F.A.Q.: FIGURE PAINTING: Frequently Asked Questions about Figure Painting Techniques [Paperback]

Andrea Press (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2007

The art of painting miniatures, both military and other types requires certain knowledge, occasionally very basic in nature, in order to obtain satisfactory results. From the preparation of the figure, regardless of the scale and materials from which it was made up to the final presentation with finishing touches, the work requires a meticulous and passionate application, as well as patience and hours of dedication.

In this book, the reader will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions when undertaking such a task, whether they come from novices painting a figure for the first time or confirmed artists.

The main techniques and different types of paints and enamels, most commonly used materials, factors to be taken into account before starting any such task, the most amazing tricks for imitating all sorts of texture and effects and many more, are dealt with in this book in a very convenient and visual manner, with concise texts, so that any enthusiast can improve his/her results and discover techniques that he/she has never used before, either due to a lack of knowledge or fear of obtaining unsatisfactory outcomes.

A clearly structured index permits the use of the book without wasting time and finding each answer with ease.

But painting a figure is not simply a purely pictorial work. The reader will also find techniques and advice for making his/her finished pieces more attractive to the observer, through the choice of the appropriate base, decoration, conversion and the creation of small terrains in which to set the figure. Advice for participating in competitions is also provided, as well as the most appropriate ways for conserving figures and avoiding their deterioration with the passage of time and elements as damaging as dust.

The final section is dedicated to the works of world renowned confirmed artists, in an attractive gallery of award-winning works with the most outstanding works at an international level in recent years. Here, the enthusiast can source ideas for creating his/her own works, or simply enjoy the works of the great masters.

This is definitely a comprehensive manual that will be of great help for miniature figure painting enthusiasts, whatever be their chosen theme.

REVIEWS

"...This is definitely a comprehensive manual that will be of great help for miniature figure painting enthusiasts. It is appropriate and recommended for all ranges of abilities from novice to master and is a well thought out reference.".IPMS 33653 10/07

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Andrea Press (January 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8496527913
• ISBN-13: 978-8496527911
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #671,225 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Where is the beef?, June 15, 2007

By 

Aldo Fabian Ischia (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: F.A.Q.: FIGURE PAINTING: Frequently Asked Questions about Figure Painting Techniques (Paperback)

After having done a great work with F.A.Q. AFV Painting Techniques, looks like Mig was just looking for some money but without the intention to work for it. The book is a collection of pictures with some icons indicating the technique to use.
It doesn't teach you anything at all. If you're looking for a barely nice collection of pictures, this is the book for you. If you want to learn something I recommend "How to Build Dioramas" from Sheperd Paine. Even if it is not the main topic, it contains much more information about figure painting than the entire F.A.Q.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Before you buy this book, May 6, 2007

By 

Irina (California) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: F.A.Q.: FIGURE PAINTING: Frequently Asked Questions about Figure Painting Techniques (Paperback)

This book is a fairly comprehensive guide to figure painting from preparation to presentation, and lots in between. It is beautifully illustrated with color photographs, and contains a very nice gallery of finished works in the last sections. It is presented as a FAQ format with some albeit simplistic questions about different techniques or materials associated with the hobby, but they often go unanswered. For some unknown reason, the author(s) have used a series of photos with some little hieroglyghs of paint/brush symbols to illustrate the answers without any accompanying text in most instances. Colors are also shown as little hard-to read numbers which you will have to look up in the included color charts at the end of the book, but it is like translating an arcane tome. A little text would have gone a long way to clarify some of the more complex methods such as getting textured surfaces representing fur or fabric. Instead I am left with more questions than before. What actually written answers appear in the book are often cryptic for example: Q:"How do I paint a leather Garment with oils?" A: "In order to speed up the drying process, it is normal to start over an acrylic base as shown in the photographs." or some are self-promoting, Q:"How can I make snow?" A: "There are specifically made products available for this." (next to the picture of Andrea Artificial Snow, hint hint) Many of the questions are just too simplistic. After all, I bought this book to learn MORE. Overall, I did not find this book particularly helpful, and it is rather hard to use. But with some effort I suspect one can glean something good from it, and like I said, it is beautifully illustrated.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good visual reference, October 12, 2007

By 

Some guy from VA (VA, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: F.A.Q.: FIGURE PAINTING: Frequently Asked Questions about Figure Painting Techniques (Paperback)

It's not a bad book, but low grades given by other reviewers do not surprise me; I think that authors lost sight of who the target audience for this book is.

The book follows traditional FAQ format - series of questions and answers. Each answer has a very short text (or in some cases none at all) illustrated by multiple photos. I like emphasis on visual explanation, but shortness of text leaves reader to 'connect the dots'.

If each issue feels a bit 'underexplained', the big picture is completely absent. There is no explanation of any particular painting method, workflow, no example showing how / when to employ particular approach. This is where the biggest disconnect with the target audience lies - if someone is experienced enough to put all these separate answers together, they may not need them.

Beginners will probably feel lost because of lack of context for the individual answers. Experienced painters won't find anything new here, as the book explains well known techniques. So if you're somehwere in between, this is a very good visual reference for many techniques - but make sure you got the basics first, they're not explained in depth.

Overall I think the book deserves 3,5 stars (which I rounded down) - number and quality of pictures make it worthwhile for me.