First attempt at Painting Cast heads
- Thread starter shadowwarrior
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Not bad for first attempts. Practice is key. Try using thinner paint and do multiple coats. I put flesh on with paint that is just a little thicker than milk. Takes about 4-5 coats minimum. Go darker to lighter in flesh colors. My final coat is a dry brushing. I primer all my cast heads with grey as well. 2 thin coats.
Eyes just takes practice. Do the black line first, than the white, than pupil, than clean it up with flesh color.
Eyes just takes practice. Do the black line first, than the white, than pupil, than clean it up with flesh color.
Not bad for a first go, I'm absolute shit at painting heads. Way better than anything I could do.
Well, they do seem a bit rough. First question - where did you get the castings from? It's possible that the casts are rough to start with.
That said, as Medd already mentioned, try to thin your paint a little bit. I'm also not sure what's going on with the second head - it looks like you didn't get complete coverage with the paint and the gray of the cast is showing through.
As for eyes - take a look in the mirror and you'll see that the only time the entire iris area is showing is when you open your eyes really wide. I think a lot of people have this problem when painting eyes. Try to make the round area extend over the top and bottom of the sclera and then touch it up with your skin tone. It will look a lot better and less 'shocked'.
Apparently it's OK for you to critique others' work, but when people critique yours you get all bent out of shape... funny how that works, huh?
That said, as Medd already mentioned, try to thin your paint a little bit. I'm also not sure what's going on with the second head - it looks like you didn't get complete coverage with the paint and the gray of the cast is showing through.
As for eyes - take a look in the mirror and you'll see that the only time the entire iris area is showing is when you open your eyes really wide. I think a lot of people have this problem when painting eyes. Try to make the round area extend over the top and bottom of the sclera and then touch it up with your skin tone. It will look a lot better and less 'shocked'.
They should wear the gas-mask, lol
Apparently it's OK for you to critique others' work, but when people critique yours you get all bent out of shape... funny how that works, huh?
I'll be honest - they are pretty good. =)
Seriously...the last 2 is lets say A-. Keep it up and you will achieve the level you want to
As a suggestion. Take a production figure next to your custom one..and just try to figure out every detail. The hair, they eyes, the mousth, the skin. How it made.Maybe it will help a bit. =)
Seriously...the last 2 is lets say A-. Keep it up and you will achieve the level you want to
As a suggestion. Take a production figure next to your custom one..and just try to figure out every detail. The hair, they eyes, the mousth, the skin. How it made.Maybe it will help a bit. =)
What paint(s) are you using? I mix tamiya flat flesh with some model masters skin tone light to get a consistency and shade I like.
For fleshtone (causacian) I use Reaper brand Fair Skin with a bit of Windex to lightly thin it, starting with a bit of tan to darken it & then lighter drybrushed layers of the straight color - these are great 1st attempts man 
keep practicing & FYI... I still struggle with eyes...
keep practicing & FYI... I still struggle with eyes...
I mix my own basic flesh color with Testors paints using the primary colors and black and white. Make brown and lighten it with yellow, white, and a separate mix of orange till you get the base tone you want. Takes practice to get amounts right and must be made in correct order. Just mixing all the colors at once will not yield the results you want. Once flesh is mixed I soften it with white (with a dab of yellow/orange) and darken it with blue (very little needed to do this).
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I see this often, especially when referring to airbrush paint thinning and I wonder, "But what kind of milk??...Fat free? 1%? 2% Whole milk?!"
As for creating different skin tones, I like adding a touch of red. Gives a good sun kissed look.
Okay! We get it! You love the paint!
:trollface:
LOL, I think I edited my post cause I called it something else and changed the sentence and added to it, and then added the second "I love it" after the sentence forgetting I just said it, sorry, I can't take it back now, because you quoted it, and then it'd mess with the space-time continuum and all.. so we'll just leave it at that.
All the more reason to take it back and make Eddie seem (more) crazy. :trollface:
They should wear the gas-mask, lol
I would be careful what you say to others, your stuff is way overrated.A perfec example is the head in the pic linked below.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ITlAdlvNO...AATdg/24T_MBdKtuQ/s1600/SAM_0210_1024x768.jpg
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Well... that, and the fact that the arms don't match the head. Looks like he's been either eating powdered donuts, or he forgot to wipe after... well, you know.
