is just too humid for sprays and I've ordered some brush on acrylic matte.

I tried re-glossing and re-matting that part of his mustache but the white spot still seems to be there. I may left it as is or try to black it out with a very fine felt tip. Next up, basing! 

                

Varnish Test #2

So I decided to do another varnish test since the first one proved inconclusive. I did a couple things differently this time around. For one, I took photos all the way through the process so that if some type of defect appeared I could determine at what stage of the process it happened. I also decided to put some acrylic paint on the test subject, as gloss varnishing over a figure painted only with enamel undercoat was not an "apples to apples" test.

Humbrol Matt Black Enamel Undercoat

First Coat of AP Matte White

Instead of just slopping some white paint over the undercoat, I decided to use this as an opportunity to practice my brushwork. I attempted to leave the usual black edges while using my larger brushes (a size 0 spotter for the most part and a size 000 for the face). I tried keeping the paint diluted as well. That was struggle as usual.

Second Coat of AP Matte White

Humbrol Gloss Coat

My goal was to get the paint the consistency of 'single cream' (as per Dallimore). But I paint so slowly the paint dries on the palette and on the brush (I skipped the wet palette this time). When the paint was really 'wet' I struggled to get it to stick to the figure. This resulted in a lot of extra brushstrokes that left some obvious marks behind. As I mentioned before, I think this problem will resolve itself as I get more confident and start painting more quickly. It sure is a pain right now though.

Two coats of Testor's Dullcote

Well, I don't know if I've proved anything except that I am painstakingly thorough. This figure looks fine to me. Other than some gloopiness in the matte white coats. At least I'm satisfied that the gloss varnish isn't bunko and I've gotten in some low-stakes brushwork practice to boot. Onward to the real figure!

Congrats to a Fellow Blogger

Alex Mayer (who keeps a great blog called alea iacta est) has gotten his fine painting skills featured on the Foundry web site. Well done, Alex!

Alex is another painter who inspired me to attempt to paint in the Foundry "three color method." He is also a good sport and has taken the time to answer all of my noob questions. If you aren't following his blog, you probably should be. While you are over there, offer him a word of congratulations!

Touching-up done (x2)

I busted out my 10/0 and touched up the black edges that I tried to leave at the edges found on my Scots test levy. Naturally that meant touching up my touch-up as well! Here are some shots. Maybe you can tell, but I busted out the proper light box-thingy I got from Amazon for $40. I think it makes a big difference.

 

I used my Humbrol Matt Black. It worked better with a little Gamsol to thin it. In a couple of spots my brush strayed and I had to go back and hit it with the tunic and cape base colors again. That said, I'm pretty happy with the outcome overall. My brushwork is a little wobbly and I'm slow as molasses, but that will come in time. I'm going to work on basing him tonight and then I'll post up some comparisons with the "dipped" levy I did previously.

Hair Doo

Here's my three color method test levy with his hair freshly done:

The base color was going to be the same as his cloak, but I figured that would never do: he'd look like Crystal Gail. So I added in some red and a wee bit of yellow to try to give it slightly more orange hue.

Other than basing, I think he's pretty much done. The only thing I'm tempted to do still is touch up some of the black borders that I accidentally painted over. Not sure I can do this without messing up all the work I've put in already though. We'll see how daring I feel tomorrow night!

The Belt of Three Colors

I worked on my three color method some more tonight. This time with my Scots levy's belt:

I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. I did most of the work with a new 3/0 that I picked up from Amazon. I think I'm starting to get a brush habit too!

I also did some whittlin' on the flat spot I found in his hair last time. I might have gotten a little overzealous. The texture I carved is finer than that found on the rest of his head. But it sure beats that flat spot!

Speaking of hair: that's all that's left and then I'm done with this guy...