Painting dolphin/whale skin

Sara Van leeuwen

Hello,

I'm making a dolphin/whale creature and i need some help with creating a realistic skin. How do i get the oily look? What kind of paint should i use? And what kind of surface? Is there someone who has experience with this, or has a general idea how to to it? I really need some help! i don't want the skin to look dull.

Chris Ellerby

You can use a gloss sealer on the skin after you have painted it to give it a wet look.  What type of gloss you pick depends on the types of materials and paints you are using.

Silicone skins tend to look the most realistic, and can be nice and shiny with just a coat of clear silicone after painting.  The nature/size/budget of your project would determine if silicone is right for you.

Otherwise you could use any materials, like foams and latex, finished with acrylic paints and a gloss like Liquitex gloss varnish.

/Chris

Sara Van leeuwen

Thank You!