painting miniatures

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Text and pictures:Danilo Cartacci

Copy editing:Thomas Abbondi

Book design:Cristina Bonanno, Alessandro Bruschi

Graphics:Cristina Bonanno, Alessandro Bruschi

Translation:Andrea J. Richardt

from an idea byDanilo Cartacci and Alessandro Bruschi

Printing:S.A.T.E. - Zingonia

(BG)

Publisher:AURIGA PUBLISHING

INTERNATIONAL SRL

Via Bressanone 17/116154 Genova - Italy

e-mail:[email protected]

fax: (+39) 0106001907www.aurigapublishing.it

Copyright AurigaPublishing International

srl © 2007

All Rights reserved. NoPart of this book may be

reproduced or transmittedin any form or by anymeans, electronic or

mechanical, including pho-tocopying, recording or by

any information storageretrieval system, without

written of permission of thepublisher.

INTRODUCTION

It took two years for Danilo to answer the simple question on howto paint miniature figures. As soon as I saw the first draft of this

volume, I was immediately enthusiastic about it. Observing all theparts - texts, photos and captions - blending in a coherent and

organic whole during the editing and paging process, gave me theexciting sensation of something really well done. Transforming a

manual process such as miniature painting into an exhaustive anduseful book is a delicate task, that implies both the skill to summa-rize and an even greater ability to shot high quality pictures in neat

manner.Danilo proved to have these gifts at a high level and you can see it

clearly in the figures that he paints.

Thomas Abbondi

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CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

GALLERY

Materials

Preparation and assembling

Flesh

Draping

Metals

Chevrons

The heraldry

Natural materials

The setting

Painting a bay horse

Weathering

A complex figure

Page 8

Page 12

Page 17

Page 29

Page 41

Page 47

3

Page 59

Page 67

Page 80

Page 89

Page 95

Page 105

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INTRODUCTION

The aim of this book is that of introducing this particular ‘art’ to thewidest possible public. I’m aware that there’s much more to write

on this subject, and even more to learn. The techniques I havebeen developing are the result of a great number of experiments

and precious advices that I’ve been putting in practice in a constantand mutual exchange of experiences with fellow modellists.

Particularly, the help from my wife Angelina had been preciousduring the realisation of texts, since she took notes while I was atmy workbench, helping me to develop a reader’s point of view. A

thank you goes also to all the authors, the sculptors and theCompanies that have been driving the production of soldiers to

unbelievable levels, to the editors that promote them and, aboveall, to all the collectors who widely contribute to the growth of

such a fascinating world.

Danilo Cartacci

This book is dedicated to my family:my wife Angelina, our daughters from the olderto the younger Maria Michela, Elisabetta andAnna Chiara .

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MATERIALS

Throughout the years, I hadthe chance of experiment-ing countless tools andmaterials, trying to get themost out of each, according

Both the characteristicsand the quality of thebrushes have a key rolein the outcome of ourwork. Winsor & NewtonSeries 7 are good foroils, Da Vinci workgreat with acrylics. Eventhough they are prettyexpensive, their per-formances make themwell worth the price. Ah,and they last long, too.

A hair-dryer speeds upthe drying process of

acrylics. It goes withoutsaying that it cannot beused on oils. Resin andplastic parts can easily

be warped by the heat.Be careful.

Acrylics are very versatile. They are highly covering if notdiluted. According to thedegree of dilution, theycan become almosttransparent.

8 PAINTING MINIATURES

to the technique I was devel-oping, to achieve the bestresult in the shortest possi-ble time. Let’s look at ashort list of common mate-

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rials and their main charac-teristics.

BrushesIt may seem obvious, but not everyone knows that agood result depends also on the quality of the brush,especially for all those passages which require veryaccurate traits. Winsor & Newton and Da Vinci brushesoffer the best performances, especially compared withthe synthetic ones, thanks to their softness and resist-

ance.The Winsor & Newton series 7 brushes from 000 to 1(long tip) are ideal for oil colours. The Da Vinci classicseries (blue handle) from 0 to 3 are the best option asfar as wide creases and draperies with acrylics are con-cerned; the Maestro series (black handle, 000 to 0) areexcellent for precision jobs. It is always advisable to have a few cheaper and biggerbrushes which may be used to mix the colours on thepalette and to paint the grounds. Always wash thebrushes after each session, using water and soap, trimtheir tips from time to time, and protect them with theirdust caps.

The main characteristicsof both acrylics and oils

vary from brand tobrand. Andrea, Vallejo,

Van Dyke by Ferraio,Winsor & Newton,

Maimeri (classic series)and enamels by Model

Master are above aver-age.

A good drill with a goodset of drilling bits,

brushes and milling cut-ters is a must for every

modeller.

MATERIALS

9PAINTING MINIATURES




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MATERIALS


Files, pliers, cutters,scalpels and sand-paperare the most classicaltools.

A well lit workbench iscrucial. The best bulb isnarrow and long.




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MATERIALS


ColoursWith the passing of years, my approach to paintingevolved: after using oils only, I now use both oils andacrylics. Oils are perfect for flesh, skin, leather and, ingeneral, for natural materials, such as wood, stones, furswhich require a remarkable fading depth.

Artist oilsOil colours usually have a poor covering power.Therefore they require a matt base, which should alsoprovide a good level of permeability to ease the evapo-ration of oil. Excellent results can be achieved withAndrea Color acrylics and Humbrol enamels. White spir-it can be used to dilute oils. Remember to use one cupfor metallic colours only.Oils can be easily faded one in the other: contrastingtones next to each other (usually a light and a darkone) can be faded in the borderline, resulting in a mid-dle tone. Another advantage is their slow drying time,which allows retouches for a good number of hours.The best brands as far as ‘workability’ and opacity areconcerned are Van Dyke by Ferraio, Winsor & Newtonand Maimeri classic series.

Acrylic coloursI normally use acrylics for fabrics, making the most outof their opacity, covering power and liveliness. Thetechnique requires to overlap different layers. Each layermust perfectly dry before being covered (a little hair-dryer can be used to speed-up the drying process).Acrylics are extremely versatile: according to the degreeof dilution, they can be highly covering or almost trans-parent (veiling). The best way to dilute them is distilled water, used with

a dropper. Andrea, Vallejo, Maimeri Polycolor and APAby Ferraio provide the best results. Apart from oils andacrylics, Humbrol and Model Master enamels are excel-lent for settings and metal parts. A common disposableplate is a great colour palette.

Tools and accessoriesA good workbench must be well lit, possibly with along and narrow bulb, to enlighten the biggest possiblearea. The most important tool is the drill, with differentsets of drill bits for metal and wood, brushes andmilling cutters. Files, fine sand-paper, pliers, cutters andscalpels are essential for a good cleaning and assem-bling of the models. Glues and putties are very impor-tant too. In the next chapters we will focus on the correct usageof all these materials.

