Getz Mini Tips for you:
Miniature work is a super healthy hobby (mental health anyway). Way better that owning a boat or driving race cars or skydiving! That's what I tell my wife anyway. :). I hope these notes encourage you in it. They are a collection of some I’ve shared with various followers through the years.
Painting realistic firearms:
When a person is considering getting into military miniature figure painting, the tiny firearms is where I recommend they start. The reason is because each tiny item can be its own little project, get finished fairly quickly and help build the confidence of the miniaturist. Plus, they will look great when put in the hands or over the shoulder of the figure in question.
I've developed this procedure after studying the appearance of lots of real-life firearms and swear by it: 1. Clean the parts as you usually would. Coat the part well in Tamiya German Gray (by 'well' I don't mean make it thick, I mean just make sure you cover it completely, not missing any spots). This should be sprayed on in MANY THIN COATS. Don't do it all in one pass or you'll gum up all the details with paint. Be patient and it'll turn out fine. I use Tamiya in a rattle can for this step because I only recently got an airbrush and am starting with water based paints in that only for the time being. 2. Once that is fully dry, use Tamiya black panel line fluid and coat the weapon. Looks AWESOME and just like blued metal. If you get too much in an area, just dab it off with a piece of lint-free fabric or a low-lint paper towel. 3. To show wear, you can use a soft lead pencil or some lightly applied metallic sliver paint on areas that would've taken abuse. 4. Note: If the weapon has wooden, plastic or Bakelite areas on them, I recommend painting them before doing the black panel line fluid wash. |
This image shows a WWII German MP40 (1/9 scale) painted with this method
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Branding your imagery:
I encourage you to consider getting the program (app) iWatermark on your phone and watermark the photos of your work. It really stinks to have someone re-post your stuff without giving credit or worse-say it was them that built it!
It will also mean that wherever your images end up on the internet, people will be pointed back to your website, instagram handle, etc. |
Other notes I still need to organize:
(View images of 1/35 scale US tank commander with helmet and gloves on holding binoculars www.instagram.com/getzmini)
1/35 figure with helmet strap (over front of helmet) and goggles strap made of Getz Miniatures' Black Magic Metal
That's the liner strap over the front of the helmet. The main strap is hanging down on each side.
Oh, binocular strap too!
(View images of 1/9 scale German MG34 machine gun on pintle mount www.instagram.com/getzmini)
MG34 painted with same method (pencil used for metal highlights)
(View images of 1/35 scale figures with hoods on their heads and only their eyes and faces painted on www.instagram.com/getzmini)
A way of painting eyes described in a sequence of pics
(View post on www.instagram.com/getzmini of German guard with white helmet and rifle slung over shoulder in big winter coat)
1/48 guard painted using the methods described above
(View images of tiny family with heads still attached to sprue on www.instagram.com/getzmini)
1/160th figures pained with the “skin first” method (really the method is just painting from the lowest “level” up. So skin, then undershirt/boots, then pants, the over shirt/coat etc.
(View post on www.instagram.com/getzmini of tiny German general)
1/76 or 1/87 figure painted with these methods.
(View post on www.instagram.com/getzmini of tiny man in tan suit with hat in clear plastic dish)
1/160th fig with full techniques applied (the previous ones didn’t have washes yet)
(View video on www.instagram.com/getzmini showing sling on 1/35 BAR machine gun)
Don’t forget weapon slings (although I went a bit overboard perhaps with this one). 1/35 scale with Black Magic Metal sling and wire hardware. Note that sling edges still
Need to be painted
To
Hide where
The Metal was cut.
(View images on www.instagram.com/getzmini of 1/16 scale head with winter head wrap (only face and eyes are painted)
This is a more complex way of painting. It’s in 1/16 scale. I’d not really recommend it for 1/35 or smaller. If you want to learn it, check out the videos mentioned in the post caption
I recommend these for general painting: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VN9CY60/?coliid=I1RCIHSP3E7NVA&colid=IMHXOY9NLE5V&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
...and these for precise stuff: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ABKKOC2/?coliid=IR5BNEF71EXQ6&colid=IMHXOY9NLE5V&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
This is the absolute best brush cleaner and conditioner on the market! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027AEANE/?coliid=I27VIQDUIH0X4Y&colid=IMHXOY9NLE5V&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
For a spray on flat coat, I have tried 50% Tamiya clear flat and 50% Isopropyl Alcohol (91% strength) but for some reason get some slight 'fogging'. A friend who makes many many award winning models recommended this recently. He swears by it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008YCYQG0/?coliid=IHRJAHSOVFEI8&colid=IMHXOY9NLE5V&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
I have found this to be a super great airbrush cleaner for acrylic paints: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TJA0S6/?coliid=I1W09ZNINU2GUT&colid=IMHXOY9NLE5V&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
For small touch up areas, an account I follow recently recommended this. Just ordered some: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7ND2Y27?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Take care with the flat coat: Don't spray clear areas like goggles unless you plan to touch them up with Tamiya gloss later.
