Sword Masters of Hoeth

So i decided, having not painted for several years, to start with some basic rank and file infantry as i didn't want to risk cocking up the fella on the griffon or the mage models!

Hence these fellas took the plunge and received a lovely basecoat of black. I'd mention construction, but as they're one pieces, it would be a bit short!

I decided i was going to limit my colour pallet as i reckon it helps create a more uniform looking army. This was pretty simple with these guys as there's going to be a crap lot of chain mail with a blue trim and a white robe. Shining Gold for fancy bits and red gems pretty much finishes it off.

I search my memory and remembered it always being useful to paint the metallics first as drybrushing all over the detail sucks balls! The problem i have with painting metallics is - no matter how neatly i try and paint them, it still looks crap until more is done to the model so i have to bear with it!

Next stage was to get all my base colours on before i apply any washes. I left the gems until everything else on the model was done due to the level of detail needed.

So here's the champion with Foundation Blue and Foundation Brown applied:

Gol-wise, i intended on basecoating with foundation brown, washing with an old flesh wash i'd managed to salvage from the past before applying shining gold.

I'd left the Standard Bearer's Flag off to paint separately and this is something i'd really reccommend as there would be just too much detail obscurred if glued on first!

Washing wise - i gave everything that wasn't going to be flesh, gold or leather, a watered down coating of "Badab Black Wash" - the former were given a watered down "Flesh Ink"

I love how much a model starts to look instantly better after a wash has been applied!

I then went about highlighting the chain mail in Milthril silver - a mistake as i just didn't like the results - id basecoated it in Mithril Silver whereas i've now found a pot of usable Boltgun Metal i intend to basecoat with in future!


Enchanted Blue mixed with Foundation blue for the trim and hair, with subsequently lighter highlights on ther hair!

Elf Flesh for the face. The flesh had two coats to be fair - i'm not very good when it comes to painting faces!

The gold was a bit of a journey to be honest - i didn't like the results of just painting Shining Gold on top of the brown so managed to acquire a pot of "Tin Bitz" off a kind soul. Applying this and then building shining gold into it worked much better and i'ma happy with the results now!

I've jumped ahead here as the tow previous photos have gems painted - Mechrite red foundation, splash of an orange made form Mechrite Red and Iyanden Yellow on the bottom and a dot of Skull White on the top!

Basing
I always think the basing is one of the most important parts! A nicely presented base sets the scene and can really make a model come alive!

I'd used watered down glue before undercoating to apply a ice coating of sand.

I now used a watered down coating of Foundation Brown and built up highlights with Snakebite Leather before a last highlight of Bleached Bone.

Once this was dry, i applied a few patches of Static Grass! I reckon they look pretty sound for a first bash in a few years!