Seth - Airbrush Neophyte

[Seth Longmire]

I wish I bought an Airbrush years ago, I love this thing so much.  I'm still getting the hang of it, but so far, I'm satisfied with my progress.  Lesson 1) Less is more when layering. Lesson 2) Not all airbrush paints are Monster Kolor.  Yikes.  Tried some cheap stuff last night that went on like Elmers Glue.

This was my first full airbrush project.  A Transformers Legends-size The Fallen.  I hated the movie, but like the character from a pure design perspective.  Looks Wayne Barlow-ey, and reminds me of the old Gobots monsters:

 

 

And he still transforms!

Looked like this originally.

 

Washed with rubbing alcohol, primed with MK black, then layers of MK silver, blue, and micrometallic blue that was my Neo-Hawaii runner up prize.  Matt, is it the same blue that's in the Micro metallic kit?  After the clear coat, I did some details with Reaper Pro paint copper, and a brush. They're kinda weak.  But for a first timer, in one evening?  Pretty happy with it.

More pictures in my Picasa folder.

I've been busy, waiting for the clear to cure on these:

 
All feedback welcome!

[Seth Longmire]

New one:

 

[Seth Longmire]

Forgot to post these: The Love Machine

 

 

That's alllll MK.  It's also the project that made me give up an buy an airbrush.  I was brush-painting it, and it was turning out terrible.  The airbrush saved it.  It also started solid red, but I became beguiled when I added some Kissed highlights, and it was all downhill.  I'm in love with that color.  Pictures show it's flaws to much (mostly my really uneven brush-painting), and don't really do it justice.

 

 This guy is micro-metallic blue, and grape ape:

 Working my way up to painting some Kaiju!

[Sanjeev]

Looking good, Seth! The Glyos stuff just makes for a great canvas...but obviously, the real accomplishment is getting a Transformer painted...while still allowing it to transform!

 

Oh, and good on ya for getting the light tent...makes a WORLD of difference! ;)

[Paperdaniel]

i think these are lookin good seth. and you have already figured out what some vinyl and toy painters never figure out..ever. which is that a little paint(good paint) goes a hella long way, and that layering and "light handed passes" are the keystone to some good work. oh yeah - - and that there are few substitutes for MK. i dig that you were ballsey and creative enough to step outta line and do a fallen piece. thumbs way up. MK seems to be a paint "system" so there will be a few scant rules to adhere to and everything else is meant to be bent. bend it hard in all directions and see what you can pull off. you are doing awesome. MK is still pretty new and i've been messin with painting toys for awhile, but MK has changed up my whole routine to the point that i now consider myself a neophyte all over again. hope it stays that way.

[Seth Longmire]

Thanks for the feedback guys!  I keep saying this but, a good airbrush and Monser Kolor has really changed my creative life.  The community here has been a huge part of that!

New stuff below:

 

I'm usually really harsh on my work, but I'm just super happy with how the Eyezon turned out.  I love the sculpt, and I think I did it justice.  MK green and yellow base, topped with Over-Easy and Clover.  Highlighted with Gold. He's one of the blanks Mark offered after the Galaxy Battle sets.  Glitter gold in a translucent green. I masked the eyes so that the glitter and translucence were preserved, it looks really nifty as light shines in and out of the eyes.  Pictured below with my first, hand-painted eyezon from the Neo-Hawaii set.  I think I'm making good progress.  I think I'm going to try and paint a blank eyezon every year or so as a benchmark.

 

 

I should have done more prep-work on the C-thru Gobon.  I wanted it look like the skin of a watermelon, and tried masking, but I rushed it, and my tape-application and sizes were crap.  Ended up freehanding it once I pulled the tape off.  Looks like gummi-candy now, so not a great result, but ok.  C-thru Green, Yellow, Red, and Purple Pearl before the clearcoat.

 

 

The Glyos in front is an attempt to copy the awesome Matt Doughty's awesome Custom Corps figures, for my own collection.  They go for big bucks, so I'll never own any older ones.

