Hornby 00 Figures - Improving them

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Repainting figures from the old Hornby range.

Hornby have had a series of ready painted figures in their 00 range for many years, as well as farm animals. The figures come ready painted and there are several packs, covering workers, passengers, farmer workers and pedestrians. There is also a scooter and rider. The figures are dressed from the period late 50s to 60s. The exact genesis of these figures is unclear. Some appear to have come from the early Airfix stable, and some are direct copies, the others I am not so sure. Some are quite tall compared to others in the series and a few look more American than British. All of the figures are made of a tough bendy plastic. The painting is crude by modern standards (say compared to the figures in the Bachman Scenecraft range) and in some cases the colours used are quite gaudy.

Here are some samples of how they come from the packs:







I have decided to paint the figures in order to tone down the colours, make them neater and to try to highlight the detail. At a first glance the detail, including folds in clothes, is quite vague. I have decided to paint them in a uniform coat of matt black to start with. This will allow me to see the detail and to decide how to approach each subject:




So this is my start point. I will keep you updated as I progress.

Bob

 

 

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I have begun to block in the colours. I have started with the flesh tones and some of the clothes. Bit by bit I wll paint in all the main areas. I am using toned down colours which would be more common in the 50s & 60s, apart fom the children who would be more brightly dressed:




Once all the main colours are painted in then some shading will be added to give some depth. So far I have added some flesh, grey and light blue. I am still trying to work out the gender of the 5th figure from the left!

Bob

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Excellent Bob. :thumbs:thumbs

I well remember your earlier tutorial on figures so I'm really looking forward to watching this one develop.

Are you using acrylics ?

Regarding the "gender-bender" 3rd from the left, if you're modelling today's era, it wouldn't matter (which is as well, because it's nearly impossible to tell !!!)

'Petermac
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[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:
Excellent Bob. :thumbs:thumbs

I well remember your earlier tutorial on figures so I'm really looking forward to watching this one develop.

Are you using acrylics ?

Regarding the "gender-bender" 3rd from the left, if you're modelling today's era, it wouldn't matter (which is as well, because it's nearly impossible to tell !!!)

Hi Peter

I am using a mix of Humbrol and Vallejo acrylics. As for sir/madam - I am still undecided.

Bob
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Progress so far. I will not keep some of the colours as they do not look right, but the figures are starting to come alive.




Bob
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I think the un-known gender figure is suppose to be an old women, but i could be wrong, looking forward to the end result, if all goes well I might do the same with my Hornby Figures 

Kind Regards

Aaron

Kingsmead Station

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[user=1297]new04db[/user] wrote:
I think the un-known gender figure is suppose to be an old women, but i could be wrong, looking forward to the end result, if all goes well I might do the same with my Hornby Figures 

You could be right - I am going to paint the figure as a female to see how it comes out.

Bob

 
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There's a massive difference between that first shot and this latest one Bob. :pathead

"Toy people" have turned into models.  They look as if they have "character" and they certainly have some "depth".

Well done indeed. :cheers

'Petermac
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My preferred painting technique with 00 scale figures is to paint in the basic colours then wash them with a very thin watered down mix of dark brown. Then once this has dried, using a dry brush technique to pick out the high lights. On this occasion the lack of surface detail did not allow this technique to work effectively. Ideally the wash will run into folds of clothes giving depth. Here are some early efforts experimenting with colours. I am not too happy with the results, but I will keep working on them:













In the last picture the guy on the right has got a very odd shaped head!!

I think I will have to try some other methods. More later.

Bob
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I adjusted some of the colours and have used a different technique, that of painting highlights and shading. I have also added detail like hair and facial features. They are coming together quite nicely now:







With a bit of tidying up they should be OK.

Bob
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Jolly good effort, now gotta add my entire lot to the work bench, tell me, are they still flexible? and how well has the paint bonded to the figures? also which kind of paint, acrylic, enamel or oils? sorry to bombard you with questions.

