THE FIGURINE PAINTING WORKSHOP

Preparing the figurine

The stands are not very large and do not hinder painting. A figurine can be painted when already glued to its stand; it is also possible to place it in a holder, for easy handling and to keep it perfectly steady during the painting process.
The mould seam is unavoidable and should be easy to remove. It shows mainly in the lower part of the figurine, for technical reasons to do with moulding. Be careful not to remove details of engraving along with the seam. A sharp cutter is recommended for this job. Afterward, it is a good idea to smooth down the cuts with fine sandpaper (400).

The undercoats

Apply an initial undercoat of white spray paint, so the colors applied later won't have to « fight » a darker, grey or black base.

You should spray several times, laying down a light film of paint with each layer. This white base makes it possible to :

* see more clearly the figurine's volumes, and think ahead to the full-color painted version;
* check that all seams have been removed. If some still show, this is the time to remove them!
* Define, according to the chosen light source (lateral, from above, ...), the highlights and shaded zones on the figurine.

Once the white base is applied, it is time to apply colored undercoats. With successive washes (acrylic paint diluted in water), the color becomes gradually more definite without gumming up the figurine's details. This coat must be plain, without highlights or shading. It will show you whether the colors of the different parts of the figurine go together well, and serve to define each faction's color scheme.

Painting

The skin

The base is matt flesh color, pale or tanned according to the character's open-air or indoor mode of activity. It is a good idea to apply a raw sienna wash to the skin, to define the different areas and to start shading more easily.
Shading is done with a succession of washes, made up of mixed Flesh tone and brown tints (burnt sienna, earth tones, ...) in gradually darker dilutions, to give the darkest zone an almost pure brown color. As the color darkens, paint smaller and smaller areas; this preserves and even increases the impression of volume. Red accents on areas with increased blood circulation give a good, lively effect (near the nostrils, the neck, between the fingers, ...).
Lighting is added by placing lighter, paler flesh-tone accents over the basic flesh color, with a final touch of ivory white (avoid both pure white and pure black) to highlight the zones exposed to light: the forehead, nose, cheekbones, chin, finger joints, as well as the side of the limbs receiving the most light, according to the figurine's position and the chosen lighting.
Clothing
The base depends on your chosen color. Gradual shading is provided by mixing the basic color with earth tones, increasing gradually the proportion of dark tone with each dilution.
Lighting is provided by mixing the basic color with Ivory, or a slightly darker tone to allow more subtlety in the gradation, even if the highlight is finished off with Ivory. Try not to produce figurines that are too slick and flashy: these characters are fighters who know how to walk unseen at need, and for whom it is vital to retain this ability...
Once the clothing is painted, you can unify the whole by applying a sand-colored or grey-green glaze. This gives the illusion of cloth somewhat worn by rubbing, by the sun and weather and the harsh conditions of the missions entrusted to the faction members. The colors of the various elements will also give a feeling of homogeneity.

Weapons

The basic color depends on the weapon's description. If the weapon is made out of polymer, it will be camouflage color or black. If it is made of steel, use a metallic color.
Shading is done with a dark-brown wash, gradually darkening to near black.
The lighting (once again, don't overdo it!) can lighten the rising angles, with a lighter shade for the non-metallic parts, and more-or-less dirty silver paint for the metallic parts.
Here too, it is good to finish with a a patina, a little rust or accumulated dust. A brown sienna tint mixed with black in variable proportions will be perfect.

The stand and the finishing touches
The small details are painted in at this point: paint the straps lighter or darker, the buttons, the buckles, various decorations, being careful not to go over the edges.
The stand can be used as is, but it can also be customized. Plastic strips, pieces of lead sheeting or resin filler can give texture to the stand's surface. The paint will also determine where the figurine is. Traces of various liquids can also add a certain something to the stand.