Once the paint is dry I apply a coat of varnish. As I like a glossy 'toy soldier' look I use either Gloss or Satin varnish by Ronseal or it's B&Q equivalent. I have taken to using satin recently as it does in fact give quite a glossy finish and dries quickly. A second coat can be applied - not least as I'll have missed bits first time round. Make sure to put plenty on bendy extremities like musket barrels and swords.
Some figures look better with a bit of pigment in the varnish - such as these very well detailed CTS North Koreans. Rather then clear varnish I used Ronseal Satin Light Oak. More expensive products are available but as far as I can see they're not any more effective.
Finally I stick a bit pf magnetic sheet to the bottom of the base. Why? Because I use thin steel movement bases and I like the figures to be secure...
...like this!
That's the end of this series of posts - unless there's anything you feel I didn't cover.
7 comments:
You have taken more pains with your BMC and Army Men figures than I have so far done with mine. I think it shows. I've taken aboard your recommendation of Gesso for undercoating figures. I have between 100-200 Army figures that have been waiting several years to be painted up. Time that little chore got done!
Speaking of Army Men and how to present them, if you haven't seen these before you might like to take a squizz at this: http://thortrains.net/toysoldierart/
There is also a facebook group administered (I think) by Thor Shiel.
Archduke Piccolo
Thanks for all your comments and the link. I tend to paint in batches of 15-30 or so figures.
How do you store the figures when done? Since they are covered in varnish and are plastic can you just pile them in a shoe box or does the paint get chipped?
If you want to be even quicker(lazier?) with painting I found this blog where they guy uses mod podge, a pva type covering, instead of the gesso. If your army men are green and the plastic is green you just paint flesh, belts and weapons cover with more pva and your ready to go. Here's the link http://wartoyfigure.blogspot.com/2017/08/how-i-paint-135-figures-part-1.html.
Thanks for this series, I found it quite interesting.
Anon
I'll do a post on storage soon. Thanks for the link but I find gesso quicker and easier than pva.
Tim I sent you an email, hope I had the right address...
Cheers, Dave
Dave M
I did receive your email - i will reply soon!
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