White metal can beglued with superglue, or

-even better- with two-part glue. Toothpicks

and pins should alwaysbe at hand, for filling

slits, refine or rebuild lit-tle parts with two-part

putties.




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GluingIt is now time to verify the correct alignment of the partsbefore blending them, to determine which ones needmounting rods or to be retouched with putty. Two-partglue can be used for those parts that don’t need pins(generally the bigger ones), superglue for the smallerones. Blue Tak can be used on big parts to keep themtight while the glue hardens. In case of hollow parts (i.e.horses halves) it is advisable to pour some glue in thecavities for a stronger hold. Two-part glues dry relativelyquick: always clean the excesses before they harden.

Mounting rodsBrass rods can be used as mounting pins. Brass blendsvery well with both glue and white metal, offering anexcellent hold for stressed parts, the ones important forthe overall strength and those connected to the woodbase. Holes can be performed using a drill at low speedwith specific drill bits. 2 centimetres in depth are usuallysufficient. The wooden base needs a deeper hole, from 3to 4 centimetres.

AssemblingBefore starting to paint, it would be better to assemble asmany parts as possible. This avoids the risk of ruiningthe parts we painted already, or spending hours paintinga detail which will be covered. Once the parts are joinedtogether, flash lines, imperfections and the slits betweenthe metal and the wood base have to be filled withputty. This task can be performed with two-part epoxyputty, which perfectly blends white-metal parts. Once theparts are mixed, the putty can be applied using home-made tools. A toothpick will also do. Dip it in alcoholand the putty won’t harden on it. Once on the model,putty can be smoothed with a brush dipped in alcohol,and refined with fine sandpaper once dried.

PreparationAt the end of the job, only a few bits need to be paintedseparately. Each of these parts is fixed on a suitable baseto ease the painting process and to be handled safely(wood pieces, unused bases, Patafix…). Always wash the

The contents of the kit:always check for mis-sing parts. Smaller bitsshould be stored in pla-stic bags.

PREPARATION AND ASSEMBLING

When we buy a new model, thefirst thing we look forward to do isgrab the brushes and start pain-ting, almost forgetting about itspreparation and assemble. Thesetwo phases, on the contrary, needto be performed carefully: eventhe best paint job won’t hide burrsor imperfections. Let’s now seehow to prepare a model for pain-ting, giving it enough strength tobe safely handled and transported.

The first thing to do is to check for any missing parts, pla-cing all the bits in small bags. Flash lines can be elimina-ted with different files and a balsa cutter for particularlydelicate parts. The blade must work perpendicularly to thesurface. The parts should now be hand-polished with abrass brush, to eliminate even the smallest imperfection.

Files are crucial to elimi-nate flash lines. Usethem gently not to spoilthe model.

Files come in differentshapes: mouse-tail andsemi circular ones are

the most useful. Thetriangular one can be

used on edges.


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PREPARATION AND ASSEMBLINGThe blade should alwayswork perpendicularly tothe part.

A brass brush is excel-lent for polishing and

for getting rid of smallimperfections.

Patafix is a soft puttywhich provides withexcellent support forhandling the parts.

Glue excesses must becarefully removed befo-re they harden.

Mounting rods ensurethe model to its base.

The holes on the modeland on the base can be

performed with a drilland suitable drill bits.Pins can be fixed with

two-part glue.

Two-part glue can bepoured in the cavities

for a better hold.




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PREPARATION AND ASSEMBLINGThe model, partiallyassembled.

Patafix keeps togetherthe two halves of the

dragon while the two-part glue hardens.


As a fishing touch, usesandpaper to smooththe surfaces.

Assembled and plaste-red: this amazing horse

is ready to be primed.

Perfectly mixed two-partputty can be appliedwith home-made tools.This toothpick was dip-ped in alcohol to makeit non-sticky.

The flash line can besmoothed before theputty dries, using a

brush dipped in alcohol.




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When it comes to han-dle a part, anythingwhich may work as apedestal is welcome: inthis case, the handle ofa scalpel.

Protect the base while painting.



Saint George and theDragon, 54mm, sculptedby Adriano Laruccia.The model has alreadybeen primed.

When the assemble isfinished, only a fewparts need to be paintedindividually.

Two-part putty can beused to join the model

to its base.




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Metal parts will not beprimed and they will bemasked with Patafix.

To avoid paint drips,always begin to spraybefore the silhouette of

the model, and finishafter it.



parts before coating them with the base colour. An oldtoothbrush will do.

PrimerA good layer of primer provides an excellent base forboth oils and acrylics. Sprays should always be used in awell ventilated area, placing the model inside a box. Italso important to start spraying before actually ‘being’ onthe model, and finish after it, to avoid drips. Those partswhich don’t have to be primed should be masked(Patafix works perfectly). Once the paint dries, use pliersto remove the mask. One of the best primers is producedby Tamiya (the dark grey one).

A few passages withTamiya matt grey primerare enough to make the model ready forpainting.




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FLESH

Human skin has a translucentfinishing and a great number ofshades, shadows and differenttones. We all perceive these cha-racteristics daily, our eyes arevery accustomed to them.

Undoubtedly, faces represent the most expressive featu-re of a figure. This is why we say that the face ‘giveslife’ to the figure; it is therefore crucial to paint it care-fully. The numerous shades of the skin blend into oneanother, making oils particularly suitable for the job;their translucent finishing largely contributes to a reali-stic result. On the other hand, the poor covering powerof oils can be a problem, especially when we are wor-king on a small area using many shades. What we cando is get the most out of each type of colour. Acrylicsprovide complementary characteristics compared to oils:they have an excellent covering power, and their mattfinishing provides a good base for oils. Thanks to theirwatery base, oil thinners don’t spoil them. For all thesereasons, the ideal choice is an oil finishing on an acrylicbase. Such base will have to be darker than the shadethat we actually have in mind.

Zenithal lightThe first thing to do when painting a face, is study howlights and shadows appear in the different parts of theface, observing the model under a clear light placeddirectly above it. The areas of maximum light are on theforehead, on the nose, on the cheekbones and on thechin. The cheeks and the sides of the nose will be inthe mid-light, while the arch of the eyebrows, the areasbelow the nose tip, below the upper lip and in the

lower part of the chin will be darker. Only after thisanalysis we can begin to paint. As an example, lightsand shadows were reproduced on a black and whiteface.

