Warren Branch

[Bluemonkey presents....]

Great job. They do look very nice sat alongside each other. Two quality models there. What kit manufacturer are they from? ;)

[chuffinghell]

1 hour ago, Bluemonkey presents.... said:

What kit manufacturer are they from? ;)

It’s some strange bloke on here that calls himself chuffinghell 🤪
 

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by chuffinghell

[Pete Haitch]

5 hours ago, MrWolf said:

Well done Chris, I'd better get mine finished now, along with a little surprise for the viewers.

I'd better throw away the intended Tri-ang MK1 couplings! 😉

My entry for guess the surprise is; I believe that in its more anarchic  times, the Wolverhampton Works would paint the odd item of departmental stock in full choc n cream carriage livery.  Shrewsbury / Aston on Clun would seem to be the obvious final hiding place for a tool van in such a livery.

[MrWolf]

Not quite, but nothing would surprise me, there's all sorts of odd things hidden down the rabbit hole to the west of Sibdon Carwood. 😉

[chuffinghell]

Not done anything on the layout for a while as I’ve been busy on other projects but today I decided to do a little painting

I bought these from Modelu quite a while ago now, their figures are fantastic but I dread painting them so I tend to keep putting it off

 

Anyway we had nothing else planned today so whilst Sarah relaxed with a book I decided to get in the layout room and get them sorted……it needed doing and they weren’t going to paint themselves

 

Here is the result….

 

 

….I just need to leave them a while before giving them a coat of matt varnish 

 

[lezz01]

Very nice Chris. What colour base did you start from?

Regards Lez.

[chuffinghell]

3 minutes ago, lezz01 said:

Very nice Chris. What colour base did you start from?

Regards Lez.

Thanks Lez, I just start with black primer 

[sjrixon]

They look really smart. I'm the same, always putting them off. 4 in primer have been sat on my desk forever...

[chuffinghell]

3 minutes ago, sjrixon said:

They look really smart. I'm the same, always putting them off. 4 in primer have been sat on my desk forever...

I’ve not put it off too long as I’ve only had them since May 🤣

[lezz01]

20 minutes ago, chuffinghell said:

Thanks Lez, I just start with black primer 

Same as I do Chris. I then dry brush the colours over that. I've always painted figures like that it's something I started doing when I used to be a wargamer.

Regards Lez.

[chuffinghell]

1 minute ago, lezz01 said:

Same as I do Chris. I then dry brush the colours over that. I've always painted figures like that it's something I started doing when I used to be a wargamer.

Regards Lez.

I’ve done these differently than I have in the past after watching a YouTube video

 

I used Vallejo Air paints and applied multiple coats, apart from the overalls where I used Vallejo Model Colour but thinned it as I would for the airbrush
 

Before this I just slapped on paint without thinning

 

I never thought to search for wargamer figure painting but I will now, thanks Lez

[Mikkel]

1 hour ago, chuffinghell said:

Not done anything on the layout for a while as I’ve been busy on other projects but today I decided to do a little painting

I bought these from Modelu quite a while ago now, their figures are fantastic but I dread painting them so I tend to keep putting it off

 

Anyway we had nothing else planned today so whilst Sarah relaxed with a book I decided to get in the layout room and get them sorted……it needed doing and they weren’t going to paint themselves

 

Here is the result….

 

 

….I just need to leave them a while before giving them a coat of matt varnish 

 

 

Very nice. With the most recent material used by Modelu you don't actually need the primer (as also stated on their website). I was sceptical but they are right and it saves a layer of thickness. I don't personally varnish them either, doesn't seem to be necessary with the Vallejo Modelcolor on these.

 

But it depends what materials the figures are, i.e. when they were bought, as I understand Modelu have changed the material over the years.

 

Edited August 28, 2023 by Mikkel

[chuffinghell]

7 minutes ago, Mikkel said:

 

Very nice. With the most recent material used by Modelu you don't actually need the primer (as also stated on their website). I was sceptical but they are right and it saves a layer of thickness. I don't personally varnish them either, doesn't seem to be necessary with the Vallejo Modelcolor on these.

 

But it depends what materials the figures are, i.e. when they were bought, as I understand Modelu have changed the material over the years.

 

 

Thank you, it will never be as good as your painting though
 

I bought these back in May, I didn’t realise that primer was no longer needed, I think it’s just become a habit to apply a primer

 

The majority of my paints are Vallejo Air, only a handful of my paints are Modelcolour

 

The application of a matt varnish is a habit too although sometimes I do get a bit of a sheen with Modelcolour but that might be because I’ve previously not thinned them?

