MODELMAKER’S LIFE: PERSONAL MEMORIES, FUN PHOTOS AND ARTISTS OIL PAINTS

Using oil paints is always something that I enjoy. Their ease of application and ability to be endlessly adjusted or indeed, removed, is a positive benefit if your fists are as hammy as mine.

17th February 2025

Though the year 2016 was a memorable in part for all the wrong reasons, there were still some moments that brought me great joy, as a past life in a distant part of Wales, came back to the fore. 

Over many years I’ve enjoyed seeing military ‘Then & Now’ images, comparisons between Second World War photographs and their locations as they are today, free for the scars of war. Indeed, several years ago I was able to visit the Ardennes carrying with me the superb book ‘Duel In The Mist’ that allowed us to find specific points of interest where we could compare today’s views, with those taken during 1944/45. You can’t help but be moved by such things, so when I was able to do the same thing once more not as part of a battlefield tour but my own life, I grabbed it with both hands.

Many of you may not know this, but I was actually both in South Wales (Haverfordwest to be precise) Christened in St. Davids and lived in the small coastal village of Trefin (pronounced Tre-vine, for those interested in such things!). Despite living in England from the age of four I’d never been back. That is until 2016, when my wife Liz arranged a few days away to visit where I’d lived, including the exact bungalow in which we spent those first few years.

Today, Memories on the Book of Faces, reminded me of that emotional trip and the images that we took whilst there. Thanks to the owner of the bungalow who was most accommodating (if not a little suspicious at first!) we were able to create our very own ‘Then & Now’ images, two of which you can see here. It still makes me smile to see them and still creates something of a pang of remorse that we have not yet returned for a longer stay ready to experience more memories from 50 years ago.

Away from wistful reminiscences, today has seen me focus on the weathering of the Anson ready I hope, to be finished over the next couple of days. Though the full details of the model’s paintwork and weathering will form part of my detailed appraisal in Model Airplane International, I have already offered you a few tasty morsels of information over the last week or so about its finish and my approach to it. If you’d like to read little more, please check out my update from last week:

A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: METAL FINISHES, EXPERIMENTATION AND WHY ARTISTIC LICENCE IS NOT A DIRTY PHRASE…

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Paintwork done, weathering was next. This was a fairly straightforward task, despite my reservations outlined last night. As discussed I decided on something relatively subtle, panel washes being used to define the panel lines and then oils to take that clean paintwork along a path to something a little more stained and degraded. 

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Using oil paints is always something that I enjoy. Their ease of application and ability to be endlessly adjusted or indeed, removed, is a positive benefit if your fists are as hammy as mine. First things first though: the oil paints had to be prepared. Containing linseed oil, these paints are better left on a piece of cardboard so that that it can partially leach away. This not only intensifies the pigments, it also speeds up their drying times, makes them smoother and easier to blend. Check out the following images where you can see this simple process in action and then just how much of the oil has soaked away after a few hours on the board.

Soft flat brushes and no thinners were the order of the day when it came to applying the oil paint, the colours being used to essentially stain the surfaces, before being carefully blended away. Thinners can be used for certain effects such as streaking and the like, but on aircraft surfaces I prefer to use Liquin as a carrier and blending agent, the results being seen here. In terms of specifics, I used Raw Umber and Ivory black to add both staining and shading, the two colours looking more than acceptable over the Anson’s silver and aluminium surfaces.

Tomorrow, with the oils dry, I plan on finishing the model off only the engine nacelles and undercarriage remaining. I’m still nervous about fixing those glazed panels in place, but hopefully that will all proceed without incident and the need to touch up what is now a very pleasing paint job. Suffice to say that if it doesn’t you’ll be the first to know, or rather the second; I’m sure the neighbours will be aware of my mistake long before anyone else finds out!

See you tomorrow.

TODAY’S MUSIC CHOICES…

It’s been a bit of a Prog and Melodic Rock day today, with three albums being played, one Ive played a lot and the other two, being heard for the first time! Here’s the list:

Marillion: Live At The Edinburgh Playhouse

Magnum: Brand New Morning

Khymera: The Greatest Wonder

• A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: AIRBRUSHED PAINTWORK AND IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS…
• A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: TOMCAT ASSEMBLY…
• A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: STILL UNWELL…
• A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: LURGY, LEGO AND A TAMIYA TOMCAT…
• A MODELMAKER’S LIFE: UNWELL…

1. 

   I’ve just completely revamped mine, and I’m still refining it, and making a few 3D prints that will fill some…

2. 

   My sympathies- I’m on day 6, and feeling just a bit better. Good luck!

3. 

   Hope you get over the flu but soon Spencer. Without sounding a bit, how can I put it, full.of doom.…

4. 

   That’s a great kit, enjoy.

5. 

   Hope you feel better soon!