excellent video and thank you for sharing your technique. I have to paint hundreds of HO seating figures for my passenger cars and the idea of airbrushing the skin color was a real time saver. To hold the figures I used carpet double face tape that I had on hand. I place the tape on a piece of leftover strip wood and I sat all the figures for airbrushing. Since my figures will go inside passenger car, the detailing and hand painting is some what simpler. For standing people or people that will part of scene I will use the tongue depressor.
I really like the idea of taking the paint off of a stir-stick! Beats dipping the brush into the bottle and getting too much paint on the bristles! I also find that giving the painted figures several light mistings of Krylon Matte Acrylic Sealer really helps keep the paint from rubbing off the figures while handling them. I have hands like a Bear ... and I was rubbing off the paint, until I sealed them! Now they are permanently painted! Good video!
Nice tutorial. You can buy a cheap battery powered milk frother/cocktail stirrer for a couple of bucks on ebay or Amazon. Also, I like to give the figures an IPA and india ink wash to tone the colors down as well as accentuate the details. Thanks again.
I've got a bunch of N Scale people to do - Ikes!!! I'll need that tape and a magnified led lamp it looks like. Nice job by the way and thank you for the info.
Great video! Thanks for sharing your figures look amazing. I think I'm going to the go to the store right now and get some paint... However that is one thing I was wondering what kind of paint you use? Thanks again.
I enjoyed this how-to video. I am going to invest in some unpainted figures now and have at it. A side note - since the NMRA started a TH-cam channel, you may want to submit a few of your videos like this to start filling it up with content. I was asked to do a few videos as well. Thanks.
Nice Job, Thats how I would do it too, one color with a few diff ones, This helps me for my future build. Where do you get that mixer at kind sir?? Love the Video Helps me out BUNCHES Thank You!
I tried the alcohol wash with craft paint and my "little" people came out kinda white in spots. I guess you need to use a better quality paint, huh? I use Pledge Revive It gloss floor polish for a top coat after I've finished painting the "little" people. This is an acrylic floor finish and you can use it straight out of the bottle in an airbrush. I paint mostly with my airbrush with properly reduced craft paint. From now on I will not add any alcohol to my wash, just black paint reduced with water. It works as well as inks. W Rusty Lane in eastern Tennessee (Witherington Place Railroad)
In HO Scale, attempts at painting any facial figures usually results in a 'clown like' appearance. I get best results by giving the faces a quick wash with an Alcohol/India Ink wash after the paint has dried a few days.
The brand names of tools and or supplies you use really helps, thanks for doing that. As an aside, where did you get the clip on magnifier. That would really help my 73 year old eyes :-)
I use water based paints. In this video they were PolyScale. Now that they are off the market, I will move to one of the other water based offerings. I have not had good luck with craft paints for this application.
Milly, when painting your own little people, you could easily paint the skin colors to represent any ethnicity appropriate to the time period and location that you model. That is a great benefit of painting your own.
Nice video, but, "Hello!"... it's 2017... there is no "flesh" color, but rather skin tones. If you want something labeled "flesh" get out your old box of Crayolas from 1950.
will use these ideas for painting my own figures,outstanding video!
I'm glad that you enjoyed the video!
Real good ideas, thank you.
You are very welcome.
A nice tip on using the stirrer to move paint to the brush. I will definitely be using that one.
excellent video and thank you for sharing your technique. I have to paint hundreds of HO seating figures for my passenger cars and the idea of airbrushing the skin color was a real time saver. To hold the figures I used carpet double face tape that I had on hand. I place the tape on a piece of leftover strip wood and I sat all the figures for airbrushing. Since my figures will go inside passenger car, the detailing and hand painting is some what simpler. For standing people or people that will part of scene I will use the tongue depressor.
This tutorial has proved to be invaluable as I already had way to many purchased figures to paint and then I bought a 3D printer 🙄 - You ROCK 🫡
I'm glad that you found it useful!
This is fabulous. Thank you! I never thought of the popsicle stick hack!!!!
Great video !!! I like your idea about the tape on the wide tongue depressors. I will try this approach to painting my HO scale people, thanks again.
I'm glad that you picked up a useful tip, Ken.
I really like the idea of taking the paint off of a stir-stick! Beats dipping the brush into the bottle and getting too much paint on the bristles! I also find that giving the painted figures several light mistings of Krylon Matte Acrylic Sealer really helps keep the paint from rubbing off the figures while handling them. I have hands like a Bear ... and I was rubbing off the paint, until I sealed them! Now they are permanently painted! Good video!
