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Post by sgtslag on May 8, 2023 19:24:23 GMT
Here is a link to a YouTube video which demonstrates how to use a clothing steamer machine for softening miniatures to change their poses, and righting bends in them. The author demonstrates two different models of Steamfast Fabric Steam machines, one for $25, and a more powerful unit, for $40, off of Amazon. He demonstrates how to do it, some safety warnings, and the results he achieved. Thought this was worth sharing. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on May 2, 2023 14:32:51 GMT
Wyloch, a fantasy/sci-fi gamer with a YouTube channel, did a video review of SpeedPaints 2.0. They are impressive, vibrant, and fast: 90 seconds per miniature, to completely paint several of the minis he painted and kept track of the time it took him to complete them. I do block painting + The Dip Technique/Magic Wash, using assembly line techniques. I average seven minutes, per figure, including the wash techniques, and even with a matte clear coat, at the end of the process. I asked him how they compare to The Dip Technique/Magic Wash, if he has used them. If he had not, he would not be able to give an honest answer… He replied that he has used the The Dip Technique for some of his armies featured in his videos. The SpeedPaint colors are much more vibrant, and much faster. Here's the downside to SpeedPaints 2.0… The big box of SpeedPaints he received as a gift, retail for around $100! I can buy a lot of minis for that $100 paint cost. I have 1,000+ minis painted with The Dip Technique/Magic Wash, already. They are muted in colors, but they are consistent. If I begin using SpeedPaints, the new figures will not mix well with the older minis. So, for me, personally, the cost is prohibitive, and the fact that they would not blend well with my existing armies, are a no-go, for me. If you are starting out with minis painting, I would recommend the investment in SpeedPaints 2.0. They are super-fast, and very effective. I would also highly recommend a matte clear coating, after they fully cure (24-hours would be safe). Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on May 1, 2023 18:16:12 GMT
tryed something today... while i didn't have any of those gesso things and couldn'T find any around the place. i looked at mod podge and saw that it was a finish type of thing. it can also be used to seal acrylic paint. so i decided to give a good wash of mod podge to my figures. the first thing i noticed is how that mod podge smells the same as my PVA white glue. so im thinking mod podge is just PVA glue. all that said, i mixed it with water to make it a tad more liquid. and washed over all my figures. i'm glad to say... problem solved ! none of my figures are tacky/sticky anymore. they are all fine and i didn't lose a single drop of detailing on the figures. i also decided to give the sealing technique to my mimics just in case. I am having the same issue with some especially soft plastic figures. You can, by the way use PVA or Modge Podge as an undercoat also. The thing with Modge Podge is you are supposed to give it time to cure (4 weeks!) before painting over it! I have done it in less time without issue. You are right that it includes PVA although it also has a varnish in it. it goes on a little more evenly than pure PVA. However I experimented with PVA on the tacky paint and it worked. i haven't tried the Modge Podge yet. Vallejo also has an undercoat which I tried. it wasn't sticky but when I painted over it the paint was? Enamel is the worst to use over some of the soft plastics but i was surprised when i had issues with acrylics. The first effort I used my usual plastic car spray undercoat followed by GW undercoat spray. This works fine with most soft plastics (kind of plastic used in army men') and ensures paint retention . I think the new ones I have might be a polyvinyl or extra soft plastic.. There are numerous formulations for automotive under-coatings: acrylic, enamel, rubberized, plastic, and more... I play wargames using HDPE plastic Army Men figures (d6-based, not Tennis Balls, nor dirt clumps, etc.). I painted my Army Men figures from 1998-2007, sealing them immediately, using urethane-stain, but after 10 years, it rubs off. Seems like very little will adhere to HDPE plastics! Would love to find something that does stick, longer than 10 years. Found some advice on the Internet stating the usual: apply acrylic undercoating if using acrylic paints on top of it; use enamel undercoating if using enamel paints on top of it. I used furniture grade Mod Podge, on one project. It stated I had to wait for it to fully cure in four weeks. So much for Mod Podge being just PVA Glue! Nice to learn that Mod Podge has some sort of varnish in it. I know there are multiple formulations for Mod Podge, for different applications. Great products, still working on finding new minis-based applications for them. Wish I knew something about chemistry. I really want to know that my painting efforts on HDPE plastic figures won't rub off in 10 years... Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Apr 26, 2023 18:01:53 GMT
