Virgin needs advice

Modeling Subjects Figures and Misc.
1

I’m about to start my first figure of a person and I request advice/guidance/referrals.

Flesh tone - I know it’s not all a solid beigh. The face has blush in the cheeks, whisker ‘blueing’, and other shading… any advice on how a new guy can get a good face on?

any medium preferance? Acrylic vs enamel or do you guys prefer brush to air-brush. I have an airbrush and I’m good with it… but not super skilled yet.

any other first-time advice you can offer me for a standing male figure

Specifically, i’m doint Mr. Spock form the Star Trek diarama.

2

Are you currently comfortable with a particular medium? That may be the way to go.

If you want to start with a new figure specific medium, I’d suggest the Vallejo and Andrea lines. They are formulated for brush painting and aimed directly at the figure painter.

IIRC, that’s a pretty large figure. If you can get really fine lines with the airbrush, that may be the wy to go, even for shading and highlights, but certainly for the base color, flesh, blue and black.

For Spock, I’d avoid any 5 o’clock shadow, he was always very smooth skinned in he show.

Avoid commercial flesh or at least use it as a starting point to mix a more natural flesh color. My base flesh is Vallejo beige red. I add varying amounts of their game color dark skintone to darken it then their pale flesh for highlights.

This link will give you a lot of information on using this type of paint.

3

Gerry~ Wow–where’d you dig up that old kit[:P] I remember I built that around oh----37 years ago if I have my math right[:S]This I remember though—seeing that kit in the local supermarket…LOL… been a while since I’ve seen any kits there

All good advice from Al above and you got some big.big questions

For flesh work there’s two camps these days and they crossover—but basically either it’s many thin layers of acyrlics to build up transitions and they dry fast–or-- oil paints which can be blended and re-blended smoothly and take far longer to dry, Many lay down a base of solid acrylic and add color variations with the oils–and some do detailwork again with the acrylics–so there’s some of the crossover

Getting a process down is going to take some research and trials—it’s an ongoing pursuit to put together your oun style----but I’d recommend following the detailed blogs / articles of some guys that can really paint—you’ll pick up more than enough ideas

Check these out

http://www.militarymodelling.com/forums/postings.asp?th=50835&p=1

http://felduniform.blogspot.com/

[linked image]

4

Just remember Mr Spock has a slight green complexion.

5

:slight_smile: Seeing this kit made me smile too as I’d always wanted to do it as a kid but never did. Where I got it… as I understand the story from other sources…

AMT bought ERTL. they aparently had a lot issues and didn’t do anything then

Polar Lights bought AMT/ERTL and made plans to release old kits but didnt so

ROUND2 bought the rights from Polar Lights and they have re-released alot of old kits from the early 70’s. Old Star Trek kits, some monsters and cars. I also got the Leif Ericson and Creature From The Black Lagoon, and both Munster cars.

Thanks for the advice, It will help and keep throwing ideas and links at me. [proplr]