Category: Tutorials

I thought I would do a quick post on freehand painting, specifically straight lines, with the aim of sharing what I have learnt so far.  The first thing I must clear up is I am not an expert freehand painter.  This is not false modesty just a statement of fact.  If you don’t believe me just do some Pinterest or Google searches and you’ll see just how expert some figure painters are. That said I am pleased with the progress I have made, albeit that advancement has been slow.  One reason for this is I have found very little in my searching, either on YouTube or Google, which deals with the subject from a beginners point of view.  Hopefully this post will provide some very basic assistance to anyone thinking about giving freehand a go.

So why do freehand painting in the first place?

Well I can only answer that question from a personal perspective.  For me it is simply down to the fact that I like the idea of making a figure truly unique where I can.  Freehand doesn’t suit everything but where it does it can make a figure stand out from the rest.  Decals are of course an option but they aren’t suitable for everything, stripes being a example, and the purist in me prefers the idea of avoiding them if I can.

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Getting started with the basics there are a few things you will need.

1. Liquitex Flow Aid
2. A good brush with a nice point
3. A steady hand and/or something to rest on like a small been bag
4. A good eye or some form of magnification visor
5. Patience
6. An eye for detail

A bottle of Liquitex Flow Aid will set you back about £10.00 but the bottle will last you a life time even if you are buying it in your teens!  Used with acrylic paints (I mostly use Vallejo Model Color paints) it does what it says and improves the flow of the paint but without diluting the pigment.  Used with a good pointed brush it is possible to paint very fine lines and detail.  As a medium it is also ideal for colour blending too because it keeps the paint wetter for a little longer.

When it comes to brushes it’s very much each to their own.  Along time ago now I invested in Winsor and Newton series 7 brushes and have never looked back.  More expensive yes, but cared for they last much longer so they are cost effective.  Typically I only ever use two size brushes when painting figures, size 1 and size 000.

When it comes to a steady hand I guess you either have one or you don’t.  If your hand waves around a fair bit then freehand is going to be much tougher.  You can however do things which help.  My hand is pretty steady (for a 64 year old!) but whenever I can I don’t hold what I’m painting (when painting a 28mm shield for example I just keep it flat on a piece of sponge) and I always keep my elbows (and wrists where possible) firmly placed on the desk I work on.  This was a tip I picked up watching how signwriters work, they always keep their elbow and wrists supported whenever they can.

These days I work almost exclusively in 28mm/32mm scale and my eyesight isn’t what it used to be.  As a consequence I use a magnifying visor.  It’s not the solution to everything, the figure might appear bigger but so does the brush!  The main thing is the detail stands out.  Furthermore, if the end result looks good wearing the visor it will look perfect to the naked eye.

Patience you’re most likely going to need in abundance.  Either you have it or you don’t.  For figure painting I do, for everything else in my life I don’t!  Weird I know but it is what it is!

An eye for detail.  This is all about your satisfaction level and when you decide things are good enough.  As a general rule I’m rarely if ever satisfied but I have to stop somewhere.

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Now let’s move on to painting stripes.

Painting stripes or straight lines is about as simple as it gets for freehand by my reckoning.  By simple I mean it’s easy to comprehend but practice is still required.  Before I started on a figure I just spent some time getting the paint and medium balance right (you don’t need very much of the medium) and settled eventually on 50:50 or there abouts, I don’t tend to measure things out,  and then just painted line after line on a piece of paper for practice.  After about 10 minutes it was time to try things out on a figure.

My logic told me to paint light coloured stripes over a darker background colour.  That way any touching up and evening up of stripes would be more easily addressed.  These days I don’t think it really makes much difference.  Another thing I learnt, particulalry when painting stripes on trousers/legs was to start on the outside of the leg first and work right to left and left to right but always leave the inside of the leg until last.  With some figures it’s not always easy to get a stripe on the inside of the leg and if there is one place where inaccuracy will notice less its here.

I always paint stripped trousers/legs first and then do feet/shoes and shirt/jacket (or whateaver constitutes the two end areas abutting the stripes) afterwards.  This Way you can start and end the stripe outside of the area you are aiming to paint to get the flow started and simply paint over afterwards.  It does take practice but once that has been achieved the door is open to do so much more.  If you can paint stripes you can paint hoops and if you can paint stripes and hoops then you can then paint checks.  Stripes can also be painted diagonally and thick and thin, all of which can produce much variation.

I don’t tend to worry too much about shading, applying a wash can generally deal with that to my satisfaction.  Highlights I tend to limit to the original colour and do sparingly as the last thing I want to do is mess up the freehand work I’ve just done!  Looking ahead shading and highlighting is something I might look at improving but for now I’m happy with the results I’m achieving.

