04/12/2024
SkyFall Studio London's Monument Hobbies Paint Trial
ENTRY ONE (12-04-2024)
Today I am launching my Monument Hobbies paint trial, using a 3D printed Donatello (TMNT) bust from CA3DStudio from whose Patreon I patronize! I use Artis Opus brushes and ProAcryl paints purchased from Fenris Workshop.
Please, stick around and follow my page, indeed, LIKE it if you like what you see, and follow my progress here as I work on this project!
I want to also thank my local game store, Game Knight Leagues for their management's, and their growing community's support for SkyFall Studio London over the last two years as I have been growing my business!
The Nuts and Bolts:
A point here that is important is that I prefer not to airbrush! I don't have one, and I find them frustrating to maintain; and so I just use brushwork.
Impressions:
One caveat here: I do *not* have the entire ProAcryl line of paints, but I have tried to purchase the paints needed for this project. I will fill in the gaps in my pigment inventory with Vallejo paints, purchased from Fenris Workshop in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
My favourite paints from ProAcryl right now are: Bold Pyrrole Red (best red I have ever come across!), Ninjon Signature Series Warm Brown, and Vince Venturella Signature Series Royal Purple. I added the ProAcryl Set 5 (Flameon Miniatures Signature Series) "Pale Gold" set to my collection via Adepticon, so I'll be trying that out. I'm not great at NMM metals yet, but I'll give it a shot.
From past use, I know that the ProAcryl Signature lines are fantastic paints: they have a smooth, even consistency. They are not inclined toward separation over long periods of time (unlike most brands, even Vallejo!), and their pigment is incredibly robust and brilliant. I like working in the satin-range, so every now and then when I pull a matte paint out of my collection to use it, I get a bit of a surprise. However, that's just a quirk of my organizational system.
I use Vallejo Cold White (70.919) and Black (70.950) as my basic B/W palette. I have a bottle of ProAcryl Paynes Grey arriving soon, which is my preferred "tint" for painting greys.
My paint brushes are, as mentioned, Artis Opus "M" series 2, 0, and 000 sizes. The size 2 brush is a marvel: the point is so fine that I can use it to paint the lenses in Space Marine helmets after painting the whole mini. It is important to keep the brush conditioned and to not use it, however unintentionally, for dry-brushing. Keep it clean, else you'll lose bristles. I also have a Series "D" Medium drybrush, which is one of the most powerful tools in my paint box.
My sprays are Games Workshop Chaos Black, White Scar, and Munitorum Varnish, which gives a satin finish. I've used these products for years, decades in some cases, and I've almost never had a problem with them. I'm learning new techniques with spray cans that simulate airbrushing.
The Bust!
For 3D printing, I use an ELEGOO Mars 4 Max, with Siraya Tech Navy Fast ABS-like resin at a resolution of 0.035mm.
CA3DStudio is one of the best realistic digital designers out there, and I've been part of their Patreon for well over a year.
My only complaint about the Donatello bust is that the right forearm is in front of his body: the arm could have been cut-and-keyed into a separate part (on both the full-sized model and the bust) to allow for better access to the parts of the model behind the limb. I don't know if it was my supports or a design weakness in the model, but Donny's bo (staff) is bent. I wish I could drill through it and put a 0.5mm brass rod in there for support, but I'll paint it as is.
The supports I built in Lychee's slicer program didn't come off as cleanly as I would have liked. I used a sharp Xacto blade to clean off the skin, but decided to leave the stubs on the shell to add a bit of environmental texture. You'll see later what I have planned for that "error."
PHOTOS:
Canon EOS Rebel T7 with an EF 50mm 1:1.8 F-Stop STM Lens
I may also use my cell phone camera if I'm in a hurry, but I'll try to keep that to a minimum.