 

 

[Mikkel]

I'm no expert but have found that modelcolour needs really good shaking for a matt finish. On the newest Modelu figures I found that two sparingly applied coats of Modelcolor dries up dead matt, but I suppose many factors can affect that outcome.

 

In general I think the Modelu figures are taking us into new territory where the traditional figure painting techniques don't necessarily always apply.

 

[MrWolf]

2 hours ago, sjrixon said:

They look really smart. I'm the same, always putting them off. 4 in primer have been sat on my desk forever...

 

Same here, the procrastination pile is just growing.

Those figures look really good Chris, the paint has really brought out the details.

[BroadLeaves]

50 minutes ago, Mikkel said:

modelcolour needs really good shaking

Yes, I've squeezed some paint out on several occasions only to find it comes out in about three colours (a bit like those posh toothpastes). That's a sure sign it's not mixed properly. However, it turns out that there's a simple test to see if you've shaken a Vallejo bottle enough. You ask yourself one question:

"Has my arm fallen off yet?"

If the answer is "No", then it needs some more shaking. 

Alternatively: 

 

[MrWolf]

46 minutes ago, BroadLeaves said:

Yes, I've squeezed some paint out on several occasions only to find it comes out in about three colours (a bit like those posh toothpastes). That's a sure sign it's not mixed properly. However, it turns out that there's a simple test to see if you've shaken a Vallejo bottle enough. You ask yourself one question:

"Has my arm fallen off yet?"

If the answer is "No", then it needs some more shaking. 

Alternatively: 

 

 

HM. Creative, but he's obviously got too much time on his hands.

 

My awesome paint shaker consists of an elastic band large enough to secure the little pot of paint atop the forks on my motorcycle...

[lezz01]

The point of the black primer isn't really to "prime" the models but to give a dark shade to the deepest creases on the figure. You start with black all over then dry brush the base colour of the clothing then very lightly dry brush a lighter shade of the base colour to form highlights on the ridges it's very easy to do and very effective. It works with flesh tones as well. Sadly I don't have any current examples to show but I've been doing since I was about 14 when I started wargaming. It's a very old military modelling hack it's also quick as when you have whole regiments to paint in Napoleonic colours you can't spend a day painting each figure. I have always transferred techniques from one modelling discipline to the other and I've found it a little puzzling why other people don't especially since the advent of YouTube etc. All of the techniques are up there for all to see go have a look and it will amaze you how easy some things are to do.    

Regards Lez.     

[lezz01]

So another hack that you guys might find useful the the technique used by aviation modellers to highlight the panel creases on aircraft. What you do is paint the model in whatever colours you need then go over all the panel lines with a softish pencil then give the model a wipe over with a soft cloth and it leaves the grey lead in the panel lines it's quick, easy and very effective, it works really well on wagon planking as well. You can also get soft coloured pencils in a multitude of colours from AK interactive sold as weathering pencils. Search for AK Interactive Weathering Water Colour Pencils on the online marketplace of your choice. They also do some very good ground cover effects.

Regards Lez.

[chuffinghell]

This is where they will end up eventually….

 

In the grounded signal van (Workshop/mess room)

 

 

 

[MrWolf]

That I think qualifies as a standalone model, never mind part of the layout. 

 

Not done much at mine lately, went to Harrogate exhibition today, got myself some inspiration, so I'll be back at it this week.

[MAP66]

Nice work on your figure painting Chris, they really complete the interior of your work shop scene. Looks like you got the height just right for your bench seating as well. Is it all ready to place into Warren Branch yet, looks like it could be?

[chuffinghell]

3 hours ago, MAP66 said:

Nice work on your figure painting Chris, they really complete the interior of your work shop scene.

Thank you
 

4 hours ago, MAP66 said:

Looks like you got the height just right for your bench seating as well

Thanks for your help with the dimensions

 

4 hours ago, MAP66 said:

Is it all ready to place into Warren Branch yet, looks like it could be?

Not far off, just need to look at putting in some lighting 

[chuffinghell]

I’ve no doubt put it in the wrong place but the position of the grounded van has been decided and the base glued in position

 

Hopefully with a little lighting you’ll be able to see the fitter at work

 

 

I’m also going to try and position one of the guys sitting to be visible through the window

 

I still need to add lighting but I can at least ballast that area now when I can the chance

 

[Rowsley17D]

No doubt there would have been a banner repeater signal the other side of the bridge.