Watering down the flesh color is key to a smooth finish as long the casting is smooth, like Meddatron and SWG said. The way I do eyes is the white first, then the pupil, and finally the eye lid going over the top of the pupil so as not to have the "You sank my battleship" expression. Now thats a basic eye and as a beginner I would just work on that. Once you have that down then you can go on to laying the colors for a more detailed pupil. But its all about PRACTICE.
Hey all!
Thank you so much for the contributions! (and SPAM) haha
I am using a chep acrylic paint.. which is likely the reason the paint is so shit.. also watering down - I like the idea, but it never seems to really work for me..
I will get some Warhammer paints soon as they are in an abundance here in the UK, albeit pretty fucking expansive!
I've got one cast head left - Joe Con Footloose..
If any one could do a simple step by step on how I should start this.. that would be awesome!! Thanks, Shady
Thank you so much for the contributions! (and SPAM) haha
I am using a chep acrylic paint.. which is likely the reason the paint is so shit.. also watering down - I like the idea, but it never seems to really work for me..
I will get some Warhammer paints soon as they are in an abundance here in the UK, albeit pretty fucking expansive!
I've got one cast head left - Joe Con Footloose..
If any one could do a simple step by step on how I should start this.. that would be awesome!! Thanks, Shady
What I would do - Wash cast in warm soapy water
step 1 - Primer base coat. Light Gray. thin coat 1-2 coats will do. Just want something for the thin flesh to stick too.
step 2 - Water down some flesh tone, a little thicker than a wash. Apply, redo thin coats until good coverage. Let completely dry in between coats. If you use a hairdryer to dry it, let the head cool some before applying next coat.
step 3 - If some raised areas still show a little gray, dry brush some flesh on. Paint must be absolutely dry and set before doing this. Especially if you are using cheaper acrylic paints.
Step 4 - eyes, hair, eyebrows. I use a micro-pen for pupils and eyebrows.
Helmet - Primer than paint base color, dry brush the raised surfaces. That netting is really hard to free paint and have look good.
step 1 - Primer base coat. Light Gray. thin coat 1-2 coats will do. Just want something for the thin flesh to stick too.
step 2 - Water down some flesh tone, a little thicker than a wash. Apply, redo thin coats until good coverage. Let completely dry in between coats. If you use a hairdryer to dry it, let the head cool some before applying next coat.
step 3 - If some raised areas still show a little gray, dry brush some flesh on. Paint must be absolutely dry and set before doing this. Especially if you are using cheaper acrylic paints.
Step 4 - eyes, hair, eyebrows. I use a micro-pen for pupils and eyebrows.
Helmet - Primer than paint base color, dry brush the raised surfaces. That netting is really hard to free paint and have look good.
Hey all,
I think I was using really SHIT Paints.. because I bought some of the Games workshop paints and primers and well.. they are amazing.. I've but primer on and a thin first layer of Elf Flesh.
Also used the Primer to weather up some existing heads - looks cool
Thanks again for the advise guys!
I think I was using really SHIT Paints.. because I bought some of the Games workshop paints and primers and well.. they are amazing.. I've but primer on and a thin first layer of Elf Flesh.
Also used the Primer to weather up some existing heads - looks cool
Thanks again for the advise guys!
looks much better so far, you the paint is a lot smoother than the first run. Can't wait to see the final results!
There's a guy on youtube that's a brilliant painter..has a thick accent,is how I remember him...he uses an airbrush to paint heads,and does a damn good job IMO!
[ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ODqCZEzfdl4[/ame]
This guy..
Oh,and if you don't like your paint job you can soak the part in rubbing alcohol to remove it,wash it,and go again idk if you knew that already? If so,disregard,lol
[ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ODqCZEzfdl4[/ame]
This guy..
Oh,and if you don't like your paint job you can soak the part in rubbing alcohol to remove it,wash it,and go again
idk if you knew that already? If so,disregard,lol
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Thanks bro - I finished three this morning -
Much better than my first attempt hahaha
Eyes are fuck'n hard hough!
Much better than my first attempt hahaha
Eyes are fuck'n hard hough!
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They look great. Huge improvement. Well done. Eyes will always be hard but you will get better at them over time.