Thursday 23 December 2010

Baa Humbug


What could be more seasonal than a few sheep?

Shaun and friends by Hovels, shepherd by Hinchliffe. Incidentally, from the mid 70s Hovelmeister Dennis Coleman was one of Gilder's team of crack figure painters (so there is a shiny connection here - this posting is no mere piece of fluff...or should that be wool...).

5 comments:

Paul´s Bods said...

How do the police get a sheep to stop?
They shout "pullover"! :-)
Merry X-mas
Cheers
Paul

Mogg said...

Merry Christmas. I have been meaning to ask you, what "shiny varnish" are you using? I have been using Vellejo but it is not shiny enough.

Cheers,

Mogg

DC said...

Thank you Paul - dire jokes are always welcome here (...insert your own punch line...).

Mogg - i've used International Japlac High Gloss for the last 4 years or so. A single thin coat produces a rock hard finish with a very high sheen. It's a DIY type oil based varnish and the nay-sayers will tell you that it's bound to yellow over time (indeed it does look yellow in the tin, and if you're careless enough to let it pool on a figure) but i've not noticed any problems (i should perhaps add that my figures see very little direct sunlight - significantly it's UV light that causes traditional varnishes to yellow).

Prior to Japlac i used Humbrol Gloss Cote - a couple of coats produced a nice sheen but somehow the figures always felt slightly tacky to the touch (not that anything undesirable was sticking to the figures, but i found the feeling slightly unnerving). Gloss Coate was supposedly developed to eliminate yellowing so if i ever get round to painting any Frenchies or other tasteless types dressed predominantly in white then i may use Humbrol on them...just in case.

If you're put off by all the oil based tomfoolery then i believe Siggins uses Plaka gloss varnish - and the results speak for themselves.

cheers all.

Mike Siggins said...

Yes, Plaka. One, or two thin coats. Also like Marabu Klarlack, which seems to be more widely available.

Mogg said...

Many thanks for the advice. I know a art shop where I can get the Plaka varnish and I am using acrylics.