Repainting a TIGER in ``Kosta`s style`` :D

Hello everybody :)
Alright,
it`s time for me, to keep my promise and to try my best, to make a tutorial, about how I repaint a tiger.
I`ve been asked from Christophe ( Kikimalou ) and some other friends to do that.
Actually, Kiki maybe  is a little engry to me  , becouse he asked me for that a long time ago...  
So, Kiki, please, dont be engry..I`m startiiiiinggg

For my tutorial, I have a permission from Susanne, to use a model which I`ll repaint for her..as a present.. and this will be
the male PAPO tiger :)
I know , that the element of surprise for Susanne, almost completely disappeared like that, but she said , that for her, will be also interesting to see my process of repainting :) So thank you Susanne  

Before to start, first I`m apologize, that my photos are not excellent..and my English is not perfect..
I hope that you will understand everything and if you have questions, please ask me :)

This is my paints and brushes which I`ll use :


Ok, there is diferent ways to start the repainting process.
Some people, first paint the model with white paint..and then, they are using the right colors..
For my tiger, I`m starting immediately (doesn't matter, if the tiger is white or orange) with color , which will be the most dark from the skin ( except the strips)
As you can see in my repaints before, I like very much to show the texture from the model, as much as possible..
That`s why I need this dark color.
For the same reason, when I`m putting the first coat of paint , I`m mixing the paint with a lot of water.
Why ?
When you put  first coat of paint on the plastic , it`s a little hard for the paint , to covers the surface good.
So, you have two choices :
First one, is to put a thick layer of paint..
But I`m using a second option: first I use paint mixed with a lot of water, becouse, like I said,  I want to keep the texture as much as possible... so less paint - more texture :)
After I have the first layer of fine, dry paint, then is very easy for the second layer to fix good.

Let`s start :

1. For my darkest color I mix all my colors, except white..and I`m using the bigest prush:


2. As you can see, the first layer with diluted paint is ready :


Now, I`m gonna do something new for me, which I tried in my last repaint. I`m gonna fix the first layer of paint, with ACRYLIC VARNISH AEROSOL - MATTE.
Why?
The paint can`t fix perfect on platic..and when I continue with repainting, and I hold the model, the paint start to go off on some places...so that`s why, I`ll fix the first layer, and then I`ll continue when it`s dry. I need just one layer of varnish, not more.
Like you can see on the photo, I`m using VALLEJO brand for the varnish.
Thank you Anna    
Anna proposed to me this brand, and I`m happy with it :)

3. After I fixed with the varnish, I painted with second layer of paint..again mixed with more water :


And now , you can see , that I almost covered the model, and still the texture is very visible.
It`s not full covered..but I don`t need more for now. With next colors, will be full covered.
Remember : less paint - more texture :)

4. Now is more visible one problem of the mass production models.
Check this out:






As you can se now , the plastic lines , from the casting mold are even more visible.
Normally, I cut them before to start with repainting, but now I let them for you, that you can see them more clearly with color.

5. I`ll cut this unnecessary plastic with this knife :






These knives are very sharp...and very good for small details.

6. After I cut the plastic, I`ll reapint again the unpainted places with the same color...

That`s for today :)
Normally I`m a ``night-bird`` :) .. I`m more active at the night. And I was repainting the models before, mostly at the night.
But now, I need better photos for you, so I`ll do it during the days :)
Thank`s for watching..for now :)

Your English is just fine Kosta Looking good already!

LeeAnn wrote:

Your English is just fine Kosta Looking good already!

:) Thank you LeeAnn :))

This is SO exiting
A beauty being borne in Bulgaria

Now I already begin to see why my feeble attempt to repaint came out so horrible !
I just put a lot of paint on, and did not understand why it looked nothing like what I wanted

So already you have taught me a lot, - thankyou very much for taking all the time it takes to both make a tiger, - but also take pictures and make it understandable !

Yay, the tutorial I've been waiting for
Very intresting, can't wait for more
(and I can't wait try it)

Thank you very much Susanne and Anne-Joke :)
I`m happy, that my tutorial is understandable and interesting for you

I didn`t have so much time today, but I have something for you.

Yesterday I finished with the easyest part of repainting.
Now, next step :

7. I`m starting to play with the texture.
Now, this is something, which I think is  interesting in my way of repainting...and I like when I see, that some major brands is using it for some models.
I`m mixing a slightly lighter color from the same paints... together with some water.
I`m taking the same big brush, but this time I need the brush with the paint to be more dry.
How I`m doing this ?
I`m taking a little bit of paint with the brush and then, before painting the model, I`m scrubbing on
palette, until the brush is more dry, but still has paint on it.
Now, I`m starting with this technique :
Very fast , but gentle moves with the brush, over the surface of the model.
Like this, we can see, how the texture become more visible :





8. Ok, next step I called : ``Too much texture `` :)
What I mean is, that if I let the texture, to be visible like this everywhere..then will be boring , becouse is too much. That`s why I`ll cover some places with the same color...
...just with more wet brush.
And these places are the muscles, which are more visible. Then , I`ll have more dark texture in more concave areas :



As you can see, my process of repainting is going from dark to light colors.
The tiger it`s still very dark..but with next steps and colors will be diferent.
Tomorrow, more

Amazing !!!
What a difference it makes, - suddenly it begins to look like FUR

It is already a very beautyful cat

Great tutorial Kosta!

Thank you, Kosta!
I will use your tutorial in future!