Safari, Ltd., and Papo, have offered some wonderful toy dragons, and other fantasy figures, over the years. Unfortunately, they sometimes do go out of print (OOP)! I've learned, if you see something you like, buy it -- buy it immediately, before they're gone. This has happened to me a couple of times... I found some Fruit Bat toy figures, several years ago. I hesitated, but I finally pulled the trigger on them. I mounted 1/72 scale Caesar Goblins on their necks, creating Giant Bat Goblin Cavalry. The Bats required no painting, whatsoever... I added in some D&D Giant Bats, as mounts for Leaders -- makes it easier to tell them apart from the rank and file troops. After I bought a number of the Giant Bat toys, I decided I wanted more... They had gone OOP, and the few offered on e-Bay were commanding excessively high prices! I actually bought mine on a vacation trip, in Germany. It was an impulse buy, but I am so thankful I grabbed them. The store clerk thought I was just another crazy American, with more money, than sense. LOL! My Goblin Army now has Wolf Riders (Caesar Goblins mounted on lead Wolves I cast myself, from Prince August Wolf Rider molds), Worg Riders (Red Box 1/72 Dark Alliance 'Orc' Word Riders sets), and Giant Bat Cavalry! The Goblins always get trashed in my 2e BattleSystem games, but they are always sooo rewarding to play with. The sight of the Goblin Bat Cavalry is always a tabletop spectacle to behold, and enjoy. Even if they are mostly ineffective in combat, their " Cool!" factor, is top-notch, always enjoyable. The opposing players always expect the worst, so the psychological impact, alone, makes them worthwhile. LOL! Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Apr 26, 2023 17:46:29 GMT
I love the vibrant color palette! You have quite an eye for colors. The humor, the personalities, in the sculpting, is superbly entertaining. Your posts are a treasured pleasure to read. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Apr 26, 2023 13:48:14 GMT
Welcome back, art ! Thanks for sharing your Star Wars buildings. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Apr 19, 2023 15:20:44 GMT
Love the shading, love the stars! Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Apr 18, 2023 18:37:08 GMT
Converting another toy dragon for wargaming/RPG use. This time, the Safari, Ltd. Freedom Dragon gets a make-over, turning it into an AD&D Brass Dragon. Nominal figure scale (such as it is) would be 1/72 (where 72 inches = the average 6-foot height of a Human Being), or true 25mm. The original figure is pearlescent white, overall. I chose this toy Dragon figure as it is somewhat close in sculpting design to the AD&D RPG's Brass Dragon's drawing, within the 1e and the 2e Monster Manuals. It is also available, in local stores, for around $19. Dragon miniature models, from companies such as Reaper, Iron Wind Metals, and others, tend to clock in north of $30! With simple painting techniques, an inexpensive toy can be converted into a palatable fantasy gaming miniature, for a fraction of the cost. The sculpting is often less detailed, but for the price, I can accept the trade-off's. I started by shopping for the most accurate Brass spray paint I could find. I cut out small pieces of blue painter's tape, to cover the factory painted eyes of the toy, then I sprayed two coats of the shiny finish, Brass spray paint to the toy: View 1, View 2. The figure had a star shape molded into the top of its head. I used a file to remove 95% of this feature. I should have used some fine sandpaper to smooth it, but it is just a toy conversion, and so I got lazy (shame on me...). I am thinking of making the talons glossy black, painting the belly a dark tan color. I also plan to apply a dark brown wash (likely Minwax Polyshades Urethane Stain -- Royal Walnut color) to give it a nicer, shadowed finish. Not sure about a matte clear coat. Will probably only apply a matte coat to the belly, leaving the metallic scaled areas a glossy finish. A little experimentation will guide me to the final result. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Apr 15, 2023 2:07:18 GMT