Oil coloursAfter a couple of layers with the acrylic base colour,(the colour palette with artist oils can be prepared) wecan prepare the oil colours on the palette as follows:from left to right ivory black, raw umber, burnt Sienna,Naples yellow deep, titanium white. Place some rosemadder genuine (red) and some violet in the middle ofthe palette. Add some colour for the eyes too.Colours can now be mixed, starting from left to right(from raw umber to titanium white), then from right toleft (from burnt Sienna to black), to keep the blackaway from the light part of the colour we are creating.Then mix part of the colour with the red and the violet,and enlighten the colour you chose for the eyes (in thiscase cobalt blue) with white. We now have the whole


The acrylic base colouris the result of the mixof reddish brown, lightochre brwn and white.Different quantities ofthese three hues offernumberless shades ofcolour.

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FLESH

range of colours needed for the face. Only a minimumquantity of oil colour must be applied on the face; usethinner (white spirit) to clean the brush at the end ofeach passage. Let’s now talk about the actual painting.




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It is always better tohave a base colour sli-ghtly darker than thecolour we are lookingfor. This will help the useof oil colours.

First we paint the eyes.The white of the sclerausually blends with the

red of the capillaries,resulting in flesh tone.

A dark trait delimits theshadows in the arch of

the eyebrows.

FLESH


The upper eyelid is painted using a mediumtone.

Draw the upper eyela-shes with a very dark

trait.

For intense and centredeyes, eyelashes must bevertically aligned withthe edges of the mouth.A slightly decentred spo-tlight can make the eyeslivelier. This is a veryimportant phase, whichmust be performed care-fully.

Lower eyelids can nowbe outlined with a

mid-light tone.




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FLESHA ‘light-line’ along theeyelid will make theeyes look more tridi-mensional.

Once the eyes are finished, it’s time for

the nose: apply a mid-light tone on its

sides and fade it withmedium flesh.

An extremely lightshade of flesh is thenapplied the upper partof the nose and in theareas of maximum light.

Should the figure wearheadgear with visor,

shadows on its face willbe darker.

As far as the cheeks areconcerned, shadows arecharacterised by a morered shade, which spre-ads on 3/4 of thecheek, blending with thearea of maximum lightof the cheekbones.





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On the lower part theywill be finished with a

flesh tone (enriched withgrey), which emphasises

the shadows and givesthe idea of a straggling

beard.

The upper lip can nowbe outlined with a sha-

dow-line, using darkamaranth, while

flesh+grey will be usedfor the shadows of

upper and lower lipsand chin.

FLESH


These areas will be thenblended with those ofmaximum light, using avery light flesh tone,adding a minimumquantity of grey.




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FLESHAs far as ears are con-cerned, it is important toemphasise their volume,with obvious shadow-and-light lines.

The maximum shadowarea of the neck is

under the chin, andshould be blended with

the area of maximumlight just below the ears.

As a finishing touch,sweat can be simulatedwith little streaks ofgloss varnish (whereappropriate).

Hair are easy to repro-duce with acrylics, using

a medium tone first (inthis case brown),

Followed by a veil witha very dark tone whichhighlights locks.

Each tuft will be thenenlightened with a

bright tone.





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Finally, shadows areemphasised with a darker tone.

To reproduce veins, Ifirst draw them on thebody or on the hands,using a colour lighterthan the base.

Add some reddishbrown shadow-lines togive tridimensionality.

FLESH


Nails can be reproducedwith a pale shade on a

medium dark base.




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FLESHPrivate Light CompanyXXVIII Regiment of Foot,Waterloo 1815, 110mmsculpted by D. Grieve





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A face is strongly cha-racterised by a good

paint job. The verysame sculpture painted

in different ways,varying the balance bet-

ween shadows andlights and (on the

Indian) the tonality offlesh.

In case of a wide fore-head, a mid-shadow

area will be visible onthe temples, and a

maximum light area justover the eyebrows.

FLESH


THE TAMBURINEOn a young face con-trasts are more gentleand beard is not pre-sent. I added frecklesinstead.

THE SERGEANTA soft paint job, withgentle and neat tones

can suggest one’s tem-per, as in the case of

this Sergeant.




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FLESHWhen we are workingon a body, it would bebetter to sketch shadowsand lights from the veryfirst steps, since we areworking on a wider sur-face.





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Using artist oils, westart from the face, thenwe proceed from the top

to the bottom, workingfirst on the torso, then

on the limbs (one at thetime). While painting, it

is important to emphasi-se the volume of each

muscular mass, withmarked shadows and

lights, fading each pas-sage to obtain a gentleflesh tone. Veins, hair,sweat streaks will be

painted in the end.

FLESH





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FLESHVIII Century B.C.Warrior 54mm sculptedby A. Laruccia.





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DRAPING

The characteristics of acryliccolours (opacity, coveringpower), make them theideal choice for paintingtextures.

Arrows indicate the direction of strokes, which follow the sculpture’s shape. For the protagonist of this chapter, the base colour is amix of dark flesh (Andrea AC-10), matt yellow (Model Color Vallejo MC-953) and small quantities of dark brown (AC-17), Englishkhaki (AC-2) and white (MC-951).

THE BASEApply two or three layers of the base colour on the model, as far as they are covering eneugh. An important feature of acrylics, which should be bear in mind, is that lights can also be obtained overlapping the same colour, resul-ting in more gentle shades. The other factors that influence the shades are the amount of passages (the more, the better) and theveils.


Once the model is primed, it should be obser-ved under the light, to analyse the pattern ofthe draping and the creases.The starting point is the base colour. It isimportant to find the correct shade since thebeginning, a successful paint job dependsgreatly upon it. Colours should be placed onthe palette and diluted with distilled water.The brush should not be overcharged, to keep

control on the stroke. It would also be betterto prepare enough colour at once to accom-plish each phase, storing some extra basecolour. The mix can be kept for a few hourskeeping it refrigerated. The common degree ofdilution is rather fluid, but not too much.

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LIGHTSThe first passage consists in adding a drop of matt yellow to the base colour, beginning to emphasise the volumes which need to beenlightened.Then add some matt white on the palette and slightly enlighten the base colour. The new mix will be then used to emphasise thelights, decreasing at each passage the surface to enlighten. The base colour can be used to patch up a too marked shade.

DRAPING





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SHADOWSFor shadows, add some dark brown (AC-17) directly from the first passage. The mix should be more thinned than the one used forthe lights, for a softer shade. Add a pinch of dark brown for the second passage, and a pinch of black for the third. Passages varyaccording to the shade and according to the colour used.

DRAPING





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DRAPING


Lights are outlined with a very enlightened base colour.

OUTLINESThe shadows of seams, buttonholes and borderlines are outlined using a very dark brown hue.




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DRAPING


The last passage consists in a black veil on the jacket to soften the shade, resulting in a weathered effect.

Now apply a well diluited brown veil.




