Painting Mannequins (By Request!)

[Erwin L]

Hello Mark,

Here are 2 mannequins i brushed myself. I only have to fill in the eyes and give them a worry look.

regards erwin

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...1&d=1171061653

[Erwin L]

His brother. I use paint on a waterbase

Regards Erwin

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...1&d=1171061859

[NZMark]

Mark,
What do you think about the ears on this guy. Would car body filler work???
Thanks.

Hi Bob,
That's the best option, then re-build with car-putty.
First thing I'd do, though, in all cases is remove the 'hair'. That allows any head gear to be used.
I would saw off the skull area following the hair line (drill holes as guides). Fill the cavity with syrofoam - it's light but a fantastic filler. Trim off the excess with a carving knife making sure you reduce it enough to build up the skull shape with body filler. It's then a simple case of sanding and filing the filler back to a smooth shape.
As for the ears, study your own ears for details. Remove the existing set (on the mannequin!) with a grinder, watching out for the dust - do not breath it.
Super-glue some plastic card to the inside of the mannequins head now exposed by the grinding - that gives you a surface to build on.
The ears can be based on body-filler, but you might want to sculpt the finer points in a modelling putty. That's up to the individual's skill.
As for the mouth on your first mannequin, you could certainly reduce the lip size - you can always build them up again with putty if you think you've gone too far.
Good Luck!
Mark.

[NZMark]

His brother. I use paint on a waterbase

Regards Erwin

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...1&d=1171061859

Nice One, Erwin!
And I admire your collection, too
Regards,
Mark.

[airborne_steve]

Mark,

I didn't know that you were such an artist! You have the coolest collection of DAK!

Steve

[Erwin L]

Thanks Mark for the compliment

I wait till spring/summer to finnish the job. I will spray them outside. The temperature is higher and the light influence from the sun is better. The waterbase paint will dry also faster then. Then i can bring my theory lesson from Federico Perez in practice . Now i have to find 2 soldbuchs of 2 brothers

One thing is for sure. You always have a unique mannequin if you painted them yourself. It's a pleasure to do and you can give them a personnal touch.

regards Erwin

[Tino]

And lose the eye lashes
Regards,
Mark.

I have to disagree on the eye lashes, eye lashers finish the job.
If there was one negative thing to be said about your mannequins, it would be the lack of eye lashes.

Other than that I would like to compliment you on the fantastic job your doing on these boys

[NZMark]

I have to disagree on the eye lashes, eye lashers finish the job.
If there was one negative thing to be said about your mannequins, it would be the lack of eye lashes.

Other than that I would like to compliment you on the fantastic job your doing on these boys

Hi Tino
When someone manufactures artificial eyelashes that can be applied to a mannequin and doesn't make 'him' look effeminate, I'll put them on. Until then, . I don't want my guys to look like drag queens in uniform The problem, even in trimming the existing 'issue' items, is that they still look girly, and even more un-natural than totally removing them. (IMHO)
Mark.

[Glenn Barbaritz]

Hi Tino
When someone manufactures artificial eyelashes that can be applied to a mannequin and doesn't make 'him' look effeminate, I'll put them on. Until then, . I don't want my guys to look like drag queens in uniform The problem, even in trimming the existing 'issue' items, is that they still look girly, and even more un-natural than totally removing them. (IMHO)
Mark.

I have to agree with that. just as in real life, I never notice a man's eyelashes but on a pretty girl... I personally feel male mannequins dont need them. as said, too "effeminate" or is the politically correct word "metrosexual". politically correct, theres a term thats killing America, probably the world. Glenn

[Chap15]

Mark,
Thanks for your comments.
What do you do about arms that are two big around the shoulder area? The diameter around the arm can be too big at times?
Also, how can you bend a knee or an arm?
Thanks!!!

[NZMark]

Mark,
Thanks for your comments.
What do you do about arms that are two big around the shoulder area? The diameter around the arm can be too big at times?
Also, how can you bend a knee or an arm?
Thanks!!!

Hi Bob,
This is a very common problem as todays mannequins tend to be ultra 'buff' in muscular forms that make classical Greek athlete's look sissy.
Three ways past this - a)-saw off the upper muscle 'bulges' on the outside of the arm so as to reduce the overall circumfrance, or
b) - use female arms with the same shoulder and hand connections.
c) - saw off the connections from male arms (that fit your particular torso) and attach to female examples. This is a matter of sawing, bogging, sanding etc. But, the results are impossible to see under the tunic and relieve the stress on the chest at the same time.
The mannequin under the FJ smock is a composite of a male chest, head, female legs and arms with male connections attached for the hands.
I hope this helps?
Regards,
Mark.

[Chap15]

Hi Bob,
This is a very common problem as todays mannequins tend to be ultra 'buff' in muscular forms that make classical Greek athlete's look sissy.
Three ways past this - a)-saw off the upper muscle 'bulges' on the outside of the arm so as to reduce the overall circumfrance, or
b) - use female arms with the same shoulder and hand connections.
c) - saw off the connections from male arms (that fit your particular torso) and attach to female examples. This is a matter of sawing, bogging, sanding etc. But, the results are impossible to see under the tunic and relieve the stress on the chest at the same time.
The mannequin under the FJ smock is a composite of a male chest, head, female legs and arms with male connections attached for the hands.
I hope this helps?
Regards,
Mark.

Thanks Mark, I thought about sanding, but never using female parts. I like my mannequins to be straight. Does that make yours a trans-mannequin...just being funny. Good input. Thanks!!!

[NZMark]

Thanks Mark, I thought about sanding, but never using female parts. I like my mannequins to be straight. Does that make yours a trans-mannequin...just being funny. Good input. Thanks!!!

Or perhaps bi-sexual?? Now I'm all confused. So one or two of my 'guys' could be in the German Maidens League uniform, and get away with it?
Cheers!
Mark.

[NZMark]

Here's a good example of what I mean about 'buff' mannequins. On the whole, from wartime photos, German troops were very spare (food intake, training, stress etc), so what we need is a male version of Kate Moss
Thankfully, this tunic is a large size (over 100cm chest), but you can easily see the tension that the larger, in vogue arms can place on the material. This mannequin stands a good six foot two inches tall.
Mark.

[cricket]

Mark,
Great work. I'm also a modeler, mostly 1/35 and 120mm. Starting to concentrate more on 120mm figs than anything else. I have a couple mannequins that I had planned on working on and just assumed I would use my air brush. I was suprised to hear you use brushes for your heads, they look great. If I don't have to break out an airbrush I won't, hate the cleanup. I'm curious about your method of attaching heads to torsos. I assume you cut off the undesirable head from the body at the shoulders/clavicle?? or the top of the neck? Then how do you secure the webster head to the neck or clavicle region so you can begin filling in the cut line? If your using adhesives what type. Also can you be more specific on exactly what kind of fillers/puttys you use for your build up work, I assume not all puttys etc. will stick to the fiberglass. You mentioned using foam to fill up holes you had cut to give you a surface to work on. Are you using typical expanding foam in the can used for insulating around doors and windows etc. Sorry for all the questions but I'm sure I'll have more. If you could do a photo step by step of removing and adding a head on a bust or manniquin in the future that would be kick a**.
Once again great work,
cricket