Building and painting 1/48th scale flight deck personnel figure. Fast and Easy!

Here I will show you a relatively quick and easy technique to paint small scale figures and achieve good results in short amount of time. The figure in the video comes from a Tamiya kit - the 1/48th scale F4U-1D Corsair and Ford tug tractor kit.

Disclaimers:
This video is not intended for persons under 14 years of age. This video is NOT sponsored by any company, all opinions are my own.

[charleshenderson]

I learned that stuff on the past. Its pretty cool to change hands or arms. I have done these tanks driver. One set on the tank but his butt to FLAT so i gave him a round butt. It look very good.

[bugler]

I really liked how you positioned the figure with double sided tape before glueing 👍🏼 A lovely figure . Thanks, Ian

[johnnichols]

I paint the whites of the eye then the pupil then the eye lids, much easier in larger scales but that avoids the bulging deer caught in the headlights look.

[dunhill]

Excellent.  Thank you for doing another 1/48 figure painting tutorial.  I am trying to get into this part of scale modeling and found this to be most challenging for me.  In all my trials, I've found that I get a decent face using Tamiya Flesh as a base and then using Tamiya Figure Accent Color wash to flow into the lower areas and defines the eye socket, neck, mouth, and ears by being a shade darker than the base.  Once that's dry, I come back and highlight the cheeks, chin, nose and forehead, with a diluted mix of the base plus a little acrylic Vallejo Off-white.  The results are acceptable certainly at this small scale.  Like you said, 1/48 figures are meant to be viewed from a scaled distance and not under magnification.  I also stopped painting eyes with white for this reason....When you are walking down the street and people are walking towards you from a far, you cannot see the whites of their eyes or pupils until they are about 10ft away.  Farther than that, peoples' eyes look more like dark thin areas.  Try that next time you are out in a public place.  I apply this scaled vision distance to 1/48 figures.  Even though your face is about 1 to 2 feet from the diorama, the scale makes it seem like you are looking at real people from about 50 to 60ft away.  Therefore, my figures now have a blackish/brown slit where the eyes are.  Please keep sharing your incredible modeling skills.  I'm a big fan of your work.

[robbo]

You never cease to amaze and to provide great tips when painting....regardless the model and now a figure....so simple yet so effective. Metodi, your channel is a must to watch indeed!!

[vasili]

For pupil on small eyes I found a good technique, get a sowing pin flatten the point add paint and poke the figure in the eye with said pin and boom pupil. No flexing of brush bristles messing up the eye

[osvaediez]

Nice video. I love your attention in details

[tonyperez]

Darn, that's the coolest thing I've seen in a while, how you rearrange the arms so they fit the steering wheel. Always have problems with that, specially 1/35 drivers . Great build. Hope you and your family are well ! Take care, Tony

[garygenerous]

Wow, other than the eyes which are literally the hardest part of any figure, I would say this guy would have a decent chance of winning a figure painting award. Beautifully done!

[SteveJonesScaleModellingSite]

Beautiful work on the figure. A nice build all round

[sergecolin]

Very useful video, I’m less afraid to do it !
2 tech questions:
- do you use water or a thinner with your paint for the layering, and with which proportion ?
- what’s the reference of your gloves ? I use other ones (blue) but they don’t resist to the Tamiya’s thinner and cleaner…

[SuperGutbucket]

Most impressive technique. Thanks for sharing 😎

[johnhughes]

The whites of the eyes look better if done in a very pale blue shade. Unless the figure is a model maker, then red would be more accurate.

[lesthiele]

Good morning, that figure is excellent, well done, i hope you are keeping safe and well.

[nenadmomic]

very nice techique untill one point-eyes! Actually, in 1/48 scale, there's no need for eyes painting in detail, as it is way to tiny and even more, in that scale, almost nothing white from the eye is visible. So, just a darker shade just above the eye and lighter shade the rest, like you did.. and would look awesome. Hardly you will see eyes fully painted in 1/48 scale. Just a tip!

Also, for so many years I've been following this channel, work on your English pronouncement. I do get it that it's not your mother language but still put some effort in it. Your channel deserves it! Cheers!

[jayandry]

Dude watch some figure painting videos. They never ever use white for the eyes always a lightened flesh. The clothes are great thanks.