Hi,
This about figure painting with OILS.
I was told to paint the areas to be oil painted in a colour similar or same to the midtone, good OLD humbrol being the choice of my tutor. Self levelling, keyed to the surface, second pass of the brush didnt try and lift the first pass and see one forever overpainting what had just been painted to try and get an even coat. Old humbrol looked as if it had been sprayed on. Then they went to China and also took on board H&S rules inc no lead, never was the same, some of it is like coloured treacle, try getting a one coat coverage of an even colour, not nowadays, in fact the tinlets vary, had one that wasnt too bad and another same label terrible stuff. However what paint will lay down with no brush strokes and give a perfectly even colour coat ? Just what are figure modellers who are preferring oils using now for that base coat ? Just what paint will adhere to a plastic or white metal or resin figure as that all important toothy base colour, be it flesh for face and hands or brown for a flying jacket or blue grey for tunic trousers RAF etc.

DBenz

Once the figure has been primed it's possible - in fact astonishingly easy with a bit of practice - to paint oils with one coat.
It's the old trick of making the paint do the work and balancing the consistency. So called 'self -levelling' is achieved by this
consistency, and to help with this I mix the colour with a touch of Spike Lavendar Oil (painters have been using this stuff
for that very purpose since the time of Raphael). As you can probably gather I prefer not to underpaint or overpaint - but
many do, albeit as a solid second layer or a transparent glaze. There's no definitive answer to this - it's just a question of
personal preference.

Mike

I, too, have encountered the unreliability of Humbrol enamels. Generally, I use Gunze Sangyo white primer Mr Primer 1000 or Grey primer 1200 (which gives finer particles). Sometimes I further undercoat with reliable tinlets where available before moving on to oils.

Rgds Victor

I’ve heard vallejo are good for this i hope to try them soon

FWIW - Shep Paine used Pelican Plaka, after priming, for its tooth and ability to absorb oil.

I used different brand acrylics to “set the texture” for the oils. Liquitex jar acrylics for flesh and leather. Jo Sonja for cloth and Pelican Plaka for heavy wool, rawhide, etc.

What do you use to thin it, Jason? I use Tamiya acrylics, along with other brands, and I hand-brushed them long before I started using my airbrush. I found them difficult to use, till I started using the airbrush, and started thinning them. Through trial and error, I settled on using Tamiya's proprietary thinner with their products. Once I did that, I could lay down a coat by hand, as thin and smooth as if I had airbrushed it.

Prost!
Brad

To the main question, I use Tamiya's fine surface primer, and it gives enough tooth for any color coats to adhere well.

Prost!
Brad

I use Tamiya fine surface primer spray and then brush undercoat using vallejo mixed in a close colour to the oil top coat, however vallejo can be touch and go on drying totally matt in order to give the required key for holding the oils so I have been mixing Tamiya X-21 matting agent to achieve this, brushing on vallejo in several thin coats seems to give a blotchy finish but this can help when painting oils on top as it adds shade variation the the colour before you start to apply and blend the shadows and highlights. I am still experimenting with each subject that I paint taking tips and advice from PF members and intend to try Jo Sonja's acrylic as I am told that they dry completely Matt.
Happy painting
TERRY

Bit the bullet and bought some Jo Sonja £3.99 per 75ml tube from UK stockist + postage, haven't tried them yet but look at the size of the tube for the price.
TERRY

Lot of paint for the price .....should last about thirty years or so