Flesh Ink
Green Ink
Blue Ink
Brown Ink
Chestnut Ink
Red Ink
Gold Ink
Grey Ink
Adicolor does a nice line
Black Ink
Brown Ink
Red Ink
Yellow Ink
Green Ink
Blue Ink
I get Speedball Ink from A C Moores a local Artist supply company
Lite Flesh
White
Black
Blue
Green
Red / Carmine
Yellow
Renaissance Ink
Black
Purple
Brown
Green
Blue
Games workshop
Black Ink
Blue Ink
Brown Ink
Chestnut Ink
Dark Green Ink
Magenta Ink
Purple Ink
Red Ink
Yellow Ink
I use calligraphy brushes as they hold ink better and are about an inch in length availabe in various sizes from any good artists supply store. They also hold a point well
As you can see I have all the primary colors and they are water based to boot. Mixing inks is a learning curve. water color more water more color etc. You may wonder why so many different blacks and blues etc. Well some are better than others, it depends on the use on the figure.The GW Black for instance I water down and use as a wash. The SpeedBall is great for shoes and black leather accoutraments etc. also you may find some inks are easier to combine to get another shade not made by manufacturer lighter or darker.
Remember when inking the reverse of normal is true. You go from light to dark instead of going from dark to light as you would do with paint.This is done by a build up of washes till the desired result is achieved.
An example of how I would paint a hatman in British service.
I use Krylon matte white primer from ACE Hardware.
Spray the complete unit outdoors on a flat surface already based on Coke bottle caps using Sticky stuff. The bottle caps give you something to hold on to whilst painting so you never have to touch the figure with your fingers. Skin oils can mar the finished result.
Take Hair Dryer and dry figures with nozzle of drier about a foot away from the figures. Stops you from overheating the figures but also makes the paint heat bond to the figure smooth porcelain result.
Ok all nice and semi-shiny white as I said this is British unit so now I get nice thick wash brush and ink all the figures with Chestnut ink. that takes care of all the leather work except for the black shoes which we will do last.
Ok now on to the coat which will be red the officers will be a brighter red because of better quality so we thin down some Speed ball and apply a thin wash only on the coat surfaces. Not on any other areas unless the britches happen to be red too which is uncommon. The hatman may take a couple of washes but if you do as I do and ink a unit at a time the first is usually dry by the time I get done with the last.
Another tip
Get a coffee can and and drill a - in the bottom get a light fixture from a hard ware store and insert in - put a 100watt bulb and plug in never touch the outside of can very ouchy
. Nice even drying chamber and a unit on caps fits under. It has to be suspended about six inches above the figures. Ok so we have Red coat and the rest is all chestnut brown
Ok now on to the face and any other flesh that is showing. well the shadows are all there already thanks to the brown ink thin wash of flesh ink over all exposed flesh. We will do this until the desired skin tone is showing and the brown ink still shows finger designation and shadows on the face. This may sound strange but trial and effort, you will be surprised at the results. Grey ink for the britches.
Right now on the leather work and the gun or pike If its pike all you would have to do is maybe another coat or two of brown( not chestnut) Ink.If its a gun all the wood work needs Chestnut ink again and possibly one more time want it to look like wood after all. The leather work ( straps and bags etc) should look ok with the original wash if you think its too light by all means do another really thin wash.
Ok Out with the white ink and just dab where the eyes are try not to miss the socket. We will come back and dot the eye later with a dark ink or maybe sky blue.
On to the Cuffs and hatband and lace now this is the tricky bit.
Take white ink (do not thin ink apply straight) and ink round the hat band and round the outside of the hat if the regiment has white lace the outside just need the once over.White ink on stockings. If its Yellow lace we go back and ink it yellow. When putting white on the cuffs avoid getting white ink in any button - ( shadows) the same applies for the facing colors if there are buttons and - especially on grenadiers don't want to double the work.Ok the cuffs in this case they are yellow, couple of light washes over white and you have the cuffs and lace done.
ok now out with the black ink and do the shoes, hat and maybe dot the eyes. The hatband is yellow so we already done that last pass.
ok hair
want to use black over brown no problem
yellow over chestnut wash gives you blonde couple a washes needed
More chestnut gives you deep russet dark brown
orange over chestnut brown gives you nice red heads all scots and irish
Ok inking is done
out with metallic acrylic paints this is the 25% paint I mentioned in my post
Brass for buttons if yellow lace
Pewter for buttons if white lace
Bolt gun metal for gun muzzle and bayonet of pike head.
All done apart from the sealer
I seal the figure once now using Gloss varnish from ACE hardware
Nice sealer and protects the figure through the basing stages. Nice hard finish too stops any running or bleeding.
On to a base with his five companions. I use rhino glue
Get spackle and thin it down till its runny consistencey add brown acrylic paint and mix well. take old nuber two brush and starting between the feet of the figures slowly work to the outside of the base. Now is the time to apply any bits like wagon wheels etc. Put under Coffee can dryer Go outside and undercoat the next unit have cup of coffee and cigarette. (optional)
Ok back to the table we apply more semi liquid spackle to make any raised areason the base. Ok set aside under Coffee can dryer. leave for abou 15 minutes.
I have pre mix base mix of wood land scenics grass in a tupper ware container. Two parts Blended Turf - Green ,two parts Fine Brown Talus,
two parts Medium Brown Talus some cork bits broken really fine.
Ok get wood glue mix with water till its just runny and and stays in place on the base.Apply with old brush to base starting between feet of figures and working outwards. Dip whole base in Pre-mix avoid getting wood glue mix on figures. Shake off excess. Leave overnight to dry and cure.
Next morning take outside and apply Plaid Patricia Nimocks Clear acrylic sealer. Allow to dry and then apply a second coat do not leave outside to dry unless you want bugs stuck to your figures.
Ok done on to the next unit Regards Lindsay PS Good music whilst doing this is a must.