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DRAPING


REDThe trickiest part concer-ning red is that of kee-ping its brightnessthroughout the proces-ses of lights and sha-dows. Red tends to turnpink or brown whilepainting lights and sha-dows, respectively.

This problem can beovercome using orangefor maximum lights anda very dark red for sha-dows, adding somegreen to the base red(its complementarycolour) The base colour is madewith carmine red (MC-908) and Napoleonicgreen (AC-38), adding -in sequence- red MC-947, scarlet red (MC-817) and orange (AC-32) for lights.

For shadows add minimum quantities ofNapoleonic green (AC-38). Black is added onlyfor maximum shadows and outlines.




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TARTAN CLANSI love painting Scottish

subjects. Throughout theyears I have been deve-

loping a technique forthe right proportions of

tartan clans.

Basically it is a sort ofgrid, based on the 45-

degree diagonal. Beingdrawn in the squares, it

will be covered bypaint.

DRAPING





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DRAPING


We proceed drawing thehorizontal and verticallines with the basecolour, and realisinglights and shadows. Wethen paint the squareson the junctions, whichwill be painted with alighter green.




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Finally we add the thin-ner lines and the wea-thering effects with the

same procedure usedfor the jacket.

DRAPING





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DRAPING


Highland clansman,Jacobin Revolution 174554 mm sculpted by G. Russo




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WHITEThe secret for a realisticwhite draping is thebase colour. What youwill need is a ‘dirtywhite’ shade, which canresult cooler or warmeraccording to the needs.Warmer shades can beobtained adding brownor ochre, cool ones withblack and green. Thisparticular subject requi-res a mid-cool shade,obtained with white,khaki, green, carmineand black.All colours must beadded to white in smallquantities.

Lights can be obtainedadding some white tothe base. Pure white

should be used only inpoints of maximum

light.

For shadows, add smallquantities of khaki andblack, bearing in mindthat shadows bring themaximum tridimensionaleffect.

During the process, sha-dows and lights must be

coherently balanced,otherwise the model will

look grey.

DRAPING


Russian Guard HussarOfficer, 1799 modifiedsculpture by V. Konnov




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DRAPING


BLACKThe preparation of thebase colour must be car-ried very carefully alsoin case of a black dra-ping.We need a very darkgrey, adding differentshades of brown (i.e.dark brown AC-17 andEnglish uniform AC-2) toblack (MC-950).

To enlighten this mixtu-re, we first add mini-

mum quantities of darkflesh (AC-10), then lightflesh (AC-9). Add white

for maximum lights.

Shadows are paintedadding increasing quan-tities of black to thebase, using pure blackfor maximum shadows.




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WHITE METALThe first step to realise aconvincing armour on ametal figure is to polishits surface, using a brassbristle brush. Do not usethe drill, since it couldblacken the surfaces.The same applies foryellow metals.

Varying the degree ofbrightness you alreadyadd trimensionality to

the figure.

METALS

It is often a good idea to reprodu-ce metal parts, especiallyarmours, using the soldier’s metalitself. Attention and a few easy

techniques are enough to achieveastonishing results.

Then apply a washing,using ivory black (orCassel earth), makingsure that the hue settlesparticularly where sha-dows will be.

Once the oil is dry,apply one or two dry-

brushes with TamiyaSmoke X-19.

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METALS

Sigismondo PandolfoMalatesta Master ofRimini 1417-68 54mmsculpted by A. Iotti


Next, intensify the sha-dows and outline thedifferent parts of thearmour, using less dilu-ted oil.

Finally, enhance lightsand rivets, using silver

enamel by ModelMaster. Use it pure for

small details, taking thehue from the bottom ofthe tin, without shaking

it. Dilute it for wider sur-faces.




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METALS


YELLOW METALAfter polishing the figu-re (as described above),apply Tamiya ClearYellow X-24.

As paint is perfectly dry,apply a wash with burnt

umber and black.Again, wait for paint tobe perfectly dry before

proceeding.

Metallic typographic inkis a special ink used by

printers; it is ratherdense and can be mixed

both with enamels andartist oils, providing

excellent lights on metalparts.

Use the same colours tointensify the shadows,and outline the parts ofthe armour. Finally, formaximum lights, use aModel Master gold ena-mel mixed with typogra-phic ink. This mix makes thetypographic ink rub-resistant providingbrightness.




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English knight XV Cent.54mm sculpted by Y.Serebriakov

METALS





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METALS


HAUBERKAfter the white metalhas been polished witha brass brush,it receives a washingwith ivory black andburnt amber, for arather dark shade,then a washing withsmoke; once dried, sha-dows are intensifiedwith almost pure oils.

Finally, a light drybrushwith chrome silver

makes the lights bri-ghter; burnt Sienna will

then simulate rust.Norman knight, 54mm

sculpted by G. La Rocca




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METALSBRONZEAs far as bronze is con-cerned, a veil with clearorange is enough; thenproceed as with whitemetals.Apulean Warrior 54mmsculpted by M. Bruno

METAL ON RESINFor metal parts on resin,

the starting point is aVallejo black undercoat.

Then apply an acrylicblack/silver layer withMaimeri and enlighten

adding more silver. Thenapply a layer with

smoke and proceed aswith white metal, using

oils for shadows andoutlines and enamels for

maximum lights.Croatian Hussar, 54mm

sculpted by M.Numitone

COPPERFor copper, apply a veilusing clear red andclear orange, then pro-ceed as describedabove.Medioeval child, 54mmsculpted by G. La Rocca.





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After shading the clothing, in this case using red, we prepare a base using acrylic gold Maimeri 148 and brown (AC-17), and applythis mix where appropriate.


CHEVRONS

When it comes to gold andsilver chevrons, what we arelooking for is the effect of ametal texture: the hueshouldn’t then be neither asglossy as metal, nor as mattas any ordinary fabric. Thecorrect effect can be achie-ved starting from acrylic

metal colours, finishingwith non-metallic artist oils.In this particular case, weare dealing with chevrons,epaulettes and braids.

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CHEVRONS


Then outline the borders of the chevronsusing the lighter colours on the palette

Shadows are realised following the dra-ping, adding more brown to the underco-at colour.

Chevrons, epaulettes and braids receivean oil wash with burnt amber, whichemphasises the weave of the sculpture.

It’s time for oils: prepare a palette withburnt umber, gold ochre, Naples yellowand titanium white.




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The weave of the braidsis painted in small sec-tions.

Then draw a series ofdiagonal lines in the

inside of the chevrons,which simulate the

weave.

Then use a dark hue tooutline the different ele-ments, chevrons, thedivision lines etc.