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Below are various images of stripes and straight lines and how I have used them.

This Knuckleduster figure didn’t need stripped trousers but adding some just makes it stand out more.

if you can paint stripes you can paint hoops.

If you can paint stripes and hoops you can paint checks.

If you can paint vertical and horizontal lines then you can paint diagonal lines too.

Stripes and hoops don’t have to be thin lines, they can be thicker ones too.

If you don’t fancy stripes straight away then why not start with getting the lines straight and working in larger blocks?

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A with so much of this hobby there are few short cuts.  When all is said and done it comes down to practice, patience, persistence and simply being prepared to give something a go.

TIM

I suspect for a great many painters and modellers the bottom line is the sites which interest us the most are those which align themselves to what we prefer doing.  So it was for me several years ago when my interest was almost exclusively the Old West.  However, whilst I still love the period my allegiance to the genre has moved on, my figure searches have widened and I now paint whatever takes my fancy.  As a consequence I am very much open to each and every site I come across.  If I discover a figure(s) I like the look of and I am inspired to paint and base it then I am almost certain to buy it.

It was during such a search that I discovered Hasslefree Miniatures.  I first came across images of a female fantasy figure called “Lenore” which was enough to make me go to the site and look more closely at what they had to offer.  The menu offers three prime categories – Fantasy & Steampunk, Modern & Post-Apocalyptic and Sci-Fi & Weird War.  There are numerous sub headings under each category.

My first purchase was for a few female fantasy figures.  They arrived like every order I have made since, well packaged and containing a couple of packets of sweets.  Yes that’s right sweets.  I always give mine to my daughter as her tooth is sweeter than.

The figures themselves are simply superb with very little, if any, clean up needed.  Each one is perfectly in scale with nothing out of proportion at all.   They are the work of a master sculptor for sure.  Some manufactures can equal the work of Hasslefree but I have yet to come across anyone who can better them when it comes to quality.  You do pay a little more for the figures but you certainly get what you pay for.  Generally the figures retail at around £4.00 to £5.00 each plus the dreaded VAT and you can expect to pay double that price if you want the resin master figure insead of white metal.  Occasionally Hasslefree will gave a 20% sale on everything and when they do I try to take full advantage.

One of the other things which attracts me to Hasslefree is that the figures are so well posed.  Each one has a charachter and expression of their own and for me and what I do they are simply perfect.   The level of detail is spot on and there is plenty of opportunity for some freehand painting shoild you so wish.  I could paint and base these figures all day long (and often do!).  They are so cool in my opinion and offer so many inspirational ideas.  If you didn’t know previously then I guess you know now that I am rather keen on Hasslefree Miniatures!

I am not sure that I can or that I would want to pick favourites within the ranges they have on offer but the Modern Adventurers category is simply class.   They are popular too and it is not unusual to see certain figures out of stock.  It doesn’t take long for them to become available again although one figure, “Joe”, I just don’s seem to be able to get my hands on at all.

As I said at the start, much depends what you are into but if you do decide to check out the site and take the plunge of buying some figures I am confident you wont be disappointed.

A couple of links to models and figures I have done featuring some Hasslefree figures I have painted below.

TIM

https://theimperfectmodeller.wordpress.com/2019/09/07/apocalypse-what-the-fk-was-that-september-challenge-a-28mm-diorama/

https://theimperfectmodeller.wordpress.com/2020/05/02/covid-19-lockdown-breakout-a-28mm-diorama/

 

 

Having been blogging for a while and wanting to branch out into other genres I started, thanks to the influence of other bloggers, to explore the world of fantasy.  When I first discovered Reaper the site which is based in Texas did not as I recall ship to the UK.  If they did then the costs of shipping were extortionate.  In either event I found myself searching for a UK distributor and discovered a supplier in Mighty Lancer –

https://www.mightylancergames.co.uk/ –

and it was here that I made my first foray into the world of Reaper Fantasy figures. 

The only problem with Mighty Lancer af that time (it may have now changed) is that they got their figures from the US via bulk shipments which they made periodically.  From what I could see they did not stock the whole Reaper range but if they did not have what you wanted you could pre-order.  Better than nothing but far from ideal.  Since those early days (which ironically weren’t that long ago) Reaper have expanded their own operation and now supply within the UK where the whole range is available through their site – 

https://www.reapermini.com/

So what do I consider the pros and cons of Reaper?

