1:12 Oda Models - HeadCrusher

Oda Models - HeadCrusher, a bust in 1:12 scale

A fantasy bust from the Oda Models author's line. The 1:12 scale is the established format for busts: the model captures the figure roughly from the chest up, so all the work concentrates on the head, the shoulders and a few striking details. That is precisely why busts are a popular discipline among painters who want to show their craft on a small area without being held up by building a whole figure.

Preparation before painting

A collector's model of this kind deserves honest preparation before painting. Clean it of casting residue, remove the sprue gates and gently sand the mold seams down, so that they do not appear under the paint. If the model is in parts, try the parts dry first, and only then join them and fill and sand the resulting gaps with modeling putty. Then unify the whole surface with a primer, ideally from a can or with an airbrush in thin coats, so that the detail is not lost.

Painting tips

A bust forgives less than a figure, because the viewer looks at it from close up. Build the base in thin coats and blend the transitions gradually with thinned paint, as visible edges between tones on a bust hit the eye at once. Decide on one light source and subordinate the face and the shoulders to it. Metal and straps are livened up by a dark wash in the recesses and careful lightening of the edges. It is especially worth giving time to the eyes and the mouth, as it is those few-millimeter places that decide whether the model looks alive. Finally unify the surface with matte varnish and leave only selected details glossy.

Who the model is for

• For figure painters who want to concentrate the work on the face and the materials
• For collectors of fantasy busts
• For modelers looking for a shorter project than a whole figure
• For the more experienced, who can handle preparing a casting and filling gaps