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Kara,s figures

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2023 5:33 pm
by Tea Pot Tim
Has anyone on the forum used Kara,s figures from I.P. Engineering. Can I ask do you use acrylic paints along with an undercoat.

Re: Kara,s figures

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2023 8:04 pm
by Peter Butler
Hello Tim and welcome to the Forum.
In answer to your question..... no! My personal preference is to use 3D printed figures of actual people, scanned in lifelike poses. Kara's figures are sculpted and less realistic, but if that is what you like then go for it!
For all figures I give a base coat of grey primer (Halford's or similar) and detail with good quality acrylic paint. I always use 'Citadel' from 'Games Workshop' and on line at 'Goblin Gaming'. No need for a varnish with these paints, they will withstand wind and rain.... Tested in Wales!!!

Re: Kara,s figures

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 2023 2:34 pm
by Tea Pot Tim
Peter thank you for the information regarding the painting of the figures.

Re: Kara,s figures

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 2:09 am
by Keith S
I actually prefer the less realistic figures like Kara's or Rob Bennet's "Busy Bodies". I have trouble putting it into words, but I find the caricature-like nature of the figures has a way of making them seem less robotic and immobile than the super-realistic kind. My attention doesn't linger on them and that has a way of making the trains more conspicuous. You don't want want the figures to be conspicuous, because they aren't doing anything. That's just the way I feel about it and others must do what makes them happy.

I don't have any Kara's figures, but I did buy a load of unpainted resin figures at the Peterborough AGM in 2017 from a vendor whose name escapes me, and had a very good time painting them. I recommend priming the figures with BLACK paint. That way, folds in the clothing, nostrils, wrinkles, and under skirts, etc, look realistically shadowed. I used matt black acrylic spray paint to paint them all black, and then used acrylic paints from the local "gaming" shop to paint them. By "gaming" I mean the folk who play "dungeons and dragons" style adventure games on a diorama-like game board with little figures. There is a shop in my town dedicated to this practice and they have all kinds of great paints for their figures. It was actually the proprietor of this shop who gave me the idea to paint the figures black first. I really enjoy painting little figures. They come to life before your eyes.

P.S. I see Peter has already mentioned "Citadel" paints. This is the brand the gaming chaps use and I bought from their shop!
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Re: Kara,s figures

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 9:05 am
by Lonsdaler
Hi Keith,
Just for future reference (you may want more of the same at some point in the future) your figures are made by Modeltown. They have an online shop, but not sure if they mail overseas.
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This is a (poor) photo of one of mine. They appear to share the same genes :lol:

Re: Kara,s figures

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2023 6:08 pm
by Keith S
Thanks! I had forgotten who sold them to me. I like them!