How to Paint Pilots

[Robert1968]

I promised a while back that I'd give a 'step-by-step' guide to how I paint figures (specifically pilots). And so, a little belatedly, I'm posting the 'How to...'.
This tutorial will not be quick as I'm doing several other things concurrently and I'm slotting this in as and when I can. Anyway, on to subject at hand...


Rather than just show how I paint 1 figure I thought it would be more useful to see the technique across a range of figures. I've therefore gone and prepared 8 figures from various sources and hope that this will be of interest.


So here's the line-up...


[ATTACH]130564[/ATTACH]


From left to right: Douglas Bader by 'Fine Molds'; 2 BoB pilots by 'Ultracast'; 1 Pilot, 1 Waaf by 'Wings', 2 Luftwaffe ground crew by Verlinden, 1 BoB scrambling pilot by Aerobonus. All figures are resin apart from the Bader figure which is injection plastic.


(The technique I use is the same whether your figure is plastic, resin or metal)


A couple of shots showing detail...


[ATTACH]130565[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]130566[/ATTACH]


Personally, I think it's always worth while investing in a quality figure as it's harder to paint detail that isn't there. That said, we'll see what detail can be brought out of the Bader figure which is of course injection plastic and the details are softer as a result.


Preparation


I prepare all my figures in the same way. I always assemble the figures by glueing AND pinning limbs to torsos. I pin them with pieces of paper clip cut to suitable lengths. Most of the time I assemble the figure fully but occasionally I may leave a limb pinned but unglued for ease of painting. generally though it's a neater job if you can assemble fully. Once the assembly is finished I fill any gaps with filler (note only the scrambling pilot has had filler applied). I use a variety of fillers - milliput, humbrol down to Mr Surfacer depending on the gap.


Pinned limbs...


[ATTACH]130567[/ATTACH]


The head again is always pinned and is left loose for ease of painting. This has 3 advantages - 1. The join is strong later on, 2. You can position the head just where you want it (looking left, right, down, up), and 3. you can clamp the head by the pin in a pin vice for ease of painting.


[ATTACH]130568[/ATTACH]


That's it for the moment. I'm sorry if this is a bit slow but this will take time to complete.


Thanks for your patience.


Paul

I'm in on this as I have a tin full of figs I want to paint and am blooming awful especially with the faces so yes I got my cuppa and I'm watching and taking written notes too


Robert

[Guest]

Count me in


Roger

[ojays]

I definitely need to watch this.


Never been any good with figures, but can't seem to stop using them on my builds.

[stona]

I definitely need to watch this.
Never been any good with figures, but can't seem to stop using them on my builds.

I know how you feel!


Steve

[Guest]

I promised a while back that I'd give a 'step-by-step' guide to how I paint figures (specifically pilots). And so, a little belatedly, I'm posting the 'How to...'.
This tutorial will not be quick as I'm doing several other things concurrently and I'm slotting this in as and when I can. Anyway, on to subject at hand...


Rather than just show how I paint 1 figure I thought it would be more useful to see the technique across a range of figures. I've therefore gone and prepared 8 figures from various sources and hope that this will be of interest.


So here's the line-up...


[ATTACH]130564[/ATTACH]


From left to right: Douglas Bader by 'Fine Molds'; 2 BoB pilots by 'Ultracast'; 1 Pilot, 1 Waaf by 'Wings', 2 Luftwaffe ground crew by Verlinden, 1 BoB scrambling pilot by Aerobonus. All figures are resin apart from the Bader figure which is injection plastic.


(The technique I use is the same whether your figure is plastic, resin or metal)


A couple of shots showing detail...


[ATTACH]130565[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]130566[/ATTACH]


Personally, I think it's always worth while investing in a quality figure as it's harder to paint detail that isn't there. That said, we'll see what detail can be brought out of the Bader figure which is of course injection plastic and the details are softer as a result.


Preparation


I prepare all my figures in the same way. I always assemble the figures by glueing AND pinning limbs to torsos. I pin them with pieces of paper clip cut to suitable lengths. Most of the time I assemble the figure fully but occasionally I may leave a limb pinned but unglued for ease of painting. generally though it's a neater job if you can assemble fully. Once the assembly is finished I fill any gaps with filler (note only the scrambling pilot has had filler applied). I use a variety of fillers - milliput, humbrol down to Mr Surfacer depending on the gap.


Pinned limbs...


[ATTACH]130567[/ATTACH]


The head again is always pinned and is left loose for ease of painting. This has 3 advantages - 1. The join is strong later on, 2. You can position the head just where you want it (looking left, right, down, up), and 3. you can clamp the head by the pin in a pin vice for ease of painting.


[ATTACH]130568[/ATTACH]


That's it for the moment. I'm sorry if this is a bit slow but this will take time to complete.


Thanks for your patience.


Paul

That is great information Paul. Always have trouble with limbs especially angles of arms when seated as driver etc. the paper clip is a perfect answer.


You mention good quality figures. Where do you get yours as I have found it difficult to locate ?


Laurie

[tr1ckey66]

Where do you get yours as I have found it difficult to locate ?

Hi Laurie


I've collected this group over a couple of years. A lot of them were purchased from MDC, which unfortunately ceased trading (I miss those chaps, their stuff was great) but I think the 'Wings' and 'Ultracast' figures will soon be stocked by Relish Models, I do hope so as both ranges are excellent. The 'Aerobonus', 'Verlinden' and 'Finemolds' figures were bought on eBay.


Perhaps, if there's enough interest, John may want to stock these figures in the shop?


As an aside, I'm planning on sculpting my own figures (the first will be a full He111 crew in 1/32).


Hope this helps


Cheers


P

[John]

MDC haven't stopped trading they only stopped selling Gunze products, Bob wanted to concentrate more on his own stuff, you can't order online but you can call them, this is their latest catalogue


http://www.modeldesignconstruction.co.uk/MDC_CATALOGUE_APRIL_2015.pdf

[tr1ckey66]

That is great news!


I think that's twice I've called time on MDC and got it wrong!


It doesn't help Laurie with the figures though as it looks as though they're no longer stocking them. Still, I am so very glad that they're still going I really enjoyed building their Typhoon and the accessories and detail parts are good too.


Thanks for the heads-up John.


Cheers


Paul