Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Mr.Marx on December 15, 2014, 01:08:03 AM
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Hey,
I've recently been reading up on using alcohol to mix filters...only, I can't find any clear indication oofwhat 'alcohol' i should throw into the mix. I'm guessing pharmacy rubbing alcohol? Or is their some sort of special art alcohol that I don't know about?
Thanks for any help.
MM.
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The only way I know to filter alcohol is to drink it first ;D
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Denatured (ethanol) alcohol maybe. Find it in the paint section of hardware stores. Basically pure ethanol with no water in it (but with a tiny twist of something to make it pukey so folks won't buy it to drink), used as a thinner/stripper for some kinds of paints. Also as a fuel for some types of stoves/lamps and small engines.
I can has links? I'm curious because the filters stuff I've seen in the past dealt with oil/enamel paints with mineral spirits or turps being the solvents of choice. I've not heard of alcohol filters.
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Isopropyl alcohol (medical or rubbing alcohol), used as a solvent, cleaning agent & disinfectant. You may be able to find it at pharmacies or hardware stores. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isopropyl_alcohol
Definitely undrinkable!
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I don't understand the question, which filters? ???
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I don't understand the question, which filters? ???
A "filter" is a painting technique similar to a wash, but instead of flowing into the crevices to highlight/shade them, it's intended to stick more or less uniformly over the whole surface. The intent is to impart a slight color bias to the underlying paintwork, either to help unify contrasting colors, or to provide some sort of subtle weathering effect.
Here's a couple explanations:
http://www.missing-lynx.com/rare_world/rw02.htm
http://gamerabaenre.com/?page_id=1361
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So its like a colour filter lense in photography?
May give this a go myself if I feel confident enough...
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A "filter" is a painting technique similar to a wash, but instead of flowing into the crevices to highlight/shade them, it's intended to stick more or less uniformly over the whole surface. The intent is to impart a slight color bias to the underlying paintwork, either to help unify contrasting colors, or to provide some sort of subtle weathering effect.
Here's a couple explanations:
http://www.missing-lynx.com/rare_world/rw02.htm
http://gamerabaenre.com/?page_id=1361
Thanks for the illumination. 8)
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So if a filter is a carefully applied wash, is it closer to glazing as a technique? By this I mean thinned paints, and a lightly loaded brush, rather than the heavily loaded brush of a wash.
I've read quite a few vehicle modelling books, but I've never been completely sure where a filter lies between wash and glaze...
edit: swapped "it" and "is" in my first sentence to actually make it a question ;D
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I've read quite a few vehicle modelling books, but I've never been completely sure where a filter lies between wash and glaze...
Personally I don't know why they don't just call it a glaze, other than from subculture parochialism.
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My understanding of where the "filter" diverges from washes or glazes, is that a filter involves placing very small random dots of several colors on the painted model (usually artist's oil paints), then using odorless turpentine on a flat brush to push the color around on the surface, moving into shadowed areas, around raised detail, etc. It gives a subtle multicolr blending effect, especially on mono-color models.
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Filter's are one of those methods we use to fill time without knowing it.You can achive the same with washes and a direct re - highlight whilst the wash is still wet.Or just remove glazing with a soft brush/fine fibred cloth.
When you break it down into tasks,All you are doing is mixing multipule small washes on the figure,.Rather than on a pallet.
Its not bad method but its more of a method for pleasure painting than for large orders.It stains the base medium rather than creates a new layer.(That how I see it anyway lol)
Matt you can come round in the new year and I'll run through the other methods you wanted to know about.
Theres pritty much the same methods in oil based as in acrylic.You can even blend by mixing both mediums(it will kill brushes but it can be done.)
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Afilter isn't a glaze, but a way of adding slight colour differentiation to parts of a model. It's makes panels, etc seem more lifelike and defined. It's similar to a glaze, but not as heavy.
Fichenfoo is a master at using them, here's a link to his blog entries with the tag 'filters'
http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/filters/ (http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/filters/)
and some pictures to show the effect:
from this:
(http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/DVTA-05-460x338.jpg)
to this:
(http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/DVTA-06-460x362.jpg)
Very subtle I know, and probably not something most of us wargamers would be bothered with.
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Talented fella that Fitchen-Foo, got him on my blog roll 8)
cheers
James
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Afilter isn't a glaze, but a way of adding slight colour differentiation to parts of a model.
What does a glaze do, then?
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My understanding of a glaze is used to draw the various layers in shading/highlighting back together and thus making the transition less clear. Though the painterly types will likely correct me.
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A filter and a glaze are essentially the same thing. Everything modelers use "filters" for are basically the same things oil painters use "glazes" for. Unifying contrasting colors, creating weathering effects or gradients, color biases, etc. The two terms are interchangeable.
I think it's just a case of modelers rediscovering glazing via parallel evolution of technique rather than learning it from painters, and being unaware of the established painting term, creating their own term.
It is not the same as a wash however. You could argue that they're both the same since they're both highly thinned paint, but IMO that would be missing the point of the terms. The two are distinguished by their use: filters/glazes are for "flat" surface coverage, washes are for pooling in creases and crevices. If you're giving someone a painting recipe, telling them to apply a filter/glaze instead of a wash communicates the specific intent without having to waste words clarifying which type of "wash" you mean.
