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Tutorial: Realistic hands!

Jun 30, 2005

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    1. Here's a little tuorial sharing my method of highlighting the fingernails for a realistic effect! i think CP hands are a great brand to demonstrate.This method works on all hands with defined fingernails.


      I'm using an airbrush for some of the steps, but applied pastels for the colors can be substituted as well, instead of airbrush applied acrylics. MSC , or a substitutable flat coat is required too.
      Here's the supplies needed to do this (My messy bench! You won't need the rubber elephant or the Hair Bear cup!):
      [​IMG]
      I use my regular "special mix" I use for darker blushing, Tamiya pink, Tamiya clear gloss,Mr. Thinner (Rubbing alcohol can be substituted), and a short - flat brush.MSC.

      I start with clean MSC'd hands.
      [​IMG]
      These are the colors I prefer, you may substitute your own.It's personal prefrence,I like a bit of pink on CP BW skin.

      I begin by airbrushing each finger "face on" or the paint spraying toward the fingertip.
      No too thick, just a slight shade darker.I'm using my darker color. For girls, I use more pink.
      [​IMG]
      The fingers complete.
      [​IMG]
      I also shade the creases and the palm area with some pink.This is just for detail.
      [​IMG]

      With the flat brush dipped in a bit of Mr. Thinner, I begin to brush on the thinner, removing the paint from the fingernail area only,leaving paint in the deeper parts.
      If you are using pastels, you can use water or rubbing alcohol to remove it.

      Don't go over the tip of the finger,just stay on top. you are actualy creating a fingernail!
      [​IMG]
      Once it is dry ,apply MSC and let it dry!
      We are now ready to put on the gloss.
      [​IMG]
      Now, with the same brush, apply the gloss to the fingernail only. This gves it a realistic appearance, so it doesn't look like skin!
      [​IMG]
      [​IMG]

      There you go! Realistic hands!
      [​IMG]
      Hope i gave some ideas on how "subtractive" methods work! :wink:
      I'm sure there will be questions,I'll be here to answer the best of my ability! :daisy
       
      #1 Paulkaiju, Jun 30, 2005
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    2. nice I hadn't thought ot trying it this way, thanks!

      I'd be inclined to use a masking fluid like windsor and newtons to mask the fingernails, rather than remove the paint from them after. But everyone has their own style and way of working. You have me looking at my spare set of BW hands now, I've been a bit reluctant to try anything because I don't want to end up too pink
       
      #2 Pirate Wench, Jul 1, 2005
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    3. AWSOME! Paul, YOU ROCK! :D

      I'll try this T.O.D.A.Y. !! *does a little dance*
       
      #3 Totalele, Jul 1, 2005
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    4. Nice tutorial, thanks!
       
      #4 strangeangels, Jul 2, 2005
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    5. WAUW what kind of airbrush should I use as a newbie for airbrushing?
       
      #5 Bliss, Jul 5, 2005
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    6. I have no idea what's available for beginners currently as I have been using the same brand for the past 15 years. (I use an Iwata HP-C)
      I do think there might be a few brands like Pasche and Badger that sell nice beginners sets.

      I began with a Pasche, it's a very good brand as well, but Iwata is my prefered choice! :wink:
       
      #6 Paulkaiju, Jul 5, 2005
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    7. :o :grin: Brilliant! :grin: I love the effect. You're a genius!
       
      #7 Snow Song, Jul 6, 2005
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    8. Awesome :D I had seen Helmut's hands on your LJ before he was done and was wow'd by how realisitic the blushing was. I'm surprised that it's a pretty simple process! Really great tutorial, thanks again Paul :daisy
       
      #8 schnitzle, Jul 14, 2005
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    9. they look so real :o amaaazing :chibi
       
      #9 chibistarpower, Jul 15, 2005
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    10. ooooh <3<3<3

      you need to do one for Luts boy bodies tooo
      I cant for the life of me get Lew's body blushing to look like anything but a patchy tanT_T
       
      #10 amethystnights, Jul 23, 2005
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    11. Paul is the awesomer. Yep, that about sums it up.

      :grin:
       
      #11 Descending Twilight, Jul 24, 2005
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    12. People on DOA are awesome-est!
      No problem! Thank you! I love to share and see pretty hands on dolls!
      If anyone has any results of using my tutorial please post them here!
       
      #12 Paulkaiju, Jul 25, 2005
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    13. Wooow, I'm impressed! I would have never thought to color the tip of the finger and then remove color for the nail! What a great tutorial! I will certainly be using it on my Kohya since it's so nice and subtle looking, and I will be sure to post pictures of the results!
       
      #13 nohbahdee, Dec 28, 2005
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    14. I just got an airbrush set but I recently discovered how to work a bit finer but it's still difficult...

      How do you work fine?
       
      #14 Bliss, Dec 28, 2005
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    15. Bumped just for the heck of it.
       
      #15 Paulkaiju, Feb 2, 2006
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    16. Thanks so much for this! I dont have an airbursh but just knowing the idea will help me out :D
       
      #16 Derilaan, Feb 2, 2006
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    17. <3 Thanks so much. Nothing seems to really stand out more than having a lovely face-up, but then hands that seem flat because they haven't been blushed.

      I wonder if there would there be a way to define the knuckles of a hand more (especially for 'grabby' hands like the CP El hands), or is the sculpt of the hand molds generally just too 'gentle' to realistically define these things without looking completely silly?

      (Also, would a glaze of white at the base of the cuticle of the nail be able to present a slightly 'manicured' effect?)
       
      #17 Ruaki, Feb 3, 2006
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    18. Paul this is perfect! thanks so much :)
       
      #18 chun, Feb 4, 2006
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    19. I used your tutorial on my Astaroth and WOW his hands look almost real!

      [​IMG]

      I did not have an airbrush, so I used a fluffy paintbrush and pastels, used a Mr Eraser for the nails, coated with MSC, then glossed the nails with gloss nail polish.

      [​IMG]

      I never thought it would be so fun and easy, and just that slight color gives subtle life to them.

      [​IMG]
      Thank you so much :daisy:
       
      #19 Derilaan, Feb 4, 2006
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    20. You could hit the knuckle with a little pink if your airbrush sprays that fine.

      Depends on the angle you spray the paint at.

      But too much would look silly, just a subtle ammount is enough I think.
       
      #20 Paulkaiju, Feb 6, 2006
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    21. Oh I've been looking for this! Thank you Paul! :D
       
      #21 Shoko86, Jul 11, 2006
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    22. No problemo!
       
      #22 Paulkaiju, Jul 12, 2006
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    23. Wow! Looks super easy. I've got to give this a try this weekend. If not sooner.
       
      #23 ArcaneMuse, Jul 26, 2006
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    24. asdflkja;ldfkhgalk~! i've been looking for this thread for MONTHS.

      hooray! now i can finally blush my tender yen's shiny, icky hands!
       
      #24 tissuepapersunflowers, Oct 10, 2006
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    25. Wonderful <3

      My air brush doesn't work yet, so would pastels brushed onto the tips of the fingers bring a similar result?
       
      #25 WolfeClaw, May 2, 2007
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    26. Amazing tutorial, I would be able to use airbrush now :sweat
       
      #26 EchoUndine, Sep 25, 2010
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    27. this is so helpful! Thanks so much for posting!
       
      #27 murrdurr, Jul 3, 2011
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