Finally I've found time to write down a new tutorial! Ok, this is not a real hobby tutorial, but it is something like "how to", so maybe it has the dignity of having that name.
However some days ago I was changing the strings of my guitar -this is not a useless info, read down!- and I decided to share some tricks I learned hobbying.
How loved hobby sometimes could be expensive, and saving some money can help us to spend them in the brand new mini produced. So here some ideas that I use, hoping you'll find them helpful. It is clear that a precise colour is hardly changed with another one -for example-, but sometimes you can find some interesting cheap sostitution. I've found this tricks because I'm very impatient and if I'm creating something and I have not that particular thing, I try to find a substitute and also I hate waste sources when you can reach the same result in a cheaper way. I'll never change some of the following things with the "official" thing, cause they were born like experiments but the result for me are completely satisfying.
1 non branded tools
Ok, GW tools are very steampunk, and when you have great hobby tools everything is easier: sometimes however you can find some tool similar or equal to a branded one: check in bricolage shops, you can find some hidden treasures!
2 guitar strings as wires, paper clips
I used a lot of wires for space scum project but also sometimes I add some of them somewhere: I have never bought them in a hobby store, always used guitar strings. They are cheap, a lot, every pack has 6 different wires with different diameter, and you can choose different section width: spending more or less 6€ you'll have wires for a lifetime. I also use paperclip for pinnimg miniature and for support to paint: easy and cheap!
3 cards as plasticard
I've never bought plasticard: simply I use old cars, cut them and used for everyting - no pics because I've not one now-!
4 natural sand
I use natural sand despite hobby sand because it is free, with irregular shapes and size: you have only to remember to find it in clean places and wash it with water and a bit of soap!
5 posidoniae
I do not buy clods, I use posidoniae found at the seasite: you can make them big as you want, the colour is natural but you can easily paint it with airbrush or washes: another time, you should wash it carefully before use it but results are cool! If you are interested tutorial for the following base on
6 cork by cork
I bought only one a sheet of cork and it was a "fake" sheet -two layers of cork with a layer of plastic-. This is the price when you experiment, the failure is always there. However cork by corks never disappoints, and some corks has different type of cork. Lets drink good wine ladies and gentlemen! And I use foam gum for sponge techinques. Once blisters had a small sheet of it, good old times.. terrible metal minis, they were so difficult to use.. I miss them!
7 cds as palette
I never use official palettes, old cds are fantastic and you neither need to clean up them, just put them in the recycle bin!
8 hair spray (read the comments above, thanks Greg)
This was really something read on the internet: a self-styled chemical said that the best pigment fixer were hairspray: lets try!!!
The results are strange because sometimes the finish is glossy where there are few pigments but they are fixed and I like the contrast between gloss and matt. However if you are careful you can avoid the gloss finish - not in total-. Here some results!
9 new colours
How can you have an unique painting scheme? With unique colours! And if they are cheaper and better than the most famoud brand, what are you waiting for? My love for the maimeri black born finding it in my house: why do not try it?
10 recycle'n'DIY
If you find something interesting in your house, why do not use it? Tea is fantastic for basing for example, and sometimes it is very satisfying to create something than buy and use it: it is more difficult, but you'll enjoy the trip and maybe save some money. Lastly I love change way of painting and paints etc., like change miniature to paint!
If you have other nice tricks, add comments!
I would be wary of the hairspray. Though it is a lovely technique, the very nature of hairspray is that different bottles may have slightly different formulations. This can result in very different effects (no consistency). That is one of the products I would invest in the artist equivalent, something like chipping fluid, or worn effects fluid, which maintains its consistency from pot to pot, so you don't end up destroying a model. (sadly speaking from experience)
RispondiEliminaYou are right! Trying other than official material could be dangerous for models especially for things like hair spray that are in different formulations: I was wrong to do not point out that first you try it on your own risk -and there is a risk!-. So if you are trying something different, first use a test model, than do not change brand of hair spray! Furthermore I use it on bases, not on models cause the result is too much glossy-unstable. Thanks a lot, add a reminder to your comment in the post.
Elimina