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I don't know why you would specifically use alcohol to thin paint rather than water. It would dry faster, but if you're trying to get a smooth thin coat that may be a bad thing.
The little I've read about them, you want to use a paint different from the underlying paint coats. If you painted with acrylics, you want to use oils; if you painted with oils, use acrylics. You want the effects of the dissimilar paints so that it floats on top rather than soaking into the existing paint.
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Matt you can come round in the new year and I'll run through the other methods you wanted to know about.
Theres pritty much the same methods in oil based as in acrylic.You can even blend by mixing both mediums(it will kill brushes but it can be done.)
Ahh a nice invitation, we shall have to arrange a day for me to come down.
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I don't know why you would specifically use alcohol to thin paint rather than water. It would dry faster, but if you're trying to get a smooth thin coat that may be a bad thing.
The little I've read about them, you want to use a paint different from the underlying paint coats. If you painted with acrylics, you want to use oils; if you painted with oils, use acrylics. You want the effects of the dissimilar paints so that it floats on top rather than soaking into the existing paint.
As I understand it, (I could be wrong) alcohol has much less surface tension than water. Thinning with water makes it much more likely that your paint will bead up on the surface whereas alcohol should give you a much more even coat.
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You can reduce the water beading by using warmer water,and drying with a hair dryer.
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You can reduce the water beading by using warmer water,and drying with a hair dryer.
Not really. You would be better served to use a soap to break the surface tension. Fairy liquid used sparingly can work. Another off the shelf product to break surface tension is finish brilliant rinse aid. It is added to the dishwasher to break the surface tension of the water so you do not get spots on glass. I use it on the molds prior to casting in plaster to help get rid of air bubbles. I also used it when applying an ink wash on my Zuzzy mats. The wash on its own did not want to go into the cracks.
Snitchy sends.
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It really does work.In fact its the main method I use on all vehicle's and figures.I'm a great beliver in the simple,If your really intent on trying to cover large areas in a single go.then add airbrush thinners to your washes as its intended to keep the pigment even.
I'm more than happy to post pictures of examples.
Mark.
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The Austin has a warm water based filter over it.The Lanchester has none and only small areas of wash for rust and inverted shading.The pond is nothing but six layers of washes with small points of slightly heavier paint allowed to bleed into the washes whilst each is layer is still wet.All were dried with indirect heat from a Hair dryer.
Both the tarp on the lorry and the radio tent have a filter and local washes.
Infact the board was made for a Lord of the Rings game in an hour.It is just a series of washes using nothing but the dirty water left over from cleaning my brushes.Again dried with a hair dryer.There are no areas of crackling.No open areas devoid of paint.I didn't use any paints other than humbrol,Miniature Paints,and the odd GamesWorkshop paint.
Unless I'm being paid,the day's of spending thirty plus hours on a single figure for myself are long gone.For me the fun in painting now is to go back to basic's.The less time I spend painting the better.Otherwise I'd never be out of my workshop.
Mark.
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They are incredibly good them Mark :)
cheers
James
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Since you've posted twice James here's a few more. lol
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Really great results some of you have gotten with warm water and a hair dryer. Still is that really any less work than just mixing a bit of alcohol or other "wet"ing chemical into whatever you use?
For my washes, I just use water, but I'm also doing this for grimy terrain where I can let it pool overnight to look muddy and even coverage isn't at all required.
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Tin Shed Gamer - your work is fantastic!
Thanks for all the tips and advise. I'll try the alcohol method first, but will get to the others in due course.
I managed to get some rubbing alcohol in the third pharmacists that I tried today.
Will do some experimenting over the weekend and post up the results.
MM.
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Thank you,
If your going to use alcohol as the vehicle for your pigment,you can use a hair dryer to speed up the drying and push pigment to where you need it.
I think I need to make myself a little clearer.I'm not Anti mixed medium vehicles.Infact I do used them when a water based wash will damage the surface.
However I don't openly advocate adding a chemical/alcohol to an Acrylic non toxic paint
(As I've no way of knowing how old anyone viewing my post actually is.Or how much common sence flows through them.ie all those who repoint their brushes by putting them in there mouths).
That said it doesn't matter which you use.The pitfalls are the same.Over loading the brush,using the wrong shape of brush,Trying to achive the desired effect in one coat.
It just practice combined with the odd bout of swearing.
Mark.
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Now I am truly impressed. Very nice work and I happen to have that Nazgul too.
Snitchy sends.
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Since you've posted twice James here's a few more. lol
Well, dodgy wifi and a few pints will do that but the sentiment remains the same 8)
cheers
James
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lol I can claim neither.Just negatively charged IT skill's .(My children tell me 'what the?' ,'you evil!'and 'work you damned!'are not windows vaild terms,and definately not the words I left out.Nor is my tablet fatherless.who knew?)
I nearly posted the balrog instead of the Nazgul.But since I'm down to my last fly base as people keep breaking them,every time they pick it up.I though I'd use it to show a larger wash on an uneven surface as its days are clearly numbered.
I'll confess I had to stop myself from posting more.(Its not my topic).As its sometimes faster to show than to discribe,plus I'm a one letter( then backspace )a minute typer.
I am glad you liked them though.
Mark.
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FILTERS!
I've been doing this for 30 odd years and I didn't even know it had a legitimate name. I just thought it was my way of cheating.