Reply To: [unofficial weekender] Twenty-five years and my life is still trying to get up

[ced1106Participant 6224xp 0]

> Do you treat every miniature as your next masterpiece?

I figure that the sculptor did their best, so I should do, too, not that either is always true. (: OTOH, I’m an innate min/max’er from my RPG days (: so look for efficient ways to paint!

> Is it ever ok to treat minis as disposible?

Depends on how disposable all your other luxury goods are. That said, Halloween is coming up. Instead of candy, give away your unloved miniatures, comic books, trading cards, and so on!

> Are you happy with your own painting style?

Never! (: I’m a glutton for punishment. Er… enjoy challenging myself and expanding my skill set. 😛

> If there’s anything you’re not happy with, which one thing would you change that would make the biggest difference?

Someone needs to invent a magnifying glass that doesn’t make the brush tip bigger. (: Oh, and contrast paint that removes mold lines.

> Do you have any particular colours/brands that you particularly don’t like when painting?

At least for advanced tabletop, I think contrast paints are a sham. I’ve been using Les Bursley’s wash recipe of matte medium, flow aid, acrylic ink, and water for over a year, so, yes, I believe Gooberhobbie’s contrast mix of matte medium, flow aid, and acrylic ink is all you need, particularly since contrast paints behave much like washes, rather than the falling for the hype and thinking you need some mysterious medium that you refuse to understand. It’s like my Dad who has to buy and store dozens of eight-syllable chemical cleaners rather than even try vinegar and baking soda. Also, as a painter to advanced tabletop, I’ve realized that I only need two shades of each hobby paint color (although I have colored primers as well) rather than the umpteen shades hobby paint companies try to sell you.

Of course, if and when MM sells contrast paint for under $2 a bottle… 😀

> What’s your go-to colour?

None. Much worse, within a line of paints, if I find a paint I like, the next may be one I’m entirely dissatisfied with.

> But do you ever smear your half-dried-out paint straight from the pot lid and think “ah, it’s only a little bit and the coverage will be better anyway”?

I start with colored primers then a wash, so I’m really starting with pre-thinned products. I do indeed paint from the pot (or cap!), which I’ve also thinned ahead of time, with a few drops of medium right in the pot. I also will drop hobby paints into pot lids, even if the colors aren’t exact matches. For eyedroppers, I also use hobby paints with plenty of flow aid, and thus are designed to be used from a dry palette. And I’ll use a brush-tip pen instead of paint sometimes. Lots of words to avoid the overhead of a wet palette, but I don’t need much skill, other than a steady hand, for advanced tabletop.