Interview with Heresy

http://www.heresybrush.com/

1. Your basics... who are you? What do you do/study? Where do you live, how old are you, do you have any hobbies (besides coloring)

My name is Rubén Torregrosa and I’m 25 years old.  At this moment I live in Madrid (Spain), but I’m moving to Joensuu (Finland) next month, where I‘m going to start my PhD in Biology.

About my hobbies, I love paint miniatures, of course. But I’ve more related hobbies. I started playing Airsoft one year ago, and now I play two times every month with my brother and friends. It’s very stimulating and fun!!. It’s like playing videogames…but in vivo!. Indeed, when I have enough time, I like playing videogames.

2. When did you start coloring models? Do you work only with certain scales? Do you do your own dioramas and at which scale? Do you use high end equipment (airbrushes, brushes, colors…)? The photos you sent look fantastic. Does someone else take photos of your models or do you do it yourself?

I started painted miniatures…when I was a child. My father (and mi grandfather) painted scale models, especially 1/72 models. Therefore, I developed my hobby, beside my brothers, thanks to them. My first miniatures were 1/72 romans or german, I think. And several years after, I discovered the Warhammer universe. I played all Games Workshop games (I love Mordheim and BFG!), but finally, I given up them because the price. Then, I got in touch with my first wargame: Flames of War, in 2005. Beside my brother and some friends, we created the major Spanish wargames community: www.wargames-spain.com, focuses in FoW.

Since then, I love paint 15mm miniatures of any theme. But I like paint 28mm too!. And, yeah, I have always made my own dioaramas, in 15mm or 28mm.

This is my hobby and I love it. So I don’t care if I spend a lot of money in devices and material, because I know I will enjoy them. Thus, I’ve a lot of paints, brushes, etc, and I use all of them. Anyway, I’ve some preferences. For instance, although I’ve several airbrushes, I love use my Renegade Krome from Badger, or I prefer use Vallejo paints rather than Citadel.

About my photos, I take them. I’ve a good camera (borrowed by my father) and I’ve received a very good tips!. Anyway, it’s like when you paint miniatures: if you practice, you can improve your skills!.

3. As I can see you work with magazines, maintain a blog, create coloring tutorials… do you benefit from that? For example, when you color a new Forged in Battle model I presume they hire you for that. How does that work? They give you the models, you paint them and they pay you for that?

My benefits are money, products, contacts, reputation, etc. And mainly, self-realization.

I usually work in that way. I receive an order from a client, then I paint it, and finally I receive my fee and I send the order back.

4. Do you play FoW? What’s your favorite period? Do you have any good lists? Do you make battle reports after games? What kind of a player are you, do you play in tournaments?

Yes, I play FoW, although I don’t have too much time!. I like Late War period, because I love LW german tanks like Hetzer or Jagdpanther. I have some lists, used by me brother too, but I prefer use funny lists. That is, I don’t care if I lose, because I prefer enjoy the game. So, for example, I usually use a Pionner Gepanzerte company with Hetzer, Pumas, Stuka Zu Fus…and a lot of transports. This list is not good because is too weak, but it’s fun for me!. Long time since I played a tournament!, but I was a defensive player I think.

5. Could you please describe the coloring of a 15mm tank? From the assembly to the lacquering (if you do it). You don’t really have to go into too much detail.

Yes, I’ve written several tutorials. You can follow this one (oringal source: http://www.heresybrush.com/2012/videotutoriales-como-pintar-tanques-alemanes-15mm/):

1. Paint the Dunkelgelb in 4 steps:

• Shadow: Dunkelgelb Dark Base (AK 005)
• Base: AK 005 + Dunkelgelb Light Base (AK 007), 1:1
• 1º light: AK 007
• 2º light: DGIII Dunkelgelb (AK 714)

2. Prepare a mask with Blu-tack or Sily puty (It’s recommendable apply first a varnish layer)
3. Paint the Resedagrün (green) in 2 steps:

• Base: Olivgrün shadow AK 171
• Light: RAL RAL6011B AK 716

4. Remove the Blu-Tack or Sily puty
5. Apply gloss varnish
6. Apply decals using Micro Set
7. Apply satin varnish
8. Apply two/three layers of a brown filter (AK 076)
Wait 15-20 min between layers
Wait over night before continuing
9. Apply a profile with WASH for NATO AK 075
Wait 30-60 min
10. Remove the excess of wash with a brush moistened in solvent
11. We can brush up the profile using acrylics
12. Make chippings using sponge and brush, and AK 711
13. To win realism, we can profile chippings with Iraki sand (819, Vallejo)
14. Apply streaking effects with Rust streaks AK 013
15. Blur streaking effects with White Spirit
16. With acrylics we paint the details, such as tools, etc.
17. Paint tracks in 5 steps:

• Base with Track Primer (304 PA Vallejo)
• Drybrush with Gunmetal Grey (863 Vallejo)
• Apply Track Wash (AK 083)
• Dust effects with Afrika korps Filter (AK 065)
• Get contrast with AK 075

18. Apply pigments
19. Apply matt varnish

6. Have you planned on opening a school of model coloring? People think very much of your work.

Yes, I’ve thought in prepare some short courses, but I need more time to plan them!

7. Could I order some model coloring? For example, you buy one box with 5 tanks. You color each tank in another camouflage scheme (we could talk over the details). For each tank you make a coloring tutorial with photos and text and after that you mail me the tanks. How much something cost (coloring and the tutorials) and how long would that take?

Yes, I could!. About the cost, I don’t know. First I need to know the camouflages and their difficulty, and then I can estimate the hours needed to paint them.

8. Do you sell the models you color? Have you tried selling through eBay?

I rarely paint my own vehicles, because I’ve a lot of orders. But sometimes I’ve tried to sell some models via forums or eBay.

9. We met about a year ago. I published a disputable text on your forum that was swiftly deleted (announcement of a competition on my web-page). Thanks to your brother, with minimal adjustments it was republished. After that he participated in the competition, and you send me photos of your models for each magazine edition. Why is that? I presume that you simply wish maximize the audience for your models. In any case I thank you.

Why not?. This is my hobby, and I love it. For example, I contributed to create www.wargames-spain.com, to promote FoW in Spain, and I haven’t earn nothing!. Or when FoW arrived to Madrid, I taught the rules to new players in different local shops. Or I’ve collaborated in different events without receive nothing. So, I do this in order to promote my hobby ;).

And I don’t consider myself like a professional painter, so although I can maximize the audience of my models, as you said, that isn't my goal. But it’s well received, of course!.

 What kind of feedback do your forum users give for my magazine given the language barrier?

The language is a problem. Indeed, we have the same problem with our e-zine Times of War, published only in Spanish. The majority of Wargame players speak English, and the 90% of Wargames are in English. So, the language of this kind of publication should be English. However, that sometimes it’s impossible (for instance, we can’t do that with our e-zine). Anyway, this hobby enters by eyes, so good graphic material can compensate that, and Tom’s magazine reach it!.

You put a link to my blog on your facebook page, your blog and forum… Do you have any advice for me, besides the fact it should be in English?

No. I think your magazine is very nice!, and if you get to translate it, it would be perfect!.

10. Could you give your opinion on the work of one of your biggest admirer? The link to his blog is http://olsianon.blogspot.com/

First, It’s a honor to have him like an admirer, he is very skilled and with a very nice style!!!. Indeed, I like very much his work in progress and tutorials. And he paint a lot of models together with impressive results!!,