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Thread
: Discussion
Customizer's Water Cooler
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11-29-2020, 04:00 AM
HissHissFangFan
Iron Grenadier
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Kansas
Posts: 981
Eyes. Eyes aren't easy! But thanks to tips from this forum, I've gotten better at techniques for acceptable results. I first paint sclera, using my Vallejo light grey surface primer (I read somewhere that a pure white is not needed and can actually look unnatural, and I agree). The second step is hardest for me: waiting for enough time for that sclera to dry. Honestly, I can never wait which almost always botches my first pass.
Third step, applying the iris/pupil, I mostly use a micron pen 005, either black or sepia (brown). I got a 4-pack Figma set from Hobby Lobby specificaly for testing out eye application techniques, and works well. After the iris/pupil, I'll get the upper eyelid (a staple look for 1/18 modern Hasbro figures). Then clean up with an exacto knife. I'll thin the upper eyelid and clean up the bottom eyelid. Usually I'll do the lower eyelid first, and hope to get lucky in getting a bit of the iris dark color to spread a slight thin line at the bottom eyelid. Though we don't have lower eyelashes (I had to double check this in the mirror just now), we do have a nice shadowline down there. I slight line can also help to get a tougher slight squint to the eyes, and aid in eliminating the eyes having the upward stare look.
Sometimes I will go back to my old technique of using a slightly dulled wood toothpick for the iris (with watered down paint. Using the toothpick, you can start with a smaller iris with a few dabs, then eliminate the cross-eyed looked by added more dabs away from the nose while not getting too large on the iris. I'll usually test the paint and pick on a piece of paper or custom fodder lying about for the right paint consistency and pick sharpness. Also, I'll do some test dabs without paint on the actual figure head to make sure there are no suprises in the shape and mold (will also do these practice jabs if using Micron pen for final).
I final bit I do is use a dark flesh (PC1092 Nectar), and apply to the lower eyelids, and between eyebrows and upper eyelid. I sometimes also apply to other faces recesses (betwen eyebrows if mean furrows are sculpted, around nose and mouth, cheekbones if older figure). Its like a dark wash effect, but very subtle, like Hollywood makeup on men.
I actually find eyebrows to be more difficult to do than the eyes. I'm not set in a dedictated technique--micron pen, tootpick, small brush--it depends on how successful or stressful I was on my most recent figure. Maybe a topic for the future...
I have been using a small mounted magnifying glass for almost 2 years now, and recently bought a larger one from Hobby Lobby out of boredom. It definitely helps with eyes, eybrows and other small areas. The downside is that it unveils a larger world of fixes over the entire figure that you won't ever discover (unless you you take large HD photos with no backgrounds so all eyes are on the details of the figures).
Back to the eyes, other than the waiting time betwen sclera and iris, my second biggest issue is dealing with heads with painted flesh. Those heads are harder to clean up with an exacto knife for a finished look (for both eyes and eyebrows). You also have to deal with more factory applied paint around the eyes instead of nice clean bare mold. So instead of using the exacto knife, you repaint around the eyes for the clean look--which brings up my my nagging current issue: flesh paint.
FLESH PAINT:
All year I've wanted to clean up my flesh painting technique, and find the right paint to meet 4 criteria (3/4 ok):
1. I want a middle of the road tone, not as light as early 25th figures, maybe an MTF tone slightly lighter (maybe a mix so that it works for both).
2. I want to have a premix that I can store for a few years for constant cleanup of figures, with a mix of consistent tone I can use at any given time for the next few years or so.
3. I want a deep strong mix that requires little or no primer. Usually the paint will be applied to already flesh molded parts or factory flesh painted parts that don' match in tone.
4. I want a strong mix that requires little or no sealer finish. This requirement becomes less important if the requirements 1 to 3 are met. I just don't want a thick buildup of primer, paint, sealer, that almost inevitably chips or rubs, requiring a repaint (with 3 more additional layers) that requires a repaint of all flesh areas for tone matching of the new repaint.
Testors sort met items 3 and 4. However I've had to mix two different tones to get a nice blend (that I can never rematch for future touchup). Plus one or both jars (or a dedicated mix) always end up drying up faster than other jars (burnt sienna is another culprit). Further, with Testors bowing out of the business, I've already abandoned them for flesh color.
Vallejo had promise. I am still working a dedicated mix bottle, but it's hard to judge the right mix since it can be a totally different tone when first wet compared to when it's dry. A light primer helps it apply with ligher coats with a nice color, but Vallejo is not very durable I find. I've tried the Vallejo finishes, and I've also tried Futura Floor finish, then the Vallejo matte finish--still not durable as required in areas that are not joints but get lots of wear through contact.
I won't even bother with Citadel, with mix of issues with Testors and Vallejo above.
Tamiya paints seems to be my last strong option. My hobby store was out of stock last time I was there last month, will check again tomorrow (online prices were not even comparable to the hobby store prices).
Figuring this out was a goal of mine to start last Nov 2019, using GI Joe reduxes 1983 and beyond (mainly Flint, Lady Jaye, Falcon, Hawk, Tunnel Rat). After a few weeks, most have failed typical durability. I got frustrated, and turned to 1983 figures, 1984 Blowtorch and Ripcord--all/most of which didn't have to deal with any/much flesh.
Then jumped to Cobra 1983 redos (again no flesh). But I know I got to get back to the flesh painting situation.
Any suggestions and testimonials on this are greatly appreciated...
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