In general I use Kryolan Aqua stage makeup - which is a water based paint, exhibiting no tendency to crack on drying, and which allows blending and smudging to achieve quite subtle gradations. It dries quite quickly and is not prone to damage as long as a small amount of care is taken.
Large areas I tend to sponge on (dabbing not "brushing", to avoid streaking). Small areas and fine detail I brush on.
For repetitive geometrical shapes, I often make up dies to allow things to be stamped - usually as a guide for finishing by hand.
It's a continual source of surprise to me, the number of unrelated technologies that seem to be involved in this art form. (I get more use out of my oxy-welder for this than for the reasons I actually bought it.) Swords need to be welded up. Odd bits of tubing need to be bent and shaped. Backdrops have to be spray painted. It now seems likely that I'll have to make a Graecian column for my next project.
Stephen contributes not only his photographic skills, but also insights that escape me. Painters get a very blinkered view of the world.
It's also a great way to have a heart attack. The trauma of waltzing up to someone you've just laid eyes on, and saying "Have I got a proposition for you..", is considerable.
Actually my experience is that people are flattered to be asked. They may not agree, but they go away with something to talk about.
Roger Edgecombe
1998