LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2010

[MagicOfLego]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Some awesome work Les. Are you still selling your joker heads?

 

[Entropy]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

I hope Shawn hasn't given up on the jackets for you guys either! I think it only MAKES the figure, and hope you can still get one. I'll call and harrass him some today for you guys. I do occasionally anyway, and have been begging him to make those available to everyone. It took months for me to get mine, so maybe I can get him to loosen up for you guys again.

I think the whip maker's name is Greg Fiebach or something like that. He sells on Ebay sometimes. I'll look and see if I have his info anymore and email it to you. That and a nice gunbelt makes a difference also.

Thanks, Les. You're a peach. Whip ordered. Your video sold me on the upgrades. Soon my Indy will be as nice as yours... if I can ever get one of those jackets from Shawn.

So please harass Shawn and work a Jedi mind trick or something! "Where's Entropy's jacket, bro?"

EDIT: Also, any reason you didn't use the whole ACE body for Indy? Better wrist pins on the Buck? The ACE bodies look decent enough, though the shoulders are a tad wonky.

 

[Moonloop]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Howdy King!




OOOH, ok. No wonder you are having troubles.
Those kinds of acrylics are for canvas paint only. They have a difference polymer base, that does not adhere to plastics. They are a gummy type of paint, with their own plasticity, so they never stick to models.
What I use, the Testors brand ACRYLS, are indeed an acrylic paint, but not the same base mix as the canvas types.
Go here to order you some: TESTORS ACRYLS

They are kinda expensive for the amount you get, and they dry fast if you leave the bottles out, as I do, (Don't even ask all the pain in the butt stuff daily painting with these does to you! No bad vapors or anything, just a lot of drying up if you aren't careful!), BUT, they work great on most vinyls and plastics. Wood, and cloth and all that pourous stuff also, but there is something in them, that they call them Acrylic Enamels (not to be confused with regular, oil based Model Enamel type paint, which will NEVER cure on a vinyl-plastic surface! You'll know it, as it smells of paint thinner and chemicals and is a pain to work with, although, the metallics in that kind of paint are SUPER if you can get them to adhere!).

So, try some of the base colors, and some skin tones.
I use Burnt Umber and Sienna and almost all the skin tone shades. I mix what I need also.
There is no perfect caucasian skin basetone in a bottle. I have to mix a base of a mix of the peachy looking Skin tone and the skin tone light, and sometimes with even other colors to make for more realistic skins. I do find that their color "Leather" is a nice, rich tone for African type skins. Looks better than you might think and can be altered with other skintones to lighter and darker, so consider that also.

If you are painting to match Hot Toys muscle bodies, get a bottle of Orange Ochre also. A very small amount of that (it's a stong color!) added to a skin mix will get you that bronzy color in those rubber bodies. A HARD color to match! You can't paint the rubber though. You can mist or airbrush lightly on them, if you never touch them, but it will wipe off. So far, no good paints for the rubbers yet. Yet... But, that will help you match to the HT rubber bodies better.


Anyway, hope this helps you. Save the canvas paints for canvas art, and invest in some Testors Acryls. You'll be glad you did. And yes, they can be airbrushed, even though I don't. Just so you know. (The bottles are sized for many inexpensive airbrush kits)

Good luck.

That is very helpful Les! I myself have been looking at getting some paints to try to paint a head or two. But just a few more questions if you don't mind:

What is the best way to remove existing paint off of a head?

And do you paint/spray on a primer first prior to adding on the color paint (if so, can you recommended a primer)?

Is that done for all heads?

Is the process the same for a unpainted cast head as it is for one you stripped the paint from?


Thanks in advance!

 

[Les Walker]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

That is very helpful Les! I myself have been looking at getting some paints to try to paint a head or two. But just a few more questions if you don't mind:

What is the best way to remove existing paint off of a head?

And do you paint/spray on a primer first prior to adding on the color paint (if so, can you recommended a primer)?

Is that done for all heads?

Is the process the same for a unpainted cast head as it is for one you stripped the paint from?


Thanks in advance!

I use acetone to remove old paint. That and a toothbrush and wipe it off well. Wash well afterwards.

Sometimes I prime, sometimes I don't. I don't aways find priming makes any difference with the Acryl paints. Seems to soften details by the time I get to painting.

