Painting Gundam Pilot Skin Tones with Vallejo Mecha Color

This is part of my Painting Gundam Pilots with Vallejo Mecha Color Part 1 at Youtube. 

The Priming Blog article is HERE. 

I decided to paint the base color of the skin tone as I did not want my Youtube video, to just have the Zenithal priming. The 10 minute video is now at least filled with information from Zenithal priming with Vallejo Mecha Primers to painting the base skin tones with Vallejo Mecha Colors.

I think I will no longer mention paint and thinner RATIOS here in my blog articles, as my videos will show and try to explain how I miss Vallejo Mecha Colors for airbrushing. 

I use Vallejo Mecha Colors mixed with Vallejo AB Thinner and Flow Improver for airbrushing. 

I clean up my airbrush in between spraysduring painting. My Harder&Steenbeck Silverline airbrush is the easiest airbrush to clean that I ever had ( I have other brands of ab, but I no longer use them ). 

THE COLORS

I used Vallejo Mecha Color Pink for the base color of the skins of all the 3 Gundam pilot figures. I sprayed in thin even coats ( 3 times ). 

I then highlighted the base color with Vallejo Mecha Color Light Flesh mix with a bit of Off White. Thinned the misture with thinner and V Flow ( Vallejo Flow Improver ). I then sprayed on the upper right side of the figure to simulate lighting. 

I like subtle lighting with anything I paint these days. Flat painting is... errr... is fine, but I like models and figures with simulated lighting. 

THE PAINTING

Always test spray on a piece of paper ( I use thick vellum cardboard ) before spraying on the actual kit. Add paint if you over thinned, and add thinner if the paint is too thick. I can write thin lines of around 1mm before attempting precision airbrushing. 

CONCLUSION

I love Vallejo Mecha Colors! LOL

Seriously tho, this was my first time painting skin with the Vallejo Mecha Color paints. I usually paint skin tones with my Vallejo Game Air "Skin and Leather Set" for my miniatures.

Overall, I think the painting went well. Albeit I had to add paint on the highlight colors as I over thinned them. I could have painted deeper shadows with my airbrush and more highlights, but decided against it. Including a complete process of airbrushing skin will make my video too long and difficult to upload already.

Anyways, I hope you found this blog article and my Youtube video informative or at the very least inspiring. 

Thanks as always for dropping by! Just enjoy the hobby!

Cheers! 

MY PARTNERS

I only paint my Gunpla, Miniatures and Action Figures with Vallejos - Acrylicos Vallejo official website

I only use Harder & Steenbeck airbrush - Harder&Steenbeck Silverline Airbrush

I get my tools only from HobbyMate Singapore - HobbyMate at Facebook

I get my Vallejos and Miniatures only at Neutral Grounds - Neutral Grounds Philippines at Facebook

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Thanks! 

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Zenithal Priming Gundam Pilots with Vallejo Mecha Color Primers

Cleaning up these Pilot figures are... hmmm... different ( difficult for me actually ). The material is more rubber than plastic. The material is difficult to sand and clean up.

I practically sculpted or sliced thin strips of flesh colored rubber to remove the mold lines. The slicing  is very visible on the Youtube video. I was able to sand the other areas with Vallejo sanding blocks. I used 1000 grit. If you use a grit lower than 600, the rubber becomes rough. Anyways, you have to try to clean one of this to know how to clean it up.

I super glued the foot to a cork. Needed to add more super glue than usual as the cork was absorbing it. After around 10 minutes of letting the glue cure, I then primed the figures with Vallejo Mecha Color Primers. I have been using Vallejo Polyurethane primers for 10 years now, but it was my first time to use the Mecha Color Primers. I thinned the MC ( Mecha Color ) Primers as usual.


RATIOS - These are very rough estimates. My videos at Youtube better shows how I dillute Vallejo Mecha Color paints for airbrushing.

20 drops Black Primer : 2 drops Thinner : 5 drops Flow Improver

20 drops White Primer : 1 drop Thinner : 5 drops Flow Improver


I thinned the White Primer less than the Black Primer, as it is thinner than black primer to begin with. It spray well. I only use Harder & Steenbeck for airbrushing tho. But my thinning worked well with my airbrush.

The Vallejo Mecha Color Black Primer has great coverage as expected. It went smoothly through my airbrush without hiccups. I will not add thinner ( or just one drop of Flow Improver ) to the White primer next time. Less primer should give it a better coverage. My airbrushing of both went well.

I clean my Harder& Steenbeck Silverline airbrush with Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner ( thinned 50:50 with water ). Then I blew my ab under a tub of water. Then blew another good few drops of Vallejo Airbrush Thinner, for the mechanism.

Done. I blew some air to the primed figures with my ab, before packing up.

I like letting Vallejo Primers for a day ( or at least overnight ) before airbrushing again or hand painting. A strong Vallejo priming ( and painting and varnishing ) is all about following curing times to ensure great adherence and durability.

I hope you find this post informative. Thanks as always for dropping by! Until next post guys!

Cheers!

Shout Outs

I only paint my Gunpla, Miniatures and Action Figures with Vallejos 

I only use Harder & Steenbeck airbrush 

I get my tools only from HobbyMate Singapore 

I get my Vallejos and Miniatures only at Neutral Grounds 

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