# Preiser unpainted figures... Save a ton!



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Save a bunch of money*
_Paint 'em yourself._

Available in quantities of 20, 50, 100, 120, etc.
It's way cheaper by a huge ratio.

Follow these steps:
1.) Do not cut them from their sprues! Leave them attached.
2.) Wash them all in fairly hot soapy water... Rinse thoroughly, and let dry. _Do not get fingerprints on them! Handle them by the sprues._
3.) Prime them with Tamiya, Stynelrez, etc... I use Testors ModelMaster primers. Allow to dry.
4.) Paint (with flat colors) using small quality brushes, or use an airbrush if you're proficient with it.
5.) DullCote if you think necessary.
6.) Use a sprue cutter to remove, and touch up the blank spot.

If you're good with an airbrush, you'll cut the time involved by at least half.
The photos show a slight gloss, but closeups and macro shots will tend to do that.

_[Note]:
You may have to experiment (by mixing) to get a skin color that suits you._


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Airbrushing fine detail*

If you're good with an airbrush, and your equipment is good quality, you'll be able to put paint on pants without overspray on shirts and coats.
If you're _really_ good, you'll be able to do ties, hands, sunglasses, etc... but probably not if you don't have a good quality airbrush.
Unfortunately, how good you do depends on how good your spray equipment is.
My Badger Patriot will do many of the figures here satisfactorily. But my H&S Infinity will even do eyebrows and belt buckles.


----------



## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

You have more time and patients than I. 

I'd just as soon pay for the pre-painted figures.

I have thought about painting them in the past and your's look excellent. Even better than Preiser does themselves.


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

BTW, photo #5 is (so far) the only one I've done by handbrushing.
Not very good.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

#1, I'm terrible with an airbrush.
#2, I can't see spending the time to paint several hundred figures, that would be hours and hours!


----------



## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Nice work, but... yeah... what they said.

When retire I'm going to be weathering rolling stock using some of your pics for reference.


----------



## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

My air brush isn’t the problem....it’s the steadiness of the hand that would make the deal.....


----------



## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

MichaelE said:


> You have more time and patients than I.


I don’t think he, or you, are doctors.....but you never know.....


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

This is the first of only six painted figures I've ever purchased
_The Truck Driver_ is a masterpiece of superb clarity, detail, tone, and color.
I haven't been able to come close to it.


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

*Don't do it!*
As tempting as it might be, don't cut them from their sprues before painting.
It won't end well.


----------



## Jille (Apr 6, 2019)

I work mostly with metal castings but I'm just curious what do you think is easier to paint? Plastic or Metal?


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Jille said:


> I work mostly with metal castings but I'm just curious what do you think is easier to paint? Plastic or Metal?


IMO, both are about the same, although some plastics like Delrin, Nylon, and resins don't hold paint well (especially acrylics).
It's a moot point however, since all figures should be primed anyway.


----------



## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

After painting 13,000 Napoleonic figures I don't mind painting figures for my train. My quality is nothing compared to yours though.


----------



## Dave NYC 1962 (Oct 17, 2020)

Murv2 said:


> After painting 13,000 Napoleonic figures I don't mind painting figures for my train. My quality is nothing compared to yours though.


I’ve painted a few thousand myself! Got out of that hobby about 8 years ago though. I stick to LaBataille and other wargames now.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'd be glad to send one of you guys a few hundred passenger figures to paint, I know I'll never get them done and looking like anything but a 2 year old's musings.


----------



## 65steam (Dec 18, 2019)

Please tell us more about the highlighting and shading you did on them.


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

65steam said:


> Please tell us more about the highlighting and shading you did on them.


No 'highlighting' or 'shading'...
Any you see is only from photo lighting.
I do 'spot-spray' dirt and grime occasionally though.


----------



## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

Murv2 said:


> After painting 13,000 Napoleonic figures I don't mind painting figures for my train. My quality is nothing compared to yours though.