Kind Regards

Aaron

Kingsmead Station

©Aaron C. New
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[user=1297]new04db[/user] wrote:
Jolly good effort, now gotta add my entire lot to the work bench, tell me, are they still flexible? and how well has the paint bonded to the figures? also which kind of paint, acrylic, enamel or oils? sorry to bombard you with questions.

I use acrylic paints mostly, however, I often use enamel matt and even gloss paints on the same model - I just make sure the paint is dry and need to remember the paint type when I clean the brush :oops:

These figures are made of a very soft bendy plastic and no doubt the paint would flake off quite quickly if they are handled a lot. Once  painted my figures are fixed to the base board so that is not an issue. A simple trick to reduce paint loss is to put a coat of pva glue on the figure before painting. This makes it more rigid. It can be finished off with a layer of matt varnish.

Having said all of the above i have had no trouble with the paint adhering.

I shall put some pictures on of the remainder of the group in the next couple of days as they are nearly finished.

Bob
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Got to ask about the fourth photo up above of the 4 women… Is the third one along in the brown coat a woman or a pig dressed up ? :lol::lol::lol:

Cheers, Gary.
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[user=878]Gary[/user] wrote:
Got to ask about the fourth photo up above of the 4 women… Is the third one along in the brown coat a woman or a pig dressed up ? :lol::lol::lol:

Cheers, Gary.
She looks better when she has got her lippy on !!!!:lol::lol::lol:
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I have finished off the last group and I am reasonably pleased with the result. Here they are:




Compared to this:







And finally, this rather odd fellow er woman or whatever??

 




I can certainly recommend these figures to provide a different range of poses to the usual Dapol and Peco figures so often seen on layouts.

Bob
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Novice,
Many thanks for enlightening me as to the make of these figures. I have had a tub of them for years. Mine are in unpainted cream plastic. I can assure you that if you bend them oil paint comes off.

Regards
The Bankie

Because, except in some unfortunate circumstances, trains did not run on town centre streets
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[user=1339]The Bankie[/user] wrote:
Novice,
Many thanks for enlightening me as to the make of these figures. I have had a tub of them for years. Mine are in unpainted cream plastic. I can assure you that if you bend them oil paint comes off.

Regards
The Bankie

Hi Bankie

It is possible that the figures that you have are the originals from Airfix (Civilians set). I believe that Hornby copied its figures from some older moulds. For example the guy on the scooter and the man in the duffle coat are clearly from the this old 1960s set. They were manufactured in a soft cream plastic that does not retain paint at all well.

Bob
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Hi Novice
I always thought they were Airfix as I acquired them at the same time as the castle below. It was intended as a "corner filler" but I never did get a corner to fill. The clincher was the scooter rider.



Above: the castle which was supposed to be a square.
Below: Scooter rider and that is how he was originally painted by me in 1972. If you are unlucky you can see "dufflecoat"  man in the entrance to the close (that's the hole in the tenement wall to you English).



Regards
Jim

Because, except in some unfortunate circumstances, trains did not run on town centre streets
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[user=1339]The Bankie[/user] wrote:
Hi Novice

I always thought they were Airfix as I acquired them at the same time as the castle below. It was intended as a "corner filler" but I never did get a corner to fill. The clincher was the scooter rider.







Above: the castle which was supposed to be a square.

Below: Scooter rider and that is how he was originally painted by me in 1972. If you are unlucky you can see "dufflecoat"  man in the entrance to the close (that's the hole in the tenement wall to you English).







Regards

Jim


Here is a link to the original figures:


http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=366


Bob








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Hi Novice

Yep! that's the bunnies.
At least when I do the re-paint I know the original will flake off easily.
I cut off the long arm of the law and replaced it at 90 degrees on to the shoulder of someone being escorted from a pub. Sadly the tableau is now lost.

Regards
Jim

Because, except in some unfortunate circumstances, trains did not run on town centre streets
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