Kai's Garage Kits

(can you get it out with shampoo?)

I picked up a set of Gamblin 1980 oil paints recently and I’m determined to put them to use. Unlike many of the art supplies that I buy thinking “wow, I could have a lot of fun with this” and then proceed to use twice and never touch again, I am actually quite enamored with oil paints. The way they glide under the brush, the way they blend so smoothly, the way I can revisit an area that I painted several hours ago and all the paint will still be wet and workable…

Enough gushing, though. Let’s talk about what I’m working on right now. This kit is titled “Nocturne,” sculpted by Unnenhaku (云念白) and based on an illustration by Fkey:

While I usually try to avoid brushstrokes on my GKs, hair is one place where they can actually be an enhancement. The subtle lines left by bristle on paint are much finer than any details in the sculpted hair you typically find in kits. If you’re careful to keep your brushstrokes moving with the flow of the hair, you can create the illusion of thousands of tiny individual strands.

Don’t take anything past this point as advice. This isn’t a tutorial, this is more of a ride-along.

I started by filling in the shadows with raw umber, then added gray over top, blending the colors where they met. I ended up going a little too far with the blending, and the whole thing tuned a brownish-gray with only subtle variations. Still, I could work with it. If you look at the picture, you can compare the left side (where I’d started adding gray) to the right side (which just had the shadows):

Next, I added some highlights to bring a few strands to the forefront and increase the illusion of depth. I didn’t wait for the bottom layer to dry, both because I wanted to try Bob Ross’ wet-on-wet technique (he recommends using thin paint over thick paint if you want the top layer to stick) and also because I’m impatient. Well, more the latter than the former…

I probably would have had better results if I’d waited, as the highlights got a little muddied by the bottom layer of paint. I think I’ve proved definitively that I’m a novice with oils. Still, I’m happy enough with the results. I wasn’t going for a super clean look, more of a “painterly” one, and I think I achieved that. I felt like it would complement the look of the sculpt.

I don’t feel like the pictures truly capture the look of the paint. It has a different effect when you’re able to turn it in your hand and watch the light play over the surface, catching the ridges and shadows.

I also decided to paint the clothes with oils. I reversed the order that I used with the hair, starting with a base coat of white and then blending in some subtle yellow ochre shadows afterwards to create a creamy aged-white look. I felt like I had a lot more control with this approach, so I’ll probably stick with it in the future. I also added a little surprise periwinkle, just for fun 🙂

Here’s another detail shot. I absolutely love the texture here. It looks old, but in a friendly way, like if your grandmother was paint, or something else clever that makes for a better analogy.

Next up: painting the eyes. Haven’t decided if I want to stick with oils for those. I guess we’ll see… Get it? because eyes see…? yeah. sorry.