Well the pros are many.  The quality of the metal ranges are top notch as far as I am concerned.  The figures are well packaged and rarely have any mould lines or flash which require attention.  If and when they do it is minimal.  The sculptors all do an amazing job but the work of Bob Ridolfi and Bobby Jackson really stand out in my opinion and their detailed work is simply stunning.  I wont claim to be a fantasy expert but to my mind the range is very extensive and and it is hard to believe there is not something to be found here for everyone interested in fantasy figures.  There are several filters on the website to aid your search but personally I prefer to sit down with a good mug of coffee and browse through a hundred pages of superb metal figures!

What of the cons?

I guess much depends on your point of view of course.  For me I don’t consider that there are any but I can see that some people would bulk at a few things.  Firstly there is the price.  Reaper aren’t the cheapest figures on the market by any means but you get what you pay for as far as I am concerned.  I view them as works of art and art work doesn’t often come cheap.  That said prices vary considerably and often I have found it possible to find the same figure brand new on Ebay cheaper and with free postage.

I am not a war gamer so I have no idea how well these figures fit with the games that are out there, I will leave that for someone else to review.  As a figure painter I think a vast number of the figures make for stunning stand alone pieces.  However, I also do dioramas and vignettes and here I find a slight problem in aligning pieces together to achieve composition.  In fairness this could be down to my imagination and creativity as much as anything else.

Reaper do a few ranges one of which is their “Bones” range which is essentailly a white plastic range of the same metal figures but the prices are much lower.  I have never bought or painted a Bones figure so I do not know how extensive the range is or what the quality of the figures are like.  From the comments of other bloggers opinion is divided.  Some seem happy with the Bones figures whilst others feel they leave a lot to be desired.  Reaper now do a Bones Black range which I believe are superior and more expensive than the white countrpart but again I an unable to comment.  What can I say, I’m a metal guy!

Over a few years now I have done a fare number of Reaper figures, both stand alone and dioramas and vignettes.  I rate these figures very highly indeed and they are my go to range for fantasy figures.  I have plans to do many, many more!

Below are links to just a couple of my Reaper models.

TIM

 

https://theimperfectmodeller.wordpress.com/2020/03/28/viharis-tenspire-a-28mm-reaper-wizard/

https://theimperfectmodeller.wordpress.com/2019/11/16/tom-goldentome-a-28mm-reaper-figure/

 

 

 

In my Miniatures and Musings No: 47 I made reference to doing a mini series of short  “Site Reviews”.  This is the first.  I thought it appropriate to start with Dixon’s as it was this site that really introduced me to the world of 28mm figures.

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Dixon Miniatures is a very small company run by Trevor Dixon which began life in 1976.  I first discovered the site –

https://www.dixon-minis.com/

– back in 2017 when I decided to drop down in scale from 54mm to 28mm.  Still very much hooked on the Old West genre various google searches pointed me in their direction.  At the time I could not find anyone to rival their range of figures and to some extent this still holds true.  Whilst the  Knuckleduster Gunfighters Ball range –

https://knuckleduster.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=1_70

– make excellent figures, albeit a little larger at 32mm, they have yet to match Dixon’s for accessories such as wagons and stagecoaches.

At this point I should point out that Dixon’s offer so much more than the Old West.  Their range is extensive with well over 20 different categories including Napoleonics, English Civil War, Pirates and Gangsters to name but a few.  Although I have only purchased Old West figures to date I do have my eye on several other figures.  The Gangster range has caught my eye, specifically a very nice bootlegger truck (I’m thinking Lawless starring Tom Hardy) and an SAS Willy’s Jeep desert conversion.  Both are on my buy list.

Like a great many miniature figure companies you can usually find pros and cons.  In the case of Dixon’s I like the fact that their figures are all metal including their range of wagons, trucks and cars.  I’m not a lover of resin and plastic (just a personal old school preference and not an opening for a heated debate) so this suits me just fine.  Figure composition is excellent too in my opinion as evidenced by the American Civil War range which is huge.  I also like the fact that the figures can be purchased individually, are relatively inexpensive and horse and riders can be mixed and matched.  I really have a dislike for companies which group figures together where one or two are great and the rest are rubbish (these figures make up the majority of my unwanted lead pile).  It is also possible to download a PDF of the larger ranges on offer.  When it comes to selecting which figures to buy this I find really useful and wish other sellers would do the same.

On the downside some figures I have bought seem a little out of proportion with heads being bigger than they ought to be.  It certainly isn’t a show stopper and doesn’t apply to every figure by any means.  It is only a guess but having been going since 1976 and with the Old West most likely to be one of the older ranges I do wonder if this might have a bearing with the sculptor naturally improving as time goes by?

If you are looking for 25mm/28mm figures (they do a very limited range of 15mm, 20mm and 54mm figures too) in the categories Dixon’s have to offer then this site is well worth taking a look at.  The figures arrive well packaged and postage costs are reasonable.  At the time of writing they are still operational during the coronavirus lockdown.

