Fastpaint method, based on inks

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[Geudens]

The method  (developped by Johan - also of this forum - and myself) is based (mostly) on the use of inks and reversing the usual paint process.  First the model is undercoated (grey) and then the undercoat is "inked" with either ink or a thinned acrylic of a darker tone than the prevaling color of the figure (or model). The darker the colour chosen, the harder the contrast. This may range from medium brown to dark khaki, violet to black.

You might also undercoat in black, if you really, really like heavy contrasts or if you are painting figures in full blank metal armour (you can then drybrush the metal on the black primer, but that's a well known thing).

Next, the whole figure is drybrushed in an ivory shade (not in white!).  Do this carefully and evenly: it will determine the quality of your highlights and shades!

The figure is then inked with either ink or paint thinned down to "ink" with Valejo acrylic thinner, creating an instant and automatic shade (even for hands and faces).  With some inks, you might need two layers or otherwise enrich the ink with a (tiny!) drop of the matching acrylic colour.

With figures, a little highlighting and detailing (metal parts) ends the job.  But, since the surface of vehicles is much larger than that of a figure, it is very thinly washed with at matching ink after the highlighting (to "blend" all layers) and then again highlighted with the lightest colour used (but only very slightly, to bring out details).  E.G.

http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=5996.0

This walker was thinly washed with W&N yellow ochre to blend the layers.

After some practice, you can reduce your painting time with 50% or more (the less colours involved, the greater the time gain).

Make sure that the inks you use are water resistant!  This is my pallet:
Winsor & Newton Calligraphic inks
GW inks
Vallejo inks
FW Acrylic Water-Resistant Artists Ink (30 colors, including light grey!)
Acrylic paints from Coat d'arms & Vallejo (but others might do just as well).
I have at least six brown inks of different manufacturers, but they all vary in colour, so it's well worth investing in these.

First "inking" on the grey undercoat (using cheap acrylic hobby paint):


Highlighting with ivory (using cheap acrylic hobby paint):





Finishing the faces with one stroke of (thinned down) flesh ink:



The finished product (apart from gun metal, only inks were used):







These figures took about than 15 minutes to paint in batches of 8 (allowing time to dry, but if I'm pressed for time, I dry them in my kitchen oven at 50°C (even plastics)).  The system won't make you win painting contests, but will create armies.

Rudi

[pnweerar]

Amazing.

15 minutes?

I'm going to try that today or tomorrow. If that works, I may have just found the 99 cent paint job.

[Geudens]

Amazing.
15 minutes?
I'm going to try that today or tomorrow. If that works, I may have just found the 99 cent paint job.

Good luck sir!  A word of advice: since you are working with inks or paint "thinned down" to ink, do try to stay "within the lines": correcting with this system (from darker to lighter colours, that is) is harder than when using "covering" paints.  However: since ink flows better, let it do its work by letting it flow in (e.g.) the dividing lines between different details of the figure (= different colours) rather than risking your brush to slip.  If you're not sure how intense the ink should be applied (flesh comes to mind), start with a layer of more thinned down ink, you can always apply a second layer to darken the effect and intensify the colour untill you find the formula that suits you best. After about 20 figs, you'll get the hang of it and come up to speed.

Rudi

[Gluteus Maximus]

Wow Rudi!

Fantastic stuff - well done to you and Johan 

I have about 60 Zanzibaris to paint, not to mention half the Zulu nation, so I will give your method a try.

Who cares about winning competitions, the end results are more than good enough for the unwashed masses, especially if they can be done that quickly

[Geudens]

Wow Rudi!

Fantastic stuff - well done to you and Johan 

I have about 60 Zanzibaris to paint, not to mention half the Zulu nation, so I will give your method a try.

Who cares about winning competitions, the end results are more than good enough for the unwashed masses, especially if they can be done that quickly

Thx!  Actually, I can do (Foundry) Darkest Africa natives (spear & shield or bow) dressed in loincloth in under 9 minutes up to the same standard as the Tallarn (correction: Taliban  ) above, using this method (remember: the fewer the number of colours, the faster it goes!).  Also: the pics above show on your screen twice the size of the real thing, reveiling more than the eye can see (overscaling the details as sculpted and - minor - flaws in casting), so take my word for it: they look even better viewed with the naked eye, even at close range.

Rudi

[bandit86]

(so take my word for it: they look even better viewed with the naked eye, even at close range.)


I think they look pretty good now.

[WillieB]

I can vouch for that. When I saw these figures up close they were even better tan the pics show.

BTW part of this method can also be used by people (like me) that use oil paint instead of acrylics.

Proceed as Rudi explains but instead of 'inking' in the colours 'dry-brush' with almost undiluted oil paint.

I still prefer to add some details like eyes and such in the traditional way but even for me my average working time  has been cut by at least a third.

The results are almost indistinguishable from 28mm figures painted with the traditional wet- in- wet technique which takes far longer.

For 15mm figures the results are even more stunning especially with good quality ones like Peter Pig or Eureka.

[pnweerar]

Thanks for the tips Rudi. I got someone testing it right now on some GW Gnoblars.

I'm very excited to see what we can come up with!

[Geudens]

I can vouch for that. When I saw these figures up close they were even better tan the pics show.
BTW part of this method can also be used by people (like me) that use oil paint instead of acrylics.
Proceed as Rudi explains but instead of 'inking' in the colours 'dry-brush' with almost undiluted oil paint.
I still prefer to add some details like eyes and such in the traditional way but even for me my average working time  has been cut by at least a third.
The results are almost indistinguishable from 28mm figures painted with the traditional wet- in- wet technique which takes far longer.
For 15mm figures the results are even more stunning especially with good quality ones like Peter Pig or Eureka.

Indeed, I was very pleased when I first saw the "oil variant" of Willie: he's an expert oil painter not to be persuaded to switch to acrylics, but I'm glad his solution helped him gain some precious time too!

Rudi

[Geudens]

Thanks for the tips Rudi. I got someone testing it right now on some GW Gnoblars.
I'm very excited to see what we can come up with!

It should work out well: GW figures are well sculpted (am I saying this???!!!, I need to take my medicine... ) and the better and more detailed the figures are sculpted, the more spectacular the results of this method (scale has no influence: it works very well with nice 20mm plastics too).

The thing is that this method "highlights" the quality of the sculpt, it does not camouflage poor design as might be done (well, partially at least...) by a classic paintjob.  "Smooth" figures (e.g. 25mm Minifigs) are also less suited as far as results are concerned, but the speed factor would remain the same.  Mind you, I hold nothing against M'figs (I own thousands of them from the time I was their Benelux distributor (20 years ago now... ) and am still proud to be their commander).

Rudi

[twrchtrwyth]

Fantastic technique, thanks for that, maybe now, just maybe!

[pixelgeek]

IIANM this is the same theory behind the washes that GW has released.

[Johan]

Gee, maybe we gave them them the idea?

[Geudens]

IIANM this is the same theory behind the washes that GW has released.

Really?  We've been using this method for quite a while now, so it seems we'll have to charge GW (for a change  )

Rudi

[Calimero]

Rudi,

Can you tell me what brand of the "cheap hobby paint" you use for the drybrushing? I ask because I got some problems doing that right. I almost always get a "woolly" effect when drybrushing white. Do you have any tips for that? I try your technique with an Old Glory WWI figure but it was inconclusive to say the least… 

Anyhow I’ll keep trying. I still get a bunch of Perry’s plastic ACW to do!