Mixed of Vividtone Pink and Kissed, then covered in a C-thru Red and Firecracker pearl mix.  After clearcoat, I drybrushed Reaper Pro Paint Moon Silver.  It's a really iridescent white, and looks nifty as a drybrush.  Unfortunately they just canceled the who pro paint line.  The head is MK Minted, with a Testors Acrylic wash.  I may clear-coat him again to add some depth, and blend the drybrush in a little better.

 

The other two (Sarvos), are all MK.  The sliver one is base MK Silver, then I tried zenithal shading with Charcoal, and Sky bule metallic highlights.  Blue Pearl over Charcoal on the eyes, and general peal coat, then clear.  Same thing with the green one, but did some masking too.  Green Tea base with Clover and Grape ape Highlights.  The purple is Grape ape with Kissed Highlights.  I managed to miss the top of his left arm with the clearcoat, going to have to go back for it.  Purple pearl finished it off.

 

Sorry, I get all verbose.

[Seth Longmire]

I've fallen behind in cataloging my stuff.  Picasa is making it pretty easy to upload and manage photos, I just need to eke out the time and space to take good photos.  Probably should invest in a better camera too, at some point.

 

Hey, lets do a slidey-show!

 

 

 

 

 

[Seth Longmire]

More pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sanjeev]

Very swanky OSM, Seth! I don't have any of those guys (yet?) because I want repro bendies, damnit...but seeing the raw PVC painted up nicely really makes them look sharp.

[alnsin]

they are so goooooooooood

Seth Longmire said:

Thanks for the feedback guys!  I keep saying this but, a good airbrush and Monser Kolor has really changed my creative life.  The community here has been a huge part of that!

New stuff below:

 

I'm usually really harsh on my work, but I'm just super happy with how the Eyezon turned out.  I love the sculpt, and I think I did it justice.  MK green and yellow base, topped with Over-Easy and Clover.  Highlighted with Gold. He's one of the blanks Mark offered after the Galaxy Battle sets.  Glitter gold in a translucent green. I masked the eyes so that the glitter and translucence were preserved, it looks really nifty as light shines in and out of the eyes.  Pictured below with my first, hand-painted eyezon from the Neo-Hawaii set.  I think I'm making good progress.  I think I'm going to try and paint a blank eyezon every year or so as a benchmark.

 

 

I should have done more prep-work on the C-thru Gobon.  I wanted it look like the skin of a watermelon, and tried masking, but I rushed it, and my tape-application and sizes were crap.  Ended up freehanding it once I pulled the tape off.  Looks like gummi-candy now, so not a great result, but ok.  C-thru Green, Yellow, Red, and Purple Pearl before the clearcoat.

 

 

The Glyos in front is an attempt to copy the awesome Matt Doughty's awesome Custom Corps figures, for my own collection.  They go for big bucks, so I'll never own any older ones.

Mixed of Vividtone Pink and Kissed, then covered in a C-thru Red and Firecracker pearl mix.  After clearcoat, I drybrushed Reaper Pro Paint Moon Silver.  It's a really iridescent white, and looks nifty as a drybrush.  Unfortunately they just canceled the who pro paint line.  The head is MK Minted, with a Testors Acrylic wash.  I may clear-coat him again to add some depth, and blend the drybrush in a little better.

 

The other two (Sarvos), are all MK.  The sliver one is base MK Silver, then I tried zenithal shading with Charcoal, and Sky bule metallic highlights.  Blue Pearl over Charcoal on the eyes, and general peal coat, then clear.  Same thing with the green one, but did some masking too.  Green Tea base with Clover and Grape ape Highlights.  The purple is Grape ape with Kissed Highlights.  I managed to miss the top of his left arm with the clearcoat, going to have to go back for it.  Purple pearl finished it off.

 

Sorry, I get all verbose.

[Seth Longmire]

Starguts Armodoc:

 

 

I'm continually amazed by MK.  Its really forgiving.

[alnsin]

it make me want to buy the brush now.

[Dead Presidents]

I love it Seth ! I can't wait to see it in person at ILK ;)

Seth Longmire said:

Starguts Armodoc:

 

 

I'm continually amazed by MK.  Its really forgiving.