CHEVRONS





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Officer of Red Lancer 1812, 54mm sculpted by M. Numitone

CHEVRONS





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CHEVRONS


The undercoat of the sil-ver chevron was appliedusing silver, a pinch ofblack and a pinch ofwhite (acrylics). As faras oils are concerned, Iused ivory black, cobaltblue, raw umber andtitanium white.Prussian Officer, HussarVI rgt. 1812. 54mmsculpted by M.Numitone

Officer of Red Lancers1811, 54mm sculptedby M. Numitone

Guard’s Grenadier1812, 90mm sculpted

by S. Borin




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CHEVRONS


Guard’s Grenadier 1806, 54mm sculpted by G. Azzarà




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HERALDRY LIONOnce found the suitabledrawing, we apply theundercoating on theshield, with lights andshadows. The drawingmust be perfectly cen-tred on the shield, cove-ring the whole of its sur-face.

I would advise to startfrom a simple drawing,easy to align, addingthe details one at thetime. Corrections areeasier using an enlighte-ned shade of the basecolour.


THE HERALDRY

The most important thing to bearin mind while painting a heraldry,is that every detail of it should beclearly visible once finished (claws,manes, tails). Geography and histo-ry must be coherent too, since the

symbols vary according to countries and centuries. Reliablehistorical references are thereforecrucial.

Once drawn, the heral-dry can be coloured,reproducing the lightsand shadows that hadbeen previously paintedon the shield.

The last passage is theweathering, which con-

sists in the application ofa dark brown veil on

the surface, along withscratches and the signs

of wear and tear.

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THE HERALDRY


HERALDRY EAGLEAfter painting the flag,it’s time for the drawing,starting from the sym-metric extremities of theeagle. Fill the drawingwith the base colour,add lights, shadows andthe weathering.




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THE HERALDRY


Bohemian knight XIV sec.75 mm sculpted by A. JulaThe same procedure applies for the heral-dry on the clothing.




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THE HERALDRY


Using the two lines as reference, draw each quarter making sure that each part is perfectly specular with the other. Then use theappropriate colour to draw the other elements. In this case I used white and yellow.

ROMAN SHIELDThe most important feature of a Roman shield is symmetry. The one we are about to consider has both a vertical and a horizontalsymmetry.

After the red undercoat (with both lights and shadows) and the metal umbo, we use a lighter shade of red to drawn the silhouette ofthe pattern, starting from a vertical line and a horizontal one. They can be easily traced using the rivets and the umbo as ‘referencemarks’.




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THE HERALDRY


The dark shade will be enlightened, following lights and shadows of the base.It is now time to outline everything oncemore, using a dark red.

As a final touch, a coat of matt paint and the weathering

(cuts, scratches, dust and mud).

Roman Legionary I century 54mm sculpted by A. Laruccia.




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THE HERALDRY

LILIES The best way to paint lilies, is begin from an upside-down cross,adding the other details one by one. Constantly keep control onhorizontal, vertical and diagonal alignment of each element.

FLAGSFlags are usually painted in the same way as heraldries. Alwayscheck for the right proportions.

CRUCIFORMAgain, start from a vertical line and a horizontal one.58 PAINTING MINIATURES




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NATURAL MATERIALS

Uniforms often had fur-patches.Among these, one of the most fre-quent were leopard ones. As usual, a good starting point is aexhaustive series of pictures ofthe animal’s mantle, to study theactual tone and the pattern of thespots. Then prepare the followingartist oils on the palette: Casselearth, gold ochre, Naples yellow,

LEOPARD SKINPhase one consists in theapplication of an acrylicundercoat, similar to thetarget colour. In thiscase, the base is: wood(AC-41), dark flesh (AC-10), white (MC-951),black (MC-950).

titanium white, and some burntSienna in the centre. As withfaces, the nuance is created fromthe darker colour to the lighter.

The next step is thenuance of the mantle’sundercoat with artistoils, painting also thetone variations on thefur (the animal’s belly islighter than its back),besides the usual lightsand shadows.

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Now add the blackspots, bigger on theback, smaller towardsthe belly.


NATURAL MATERIALS




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NATURAL MATERIALS


As a final touch, paintthe centres of the bigger

black spots, with abrownish-red hue, using

burnt Sienna.




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NATURAL MATERIALS





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NATURAL MATERIALS


FURTo reproduce a fur, the base is an acrylic undercoat, close to tar-get colour. In this case, the base is dark brown (AC-17) and black (MC-950).

Add a black veil, to emphasise the texture of the sculpture. Thenenlighten the base colour adding some leather brown first (AC-42) followed by dark flesh (AC-10). Working with the tip of the

brush, each tuft of hair will be highlighted.

As a finishing touch, a last oil veil with ivory black and burntumber softens and blends contrasts.




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NATURAL MATERIALS


NATURAL LEATHERAlso natural leather was largely used in uniforms. Excellent results can be achievedusing oils on an acrylic base, to get the most from the saturation of oils.

The starting point is an acrylic base, made from dark flesh (AC-10) and English uniform(AC-2). Then prepare the palette with: Cassel earth, burnt umber, raw umber, Naplesyellow, titanium white.

Now place the dark colour in the shadows, light colour in the lights, blending themalong the borderline. Always bear in mind that weather conditions affect the appearan-ce of leather, resulting in contrasting tones, from darker shades to lighter ones. Finally,add seams or cuts.

In case of black leather, the correct colour sequence is: ivory black, raw umber, Naplesyellow deep and titanium white. As a finishing touch, soles and visible inner parts can

be painted using clear leather.




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NATURAL MATERIALS


WOODFor a good representation of wood, we need to get the most out of the transparency of oils and the brush strokes. After applying anacrylic base with dark flesh (AC-10), we prepare the colour palette, with artist oils: Cassel earth, burnt umber, burnt Sienna, rawSienna, Naples yellow.Starting with the darker hues, I begin painting the wood, applying the strokes always in the same direction, to simulate the grain.The colour must be almost undiluted.Then I highlight some of the grains with dark lines over lighter ones, simulating also cracks and knots. A good weathering completesthe process.




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NATURAL MATERIALS


LEATHERFor coloured leather, the beginning is always an acrylic baseshaded with artist oils. In this case ivory black, burnt umber,carminium red, dark cadmium red, Naples yellow and titaniumwhite.

These examples show how to reproducedifferent furs: also in this cases, the first

step is the study of the pictures of realanimals.




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First of all, decide the exact position of the figure on the base, i.e. the focus ofthe scene. A slightly tilted figure provides movement to the whole.

Use a marker, to determine where the holes will be performed; once you madethe holes, temporarily plug them with a toothpick, to keep them free frompaints or whatever you will need to complete the base. For the same reason,mask the wood-base too with masking tape.

