Model Train Journal

Saw this, and use many of these same techniques when painting figures for wargames:

http://petesnewworkshop.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

I've recently been experimenting with the "dip" method, but only on small figures in the 15mm range. It would be interesting to try it at the 1/48 scale and see if the results would be satisfactory.

Healey

Thank you Healey. Painting shadows and highlights on the figures certainly makes a big difference in realism.

Thanks, very useful article. It's nice to see something where the material/tool level isn't through the roof and a few relatively simple guidelines can produce very nice results.

It's still mostly a mater of practice but you can get acceptable results and learn from each new figure. I think people get terrified of trying to paint every detail on figures where all you really need to do is work with what the sculptor has provided and let painted highlighting and shadows do the rest. Too much detail can become a distraction

Airfix French infantryman painted using similar methods:



Slightly larger than 1/48...need practice.

Healey

healey36 wrote:Airfix French infantryman painted using similar methods:

Slightly larger than 1/48...need practice.

Healey

Looks pretty darn good to me! Very realistic figure! Wish I could find some in 1/48 that good.

Rich

Full disclosure...he's probably about 1/35 scale, from a very old Airfix fit. Belts/straps are applied separately, so that makes things a bit easier. He should be far better than this, but the eyes are shot and the hand not so steady.

Healey

healey36 wrote: the eyes are shot and the hand not so steady.

Healey

I resemble that remark!

Rich

E7 wrote:...Very realistic figure! Wish I could find some in 1/48 that good.

It would be nice, to know sources of 1:48 figures. Also, to know some fundamentals of figure sculpting - especially with an eye to animation (still lifes tend to clash with electric trains). One could point to lots of examples of animated train figures, but one of my favs is the Mickey Mouse fireman in the 1935 Mickey Mouse Circus set:

[quote="Roy"]It would be nice, to know sources of 1:48 figures.

Roy,

Arttista are the best I have found 1/48. Some castings are better than others (meaning you can look at 9 0r 10 figures of the same character/person and they are not quite all identical. If you recall the old "Superman" character "Bizzaro", sometimes the Arttista people look a bit that way with angular features, sometimes, not so much.

I think Healey is far too modest. His figure looks exceptionally realistic.

Rich

Preiser figures are nicely done and you can buy unpainted ones. They are harder to find. They have 1/50 scale architectural model figures as well as 1/48, 1/45, and 1/43 scales as well. Reynauld's has a pretty good selection and it's organized in a way that's easy to navigate.

If you're handy with a knife, you can repurpose 1:48 military figures, such as Tamiya and Hasegawa.

Picked up a few 1/48 scale figures to mess around with:



The level of detail looks dreadful, so I have low expectations. We'll see.

Healey

healey36 wrote:.....low expectations.

Well, when you exceed them then you will be pleased! I for one am looking forward to seeing what you can do with these figures.

The Woodland Scenics range isn't bad either.

One thing that helps, Roy, is to pick figures in passive poses if you find the motionless to be jarring next to moving trains. Seated, standing, and leaning figures look quite natural whilst those in mid-run with their necktie flying out behind do look a bit odd.

Roy wrote: One could point to lots of examples of animated train figures, but one of my favs is the Mickey Mouse fireman in the 1935 Mickey Mouse Circus set:

That set is a killer for sure.

Rich