Another update. Only one more upate after this one... I made some cut-out's on the more damaged wing. I added some E6000 Glue wing ribs, as well. Images: Belly, under-wing; top-down view of the whole Draco-Lich. There are a few steps left, before I call this project, "Done!" I have to apply the urethane-stain, to dress up the white cut edges of the paper wing, along with the bone ribs atop the wings. After that, I need to matte clear coat the model, and mount it on an appropriate base. I plan to use it both in my RPG sessions, along with my 2e BattleSystem games. Hoping to finish it within the next two weeks. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Apr 5, 2023 20:42:51 GMT
The fastest way to paint minis: simple block painting, assembly line style, followed by The Dip Technique. Group minis by poses, so if you have multiples of the same casting, you group them together. Apply the same paint, same brush stroke, in succession; next group of poses, wash, rinse, repeat. The Dip Technique is a dark urethane stain, painted onto the minis, after the painting is finished. It can produce good enough to game with, results: look good at arm's length, which is 90%+ how they will be viewed. Paint for the 90%+, ignoring the, "two inches from the eye," viewing (<10% viewing time). Some examples: Cyclops, freshly Dip'ed (still wet), and block painted; line of Cyclops, all block painted, Dip'ed, and then matte clear coated when dry; Gnome army, simple block painting + Dip + matte clear coat; Human Paladin Ultra-Heavy Cavalry, block + Dip + matte clear coat. A couple more examples, showing what The Dip Technique can do for injection molded plastic toy figures: Cave Man, only his club, hair, and clothing was painted, with his skin being tan plastic, covered in The Dip; Lionesses, painted tan'ish, cheap craft acrylic paint over plastic, Dip'ed. I admit, I am an army painter, so speed and simplicity take precedence over quality. I bought my minis to play with, so as my life winds down, speed becomes ever more important. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Apr 5, 2023 15:54:02 GMT
Nice to see you back on this forum: it has slowed way down, but it is, "not dead yet!" (Monty Python's, "Quest for the Holy Grail," reference.)
Nice to hear about your YouTube channel, and the Arduin stuff. Maybe they will run a KS to promote it? Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Apr 2, 2023 3:33:21 GMT
Second wing got some skin, and the other wing received some battle damage: photo. The left wing needs some E6000 ribbing added to its surface, it needs to be trimmed up, along with adding some battle damage to it; the right wing received some battle damage, which required additional urethane-stain, as the cuts exposed bright white paper. Once the remaining steps are taken, I will give the whole of the model another matte clear coat. Once that is completed, I will need to base it, for gaming needs, and it will be ready for the gaming table. I have a bit bag, full of arms, weapons, and even heads. I think I will paint a number of these up, placing them around the Draco-Lich's base, as a visual warning of what awaits its enemies… I might even add a weapon-holding arm to the lower jaw bone (hinged). LOL! I'll paint one up, temporarily attach it, to see how it looks. I am having way too much fun with this project. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Mar 31, 2023 4:35:26 GMT
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Post by sgtslag on Mar 30, 2023 1:45:03 GMT
UPDATE: "Ribs" applied to both wings, such as they are, using White E6000 Glue. I held it up to a light, to see where the ribs were, on the other side of the stained paper, so I knew where to 'trace' with the Glue. The E6000 Glue is viscous enough that I really don't need to worry about it running. I did prop the Dragon so that the wings are mostly level, just in case… Now I wait overnight, for it to fully cure, then I apply more urethane stain, to color it. Wings without any ribbing Glue applied. Wings with ribbing Glue applied. After I test this technique out, I will begin working on the partially covered wing, to finish it. I will also try making some battle wounds/damage to the wing membranes, and then it will be finished. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Mar 28, 2023 15:07:48 GMT