Remember that soldiers in motion (or sitting in a hot tank) are sometimes sweating. Don't hesitate to use a very light coat of 'dry brushed' Tamiya gloss (or any gloss I guess) to give the impression of a little moisture on the skin. It can be applied after the dull coat and will give a subtle contract to your models. I find that these subtle contrasts in tone or sheen really help models look realistic. All one color in an area or a solid flat coat over a whole model can make things look unrealistic. I wait to add things like new oil/fuel stains to my vehicles until after the dull coat for this reason.
Also, combat is DIRTY BUSINESS. Don't hesitate to dirty up knees, butts, gloves, elbows, etc. Let the soil and stains on your soldiers tell a story about what they've been doing.
1/35 figure with helmet strap (over front of helmet) and goggles strap made of Getz Miniatures' Black Magic Metal
That's the liner strap over the front of the helmet. The main strap is hanging down on each side.
Oh, binocular strap too!
(View images of 1/9 scale German MG34 machine gun on pintle mount www.instagram.com/getzmini)
MG34 painted with same method (pencil used for metal highlights)
(View images of 1/35 scale figures with hoods on their heads and only their eyes and faces painted on www.instagram.com/getzmini)
A way of painting eyes described in a sequence of pics
(View post on www.instagram.com/getzmini of German guard with white helmet and rifle slung over shoulder in big winter coat)
1/48 guard painted using the methods described above
(View images of tiny family with heads still attached to sprue on www.instagram.com/getzmini)
1/160th figures pained with the “skin first” method (really the method is just painting from the lowest “level” up. So skin, then undershirt/boots, then pants, the over shirt/coat etc.
(View post on www.instagram.com/getzmini of tiny German general)
1/76 or 1/87 figure painted with these methods.
(View post on www.instagram.com/getzmini of tiny man in tan suit with hat in clear plastic dish)
1/160th fig with full techniques applied (the previous ones didn’t have washes yet)
(View video on www.instagram.com/getzmini showing sling on 1/35 BAR machine gun)
Don’t forget weapon slings (although I went a bit overboard perhaps with this one). 1/35 scale with Black Magic Metal sling and wire hardware. Note that sling edges still
Need to be painted
To
Hide where
The Metal was cut.
(View images on www.instagram.com/getzmini of 1/16 scale head with winter head wrap (only face and eyes are painted)
This is a more complex way of painting. It’s in 1/16 scale. I’d not really recommend it for 1/35 or smaller. If you want to learn it, check out the videos mentioned in the post caption
I recommend these for general painting: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VN9CY60/?coliid=I1RCIHSP3E7NVA&colid=IMHXOY9NLE5V&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
...and these for precise stuff: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ABKKOC2/?coliid=IR5BNEF71EXQ6&colid=IMHXOY9NLE5V&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
This is the absolute best brush cleaner and conditioner on the market! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027AEANE/?coliid=I27VIQDUIH0X4Y&colid=IMHXOY9NLE5V&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
For a spray on flat coat, I have tried 50% Tamiya clear flat and 50% Isopropyl Alcohol (91% strength) but for some reason get some slight 'fogging'. A friend who makes many many award winning models recommended this recently. He swears by it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008YCYQG0/?coliid=IHRJAHSOVFEI8&colid=IMHXOY9NLE5V&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
I have found this to be a super great airbrush cleaner for acrylic paints: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TJA0S6/?coliid=I1W09ZNINU2GUT&colid=IMHXOY9NLE5V&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it
For small touch up areas, an account I follow recently recommended this. Just ordered some: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7ND2Y27?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Take care with the flat coat: Don't spray clear areas like goggles unless you plan to touch them up with Tamiya gloss later.
Remember that soldiers in motion (or sitting in a hot tank) are sometimes sweating. Don't hesitate to use a very light coat of 'dry brushed' Tamiya gloss (or any gloss I guess) to give the impression of a little moisture on the skin. It can be applied after the dull coat and will give a subtle contract to your models. I find that these subtle contrasts in tone or sheen really help models look realistic. All one color in an area or a solid flat coat over a whole model can make things look unrealistic. I wait to add things like new oil/fuel stains to my vehicles until after the dull coat for this reason.
Also, combat is DIRTY BUSINESS. Don't hesitate to dirty up knees, butts, gloves, elbows, etc. Let the soil and stains on your soldiers tell a story about what they've been doing.