Thank you very much to share this tutorial  At last

Excellent, it is excellent.  I used the fur technique on my repainting, at least a variant, but I missed the "Too much texture" stage. I will try the next time I find my brushes and a bit of courage

It already looks great! Can't wait for the face and stripes and paws, and, and XD

hank you very much friends :)
I`m sorry that is going so slowly...but today is so dark in Sofia... not good for photos...
but anyway..I`ll try to do something later.
Kiki said: ``       ..at last ``    Yeeees I know... I`m too bussy to dance with Rayna  
Hey Kiki, why I didn`t see any of your repaints till now..?!? Do you have photos somewhere here? :)

costicuba wrote:

.....  I`m too bussy to dance with Rayna  

costicuba wrote:

Kiki said: ``       ..at last ``    Yeeees I know...  I`m too bussy to dance with Rayna  

I understand, I'm myself a dancer and I know we have to spend a lot of time to be good enough

costicuba wrote:

Hey Kiki, why I didn`t see any of your repaints till now..?!? Do you have photos somewhere here? :)

Why you didn't see my repaints till now? You are too busy dancing with Rayna and painting stripes on every tiger you can catch I guess

Yes I have several pics of my repaint on STS, but none are good as half as yours

Kikimalou wrote:

costicuba wrote:

Kiki said: ``       ..at last ``    Yeeees I know...  I`m too bussy to dance with Rayna  

I understand, I'm myself a dancer and I know we have to spend a lot of time to be good enough  

costicuba wrote:

Hey Kiki, why I didn`t see any of your repaints till now..?!? Do you have photos somewhere here? :)

Why you didn't see my repaints till now? You are too busy dancing with Rayna and painting stripes on every tiger you can catch I guess

Yes I have several pics of my repaint on STS, but none are good as half as yours

...you know me very well allready
Please, I realy want to see your repaints...can you show me the pages ?

Now, back to the tutorial.
I`m sorry, that I`ll show 2 bad photos, but I took them just now..and my camera is from my phone..
But for next step , I don`t need very good quality of photos ..so it`s ok

9. I`m gonna make the base color for the white parts.
Will be more dark..and like this, I`ll have again good texture after, when I will put the white color.
The color I made with white, ochre, brown and black paints, mixed with some water :

I never thought about it, but they do have so much white on them

Now he begins to look even more like a tiger

Not much time ago, I thought that you always need to take off the paint from the model, so it is very pleasant discovery for me that you needn't do that
Your painting way is very useful for little details. So I'll never stop to thank you for that tutorial!

Kosta,, you're doing this tutorial very well as it is usual with you. :) Even I am understanding how things work and it is interesting to see that behind all that talent there is a lot of cleverness.
Thanks for finding some free time from Rayna and for giving us such an important contribution to the forum.

Thank you for sharing your painting technique! I always find it interesting to see how different artists approach the same project

Roger wrote:

Kosta,, you're doing this tutorial very well as it is usual with you. :) Even I am understanding how things work and it is interesting to see that behind all that talent there is a lot of cleverness.
Thanks for finding some free time from Rayna and for giving us such an important contribution to the forum.

Cleverness, exactly I like this tutorial, models painted by Kosta seemed so natural, it is good to see how much talent, work and cleverness one need to do this

Thank you so much friends , Susanne, Anasta, Roger, Abby, Kiki :)
I`m realy happy , that I can help showing my process of repainting.
Of course, there are diferent ways for repainting... this is my way..which I changed..and I hope improved , since I start last year :)
I never take off the paint of the original model, before repainting...perhaps some models need that..but ... I don`t know :)

Sorry, that I`m a little slow with my tutorial (not only becouse of Rayna ),
this time I was not in my home for the weekend, so tomorrow I`ll continue with the process and the photos.
With next steps , the tiger will look more and more a``Tiger``
See you tomorrow :)

costicuba wrote:

Thank you so much friends , Susanne, Anasta, Roger, Abby, Kiki :)
I`m realy happy , that I can help showing my process of repainting.
Of course, there are diferent ways for repainting... this is my way..which I changed..and I hope improved , since I start last year :)
I never take off the paint of the original model, before repainting...perhaps some models need that..but ... I don`t know :)

Sorry, that I`m a little slow with my tutorial (not only becouse of Rayna ),
this time I was not in my home for the weekend, so tomorrow I`ll continue with the process and the photos.
With next steps , the tiger will look more and more a``Tiger``
See you tomorrow :)

Your painting way is the most realistic among ones I've seen before!
And you're not so slowly, do it when you can
I'm looking forward the next part of your tutorial

Thank you very much Anasta :))

Next small step...
10. Like step number 7. , I am doing the same with the white parts.
And now we can see some texture also there :





Just I want to say something, which I think is important.
From my photos, maybe you see the white color, like natural white color..taken just from the tubule.... but is not.
I mixed with some colors.
The same I`ll do with the black color.
Something which I lurned in the art school : ``In paintings, when you make something realistic, never use the black and white colors just from the tubule ! `` ... `` becouse in nature, we never have exactly pure white..or pure black color..! ``
If you use these two colors not mixed, then the models will look not realistic..and more like a toy

costicuba wrote:

Just I want to say something, which I think is important.
From my photos, maybe you see the white color, like natural white color..taken just from the tubule.... but is not.
I mixed with some colors.
The same I`ll do with the black color.
Something which I lurned in the art school : ``In paintings, when you make something realistic, never use the black and white colors just from the tubule ! `` ... `` becouse in nature, we never have exactly pure white..or pure black color..! ``
If you use these two colors not mixed, then the models will look not realistic..and more like a toy

I think this is a very important point indeed. I never painted, though, I often criticize the painting of some mass produced figures when they use very contrasting colors. Pure white, pure black or pure whatever often doesn't increase the realism of a figure. I pointed it with some Mojo figures. I know they cannot paint with a tenth part of the quality as you do, but I believe it is not hard for them to mix colors to reduce the contrast and increase the realism. About this topic, just take all the time you need, no hurries.