Casemate Productions

Expert Model Craft Airbrush Painting Techniques

by  Geoff Illsley

Reviewed By  Ned Ricks, IPMS# 36013

MSRP: $24.95 ISBN: 978-1-905573-68-4 www.casematepublishing.com There are two airbrushes in my modeling work area, and I still do a lot of painting by brush, especially on figures. When IPMS offered this instructional DVD for review, I thought "Why not; I just might learn something new." Let me tell you from the outset that I did learn a lot and I can't wait to try out these new ideas now that they seem so do-able after watching this video. Compendium Films makes a series of high quality DVD's on various modeling techniques used in modeling. This particular DVD is one of their Expert Modelcraft series, and features the techniques of Geoff Illsley, a chief judge at Euromilitaire and past Gold medal winner, Geoff is known for his superbly painted aircraft and figures. The main program is around an hour in length if you run it non-stop. You can view the disk on your TV DVD player or on your computer. The program can be played straight through, but is naturally broken up into various segments covering aspects of airbrushing, such as priming & undercoating, spraying flesh tones, achieving a realistic gun metal look, painting warrior feathers, aircraft camouflage and achieving a wood grain effect. Have you ever thought of using artist's oils through an airbrush? No? Me either, until I watched this video. Now, I might try it on some of the larger figures and busts that I sit on my shelf awaiting my attention. Geoff shows two great looking and simple methods for achieving very realistic gun metal finishes: one case-hardened and the other nicely blued. You could want this DVD just for the chapter on aircraft camouflage. There is a demo of how to enlarge paper schematics to get the right pattern and using masking to apply them, including roundels and other insignia. There are additional chapters, available through the index, that provide a lot of extra value to the whole DVD. Among those are useful chapters on cleaning airbrushes, mixing paints correctly, a profile of Geoff Illsley, and a model 'Panorama' of Geoff's work. Of especial interest to me was the segment on mixing paint - he shows exactly what "thin to the consistency of milk" means with examples I can use. Also he demonstrates how to disassemble and clean different brands of airbrushes, including my new Iwata mentioned above that has had me puzzled on how best to maintain it. Geoff shows some easy and practical tips on how to handle small and delicate parts in a routine manner. Thanks, Geoff. This kit is "Highly Recommended". I have already watched the DVD three times through and some of the chapters more than that. While many of the reviewed books and computer items sent to me end up in our IPMS chapter's raffle or annual auction, this one is a definite "keeper." The MSRP is $24.95, and this and other modeling Compendium Films DVD's can be ordered from the sources listed below. Thanks to Tara Lichterman of Casemate and Compendium Films for providing this DVD for review. Douglas Model Distributors (800-773-8208) 8385 South Allen St Suite 138 Sandy UT 84070 Military Model Distributors (972-245-3504) 1115 Crowley Drive Carrollton TX 75006 Casemate Publishing (610/853-9131) 1016 Warrior Road, Suite C Drexel Hill, PA 19026

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