Wow just had a flash of Field Marshall Von Blucher's counter attack at Waterloo...13.000 thats some serious Wargamming!!


----------



## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

That's some serious time spent painting.


----------



## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

I started Napoleonics in the 70's and quit about 3 years ago. I painted my Ottoman army in the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm.


----------



## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

I'm really impressed with your figures! 
I've painted hundreds of wargaming miniatures but for some reason have yet to paint any HO figures.

Your techniques really a show how mottled colors (whether done with washes, airbrush or drybrush) and a flat finish look so much more realistic than solid colors. I'm actually not impressed with stock factory painted figures, even with nice Presier painted color figures. They're neatly done, but crisp bold colors just don't look realistic.

Black priming is a great for bringing down the brightness and even unpainted crevases simulate shadow.


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Painting more*_
As mentioned, it's best to paint them on the sprue.
Then touch-up the cut-off spot.


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Tamiya XF-15*
Best for Caucasian skin color._
Add a drop of white or brown for variation.


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*36 more*
Mostly handbrushed, because I'm getting better at it._

Dressing unpainted Preiser figures is tedious yes, but rewarding, and so very economical (about 75% less than the cost of painted ones). The lesser brands are even cheaper.
I do most of them while listening to my favorite music mix.

It isn't practical (or even very much fun) to paint them off the sprue.
Leave them attached until you're done.
Then touch up the blank spot.
Seal with a _FLAT_ clearcoat.

For figures to be placed on terrain, I drill them #79, and pin them with a _heated_ .015" wire bayonet.
For those on solid surfaces, I use Aleens, Scenic Accents, etc.


----------



## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

#79 drill bit you say. Always wondered who/where best place to get drill bit sets under 1/16". 
Suggestions? Anyone?


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

kilowatt62 said:


> #79 drill bit you say. Always wondered who/where best place to get drill bit sets under 1/16".
> Suggestions? Anyone?


MicroMark, PJTool, HobbyLobby, Amazon, Lowes, Walmart... etc, etc, etc.


----------



## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

Thanks LS. 
I had tried Hobby Lobby, Lowe's, Walmart. No go. 
PJ Tool, never heard of them. Will look them up. 
Micromark. Completeley forgot about them. D'oh! 
I don't do Amazon, period. 

Again, thank you.


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

PELICANS ARE PEOPLE TOO
_*3D printed pelicans*
(just because)._

There's no beaches anywhere near my layout's location.
I just couldn't resist it.


----------



## kilowatt62 (Aug 18, 2019)

"No beaches nearby."
Hey. You know the golden premise: "your railroad, your rules. If any." 
I think they look great! Me want!


----------



## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

_*Recommendations*:_
There's an incredible amount of detail in Preiser unpainted figures.
They just need the right paintjob to bring them all to life.
It takes patience, magnification, quality small-tipped brushes, and a steady hand.

I recommend a coat of black primer before painting... it'll render a shadow effect in wrinkles if you paint clothing with a drybrush method.

I'm in the habit of doing them in _groups_, painting only the _pants, faces, and hands_ before jackets or shirts... that phase will go quickly, because you don't have to be as careful.
You can save the fussy work (hair, hats, shirts, shoes, belts, ties, handbags, etc) for the next steps.

I use _Tamiya XF-15 'Flat Flesh' _(on a palette or shallow dish) for Caucasian skin... I add a drop or two of brown for variation.
Seal with a _FLAT_ clear.

_[Note]:
The three unpainted figures were cut off the sprue for the photo.
But you should leave them on the sprue for painting... it'll go much-much easier that way.
Touch up the blank spot after clipping._


----------



## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

My biggest problem is achieving random color schemes. I found it when painting irregular wargaming figures too. I ended up lining all the figures up in a grid, painting all the shirts in a column one color, then painting the pants in rows. I usually would do maybe half one color then break up the rest one column or row at a time. I'm not naturally creative so I have to figure out ways to fake it...


----------

