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Miniatures Adventure => Fantasy Adventures => Topic started by: Sir Barnaby Hammond-Rye on 22 December 2012, 09:22:10 PM

Title: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Sir Barnaby Hammond-Rye on 22 December 2012, 09:22:10 PM
I was slightly disappointed to see that the translucent Reaper bones figures are a single colour of plastic. I was spoiled, I guess, by the D&D plastic flame effects and Elementals which were really well done.

Now I'm wondering about maybe a dark green wash, for example, on the green one might achieve the same sort of effect. Only, from a thread on TMP somebody suggested washes don't work well on the bones figures.

Does this also mean that one can't just dip (or wash) the skeletons to get a good look?
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: B. Basiliscus on 22 December 2012, 11:44:46 PM
I'm sure you could simply wash them as long as reaper paints were used, but you may want to add a drying agent.
Perhaps multiple very light washes in layers?
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Bloodsbane on 23 December 2012, 11:07:55 AM
you might want to hit them with a matt varnish spray before trying any washes or inks.
Make sure you clean them properly first of all too!
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Ramshackle_Curtis on 23 December 2012, 03:04:01 PM
Yeah, varnish them first. This will make the washes behave like painting over a normal undercoat.
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Cherno on 24 December 2012, 12:06:13 PM
A light drybrush could also work well :)
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Sir Barnaby Hammond-Rye on 24 December 2012, 09:14:47 PM
Didn't someone on TMP warn about varnishes not drying on the plastic? Or maybe that was some kinds of primer...?
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Dr Mathias on 24 December 2012, 09:27:51 PM
I would hazard a guess that the translucent stuff would be a slightly different material, but I'm probably wrong. In any case I don't think a watery wash would bond or behave well on plastic. I'll probably go with thinned oil paint, wiping off method, on mine.
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Ninja on 25 December 2012, 01:32:39 AM
Does anyone know for sure? Speculations can lead to some ruined minis! I have been looking for an answer to this question as well.

If anyone knows or has tested something similar please share!
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: hjorhrafn on 25 December 2012, 02:08:17 AM
I just tried a VERY quick wash using Secret Weapons Purple over a Bones Ghost.  On the large flat hood/cowl, it almost seemed to work as a normal wash, but in areas with texture like the flowing robe, it was much more difficult to get it to adhere.  After leaving it to dry for ten minutes, it wiped off very easily, even on the flat areas.  However, it did seem to stain the material a bit, which might give an interesting effect if you're trying for a soft faded color. 

Hope it helped. 
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Sangennaru on 25 December 2012, 05:49:21 PM
Sorry  to interrupt you but... are the translucent minis available already? is the kickstarter already shipping? or is it on the shop?
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: phreedh on 25 December 2012, 09:05:03 PM
Sorry  to interrupt you but... are the translucent minis available already? is the kickstarter already shipping? or is it on the shop?
No, no and no.

It's impossible to say what's what at this point since none of us have laid our hands on the minis.

I must admit I'm slightly miffed about the apparent flatness of the Bones translucents. I was hoping for something along the lines of the D&D minis elementals, which really do look nice!
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Sangennaru on 25 December 2012, 09:14:27 PM
No, no and no.

It's impossible to say what's what at this point since none of us have laid our hands on the minis.

I must admit I'm slightly miffed about the apparent flatness of the Bones translucents. I was hoping for something along the lines of the D&D minis elementals, which really do look nice!

ok, that makes sense now! =)

Well, in the worst case a wise use of a light dipping could work pretty well for shure.
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Cherno on 26 December 2012, 12:50:44 AM
About the varnishing issue, I'd say it's fairly possible that the solvent or propulsion agent used in spray varnish (and only spray varnish) will react with the plastic and either melt it messily or jsut stay sticky without ever fully drying, so just use brush-on varnish ;)
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Sangennaru on 26 December 2012, 09:04:37 AM
or make a try on some slottabases that i'm gonna remove anyway! =)
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: Za Zjurman on 26 December 2012, 10:40:14 AM
http://www.reapermini.com/forum/index.php?/topic/46529-painting-transparent-bones-oh-yes-there-are-leds/ (http://www.reapermini.com/forum/index.php?/topic/46529-painting-transparent-bones-oh-yes-there-are-leds/)

Someone on the Reaper forum gave painting them a try. Great results and a lot of do's and don'ts.

Regards,
Za
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: kalamadea on 27 December 2012, 07:25:44 AM
Do NOT use any enamel based painted or primers. They react with the vinyl based soft plastics and will remain sticky/tacky pretty much forever. I nearly ruined the undead dracolich figure from the D&D Ravenloft board game by priming it with Floquil primer which is quite solvent heavy. Almost a year after I painted it the fig was still tacky to the touch even with multiple coats of varnish (though the harder plastic base was fine).  Only thing that finally saved it was I found a forum talking about the issue and somebody suggested a coat of elmers glue, which worked.

Just double check that it's an acrylic based matte varnish and you should be fine.
Title: Re: Painting the translucent Reaper Bones figures...
Post by: phreedh on 27 December 2012, 09:06:16 AM
http://www.reapermini.com/forum/index.php?/topic/46529-painting-transparent-bones-oh-yes-there-are-leds/ (http://www.reapermini.com/forum/index.php?/topic/46529-painting-transparent-bones-oh-yes-there-are-leds/)

Someone on the Reaper forum gave painting them a try. Great results and a lot of do's and don'ts.
In all honesty, judging by these pics, I think we would've been better off with regular Bones matierial for the models made in translucent plastic. It's a pity, I was really expecting something like the DDM translucents.