posted by Andrea, MXP, Big Orang-Utang

!!!!Hey Ho JungleLovers!!!!
Many friends ask me... which colors use for painting the face?

Today in commerce you can already find a crowd of colors ready to paint the skin, but with few colors all the tonalities can be reproduced. This is a small introduction because I want to try to illustrate as I have painted this bust in 120mm...


Originally this figure was a 120mm (a whole figura), produced from AMATI to the beginnings of the years 90. Really, this is "VINTAGE" :D.
Original figura (third)



The low part of the figure in 120mm ( legs ,etc..) I have discarded her, the sculpture is not to the high-level of the modern pieces anymore.... but for personal challenge I have left the tall part (chest, face and arm) as in the original one without bringing changes.


Step one.... primer!
Paint the visage.... I use only 3 colors for my base and to begin lights and shades.
Red, uniform English and Sunny Skintone of the ModelColors Valleyo.
photo 1
As you can see with these three colors mixed in different quantities, I found many tonalities for different tones of complexion.
In the example for the "base" of this bust I have used around 50% of SunnySkintone, 25% of red and 25% of Uniform English. For the lights I simply add Sunny Skintone, for the shades red + uniform English.
In this way you can paint with good gradations of tones by the light toward the shade.


Now, it will need to add other colors to end our visage..
oh damn....I have necessity to experiment in this period.... : D
I have tried to paint this bust with alternative acrylic colors, they are not those traditional to paint the miniatures...

The colors are by Ferrario... APA colors



2 words on these colors... The colors are in jars of glass.... you can mix with others acrylics.. and they are easy to be blend. In the glass jars they are as a cream and you can dilute them in water.



I really think that is impossible painting one miniature only with these colors, because their disadvantage is that they are a little covering. However I can exploit their transparency to create tones, lights and shade on the base that I have previously painted with the ModelColors Valleyo. The time of drying is similar to the others acrylic. The finish is excellent and the thin pigment, not comparable to the acrylic ones that traditionally I use. The colors Apa by Ferrario are easily found in Italy... I am sorry but I don't know out of my country.
Recapitulating...
I have painted my base (and the first lights and shades) with the ModelColorsValleyo with the three colors described above... and I have finished up tones, lights and shades with Apa colors.
in the photo you can see the palette of Apa colors employed for defining the visage of king of France.


The ended job is on cmon..
Thanks for the visit and ....happy painting all the Jungle!
Cheers
Andrea aka MXP :D