I think I attack all heads the same way. If the material needs something to make the paint bond, then I prime it, but otherwise, Acryls bond well to the material, so no need to lose a layer of detail if you don't have to.

Hope that helps you!

 

[Les Walker]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

One more pass with this post, since I need a few more prefs from you Joker head folks. Not many left to email me your prefs and I will be starting on them in the next week or two.
Some that need to email me yet are (You may have, but I missed getting them down if so...better safe than sorry!)
Capuchi
Ashton16
Monk
Blake
Gruff Old Bear
The Mike
ChenZen
& Dark Spidey

I have the rest I think. if you are not sure, make sure.
Here is the choice post once more for this...

For you Joker head people....

OK. I am offering FOUR varaints. The difference you may see between a couple of them are purely hair app and eyes or some minor detail element.
NO WAY I can paint these EXACTLY like another. No way. Just not possible.

But, I will try to adhere as much as possible to these. The ONLY variations I will allow for from head to head, is eye position. DEFAULT is straight ahead. I might do off to one side a but, left more often than right, but both are possible. ONLY when requested in an email to me, will I do extreme eye positions. I have to have a written record I can go back to, so please email me and let me know your prefs.

I CANNOT GUARANTEE HAIR SHAPE AS IT IS ALMOST ENTIRELY CHANCE EACH TIME! I can skew it some...but these are about what I can do...so please, NO HAIR SHAPE REQUESTS!

And there is time to get your eye requests to me. I will not be getting to paint these until March 28th-ish at the soonest, as I am seriously busy with other heads in the way. I will only take Joker pref requests (You can post them here of course and I will make note of them also) and make sure I have them correct until then.

Just remember, I am painting all the time, so I can't do all the messaging and emails also at one time. Just remember that and work with me. Thanks all.


Here are the first drafts... Enjoy. I did...



THE MENU:
Pencil trick1 (cleaner hair)- Pencil Trick2 (darker hair) - Party Crasher (eyes just example)- Road Duel/Interrogation - Interrogation (later beatup look)

With my old original custom in for good measure, so you can see all the heads I have painted so far....

And the singles...

Pencil Trick 1 (clean hair)

Pencil Trick 2 (darker hair variant)

Party Crasher (eyes can vary)

Road Duel/Interrogation 1

Interrogation 2 (really messed up!)

Again, I hope these look varied enough for you to easily pick from. I will not do in between versions. No time to develop that. Just these. Eyes are all that can be decided on.
If you don't pick any variation, I will just paint either Pencil Trick or Party Crasher, as a default head, with a standardized straighter eye look.
Just so you know.


More to come....LOTS more....

...and if you don't believe me...step a little closer...

Note: lighting may vary from photo to photo, so don't worry about lip color and shades so much, as they are all pretty much accurate from one to another....and from the scenes as I can discern them.
Also, please remember, I am not an airbrush artist. Everything you see painted by myself is done BY HAND, always has been, always will be, so I will try to blend as best I possibly can, but I do NOT do airbrush type blends and in EXTREME MAGNIFICATION, beyond reason, you may see brushstrokes, however minute.
Thanks for your understanding.

 

[Les Walker]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

ALSO, lots going on lately...
Between the work I have in progress now, I will be posting my sale in the next hour or so. Not much to begin with, but I will add some in as some stuff goes. Hope there is something there you need.

Post in the sale thread coming by 9pm EST I hope!

More work info coming soon also. BURIED in it folks! Painting every day, so hang with me for updates and ship out info. Thanks!

 

[villainsfan42]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

OOOH, ok. No wonder you are having troubles.
Those kinds of acrylics are for canvas paint only. They have a difference polymer base, that does not adhere to plastics. They are a gummy type of paint, with their own plasticity, so they never stick to models.
What I use, the Testors brand ACRYLS, are indeed an acrylic paint, but not the same base mix as the canvas types.
Go here to order you some: TESTORS ACRYLS

They are kinda expensive for the amount you get, and they dry fast if you leave the bottles out, as I do, (Don't even ask all the pain in the butt stuff daily painting with these does to you! No bad vapors or anything, just a lot of drying up if you aren't careful!), BUT, they work great on most vinyls and plastics. Wood, and cloth and all that pourous stuff also, but there is something in them, that they call them Acrylic Enamels (not to be confused with regular, oil based Model Enamel type paint, which will NEVER cure on a vinyl-plastic surface! You'll know it, as it smells of paint thinner and chemicals and is a pain to work with, although, the metallics in that kind of paint are SUPER if you can get them to adhere!).