Second wing covered in paper, with mixed results… The E6000 Glue used to attach the paper to the wing, is satisfactory. The cutting of the paper to form the wing shape, is satisfactory. The urethane stain application is good. What I am less than excited with, is the smooth texture on the top of the leathery wing just covered. There should be some bone ridges visible in this, if it were 'real'. Shaping/forming the paper was just too much work, too delicate to pull of (for me). I filled in the screw holes with white E6000 Glue, and when that had cured fully, I painted urethane stain on it. It blended into the surrounding bone structures almost flawlessly (except for the soles of the feet, which are painfully obvious, in the last photo, above). I am thinking that I might be able to apply a line of white E6000 Glue along the top of the leathery wing surface, gently sculpting it into knobs, at the joints (might do it in two separate applications, applying the 'knobs' after the first uniform line has cured, to create the joint bulges). I could then paint the cured Glue with more urethane stain, to blend them into the wing's surface. I also plan to add more leather skin to the mostly bare wing, to make it look like the creature can still, in fact, fly. I like the fact that the wing leather has gaps where it is not fully attached to the wing bones. This guy has been around a long time, showing wear and tear of the years in what remains of his body… I plan to make some holes in the wings, as well, but one step at a time, Virginia. This is more involved than I had hoped, but it is still fun to experiment with it. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Mar 27, 2023 3:04:22 GMT
So I applied one piece of paper as wing skin, as shown in my last post. I painted Rust-Oleum Urethane Stain onto it, and let it dry. I also trimmed the paper, around the bones, to make it look more realistic. Here are some photos of the freshly painted wing segment: Photo1, Photo2, and Photo3. I think it has a decent, leathery look to it, so far. While I had the tin of urethane-stain opened, I touched up the skeleton body, as well. Over a period of several days of drying, the sample paper piece I painted the urethane-stain onto, curled, considerably, but it was only painted onto one side of the paper. I will wait a few days to see what happen to this wing segment. After that, I will attach a single piece of paper to cover the remainder of this wing. I like the paper thus far, so I will forego experimenting with the fabric over the other wing. I will likely not bother to cover the bottoms of the wings, either: too much work, for too little return on my time/effort investment. I do not believe the end result will look noticeably better than a single layer of paper on the wings. Time will tell. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Mar 24, 2023 19:56:57 GMT
I looked at the exterior wall of my crafting room, yesterday: there is a Radon Gas Removal System with a pipe going through the upper part of that same wall -- it goes through a hole cut into the wooden siding of my house, above the concrete blocks. This Summer, I plan to cut my own hole, and put a 4-inch pipe through it, sealing it like the others on that wall. I'll install a one-way valve in the pipe, near the top, to allow fumes to blow out of it, year round, without letting cold air flow into it, during the Winter months. This is not my preferred method, as it ties my paint booth down to a fixed location, but it is guaranteed to resolve my fume issues, as long as nearby windows are closed when I use it. It should be a very interesting project to accomplish. I know that I need to use rigid steel dryer vent tubing, not the flexible stuff, as the flexible stuff has high resistance to air flow, because of the ribs in it. I will likely build a paint booth using plywood, or chipboard, making it much more robust, as well. Life is a never-ending series of projects... Some are more fun, than others. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Mar 21, 2023 22:18:32 GMT
I used some heavy weight paper my son gave me from his former print shop job (had a small roll sitting around for 5+ years). I cut a sample piece off the roll, and then I painted urethane stain onto it, as a test piece. It needs to be painted on both sides, separately. I applied some clear, E6000 Glue to the upper side of one wing bone section, clipping it in place with small clothespins, to hold it until it dries. I will use this one section as a dress rehearsal: staining it when dry, on both sides, to see how it turns out. If I hate it, I can peel it off, touching up the Tudor Minwax on the wing bones, if necessary. If it works well enough, I will attach the next wing section, and so on, until it is ready to fly, kill, and destroy the Living... [Posted using my phone, no options available. Posted photos/added links, on 3/22/2023, along with text below.] I may add another layer, on the underside, to conceal the wing bones. Not sure. Will trim this, today, and explore the possibility of adding a 2nd layer of wing "skin", to the underside, to see how that works out. This would give the wing