Painting and Lighting a 180 mm McFarlane Figure

“Who's the idiot trying to show off ?!”

There are several techniques for painting a figurine—using acrylics, oils, a brush, or an airbrush...
The figurine is a McFarlane. It’s an 180mm “collectible toy,” but of a quality unmatched to date and quite affordable. The paint job is already meticulous right out of the box, and the engraving is good...

180 mm McFarlane figurine of a Spartan warrior painted in armor, wearing a crested helmet and holding a shield

The Pallantides figure is part of the Conan Series II. Here it is out of its blister pack...
Anyway, (as Pépin* used to say) we start by gluing all the moving parts together and sanding down the visible seams. We finish it off with liquid putty (see the neck).
The liquid putty is made by applying putty (e.g., Tamiya) to a piece of cardboard and then diluting it with a brush dipped in liquid glue (e.g., Humbrol, Revell, etc.). (Note that there is a liquid putty—Mr. SURFACER—that’s hard to find in France)...

Unpainted 180 mm McFarlane Spartan Warrior Figure with Helmet, Shield, and Sword

Apply a coat of acrylic primer to the entire figure. Let it dry for at least 24 hours...

180 mm McFarlane Spartan Warrior Figure with a gray and flesh-colored primer coat, ready for painting

The paints are WINSOR & NEWTON alkyd oils that dry in 24 hours. Thinner: White Spirit...
We always start a figure with the skin. Using a medium brush or a flat brush, we apply Sienna to all the parts. Avoid thinning the paint, or use very, very little thinner. As soon as the paint is applied, wipe it off with a DRY flat brush to leave a base in the recesses for shading. Next, apply white to the very brightly lit areas—still without thinner—(to see the lit areas, place your figure under a lamp). At this stage, it’s best to let the paint dry for 30 minutes...

Figurine of a Spartan warrior seen from the back, wearing a crested helmet, holding a shield and a sword

From there, use a sable brush to blend the white, constantly dabbing and wiping the brush...

Close-up of the silver armor on the thighs and skirt of a McFarlane figurine currently being painted

You can clearly see the shadows in the Sienna-colored recesses. The veins are painted with a fine brush using Payne’s gray mixed with white and blended...

180-mm figurine of a painted Spartan warrior with a helmet, shield, and black boots

METAL PARTS: Start by painting everything with HUMBROL matte black...

180 mm painted Roman gladiator figurine, with a crested helmet, silver armor, and a sword

Use a fine brush and Humbrol 56 to paint scales on the armor. Next, apply a dry brush. Then apply a second coat with Humbrol 91. Once everything is completely dry, finish by applying MODEL MASTERS Chrome Silver to the highlighted areas...

Painted Roman warrior figurine with a red-crested helmet and an engraved silver shield

The armor is finished...

180 mm McFarlane figurine of a painted, helmeted Roman warrior with a cuirass and sword

I wanted to add a little something extra and illuminate the figure as if it were standing next to a fire or a glow. So I painted the left side using Alizarin Crimson, Cadmium Red, Ultramarine Blue, and White medium...

Close-up of the painted leg of an 180-mm figurine with a clawed paw and white fabric

Keep in mind that the glow comes from the ground, so it's more intense at that level...

180-mm painted Spartan warrior figurine with a red-crested helmet and shield

We're continuing to paint the props...

Painted Roman gladiator figurine with a red-crested helmet, shield, and silver armor

A closer look at "the progress of the work"...

180-mm figurine of a painted Spartan warrior with a blue cloak and a helmet with a red crest

180-mm figurine of an ancient warrior wearing a helmet and armor with a cape, fully painted, side view

180 mm McFarlane figurine of a painted Roman warrior with a red-crested helmet and silver armor

The figurine is finished. Now all that's left is to find a nice base for it...

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