So, try some of the base colors, and some skin tones.
I use Burnt Umber and Sienna and almost all the skin tone shades. I mix what I need also.
There is no perfect caucasian skin basetone in a bottle. I have to mix a base of a mix of the peachy looking Skin tone and the skin tone light, and sometimes with even other colors to make for more realistic skins. I do find that their color "Leather" is a nice, rich tone for African type skins. Looks better than you might think and can be altered with other skintones to lighter and darker, so consider that also.

If you are painting to match Hot Toys muscle bodies, get a bottle of Orange Ochre also. A very small amount of that (it's a stong color!) added to a skin mix will get you that bronzy color in those rubber bodies. A HARD color to match! You can't paint the rubber though. You can mist or airbrush lightly on them, if you never touch them, but it will wipe off. So far, no good paints for the rubbers yet. Yet... But, that will help you match to the HT rubber bodies better.


Anyway, hope this helps you. Save the canvas paints for canvas art, and invest in some Testors Acryls. You'll be glad you did. And yes, they can be airbrushed, even though I don't. Just so you know. (The bottles are sized for many inexpensive airbrush kits)

Good luck.

thanks les. i will look into buying these as soon as i can.

i have never used airbrush either, only those canvas paints. i will certainly try the ones you are telling me about though. thanks.

 

[chapuchi]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Hey Les, I just popped into your thread today (first time in a long time) and saw that I had to decide which head I wanted. I'm really liking the look of " Interrogation 2 (really messed up!)" if you could put me down for that one. Sorry it took so long to respond!

 

[Les Walker]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Thanks Capuchi.

JUST IN! I have to run to the hospital. Ma is having heart and breathing problems, so posting my sale is temporarily delayed.
I will still post it tonight (I JUST Finished all the damned photos!) so hang in there any of you interested.

Any prayers would be welcome. Gotta go! Be back later!

Wish us luck!

 

[Jmlsuperman]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

 

[Reinhardt]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

thoughts and prayers definitely with you and your family Les.

 

[abake]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

My thoughts are with you Les, I hope everything turns out alright!

 

[villainsfan42]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Thanks Capuchi.

JUST IN! I have to run to the hospital. Ma is having heart and breathing problems, so posting my sale is temporarily delayed.
I will still post it tonight (I JUST Finished all the damned photos!) so hang in there any of you interested.

Any prayers would be welcome. Gotta go! Be back later!

Wish us luck!

good luck!
hope everything is o.k.

 

[Ven]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Hope all goes well for ma Les


and don't worry Les, you're money.

 

[metaphorge]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

A and I keeping you in our thoughts as always.

 

[silverprelude627]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Thanks Capuchi.

JUST IN! I have to run to the hospital. Ma is having heart and breathing problems, so posting my sale is temporarily delayed.
I will still post it tonight (I JUST Finished all the damned photos!) so hang in there any of you interested.

Any prayers would be welcome. Gotta go! Be back later!

Wish us luck!

sorry to hear that Les,I hope all goes well with Mom,,I know what ur going through,I sure know what it feels like as my dad is in the hosptial as we speak with cancer and it doesnt look good.Thats the bad part about this life we live is when we have to see out loved ones suffer and there is nothing we can do to help them.
God bless

 

[Moonloop]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Thanks Capuchi.

JUST IN! I have to run to the hospital. Ma is having heart and breathing problems, so posting my sale is temporarily delayed.
I will still post it tonight (I JUST Finished all the damned photos!) so hang in there any of you interested.

Any prayers would be welcome. Gotta go! Be back later!

Wish us luck!

I wish only the best Les! Good luck.

 

[UTtoyfan]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Your family is in my prayers Les!

 

[uscmhicks]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Best of luck Les !. Hope everything turns out ok.

 

[KBA]

Re: LES WALKER - All NEW Custom Works 2009

Your family is in my prayers, Les