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WIP Critique Some fun with acrylics

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Eludia, Mar 25, 2016.

  1. Eludia A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hey again folks,

    I thought, as I have spent a small fortune on various brands of acrylics over he last few years, I might as well learn to use them properly. So here goes. Advice from acrylics gurus will be warmly welcomed.

    The practice piece is a fun little resin number that I've used previously for experiments with watercolour and gouache. I stripped him back and reprimed him earlier today using Alclad primers in black, grey and white. Black to start with then grey from about 60 degrees then white from above.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg

    My paints of choice are all Jo Sonja colours which I've decanted into Vallejo bottles for convenience. For thinning I'm using Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner which works remarkably well as a thinner (and cleaner) with the JS paints. I've had issues in the past using JS paints, mainly with getting smooth coverage but the Vallejo cleaner seems to work as a thinner, retarder and flow improver all in one. I also made myself a wet palette, a couple actually but I'm only using one for now.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg

    So I'm all set up and ready to go, wish me luck :)

    image.jpeg

    Comments, critique and advice are most welcome.
    napoleonpeart and Huw63 like this.
  2. Range Rat Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Good luck(y)
    Eludia and John Bowery like this.
  3. Range Rat Active Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Good luck(y)
    John Bowery likes this.
  4. John Bowery A Fixture

    Country:
    United-States
    I guess that's double good luck?
    Cheers
    John
    Eludia likes this.
  5. Huw63 A Fixture

    Have fun. I'm learning about acrylics at present so I will watch with interest.

    Cheers

    Huw
    Eludia likes this.
  6. Nap Moderator

    Country:
    England
    Following with interest especially as you are using JS thinned ...what was your ratio of paint to thinner ?

    Have fun

    Nap
    Eludia likes this.
  7. Eludia A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Cheers guys (y)

    Kev, I haven't pre-thinned the paints before putting them in the vallejo bottles, it's just paint straight from the tube. The Vallejo bottles are just easier to store and organise than a poly bag full of paint tubes.

    I have 2 jars filled with thinner on my bench, one for thinning and one for cleaning and I just dip into each one as appropriate. For thinning I just dip my brush into the thinner and mix it into the blob of paint until the consistency looks and feels about right depending on what I'm doing (watery for glazes, a little heavier for painting undercoats etc., unthinned for drybrushing). To clean I just dip my brush into the cleaner and then touch the point onto a tissue and let capillary action do the work, 4 or 5 dips is usually enough to clear the paint out and the jar of cleaner stays nice and clean. Occasionally you get the odd drop of paint that finds its way into the cleaner, especially if your paint is thin, so that's why I use 2 jars. This is the method I'm used to working with oils and you know what they say about things that ain't broke ;)
    Scotty, napoleonpeart and Huw63 like this.
  8. Jazz A Fixture

    Country:
    England
    Good tips.
    Eludia and napoleonpeart like this.
  9. Eludia A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Lol, I'm supposed to be the biff here Jazz, getting tips from you guys ;)
  10. Eludia A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Undercoating done. I'm beginning to like this preshading method, a couple of years ago I'd be happy to consider this almost done.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg

    From a bit further back, I think you can see the benefit of the preshading a bit better.

    image.jpeg image.jpeg
    napoleonpeart likes this.
  11. Eludia A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    A little bit of shading and highlighting on the goblin. You can certainly make good progress with acrylics :)

    image.jpeg
  12. Pilgrim53 Active Member

    After years working with oils as my main stay I have begun a transition to Acrylics. Shall still use oils for some applications; horses and large scale faces. Early sessions showing promise, using Scale Color and Andrea paints.
    Good luck to all
    Eludia likes this.
  13. montythefirst Well-Known Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    where did you get the work holder from?
    balder and Eludia like this.
  14. Eludia A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hi Stephen, I use oils as my main medium too with acrylics for undercoating mainly. But I always like to try new things so, while this is an interesting sidetrack, I doubt I'll be giving up my oils any time soon. I don't think there's anything that can be done with acrylics that can't be done in oils (and usually easier and better). The exception probably being airbrushing, I'm sure you can airbrush oils (and they'll probably spray very well) but I'm not to keen on atomising a load of heavy metals and other nasty stuff and have them float about in my shed for hours. The other issue of course is drying time but, to be honest, I don't have an issue with that, I'm in no rush :)

    Good luck mate :)
  15. Eludia A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    It's from Bespoke Bases Simon, and I highly recommend it. It's the best work holder I've used yet (y)
    Forté likes this.
  16. chailey Active Member

    Country:
    England
    I was fascinated by your work holder as well, I'll continue to follow this post with interest!

    Steve
    Eludia likes this.
  17. Eludia A Fixture

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    There have been developments ;)

    Inspired by Valiant's recent thread about painting faces with gouache, I blew the dust off my small collection of gouache and watercolours to have a little mess about with them tonight while I was waiting for some oils to dry on something else. I'm really beginning to warm to these now, I love the simplicity and versatility of them and they work really well over an acrylic base. I tried out some flesh tones on the dwarf and goblin and also painted the arrow shafts and flights with watercolour washes over gouache. Most importantly, I had an enjoyable night painting in front of the telly and I'm planning on doing a bit more gouache experimentation in the morning (while Mrs E is still in bed).

    Anyhoo, enough waffle, here are some pics:

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg
    billyturnip and Huw63 like this.

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