Episode 16: Talking painting in acrylics and the benefits of modeling clubs with Pat Vess and Joe Berton

As you might have heard in an earlier episode when we played a “Help! I must be doing this wet palette thing wrong!” voice mail from our pal Pat Vess, after decades painting figures in oils (“the Chicago school,” a term that always cracks us up), he is shifting to acrylics, and since he had questions, we figured many of you might, too. Neither Barry nor (Lord knows) Jim claims to be an expert acrylic painter—we’ve talked to some artists who are, and plan to feature others on the podcast soon—we at least have gleaned some tips to share, while another pal, Joe Berton, talks about why he sticks with oils in favor of what he calls “eye-dropper-bottle paints” (another term that cracks us up). Joe, the president of the Military Miniature Society of Illinois, and Pat, the chair of the annual Chicago show in October (and we’ve just added the link to book your room for 2022!), also talked about the benefits of being a member of the club, and how they joined, which prompted Jim to ask Barry about his local club, IPMS Salt Lake City. (And yeah, we know we said the podcast was going monthly, but Barry had time to edit this one on President’s Day weekend, and we have another great show in store for Episode 17, so consider this one a special/bonus treat!)

Joe Berton (left) and Pat Vess at an MMSI gathering.

Battle of Britain poster by Mike Sanches, the talented Utah modeler and artist who’s always an inspiration to Barry (and, second-hand through Barry, to Jim). Contact him at spikeprod@gmail.com. And we’re saving the photos of Joe Berton’s legendary work for the full interview we plan to do with him about his modeling career, while Pat told Barry that he has already stripped the bust he was working on in acrylics, ready to start over, so that picture will have to come in the future, too. Hang in there, Pat; you’ll get the knack of these eyedropper paints yet!