Hoy figureteers,

IT'S TARTAN TIME! Here's how I did it for the PiLiPiLi Highlander.

It was the first time I painted a tartan and it was NOT as daunting or difficult as it may appear.

Just sit back and read on. Comments and questions are welcome, of course.


A FEW FACTS ABOUT TARTANS

Tartans are basically a checkered cloth: coloured stripes of varying widths crossing one another at a 90° angle. The design can be symmetrical (bands of equal width) or asymmetrical/offset (bands of different widths).

When two perpendicular stripes cross one another, the resulting colour is an equal mix of the two original colours. For example, where a red stripe crosses a blue one, the intersection will be red + blue = violet.

Clan tartans are a relatively recent innovation, due to renewed interest in Scottish heritage in the early 1800s. Before that date, people most likely wore a pattern of tartan common to the district they lived in (weavers had their favorite patterns in different areas). So any design/pattern should be applicable (within reason, of course).

This is all we need to know to start.


HOW TO START

Vallejo acrylics and FLAT brushes of varying widths are used throughout. There will be a fair amount of retouching to do so whenever possible, use colours straight from the bottle or at least keep the mixes simple.

To begin with, I made up a simple, symmetrical, 3-colour design. The colours are: 920 German Green, 940 Hull Red, 914 Green Ochre.





Whichever the colours you choose, keep them dark and muted. The overall effect should be rather dull as to impart a camouflage effect.

Next : STEP 1

Q.

Quang, I can't wait to see the rest. Highlanders are pretty popular on Pf so I'm sure this sbs will come in handy.~Gary

Thanks Quang...........a much needed sbs as alot of us would benifit.

Thanks Quang, I'm looking forward to it.

Cheers
Roc

Hi Quang, My first figure was a Cameron Highlander of Andrea, I thought it was going to be a easy project but toke me almost 4 months to finish the tartan after many errors, this would bring back some good memories and other painfull ones to me and the Highlander:lol:

After checking this may be I would go back to the highlander and try to make it good this time.

Eduardo.

Hi Quang

You posted this just at the right time for me. I just started an SBS on a highland figure and the tartan will be the most difficult bit. It's a fairly simple sett, but your guidelines are going to be very helpful.

Thanks for taking the time to post them

Regards

Phil

Thanks Quang,

i will follow this closely. Maybe i needed it within a few months.

Marc

Thats what I am waiting for.
My Vampire get an Tartan too, but I am interested in how to do it in or over Folds.
That is a problem for me I ve get no solution for

Thanks, guys, for your interest.

Actually, as you will see, the whole process is not difficult.

Like with everything complex, the trick is to break them down to simpler 'problems' and deal with each one, one after the other. Also each step needs to be completed to perfection BEFORE proceeding to the next one. It's the going back to correct certain details which leads to frustration. So take your time.

STEP 1

Paint the whole area with one of the basic colours (here green 920)






STEP 2

Lay on the horizontal stripes (red 940).







(Sorry about the out-of-focus shots but that's all I've got )

Start with the one next to the 'hem' of the plaid. The stripe should be parallel with the lower edge of the cloth. DON'T try to get it right the first time. Instead use a smaller brush and build it up to the correct width. Trust your eyes.

When the first stripe is OK, lay on the second one. Again check out the parallelism and the width.
And onto the third, etc...

Check out where the stripes turn and change direction inside the folds. Use your 'gut feeling' and trust your eyes. IF IT LOOKS RIGHT, IT'S RIGHT.

If it doesn't look right, wait a few minutes for the paint to settle and correct with the base colour (green 920).

Don't forget, everything has to look right before proceeding to STEP 3.

Q.

Oke, Oke,

I will trying this on a piece of paper. And when that is for me satisfying i shall try it on a figure.
But i will follow this closely.

Thanks Quang

Amen to that, Quang!

Feeling a bit more confident on the Sutherland tartan now. Many thanks

Phil

Quang...it's great to see such a complicated process broken down into simple, easy to understand chunks..thanks for taking the trouble to show your methods.

I'm in the front row......with popcorn

All the best...Roy.

Down in front! I want to see this! Take off the big hat

STEP 3

Laying on the vertical stripes.

These will be in a new colour. I used a 50-50 mix of green 920 and violet 960 which IMO, offers a nice contrast with the green 920 base (not too much, not to little).

These vertical stripes should be perpendicular to the first ones (makes sense ). So it's just a matter of 'sheepishly' tracing the new stripes at 90° to the previous ones (including where they change direction inside the folds). We can understand now why it was so important to get the horizontal stripes right in the first place.






As before, check the width and the space between the lines. And as the design is symmetrical, what we should have now are near-perfect SQUARES defined by the criss-crossing lines.

Correct and retouch as needed and as always, IF IT LOOKS RIGHT, IT'S RIGHT.

STEP 4

Make a new colour mix, this time a 50-50 mix of hull red 940 and violet 960.

Please take note that up till now, we have used only 3 different colours (green 920, red 940 and violet 960). That would give a consistency to the palette and add to the dull effect of the result.

Fill up each intersection of the horizontal (red) and the vertical (dark green) lines with this new colour. If we've done things right in the previous steps, the intersection would have the shape of a square.







What we should have now is the effect of semi-transparent stripes crossing one another over a green base.

Correct and adjust as needed. Then sit back and enjoy before getting to STEP 5.

I hope someone is running the VCR on this one.

Quang,

On paper it is working with me so far.
What to do when i painting with oils. They are not so fluidible( ??) just as enamels or acrylics.
I enjoying this.

Marc

Quang, If I may,surjest an idea that may help when it come to what paint to use and how to...Quangs first two steps try using flat acrylics, .. future steps, oils or enamels thined by 50% the acrylic will slow the run of the oils or enamels and will tend to hold the tip of your brush. I like to use a long haired brush only using the tip, but then this is all only my opinon. thanks Quang.. Phil

Phil,

That does make sense since the long hair holds more paint and thus allows to draw longer lines in one go.

But the longer, supple hair also means that you have less control on your line (which will have a tendency to become wavy). This is why I prefer the flat brush which holds as much paint and whose shorter hair gives me more control.

BTW, here is my method of drawing consistent lines (a method shared by many 'old-school' graphic artists).



As you can see, this method involves a great deal of retouching. What we're trying to achieve here is crispness and consistency. This is why the fast-drying, flat acrylics are the ideal medium for this kind of job.

Marc: I know you paint with oils but nothing prevents you to use a different medium like acrylics or pastel for certain parts of the figure if it's easier, faster and more effective.

HTH

Q.

Morning Quang,you made me smile, I realised I am old school, sign and graphics and can remember the old boss making me do brush strokes on newspaper for hours on end and as you explained that was one of the many strokes he made me do. I hated it but I THANK him now, that was 45yrs ago. the only time I ever new I had done a job well, was when he said nothing, or thats what Im paying for boy...sorry for rambling but Im enjoying what your doing here and how your explaining it..... thanks again Phil.