Miniature Figurines

(Note that all images enlarge when clicked)  I am absolutely delighted with the way this 1/16th version of the Felicia figurine has turned out and have no hesitation in thanking MidniteMaker (Tim) for the superb job he did in printing her. All the detail that is found on the 1/10th version is there....every little bit, down to the smallest filigree on the skirt and the finest etching on her left arm. I finished the base in a sort of "industrial" mode....the gears and wheels, pipes and chequer-plate simply sprayed grey and then shaded with a grimy black wash. Even the green paint around the edge has been scuffed to appear worn.  The pedestal is a turned wooden block that I've had floating around for ages and although the resin base of the figure is oval, it still sits within the diameter of the surface of the block. All painting was completed using Vallejo's "Model Air" acrylics, all applied by hand. Although I had purchased an airbrush & compressor, I so...

This morning I was able to attach her "power" left arm and also her head, having completed painting in the hard-to-get-at areas of both pieces. Her amoured left arm and automatic pistol have yet to be finally detailed, and her holsters and knife have to be painted prior to attaching to her legs.  Still plenty of detailing work left to complete but the little sister is getting closer to completion.

The 1/16th version of Felicia is slowly being clothed with paint. Over the past week I have finished her skirt/dress and have started on the leather accoutrements....her bodice, belts and leggings, the latter having just received a first wash today. There are a couple of methods I use to age, or give a weather-worn appearance to, clothing. With mini-Felicia, once the first two washes of blue were applied - and had hardened over a few days - I used a soft-bristled toothbrush, and a finger, to apply and gently rub Gumption over the high spots. This has the effect of thinning them and leaving the darker, thicker coats, in the recesses. For the leather a similar method is used but not with Gumption, just with a dry microfibre cloth and this practice adds a low sheen to the surface, simulating polished leather. The leggings will receive the same treatment once the final washes have been completed. Vallejo "Model Air" paints - hand-brushed -  have been used for all the painting of ...

I got great pleasure out of assembling and painting the 1/10th Felicia so I recently made enquiries with Tim, the gentleman who 3D-printed the figurine, as to whether he could do the same young lady in a smaller scale. Tim advised that 1/16th would be the most viable - anything smaller (1/20th and below) would risk losing detail. So I placed a custom order with MidniteMaker and last week the box arrived and I wanted to display a shot comparing the two sizes. What you see of 1/16th Felicia are the raw pieces held together temporarily with Blu-Tak! I am delighted with the result. Perfect in every way and all the detail of the larger figure is evident in the smaller scale. At this time she has been cleaned and primed and is sitting on my workbench, ready to be painted. I'm looking forward to it. (Image enlarges when clicked)  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE SUNDAY 24th. September I have primed little Felicia and have temporarily assembled legs and her right arm to the body ...

Felicia has been finished. Back in late April I started a figure called "Felicia" and worked on it through May, adding the finishing touches yesterday.....well, the girl has been finished but I have yet to add final details to the base. Having now reached the end of this project I thought I'd provide some additional details on the methods I used. I mentioned undercoating using Vallejo "Air" acrylics and finishing in artists oils, but it was actually more involved than that. In fact, in some locations the final painting was a mix of both. One of the most difficult things to do successfully in any figure painting is the eyes. It is so hard to get a true representation of reality and the larger the figure, the more care has to be taken. On Felicia, her right eye is quite distinctive, whilst her left is partially obscured by her hair. I tried many things to get that eye correct and I think I managed to get it pretty okay and what I did was quite s...

Felicia "Under Construction"! The last post included a couple of pix of "Felicia" (steampunk gunslinger) in grey primer and the mention that I would post an update during the painting process. Well, the prime base colours were done using Vallejo's acrylics, the "Air" versions, designed primarily for air-brushing. However, they work beautifully when brushed on in thin layers. Once they had dried for several days I cleaned the figure with kitchen detergent and then proceeded to apply the finishing coats in artists oils - a mix of Winsor & Newton and Reeves, which I've had for years. So today I can present the following photos, taken last night, and also posed in the same positions as the grey undercoat shots so that you can compare the changes. If you click on them they will open with a much larger image. Once I've finished Felicia I'll post another update. In the meantime there is much fine detail to be completed....ver...

For more than 40 years I have been involved in my "other" interest......assembling and painting model figurines. At one stage - around 1982/83 - I did several commissions, the most difficult and tedious being the painting of a 30-piece highland pipe band in 54mm (~2") scale. Those kilts and hose were killers! There was a shop in Sydney which specialised in militaria and war games and I received many requests through them for my work, mostly Napoleonic and in 75mm to 150mm size. I prime with a grey automotive primer, undercoat in flat acrylics and then the finishing painting is done in artist's oils. Above and below are just two examples of what I did. Both Napoleonics, with the French Hussar (unfinished at the moment) in 90mm scale and the Zieten Hussar in 75mm. I took a break for a couple of years after moving from Sydney to Canberra (1984) and spending more leisure time with two growing kids and their various sports and activities, but returned to the ho...