THE SETTING

Settings represent the naturalcomplement for the figures.Either in case of a simple base ora proper diorama, they contributegreatly to the contextualisation ofthe model and tell its story. Inthis chapter we will analyse someof the basic techniques, useful toreproduce thousands of settings.If we want to represent a fight,we can stress the idea with amuddy ground. In the same way,a marble floor provides the idealsetting for an officer in dress uni-form. A historic research usuallyprovides with enough informa-tion to reproduce a coherent set-ting.

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THE SETTINGThe next step is to fillthe empty areas on thebase, according to thebalance of the massesand to the context weare reproducing. In thiscase I chose a tree trunkand some stone ruins.


As soon as everything isready, we reproduce theground, using two-partputty, blending each ele-ment to the scene andreproducing the roots ofthe tree trunk. I use too-thpicks, balsa-cuttersand brushes dipped inalcohol to smooth thesurfaces.

The figure represents anEnglish officer, in servicein India. The exoticplants, made with leadand metal wire suggestthe idea of the location.




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THE SETTING


Smaller details will beadded before the puttydries (tin-made plants,grass…). An excellent

way to reproduce grassis using little posidonia

balls, which can be easi-ly found on the shore

after a sea storm, espe-cially in autumn and

winter.

Small twigs can bereproduced with roots.

With an old teaspoonand vinyl glue cover the

base with some sieveddry soil.




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All the different ele-ments can be paintedwith enamels and artistoils.

THE SETTING


The figure will be gluedto its base and blendedwith it with some tou-ches of paint or pasteldust.




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Probyn's Horse, Indian Mutiny 1857, 54mm sculpted by M. Numitone

THE SETTING





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THE SETTINGTHE FLOOR AND THE CARPETLet’s take a look at thebase of an elegant RedLancers officer.

The first step for repro-ducing a clear marble isthe base colour: white(MC-951), dark flesh(AC-10), Napoleonicgreen (AC-38), carmi-nium red (MC-908).


After applying a coupleof layers with the basecolour, the surface willbe plugged with a smallsponge dipped in white+ base colour.

The next step is perfor-med with a #2 brushand a very diluted mixof the base colour +wood (AC-41). Darkveins are painted ran-domly, in contrast withthe lighter ones. Theveins shouldn’t cover thecolours underneath.

Then draw thin veins,beginning with the dark

ones.




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THE SETTINGNow reproduce somelight veins.

A white veil will thenblend everything

Outline the silhoulette ofeach square.

The base for red marbleis made with carminiumred (MC-908), Prussian

blue (AC-22), lightbrown (MC929). Thisbase will be applied

well diluted, to providetransparency and deep-

ness.

Then enlighten the basecolour with variousveils, adding white andcarminium red.

Smaller veins can bedrawn adding somePrussian blue to the

base.




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Once dried, apply acouple of layers of glossacrylic varnish (Maimeri667).

As far as the carpet isconcerned, we first need

to find a good picture,then begin from the

dominant colour, in thiscase red.

THE SETTING


Then draw the pattern,starting from the darktones. The colours arethose used to paint themarble.

The shades used for thecarpet are similar tothose of the red marble.




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THE SETTING


Marbles and decorated floors provide a great impact to a setting: the right technique and the correct work-procedures will make themeasy to reproduce. The colours of both the marble and the carpet reflect those of the officer, and blend the figure with the setting.




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STONE WALLRocks or stone walls (as in this case) are realised with a greybase, composed ofblack and white withdifferent shades ofbrown and green.

Try to differentiate the base colour of each

element.

THE SETTING


Then apply a pure-blackwash to highlight therelieves.

Add either white or lightflesh (AC-9) to the greybase and drybrush this

mix for a first down-shading.

This mix is then furtherenlightened and usedwith a thin brush tohighlight cracks.Once the colour is dried,use artist oils to blendand give depth to thewhole. The colours usedare ivory black and rawumber.




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THE SETTING


WATERTo reproduce water on acorner of the base, wecan use a little mould,put in place with vinylicglue. In the end it willbe hidden by the resin.A little hint: whateverwill be covered withwater should be paintedwith acrylics, since resintends to melt enamelsand artist oils. Cracksbetween the mould andthe ground can be filledwith vinylic glue; oncedried, the resin can bepoured. It would be bet-ter to use three syringes:two for the componentsof two-part resin, thethird to pour the mix onthe base. Ripples can bereproduced using a too-thpick to shape the resinsoon before it sets.Prochima provides anexcellent transparentresin.

Norman knight 1066,54mm sculpted by G. La Rocca




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SNOWThe starting point for asnowy ground is a com-pletely painted setting.

A pure white drybrushprovides with a first

snowfall effect.

THE SETTING


This compound is thenadded to the base.

A sheet of ice can besimulated with a mould

(similar to the one weused for water), adding

a few drops of acrylicwhite to the resin.

For a consistent snowmass mix the micro-spheres, the resin andthe water.




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THE SETTING


As the resin sets, applyglossy varnish wherefresh snow will bereproduced, droppingsome micro-spheres witha teaspoon.




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PAINTING A BAY HORSE

Painting a horse is not an easytask. Let’s see how to achieve excel-lent results with the right techni-ques (and patience).First of all make sure to have somepictures of a real animal. We won’tneed to struggle too much withlights and shadows, since the man-tle of a horse reflects light regar-dless to it incidence.A careful look will reveal that thespot where the maximum lightshould be, is that where the mantlehas the darkest shade, and thebelly, which should be in the sha-dow, is often clearer. This said, thebest painting approach is thebalance between shadows andlights, and the study of the diffe-rent shades. In this particular case,

First of all prepare agood acrylic base, usingdark brown (AC-17) anda pinch of black (AC-26).


we will deal with a pretty commonmantle: the dark brown one.The colours we need are: ivoryblack, burnt umber, Naples yellow,titanium white; mix the hues withthe usual technique, obtaining acolour range from black to lightbrown. Some ochre will be usedfor the hoofs.

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Draft the chiaroscuroswith acrylics, adding tothe base first some lea-ther brown (AC-42) first

and then some darkflesh (AC-10) for light

areas. Finally add someblack for darker areas.

Still with acrylics, addthe facial markings and

the socks (they areusually either one or

three). Here I used white(MC-51), black (MC-50),English uniform (AC-2).

To accomplish thisphase, apply the baseon the hoofs. The leg

with the sock has a lighthoof (light flesh), the

one without, a darkerone (English uniform).




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Another trick, is repre-sented by the little nails,positioned just over theknee on the front legs,and below the fetlock onthe back ones.

Once the acrylic base isdried, we can begin

with artist oils, startingfrom the eyes. Bear in

mind that horses areherbivorous; therefore

their eyes are not frontalas in predators. The

area around the eyesusually has little darkerpigmentation. The eye-ball is reproduced witha dark red/brown hue.

