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Painting Those Teeny Tiny Little People

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  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Calgary AB
  • 120 posts
Posted by JBCA on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 11:09 AM

Do you have to remove the hair from the cat before using?

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Charlotte, NC
  • 6,099 posts
Posted by Phoebe Vet on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 12:50 PM

JBCA

Do you have to remove the hair from the cat before using?

PLEASE!!!!!!

Some of us think in pictures...

Dave

Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow

Moderator
  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 1,764 posts
Posted by Steven Otte on Wednesday, November 9, 2011 3:08 PM

David Popp's article "Figure Painting 101" was in MR's September 2009 issue. It's probably the article you're remembering, since it has the inside-out, step-by-step method you mention.

--
Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editor
sotte@kalmbach.com

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • 594 posts
Posted by robert sylvester on Friday, November 11, 2011 2:58 PM

Batman:

I have painted many figures over the years, I've used cheap brushes and the better brushes. I have purchased them from Hobby Lobby, Wal-Mart, Lowes; the better brushes do a much better job in painting those tiny figures.

Early Morning at Ottawa

These are a combination of already painted and my hand painted figures. The two closer fingures are already painted.

I use small burshes, covering the faces and hands with flesh tone, then painting multiple figures with blue, then red, brown, etc at one time. I use all kinds of paints, all acrylics from Testors, Apple Barrel, Railroad colors, you name it. I will leave them on the sprues or make a clear plastic base out the window material from kits. Finally I may give them an alcohol/India ink wash to add detail.

Over Head View of Street Work

These are all handpainted below.

Busy Work Site

Here you can see the clear plastic bases that I super glue to the feet as well as the bicycle of the figures.

Curiosity

I buy the unpainted bags of people from Walthers. There are other companies that sell them as well. It is cheaper and I actually enjoy painting the figures. I use very samll brushes for belts, purses, shoes, etc.

Anyway, that what I do.

Thanks,

Robert Sylvester, WTRR

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: Utah
  • 1,315 posts
Posted by shayfan84325 on Friday, November 11, 2011 3:23 PM

One other suggestion about painting people:  This is part of the hobby that non-model railroaders can relate to, so consider involving them.  When I need to paint people I invite my wife to join in and we have a ball - Great conversation and lots of laughs.  I spread out butcher paper on a regular table and get the supplies together and then we paint until we run out of time.  I can imagine this as being a lot of fun with kids, too.

Just don't be too picky about the other person's speed or results and things should go well.

By the way, tree building can be a similar social modeling activity.

Phil,
I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.

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