Paul Ooi Modelworks

Building a better world, one scale model at a time

Tutorial 19 – The Wash-and-Dry Figure Painting Method

Figure painting is always a challenge for all modelers. Previously, I had taught a method using oil paints that require deft brushwork at a minute level. The results are excellent but time-consuming. Also, it is hard on older people (like myself!). This wash-and-dry method is suitable for most popular scale sizes from 1/35 downwards to /144. I would not recommend this for larger scales as the eye will tell the wash effects are too coarse at that level.

The wash-and-dry method has another advantage and that is the use of acrylic paints predominantly, and the washes can either be acrylic or oil base depending on your preference, but neither are very different in their application.

We start with priming the semi-assembled figures in grey primer. Here I used a spray can primer from Armory but any other model spray primer would do.
We start by painting the face and hands with a basic flesh tone. Here, I am using Vallejo acrylic skin tone 70.815. I did use a small amount of Tamiya XF-2 Flat White for the whites of the eyes.
Next, we paint the main clothing articles, the battle dress tunic in Tamiya Dark Yellow XF-60, and then the pants in Tamiya Flat Earth XF-52. Do not worry about shading and highlights. Just concentrate on a neat and even coverage.
Items that go OVER the basic clothes are painted next. Here, the belt and ammo pouches are painted with Tamiya Desert Yellow XF-59, and the gaiters in Tamiya Buff XF-57.
Drybrush highlights over the ridges of clothing. Go one or two tones lighter than the basic clothing color. For the upper tunic, I use Tamiya Deck Tan, and the pants are highlighted with Tamiya Buff XF-57. Use an old fine brush that is past its prime, dip in the paint, and then remove 75-80% of it by rubbing the bristles against a towel or paper tissue. Then apply small amounts of paint on high ridges and raised details, moving the brush perpendicular to the direction of the raised feature.
A reddish flesh wash is then applied to the face and hands. This will provide a life-like tone when combined with the skintone paint. Here, I used Vallejo Flesh Wash 73.204.
This step is optional. I painted in the pupils of the eyes and eye brows using Tamiya Red Brown XF-64.
Next, we apply the rest of the wash effect. Washes can be made from acrylic paint diluted 3:1 with the appropriate brand’s thinner. Alternatively, one can use an oil wash. here I use the latter with Burnt Umber diluted with Turpenoid. The advantage of using an oil wash is that does not interact with the base acrylic paint. For the lighter colored battle tunic, I lightened the Burnt Umber wash with Zinc White. At this stage, the hightlight and the shadows emerge from the paintwork.
The helmet is added at this point. I primed the helmet with Tamiya NATO Black XF-69.
Then the helmet is painted with Tamiya Olive Drab XF-62.
Final details are added now. The water bottle, holstered pistol, and the entrenchment tool, all washed with Burnt Umber oil wash are attached to the figure.

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