A small white dot willsuggest the glint.



The painting technique isthe one already descri-bed, applying the darkcolours on the shadesand lighter ones on thelights, fading the bor-derline according to thevolume of the first draft.

As far as painting orderis concerned, I would

suggest to split the horsein areas and start from

head and neck.




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PAINTING A BAY HORSEThen paint the front legsfrom bottom to top, thechest, the shoulder. Nowpaint the hoofs, withstreaks ranging fromochre to dark brown.

Paint the back legsfrom bottom to top, the

rump and the belly.

For white parts (facemarkings, socks) I usedivory black, raw umber

and titanium white.

Adding veins on the legsand on the belly willprovide a realistic touch.These can be paintedwith clear light underli-ned with a darker onewhich mimics the relief.




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After having painted the horse, cover its eyeswith some glossy varnish.

Finally, the tail and themane. In case of a bayhorse, they’re bothblack. The procedure isthat described for furs.



Horseshoes are paintedwith a thin line, usingdark metallic steel.




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Le Soleil de Austerlitz, 54mm, sculpted by M. Numitone




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ISABEL In case of a Isabel (blonde) horse, theacrylic base is a light brown (dark fleshAC-10 or wood AC-41). The sequenceon the palette (for oils) is ivory black,burnt umber, raw Sienna, Naples yel-low and titanium white.

Colonel Morio, Prince’s Jerome A.C.1807, 54 mm, sculpted by B. Leibovitz

WHITEThe technique for a white horse is an acrylicchiaroscuro draft, starting from the mix ofEnglish uniform (AC-2), white (MC-951), a pinchof black (MC-950), gradually enlightened withwhite. Finally, the horse is re-painted with oils,using titanium white, raw umber and ivoryblack.

Officer 72nd Highlander Indian Mutiny 1857,54mm, sculpted by M. Numitone

DARK BAYThis bay horse received some details in the back:

the hair in some areas of the back quarters isoriented in a different way,

as in a sort of dappling.

Etienne M.A. Champion Earl of Nansouty, 54mmsculpted by Atelier Pegaso




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As far as pied horses are concerned, carefully study the picture of the real specimen. The technique is halfway between the one for abay horse and that for a white one. 54mm sculpted by M. Numitone

In this case the acrylic base is leather brown (AC-42), black (MC-950). The colour palette is the same as the one for the bay horse,with an emphasis on light and reddish tones. 54mm sculpted by M. Numitone




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WEATHERING

Thanks to the weathering we canadd further elements to the storytold by our model.The presence, degree and type ofweathering help us to set ourfigure in a given context.Therefore, the degree of weathe-ring will vary according to thesetting. Furthermore, a good wea-thering blends the figure to itsenvironment.

This example (set in India) represents a gunner wearing a white colonial uni-form in a hot and dusty environment. Weathering is present with two features:gun powder and the powder from the ground. Moreover, being set in a trench,the figure is covered with dust and dirt. The face and the hands are the firstelements that need to be characterised, using the base colour mixed with black,insisting on the lower part of the face, on the back of the hand and on the fin-gers.

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WEATHERING


The hot climate can besuggested adding sweatto the figure. This can bedone with gloss varnishstreaks on the temples.

After the figure is pain-ted, prepare a well dilu-

ted acrylic mix withblack, wood, dark flesh.




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WEATHERING


This mix will be used to reproduce stains

on the uniforms with different veils.




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Another way to realisea worn uniform duringa campaign is that ofsimulating wear andtear on the accoutre-ments. Here I addedsome scratches on thecartridge box.

Once the figure is gluedto its base, you canbrush some charcoaldust (not graphite) to thelower parts.

WEATHERING





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WEATHERING


English gunner 1857 Indian Mutiny 54mm sculpted by M. Numitone




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WEATHERING


For muddy trousers, the staring point is a series of veils realised with a dark earth acrylic hue on the lower parts. Then, using a lessdiluted colour (enlightened with flesh), we reproduce the dry mud. Fresh mud can be represented using various shades of artist oils.




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COMPLEX FIGURES

After analysing how to reproduceall the elements of a figure in theprevious chapters, we will nowfocus on a complex subject. For the occasion we will analyse

The figure was sculptedby Mariano Numitoneand is part of a diora-ma called “Le Soleil deAusterlitz”.

an officer of II Hussar Rgt, whocaptured an Austrian flag.

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A COMPLEX FIGURE

The first thing to do isresolve the figure into itscomponents, each ofwhich should be tempo-rarily fixed on a baseand individually dealtwith. In this case, thehorse and the flag.

THE HORSEI begin with the horse,which has a streakedmantle, which coloursshade from dark grey towhite. I first apply amedium grey coat usingwhite (MC-951), Englishuniform (AC-2), black(MC-950).





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A COMPLEX FIGURE


It will take two or threelight passages for agood undercoating. Thesame colours will thenbe darkened andapplied as fluid aswater. The hue shouldbe spread using a bigflat brush, insisting onthe lower parts. Thebrush shouldn’t be over-charged with colour, toobtain a series of smalldots of the right size.

Using the same colour,this time with a sponge,

plug gently and definesome darker areas.

In the same way -brushing and plugging-

apply the light tones.




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To complete the ‘draft’phase, soften some ofthe passages with anacrylic veil and addsome details, such thehoofs and the veins.

It is now time to use theartist oils: ivory black,

raw umber and titaniumwhite, and a pinch of

raw Sienna for the bellyand the low part of the

throat. At this stage,also the veins and the

leopard skin are takencare of.

A COMPLEX FIGURE


The blue coatings ofboth the saddle-cloth

and the uniform wererealised at the same

time, differentiating theirshades with suitableveils. I used Prussian

blue (AC-22),Mediterranean blue (AC-35), deep blue (APA-10),

white (MC-951) andblack (MC-950). Addmore white for lights

and Prussian blue andblack for shadows.




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A COMPLEX FIGURE


The veils to differentiatethe tones were realised

with black and darkbrown (AC-17) for thesaddle cloth and black

and carminium red(Polycolor 166) for the

uniform.

For the acrylic base, Iused silver (Polycolor

003) and black, finishedand enlightened with

artist oils, mixing ivoryblack and titanium whiteto obtain different tones

of silvery grey.

Finally reproduce thered/silver braids on the

saddle-cloth.




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uriga PublishingThe pelisse is painted with the following base: wood (AC-41), dark brown (AC-17), English uniform (AC-2), black (MC-950). Add

wood and dark flesh (AC-10) and white (MC-820) for lights, black for the shadows. For the other details (bandoleer, braids) I, again,used oils on acrylics. The bandoleer was painted with carminium red and black on a carminium red base (MC-908).