Nice tutorial. You can buy a cheap battery powered milk frother/cocktail stirrer for a couple of bucks on ebay or Amazon. Also, I like to give the figures an IPA and india ink wash to tone the colors down as well as accentuate the details. Thanks again.
Thank you Bruce. A good clear demonstration of how to paint the LP
You are welcome, Tom.
Does anyone know where to go to get a bunch of medieval themed mini figures at ho scale?
Sorry, Shane, I can't help with this one. Perhaps another viewer can.
@@JerseyHighlandsBruce appreciate the response!
Super video ... now I'm going to try painting figures!!
Give it a try, Donald. Easier than you think.
Very helpful! Thank you!!
You are very welcome, Joshua.
I'm very new to this hobby....loving it! Your video makes me want to try the less expensive unpainted HO figures..... here I go! THANK YOU!
You are very welcome!
double sided tape has been added to the list👍 thanks for sharing the tips
You are very welcome!
This video made me want to paint figures by myself. Thank you very much:)
Learned a lot from this video. Great presentation.
Thanks, John. I'm glad that you found it helpful.
Some good ideas. Thanks! If you're still painting figures, what paint do you use nowadays?
Thanks! Although I still have a pretty good supply of PolyScale Paints, I have found that the MicroLux line of paints from MicroMark work well also.
It was indeed helpful. I'm starting mine now
In a future video, please cover how you adhere the people to the layout, while still making them moveable later.
I usually put little dabs of white glue on their feet. That will come loose with a drop or two of warm water later on.
I've got a bunch of N Scale people to do - Ikes!!! I'll need that tape and a magnified led lamp it looks like. Nice job by the way and thank you for the info.
You are very welcome.
Very helpful thank you. 👍🏼
Great video! Thanks for sharing your figures look amazing. I think I'm going to the go to the store right now and get some paint... However that is one thing I was wondering what kind of paint you use? Thanks again.
Charles, I still have a good supply of PolyScale water based paints, so that is what I use.
I enjoyed this how-to video. I am going to invest in some unpainted figures now and have at it.
A side note - since the NMRA started a TH-cam channel, you may want to submit a few of your videos like this to start filling it up with content. I was asked to do a few videos as well.
Thanks.
Ron, I'm glad that you like the video. You are right, I should post some videos on the NMRA;s TH-cam Channel.
Nice Job, Thats how I would do it too, one color with a few diff ones, This helps me for my future build. Where do you get that mixer at kind sir?? Love the Video Helps me out BUNCHES Thank You!
nice tips, thanks !
Do you find the need to wash the people before painting? Do they need a primer coat?
I tried the alcohol wash with craft paint and my "little" people came out kinda white in spots. I guess you need to use a better quality paint, huh? I use Pledge Revive It gloss floor polish for a top coat after I've finished painting the "little" people. This is an acrylic floor finish and you can use it straight out of the bottle in an airbrush. I paint mostly with my airbrush with properly reduced craft paint. From now on I will not add any alcohol to my wash, just black paint reduced with water. It works as well as inks.
W Rusty Lane in eastern Tennessee (Witherington Place Railroad)
How do you handle faces, specifically eyebrows and eyeballs?
In HO Scale, attempts at painting any facial figures usually results in a 'clown like' appearance. I get best results by giving the faces a quick wash with an Alcohol/India Ink wash after the paint has dried a few days.
The brand names of tools and or supplies you use really helps, thanks for doing that. As an aside, where did you get the clip on magnifier. That would really help my 73 year old eyes :-)
Thanks! I use 2X magnifiers. If you search for "clip on magnifiers for eyeglasses", you will find them on the web.
Thank you for the tips. I’m going to try this ingenious method. Do you paint details in their faces?
I like that you attach them on popsicle stick
Jacob, I got that tip from a modeling friend and it really works well.
I be using that idea I like it
I didn't catch what kind of paints did you use? Acrylic or enamel? Brand? Thanks in advance.
I use water based paints. In this video they were PolyScale. Now that they are off the market, I will move to one of the other water based offerings. I have not had good luck with craft paints for this application.
Why is it I can never find Afro American or brown people?
Milly, when painting your own little people, you could easily paint the skin colors to represent any ethnicity appropriate to the time period and location that you model. That is a great benefit of painting your own.
Nice video, but, "Hello!"... it's 2017... there is no "flesh" color, but rather skin tones. If you want something labeled "flesh" get out your old box of Crayolas from 1950.