Strelets Forum

Welcome to the Strelets Forum.
Please feel free to discuss any aspect of 1/72 scale plastic figures, not simply Strelets.
If you have any questions about our products then we will answer them here.

Strelets Forum
This Forum is Locked
Author
Comment
What is the best way /tool for holding a cavalry figure while painting?

Impalement? With what? A pin? I have a lot of figures to paint.

THX

Bob

Re: What is the best way /tool for holding a cavalry figure while painting?

Robert Richman
Impalement? With what? A pin? I have a lot of figures to paint.

THX

Bob
Am I unusual in painting cavalrymen when I have already 'impaled them' and mounted them on their steeds?

Once upon a time, a long time ago I think, I did paint riders separately, but I found this unsatisfactory when they became detached after gluing to their saddles...so I gave up on that.

My process now is as follows:

1: Select rider and horse: Convert as necessary. Then....

2: Attach rider to horse using a drilled hole in the horse saddle and rider's nether regions: wire spigot and glue ensures a very secure union between horse and rider.

3: PVA the whole thing - which makes the bond stronger still. Leave to dry thoroughly.

4: Prime

5: Undercoat: I tend to use a dark colour which provides shadowing. Breeches and saddle can then be painted for the bits that matter but the shadowing provides dark (in shadow) lower base

6:Paint horse: I usually use a lighter shade and then paint over an ink shade, which provides both darker shades running into underside of horse and muscle profiling on the sculpt. This also provides a pleasing 'silk' sheen to the horse.

7: Paint details on horse, including socks, hooves, blaze, harness

8: Paint rider.

This works for me anyway....

Re: What is the best way /tool for holding a cavalry figure while painting?

I paint before I remove from the sprue after trimming any excess sprue away that might interfere with the job.

Once I am done I seal the job, carefully touch up where the figure was attached to the sprue, seal, and there!

Re: What is the best way /tool for holding a cavalry figure while painting?

I should add carefully remove the figure before touch up.

Re: What is the best way /tool for holding a cavalry figure while painting?

I also paint my plastic cavalrymen the same way Wayne has mentioned. I find this easy enough and convienient. Most sprues have the figures held between the inner legs and also by the upper body. I trim off the sprue from the upper body, and put a sort of pre cut in the area where held between the legs, not enough to seperate it completely but enough to create a weak link. Then once painted i can remove the figure a bit easier.

However, I have yet to find a way im happy with of painting metal cavalrymen (Newline/Kennington etc) which are loose without any sort of sprue. Id be interested in knowing how others paint figures like this.

At the moment i just hold the heads, paint the majority of the figure, glue to a finished horse & then finish off painting the cavalryman.

Re: What is the best way /tool for holding a cavalry figure while painting?

I hold the head and paint the lower half. Let them dry then hold the leg and paint the upper half. The only "damage" might be to toes and heels, which can be touched in once glued to the horse.

Find a way that suits you, even if it might not suit others