THE HUSSARAs far as the hussar is concerned, I began from its face, applying oil on an acrylic base; then I worked on the headdress, reprodu-cing all its details. For the silver ornaments I adopted the same technique as for the braids.

A COMPLEX FIGURE





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A COMPLEX FIGURE


THE FLAGThe base colour is matt yellow (MC-953), medium brown (AC-16), enlightened with white and darkened with dark brown and black.Once the base dries, paint the heraldry.




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A COMPLEX FIGURENow glue the hussar onits horse using two-partglue and the flag to theknight with cyanoacry-late. Then retouch theflagpole and the sabre-tache.





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A COMPLEX FIGURE


Le Soleil de Austerlitz 54mm sculpted by M. Numitone.




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GALLERY

106 a 125 gallery UK OK 7-08-2007 12:49 Pagina 105



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GALLERY


Staff Sergeant Leib Battallion Duke of Brunswick 1815 54mm, sculpted by. M. Bruno.




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GALLERY


Black Watch a Quatre Bras 1815 54mm, sculpted by M. Numitone.Gold medal Master Open Saint Vincent, Best of Show Athens 2004.




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GALLERY


Templar knight with Baucant 1230 54mm, sculpted by A. Jula.

Mathieu II Master of Marly, 1248 54mm, sculpted by A. Jula. Gold, World Nation Trophy 2007

Accurate historic researches and chromaticchanges are often sufficient to performcoherent modifications to a model.




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GALLERY


Hidatsa Warrior 75mm, sculpted by B. Cauchies.The flesh of this figure was reproduced with ivory black, burnt

umber, burnt Sienna, Naples yellow, and titanium white, using rosemadder and violet to ‘warm’ the cheeks and cool the shadows.

Best of Show Catania 2006.

“Le Soleil d’Austerlitz” 54mm sculpted by M. Numitone.Best Of Show Leon Rampante 2006.




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GALLERY


Greek Commandander 54mm, sculpted by M. Bruno.The red tone makes the figure ‘dramatic’,especially if it is used for almost everyelement, such in this case. Gorgon’s headwas first drawn with the brush, using avery light shade of pink, then draftedwith acrylics and finished with artist oils.

Drum XV Regt. Grenadier Company,1776-78 100mm,

sculpted by D. Grieve.The yellow of this tambourine was

obtained from matt yellow (MC-953),dark brown (AC-17), khaki (AC-2),

enlightened with matt yellow and white, darkened with dark brown and black.




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GALLERY


English Infantry Officer Indian Mutiny 1857, 54mm, sculpted by M. Numitone.Gold Medal Leon Rampante 2006.




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GALLERY


Dutch Militia Waterloo 1815, 54mm, sculpted by M. Numitone.The base colour of the flag of this scene was painted with acrylics, while for the ornaments I used oils;

the result is a contrast between the matt base and the glazed drawings.Best of Show Calenzano 2003.




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“Opolchenie” 54mm, sculpted by G. Azzarà.This scene was painted with oils on an acrylic base, while the damasking of the flag (acrylic) was realised with a hue lighter than the base.Gold Euromilitaire 2001, gold W.E. Rome 2002.




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IX Lancers Officer Indian Mutiny 1857, 54mm, sculpted by M. Numitone.In this case, given the white uniform, the choice of the white mantle for the horse gave harmony to the whole scene.

The different shades of white averted the risk of a monotone scene, playing upon warm and cool tones.Best of Show Calenzano 2005, gold Master paint W.E. Boston 2005, gold Leone Rampante 2006.




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Trumpeter II Regt. Major Guard’s lancers1811-13, 75mm, sculpted by M. Bruno.Gold medal Euromilitaire 2006

Tutmosis III 1482 b.C. 90mm sculpted by A. Laruccia.

When it comes to ethnic figures, it isalways advisable to gather information on

the tones of the flesh, looking at originalpictures. This pharaoh’s olive-skin was rea-

lised with ivory black, raw umber, rawsienna, Naples yellow and titanium white.Small quantities of burnt Sienna was used

to warm the cheeks.




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GALLERY

Cornet III Prussian Battallion Artillery, 1815, 54mm, sculpted by M. Numitone. Gold medal “Le Jamais Vues” Saint Vincent 2004.

Black Prince, 54 mm, sculpted by S. Sartorello.In complex heraldries it is always important to check the symmetries and the proportions of the drawings. The starting point is a sim-plified draft, using a very light shade of blue and red. Each element was retouched with acrylics (gold and dark brown). Figures were

finally detailed with artist oils (ochre yellow and white).





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Hannibal army Commander, 75mm, sculpted by M. Bruno.

“Puss in Boots” 54mm, sculpted by A. Leveque.The ornaments on the wall were painted with acrylics usingthe technique of watercolours. The painting was naturallyreproduced with oils on an acrylic base.Gold medal cat Fantasy Saint Vincent 2005.




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GALLERY


“Saint George” 54mm, sculpted by Adriano Laruccia.In this case, I used only two opposite colours,

to underline the struggle between good and evil.




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GALLERY


Samurai Woman, 54mmsculpted by V. Konnov

Chinese Warrior, Han dinasty54mmsculpted by A. Jula




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GALLERY


Joachim Marseille, 54mm, sculpted by M. Good

Carlo D’Angiò’s Ensign Holder, 75mm, sculpted by M. Bruno

Gregory “Pappy” Boyngton, 54mm sculpted by M. Good




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GALLERYHoplite from the Locride region 54mm, sculpted by M. Bruno.Using warm-only shades, I made this figure veryelegant; the weave of the fringes and of theshoulder plates is not carved but painted, relieves were simulated with chiaroscuros.




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GALLERY“Too Late” 54mm, sculpted by M. Numitone.

When we are working on a multi-figure scene, it is important to take in consideration the interaction between the colours of the various elements. In this case, complementary colours, a touch of red on each element

and the weathering effects harmonised the whole scene.Best of Show, World Expo, Boston 2005.




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127 pegaso 8-08-2007 17:57 Pagina 1

http://www.pegasomodels.com/home_en.asp



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The famous modeller Danilo Cartaccidescribes how to paint historic figures

in an easy and effective way. Topicsare divided in chapters, starting fromthe materials to the creation of com-plex figures, which require differenttechniques. This volume represents a

milestone for historic figures pain-ters, and is rich hints and tips,

addressing both to the experiencedmodeller and to the beginner.

Painting rosy complexions, badges,textures, armours, flags and bases will

be much easier after reading thisbook.

ISBN 978-88-88711-40-9

http://www.aurigapublishing.it/libri_elenco.asp?collana=Historical%20figurer%20english

http://www.aurigapublishing.it/libri_elenco.asp?collana=Historical%20figurer%20english