some depth, hopefully making the illusion more believable. Experimentation is King, Baby! Painting on the urethane stain makes the paper softer, while wet, but the urethane stain does not soak through the paper entirely. The urethane stain also gives the paper more rigidity, so there are several benefits to adding a second layer of paper. The two layers will cover each side of the wing, top and bottom, instead of the piecemeal approach this first wing is becoming. I might try using thinner paper, for the underside, as I would like this to wrap and cling, tightly, around the wing bones, to avoid creating a gap between the upper and lower paper layers, surrounding the bones (thanks, margaret!). This second layer of lighter-weight paper will be soaked in PVA Glue, to make it soft and pliable, hopefully allowing me to wrap it tightly to the underside of the bone and wing 'skin' attached to the top of the wing. I've already figured out how to use a single piece of the thicker paper on top of the second wing, how to press it while the E6000 Glue dries. Just not sure how it will "drape" when dry. Once I finish one wing, I will tackle the other, with the lessons learned from the first, or I might strip the first, after the second succeeds, so I can repeat the success on the first wing? Until the next update, Draco-Lich fans... Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Mar 20, 2023 19:20:04 GMT
The Urethane Stain dried sticky, on the tail -- not sure why. Two matte Clear Coats solved that issue.
I need to take some photos of the filled-in screws, to show what they look like, specifically. The shoulder screws are shown in the last photo, but you have to know where they are, to see how they are hidden, by the Urethane Stain. The screw holes look like dark anomalies, and without knowing they are hidden there, beneath the Urethane Stain and the cured, white E6000 Glue, I don't think anyone would guess they were even there! E6000 Glue for the win!
I briefly considered filling in the gaps in the spine vertebrae, and along the sternum bone of his chest, as I know they would likely be augmented, in a bad way, by the Tudor Stain. I opted to let it go, and I am so very glad that I did. The sternum is somewhat noticeable, but the brain largely ignores it, not even recognizing it. The vertebrae are more noticeable, but not enough that I would fill them in, if I did a second Dragon model... Eh, maybe I would, slathering some white E6000 Glue into the gaps, even on the sternum, just to see how it would turn out. LOL!
I have decided to use paper, for the wing 'skin' tissue. I do not want any weave patterns in the wing skin to be visible. I plan to experiment with paper, wrapping it around a couple of bamboo skewers, in the correct full-sail pose, to test it before I try it on the Dragon. I think it will be easier to create tears, and holes, in the paper, as opposed to the cotton fabric. I do not want cotton fibers fraying around the edges of the holes and tears. I hope to get to work on that soon. I will likely give the cotton fabric a try, just to compare the two, side by side. I will post photos as soon as I can. I may use Wood Glue to secure the paper/cloth to the wing bones, first; let that dry completely; then apply the Urethane Stain, if it can hold its proper shape while the Urethane Stain dries. I know that dried Wood Glue does not stain very well, but it will be so small an area, that it should not matter, or else it should look like just another dark anomaly. Bamboo skewers, Baby! If it fails, no harm, no foul. Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Mar 14, 2023 16:57:31 GMT
Update: I painted the Skeletal Dragon with my large can of Minwax Tudor Urethane Stain mix. The E6000 Glue took the stain beautifully! It is finished, except for the wings; I have coated it with a Matte Clear Coat -- the tail needs some additional matte applied, but that is a minor touch-up job. I need to make a base for it, as well, but that is easy-peasy. Now. For some photos: "Now, Sir, do not eat the little lady -- at least not until after I get the shot!" [To give you an idea of the scale of this toy figure, the grid is made of 1" squares; the Lady is a 28mm Human Fighter (Yikes!).] "Hold that pose, Sir!""Beautiful!"
"Hold it!"
"Gorgeous, Sir."
"I think this is your best side!"
"Now, about my price for my services…"Sadly, the photographer was never seen, or heard from, again. The end of the sad, but true, story of the Dragon Photographer. When I get some leathery skin on the wings, I will need to hire a new photographer… The woman warrior has not been seen since the photo shoot, either! Cheers!
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