I have done several models featuring Dixon’s figures, below are links to two of them.

TIM

 

https://theimperfectmodeller.wordpress.com/2017/07/22/28mm-building-project-no-6-wells-fargo-way-station/

https://theimperfectmodeller.wordpress.com/2017/07/12/off-the-work-bench-american-civil-war-28mm-diorama/

 

 

 

 

How to Make a Palm Tree.

The follow up to last week’s post – “X” Marks The Spot”.

https://wordpress.com/post/theimperfectmodeller.wordpress.com/4059

To make the palm tree I used the following items, you can of course use similar products:-

• 3 lengths of Florist wire, approximately 35cm in length
• Goose feathers, approximately 3 to 5cm in length and roughly 35 to 40 in number
• Milliput
• Superglue
• General purpose filler
• A very small length of course string
• Paints (various)

For the build I used the following tools:-

• Small hand vice
• Wire cutters
• A cocktail stick
• Paint brushes

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Step 1

Take two pieces of the 35cm Florist Wire, fold each in half and cut to make four equal lengths.

Step 2

Take the four equal lengths of Florist Wire and place all four ends into the hand vice so that they are all tightly clamped together.

Step 3

Using the 3rd piece of Florist wire start to wind it as tightly as you can around the four clamped pieces staring about 2cm up from the bottom.  Ideally you want to keep the wire wound round closely following each turn but if there are small gaps it really doesn’t matter.  Continue until you have run out of wire and then remove from the vice.  You now have the main basis of the tree trunk.

Step 4

Take the Milliput and make two largish balls and four small balls.  Use one of the larger balls for the bottom of the tree trunk and one for the top.  Push the four short lengths of wire which exist at the end of each end of the tree trunk through the Milliput as this will ensure it is all nicely fixed together.  Taper the top ball a little to blend with the trunk and make a smooth joint, same for the bottom ball but flatten it a little as well to help create a base for later.

If the four lengths of wire are too long then use the wire clippers to shorten.  You may wish to keep them long at the bottom anyway as this will help when it comes to fixing to a base.  Personally I didn’t bother as I knew I would be adding base work around the tree which would be sufficient to hold it in place.

Step 5

Before the Milliput dries use the point of the cocktail stick to make numerous holes in the top ball to allow for the feather palms to be inserted later.  If you find you haven’t made enough (which is what happened to me!) you can easily drill more into the Milliput later.

Step 6

Once the Milliput has dried mix some General purpose filler together with some water and PVA glue and coat the tree trunk.  Try to avoid it being to thick, you want to be able to keep the shape created by the wire you wrapped around.  Set aside to dry.

NOTE – If you want to shape the trunk, give it a slight bend for example, do this before applying the filler!

Step 7

While the filler on the tree trunk is drying it’s time to sort and paint the feathers.  You can of course do this at anytime.

I bought my feathers on Ebay, a pack of 50 which proved sufficient to make a single tree with some over.  I graded the feathers into three piles of similar length, small, medium, large.  The smallest would create the lower palms leaves, followed by the medium length ones with the longest feathers stuck on last as you work bottom up.

After a bit of experimenting I painted the leaves using Citadel Biel-Tan Green Shade.  I found the wash worked well.  I brushed the paint on starting at the center of the feather stroking outwards and painted both sides.  You should find that the paint will bind bits of the feather together to create natural fronds.  You could try airbrushing but as I don’t have one I cannot comment.  My only concern might be that an airbrush won’t create the fronds but if anyone gives it a go I would be interested to know how it went.

Step 8

When the tree trunk is dry take the four small Milliput balls and glue them around the top ball, these are coconuts!

Once the “coconuts” have dried it’s time to paint the entire trunk.  I used thinned oil paints starting with Burnt Umber as the base and then dry brushed highlights of Yellow Ocre and White.  You can of course use any paints you like.

Step 9

As a final touch to the coconuts I chopped up some very small pieces of string and stuck them on to create the effect of the husk.

Step 10

With everything painted and dry it’s now time to glue in the feather palms.  Start with the smallest feathers at the bottom and work round first and then work up.  I chose to stick the feathers in using superglue as it dries quickly, otherwise you will be there all day long!

Step 11

Your tree should now be complete.  Congratulations!

The final step is to base it which is of course down to the individual.  I chose to keep mine simple, the figures in my vignette were what I wanted people to look at.  A Milliput foundation held the completed tree in place.  This was topped with sand and then painted.  A sprinkling of chopped string was also added to the bottom of the tree.

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Well that’s it folks.  Any questions please let me know.  I may well have left something out.  If you do give it a go please let me know how you get on.  This was my first tree but it won’t be my last.

In the meanwhile Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

TIM