New Build - New to Flat Figures

[marko]

Very nice start on this with a color that is difficult at the best of times - reds. 


As a member you might also look in the knowledgeable section and an article by Daniel Canet called Painting in Vivid Colors.  He has some examples of the type of thinking and approach I think you are going for on this and has an approach that would deal with your colors running into each other, e.g. like you i paint wet-on-wet and sometimes have this issues well.  Daniel blocks in everything side-by-side which works around this and helps make his colors pop.  As you are doing a large scale figure this may work for you.


mark 

[Mark Cunnington]

It's been a while due to work and then half term holidays but I managed to paint the red coat this weekend. I know I should have started on the face but I liked the reds so much I just had to paint them.
I decided the light source would be upper right (as you are viewing the figure) so he is looking towards the light. I used Cadmium red medium with shadows in Alizarin Crimson and highlights in Cadmium red light. I thinned the base coat down for the first time ever using oils and it initially went on well followed by removal of excess with a soft brush. However, I think I used too much thinner for the shadows etc. as they ran into each other. Should I have let the base dry first?
I then used un-thinned paint for the shadows/highlights and it worked a little better. I am definitely too subtle in highlighting still. That's down to painting too many round figures over the years. Live and learn.

[PJDeluhery]

Thinning will still allow you to slowly blend.

If anything, thinning may speed drying, though I'll defer to Ed on that one because I dry my figures in a crock pot overnight. 

I too learn something from every figure I paint. It's one of the joys of painting for me. Never gets old.

[Ed Humphreys]

I have always used W &N's Liquin as a medium. Take the oil paint down to a thin constituency, almost like milk. It will usually be touch dry and ready for another wash, if necessary, in 24 hours. It is very useful for glazing, giving subtle nuances of colour to a base coat.
Experiment and have fun.
Ed H

[Mark Cunnington]

In reply to your question, Mark, oils can be thinned quite a bit using either a medium, mineral spirits or turpentine. I usually thin oils to about the consistency of skimmed milk. Sometimes it takes two or three coats to get the desired coverage, but you have better control and more pleasing results. Nothing worse than a thick coat of paint on a figure. FWIW, this was the hardest thing for me to learn as an oils painter. I know there is a technique in which you put the oil on without thinning it (straight from the tube) and then brush off the excess. If you're used to working that way, I guess it's worth a try. I could never make it work. The good news is that if your paint is too thin, you can always put on another coat. If its too thick, - not much you can do. So don't be afraid of thinning it out.

Welcome to the forum and good luck in your painting.




Thank you,
Thinning oils is really new to me then as I used them from the tube previously. Does thinning allow for slow blending still? Do oils still take ages to dry whilst thinned.
I first started using oils 30 years ago and I'm pleased to be still learning!


Mark

[marko]

Also here is a semi-famous example by Peter Ferk way back in 2001 for the Chicago Show.  It was notable because as I recall the second version was done using only sepia paint.


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mark 

[marko]

Fellow Mark there is a nice collection articles in the Knowledgebase section of the Members only portion of the site relevant to oil/acrylic painting figures.  You also might wander through the SBS section of the site as well and there some good examples there as well.  (I am very partial to Daniel Canet's write up - Painting in Vidid Colors".


The other interesting difference you are dealing with is painting large flats - as you are - are also a bit more of a challenge to adapt to coming from larger rounds.  However, the larger flats are the most popular now as well and as such you have many more example articles to choose from so there is a plus.


My best painting advice is to chose a well engraved figure to start with as that seems to get everything off on the correct basis.  Have fun and good luck!  (It looks like you are doing a Quadri Concept figure which qualifies nicely as a well designed and engraved.)


mark 

[PJDeluhery]

In reply to your question, Mark, oils can be thinned quite a bit using either a medium, mineral spirits or turpentine. I usually thin oils to about the consistency of skimmed milk. Sometimes it takes two or three coats to get the desired coverage, but you have better control and more pleasing results. Nothing worse than a thick coat of paint on a figure. FWIW, this was the hardest thing for me to learn as an oils painter. I know there is a technique in which you put the oil on without thinning it (straight from the tube) and then brush off the excess. If you're used to working that way, I guess it's worth a try. I could never make it work. The good news is that if your paint is too thin, you can always put on another coat. If its too thick, - not much you can do. So don't be afraid of thinning it out.

Welcome to the forum and good luck in your painting.

[Ed Humphreys]

Welcome, Mark.
As a general principal, paint stronger shadows and highlights than you think is necessary. Most reformed (converted?) painters of solid figures tend to be too timid. You need to exaggerate to bring out the full depth.
Ed H

[Hannibal]

Dear Mark,


The best advices I could give you besides the Bible of Flat painting of Mike Taylor, is to read the outstanding step-by-step painting of Hina and Tinirau that Nick described in three BFFS magazines last two years, 132, 133, 137 and 137.


You can present also your painting progresses here and receive advices from us all on a constructive way. This is how I improved my painting too through Forum help and advices, and shows and verbal advices from good painters in from of my works and mistakes.....  No shame, just helps to climb step by step this motivating ladder with the will: "each new painting will be better than the previous one and what I learned from them".


M.

[Mark Cunnington]

All,
Hannibal very kindly sent me some figures and I’d like to learn from you via this forum. I’m starting on a trumpeter from the Gendarmerie d’Elite as his uniform is relatively simple with large areas of cloth. I’m not ready for a hussar yet!
I’ve primed and under-painted him with acrylics (foundry, Vallejo and games workshop). I intend to use oils mainly but will use acrylics for small details (epaulettes etc.). I’m yet to get used to shading and highlighting with acrylics.
I’ve used oils for round figures in the past but I think light and shadow has to be more accentuated for flats?
On reading the Art of the Flat Tin Figure I see that oils can be thinned very slightly. I’ve never thinned oils before. Does it work?


This may take a while as I work for the emergency services and don’t get much time off at the moment. Any help and advice is appreciated.


Stay safe


Mark