Wet Origami & figure painting

[Steve Hutchinson]

Hi Gang

In my perpetual quest to paint better figures, I have renewed my journey in a different direction whilst I am waiting for the weather to perk up to allow me back into the garage

I have seen the "wet palette" used and it has intrigued me, I have used a standard palette and acrylics dry very quickly but if you add water they change colour quite dramatically too

So what to do, well this was a wet palette after only 2 hours



Not the easiest to be able to select the highlight you want

I have purchased expensive artist wet palettes and from this I have modified it to suit my needs and this is the basis of the "wet origami", a picture will explain it better

And after 4 days it si still usable

and also


It does need some fine tuning with a bigger tub and the waxy top paper running up the side to stop the paint leaching into the base blotter



So I will have another go at my GB figures and as another mini side project, try to improve the photos of the results

Here is how I am trying to improve my figure/head painting, it is a mix of Calvin Tan and Oliver Kovacs, again some poor picture save a 1001 words








I will be cutting plastic again with another build of niche vehicle, Raoul and Edmund now what will be coming, maybe some pictures of that too

Hope this maybe of some interest to anyone, I know on MA, Vinnie did some brilliant figures on a basis of it enhances the build but isn't competition standard, which was very useful, I just want a step further

Thanks for popping by

Steve H

[John Everett]

Good idea to prevent paint from running too far from home. But with the wet palette, do you have trouble with the paint becoming too thin as it sucks all the available water from below?

[Steve Hutchinson]

Hi John

The paper underneath is a thin blotting type paper which you wet with distilled water, put the top waxy paper on then tip up to let the excess drip off.
It is damp rather than wet, and keeps the paint moist without flooding it and distorting the colour too much.

It is quite amazing that with just a little top up with a pipette occasionally the paint stays usable for ages.

The real deal is to get cracking and paint the heads in good time.

I used to used kitchen paper which just held too much liquid, I also dithered with my painting too, which doesn't help either

I am currently just painting 8 heads as a main and alternative for the 4 figures for my GB.

I wish someone had sort of explained this sooner as I have been trying to get this wet palette thing to work for the past year

This is why I have shared, as head painting in the""arty"" community is something of a ""black ART"" and no one really shares just show with no tell

I will have my 8 heads done tomorrow as they are at the base stage and ready for the finish, I have painted them with a black undercoat, a dry brush with white then a dry brush with a base flesh tone, 4 are a 876 brown sand, Vallejo of course the other 4 are a 50/50 mix of 835 salmon rose & 845 sunny skin. Bot mixes had a dot of white to just tone them down, and that is the 1st stage a'la Calvin Tan.
Tomorrow will be highlights and shadows a'la Oliver Kovacs, which is more of a glaze/filter in multiple layers, then the eyes last with lips and ears.

I know some may think its just too much, but as some one who can follow a technical instruction and isn't artistic by nature, design or ability, I think it would be useful to be able to improve your figure painting without stressing about how much better everyone else's figures are

I hope my photos are good enough to be able to share this fully as it does seem to be getting better results without too much stress just follow a list of instructions and directions

Thanks for popping in

Steve H

[Dario Risso]

Good idea, Steve, specially in those hot summer days when paint dries so fast in a regular palette

Darío

[Steve Hutchinson]

Struggled to find this one

After Shawn's excellent SBS to spur me on, I have some updates for my recent work and move away from the wet palette

Better get the photos up, hopefully my photography will be reasonable

and in sequence, through 3 highlights and 3 shadows





The last photo is a heavily watered down glaze of the base coat to even out the shade and highights.
I shall attempt to add a final touch up of deep shade and last highlight, before he is done and finish off the lips, brows and hat,
the other 3 heads are also at the same stage so I will add them in for a final shot before starting on the bodies, which have been scribed for months

Sadly my photography does not do the heads justice, it looks better in real life, good enough , that they will

NOT

be going for a swim in alcohol

More soon, AND A MASSIVE

THANK YOU SHAWN

Steve H

[Shawn Ramsey]

Your welcome Steve.

The head is looking really good and the last pic from what I can tell looks the SH and HL are blended together well.

Well done Steve.

Sorry to say I have no updates on mine yet. Hopefully something tomorrow.

Shawn

[Steve Hutchinson]

Thanks again Shawn

photography and photo bucket editing has given me these as a finished head





and the edited version


just 4 more for the M4, Pz III GB and 14 for the current 2, 4, 6, 8 GB too

Thanks for popping in

Steve H

[John Everett]

It's Good!

Great work with straight lines and trim as well.

[Shawn Ramsey]

From what I can tell it looks great Steve.

One thing I can tell you if your using a basic camera for up close shots get the face as close to the camera as possible instead of trying to zoom in with the camera. It may give you some better pics.

Shawn

[Raoul Kunz]

Your faces look awesome Steve!


Best regards

Raoul G. Kunz