Needle Size?.

[John Rixon]

Is this man you John or the one in the picture or both. The picture being the picture of the man painting not the young ladies picture.
Of further interest is that originally a photograph he is working on. I just cannot work that out.


Also the stick is he using that as a rest rather like an old type signwriter. I use similar things, when using brushes, to steady my hand. Fortunately that even at my advanced age the hand is steady but a stick or something to rest the arm makes a lot of difference. Even small items i rest against something to give a rock baase.


Laurie

Not me, just a photorealist artist painting onto canvas with brushes! The stick you allude to is called a Mahl stick,


There is a traditional one in the right hand edge of this picture, with a chamois leather padded end. If you google photorealistic, you'll find plenty of images that will challenge your credulity. Agreed, some will employ an airbrush, but the point I was making here, is that many, if not most, use solely brushes, and achieve breathtakingly photographic style images. Mostly oils though, where slow drying becomes a real advantage!

 

[Laurie]

I find it amusing how Vallejo say that their Modelair range can go straight into the airbrush... Not really. It still has to be thinned. However, this is a good thing, as you get more out of the bottle.
John

Correct John but ! But they do not say you cannot thin.They do give optimum needle size and say that many model makers will thin their Model Air. Providing they use Vallejo thinners which will dilute but not lose the inherent properties (water will) of the original paint


But the main property of Model Air is that the pigments are ground finer to ensure as best possible the use of their paint in airbrushes. Using a .35 Iwata Model Air will airbrush all day un-thinned. But for a first mist coats fine thin. Also the best finishes are to apply two coats thinned rather than one un-thinned as the surface will be smoother. It will also cure quicker. Thin coats also allow you to get into awkward places without applying to much paint to the surrounding areas.


Laurie

 

[Laurie]

you'll find plenty of images that will challenge your credulity.

Photorealist. Interesting and incredible John but I would ask why. This seems to be an exacting technical thing almost without an artistic freedom. Not saying that the people who do this are not artists but that they are in straight jackets.


I would have put it in a commercial art locker. Add that commercial art is incredible which we live with day and night. Actually when thinking about it a lot of the work on model making is a commercial art.


I do expect to be corrected here. :D But all good learning is preceded by a question.


Laurie

 

[john i am]

There are some people born with god given talents for the rest of us mortals like myself there's the airbrush.Staying on topic of the thread I spray vallejo model air through my iwata 0.2 tr0 and 0.5 tr2 airbrushes without thinning with anything.Its really down to the individual whichever method they use and feel comfortable with.

 

[jono]

There are some people born with god given talents for the rest of us mortals like myself there's the airbrush.Staying on topic of the thread I spray vallejo model air through my iwata 0.2 tr0 and 0.5 tr2 airbrushes without thinning with anything.Its really down to the individual whichever method they use and feel comfortable with.

Hi John, I agree with what your saying...at the end of the day go with whatever works for you .

 

[John Rixon]

Photorealist. Interesting and incredible John but I would ask why. This seems to be an exacting technical thing almost without an artistic freedom. Not saying that the people who do this are not artists but that they are in straight jackets.
I would have put it in a commercial art locker. Add that commercial art is incredible which we live with day and night. Actually when thinking about it a lot of the work on model making is a commercial art.


I do expect to be corrected here. :D But all good learning is preceded by a question.


Laurie

I couldn't agree more! I'd not call this art either, unless I had access to the "Why" - i.e. themes, rationales and concepts that separate art from illustration or commercial art.


A constantly recurring issue with students, when I'd hear them say "Wow, how did they do that?" and I'd respond that as aspiring artists, the more relevant question is "why did they do that".


This, in itself isn't meant to denigrate the work in question, but simply to put it into a broader context! Nobody can deny the skills and craftsmanship, they are, as good as they get, and if the artist enjoys it, and makes a wedge out of it *, then good luck to them.


* A piece of this size and complexity will take many hundreds of hours. A minimum self employed hourly rate has to be £30. I'd estimate that on hours alone (and that's a really inadequate way of looking at it TBH) that piece would need to fetch at least £15,000. If its in a gallery, they would take at least 50% (some, up to 80%) so if you want £15.000, then you have to price it at £30,000.


No wonder artists are mostly dirt poor!

 

[stona]

* A piece of this size and complexity will take many hundreds of hours. A minimum self employed hourly rate has to be £30. I'd estimate that on hours alone (and that's a really inadequate way of looking at it TBH) that piece would need to fetch at least £15,000. If its in a gallery, they would take at least 50% (some, up to 80%) so if you want £15.000, then you have to price it at £30,000.


No wonder artists are mostly dirt poor!

Also a good argument for not building models to commission, at least not if you want to make money. I've done a couple, but money was not the object, in fact I was almost certainly out of pocket


Cheers


Steve

 

[stona]

Also a good argument for not building models to commission, at least not if you want to make money. I've done a couple, but money was not the object, in fact I was almost certainly out of pocket


I saw a decently made and finished 1/24 scale Hurricane in a shop window recently. It was priced at £120. I'm not sure which kit it was, probably the old Airfix, but even so nobody was making a living off it !


Cheers


Steve

 

[Laurie]

Also a good argument for not building models to commission, at least not if you want to make money. I've done a couple, but money was not the object, in fact I was almost certainly out of pocket Cheers Steve

Agree 100% Steve. I used to produce films, for instance a Dentist's nurse tuition series, and always ended up on the wrong side. Found that I just could not cut the cloth to suit. Always had to go a little bit more towards that thing called perfection. Just felt I could not let the side down by producing below par stuff. Think it is that pride thing not to let yourself down so you go over the top.


Laurie

 

[PrinceofDarkness]

I was told by an expert in the field that to get fine line control its the old adage practice practice practice. Would you can get through a lot of paper a good way is pay a visit to a place like IKEA and buy a good sized picture frame with a glass front say an A1 size. then on an A1 white sheet of paper maker out the following. a grid with evenly spaced dots and one with lines and slip in it into the frame, then get practicing in time it will give you fine control without the waste in paper as the paint can either be scraped off using a scrape and cleaned with white spirit or window cleaner.