Model Maniacs: It Ain’t just Paint!

The long and winding road….that leads….to this…..installment for the beginning modeler who aims to become the Frazetta of the Garage Kit painting world. Ok, so I’m exaggerating. But after this we’re going to start showing you all the last frontier to get yourself fully prepared to tackle those amazing pieces of artwork we call, Garage Kits!

In this installment we’re going to touch on some of the items that will be useful, yet not quite as expensive or intensive to use. So buckle up buttercup, it’s time to rock and roll!

   Pastels: For me personally, these have been the greatest addition to modeling since the invention of CA glue. There is a shading technique we use when painting, especially on flesh, called washes. Washes are a thinned down watery coats of paint that is brushed on very detailed areas of a kit like hair, bases to tone down the lighter base color and bring out the detail prior to dry brushing a lighter shade. It’s also used to bring out the detail on faces where shadows fall naturally on your skin like around the eyes, along the hairline, in-between finger and toes, around the cheek bones, below the nose and under the lower lip. It’s also used for cosmetics on female faces such as eye shadow and blush. When working washes on the flesh tones it’s a very up close, labor-intensive technique that really brings a kit’s features to life. It’s also a technique that I could NEVER get right if my life depended on it! Sure I had no problem with the hair and bases, but when it came to the flesh all it gave me was fits! Enter Pastels, a gift from the modeling Gods! Pastels will give you the exact same affect as using washes on skin tones but with A LOT more control and less chance for error!

 

 
   There are several types of pastels on the market today. The ones you will need are the Chalk type, NOT the oil based ones. Brands like NuPastel and Loew Cornell are my 2 preferred brands with the Loew Cornell being my first choice. For roughly $16.00 you can buy a complete set of the Loew Cornell chalk pastels that will have every color in their line in a plastic tray. They adhere well and hardly change color at all after sealing. An added bonus with these is that you can drag your brush along the length of the stick to pick up color to apply. Very handy indeed! NuPastel pastels are very good, but they run about $1.00 a stick. They are much harder then the Loew Cornell brand, so you will need to have sandpaper handy to grind the stick on to make little piles of color to apply to the kit. Also you MUST work lightly with the PrismaColor pastels. These tend to darken quite a bit after sealing. But these are some great pastels and you can’t go wrong having a few in the ole Box O Tricks! Check around at different stores before purchasing to get the better price. I get mine at an Artist Supply store; they’ve had them the cheapest.
 

 

   Sealers: You’ve heard me mention these a few times in the past, nows the time to touch on them. Sealers are used to seal your paint job. DUH! Actually it goes a little deeper then that. Sealers are used to seal off a section of the kit that you finished painting and are happy with. By sealing in sections you will protect your paint job from any future mistake that might happen and also lessens any chance of paint flaking off while handling the kit when painting. This may sound like over kill, but take it from someone who totes finished build ups all over the country with people constantly touching and picking them up to look at (even thought there is a sign on the table that says DO NOT TOUCH BUILD UPS!) it’s a necessary evil.

   There are 2 kinds that I use and I suggest you give them a shot too. Krylon Matte Sealer comes in a big can, is easily found in hobby shops, hardware stores, Art’s and Crafts shops and Artist supply shops. It’s inexpensive and gives a nice sheen on skin or leather on kits. I use this in between all the different steps of painting when I am happy with how something came out. Tester’s Dull Cote is the one I use when I am completely finished with a kit and want a dull flat coat on clothing or fur. Dull Cote (yes, that’ how it’s actually spelled) comes in a small can with a black cap. It’s available in the same stores as the Krylon except for the hardware store. BUT you can find it in the model section of most toy stores like Wal Mart and K Mart. Be Advised. Sealers stink! The smell permeates the area that you are working in and can cause headaches or dizziness. Spray these in a well-ventilated area and if possible, do it outside.
 
   The LAST most expensive thing you will buy, aside from the kits of course, is something I recommend for modelers and artists alike. It’s a book by Ian Sidaway titled “Color Mixing Bible” and available at most all book stores and artist supply stores. The price is $24.95 and worth every penny! The book covers EVERYTHING about paints, colored pencils, pastels, oil paint, watercolor paint, acrylics and gouaches, especially mixing colors. Get this book!!!  
     
With that out of the way, let’s hit on everyone’s favorite…
The Cheap Stuff!

Pocket Note Book: Yeah you know, one of those small pocket notebooks the “nerds” (we’re talking about building model kits and calling them nerds, ain’t THAT a hoot!) in school used to keep in their pocket. Keep one of these handy for when you stumble on a paint recipe that worked great, to keep track of the colors your using during a night of painting when sleep decides to take over or in case you just accidentally discover a new technique that you’ve never heard of before and want to be able to do it again! It’s easier to write stuff down then to count on remembering.
Blow Dryer: If you have a wife, kids or even hair then most likely you have a blow dryer somewhere in the house. This speeds up the drying time for paints, sealers and primer. It’s pretty self-explanatory no?
 
A Mirror: Pretty sure this is another item everyone has in the house. I keep a small hand held one close by my bench. If you look closely in the mirror you’ll see colors that you never noticed before if you mimic the expression on a character model’s face. By recreating the expression you’ll be able to paint more realistically then you ever thought before.
Color Wheel: These take a little getting used to but I don’t know a single artist who doesn’t have one. And let’s face it, like it or not, if you’ve stuck with me this far….you’re an artist! A Color Wheel costs about $3.00 to 5.00 and shows the correlation in the use of Primary and Secondary colors and Hues. It’s really a neat little tool when you get the hang of it, but if you buy the Color Mixing Bible you could pass on this one.

 

   Well kiddies, that about wraps up 99% of everything you’ll ever need to get started with Garage Kits. Granted there is A LOT of stuff to soak in and buy, but you don’t need to get it all at once. Most of these items are things that you will eventually get as you progress in the hobby. The one thing I want EVERYONE to keep in mind when you get started in this hobby is to NOT expect everything to work perfectly right out of the box. As with anything it will take some time, practice and a lot of trial and error. But nothing beats the satisfaction of having a hobby that will be very self-satisfying and one that you can share with your entire family! Remember …HAVE FUN!

   Cya next time when we take a look everything you’re going to need to blow paint! Get yer minds outta the gutter; I’m talking about airbrushes, compressors and the different types of paint used in them!