This part is a bonus and as lock-down continues, feels
appropriate to add it in. It did also involve some very
minor transgressions, painting not legal, from the
painting I had agreed to, but only very minor
transgressions… I was just testing my eyes…
BUSTED
As it happens I had, as you might suspect, already busted
the golden rules when I painted the Wood Elves. Not in a
major way but as I painted the flesh on them, using
Tanned Flesh, it only then occurred to me that on the
Dwarves it came out darker than I wanted to have on the
Armoured Elves. Having painted the Wood Elves flesh in
Tanned Flesh it seemed the best approach was to just
slap on a bit of the lighter Barbarian Flesh as a quick fix
and as a highlight in a very rough and quick way. That
however left me in somewhat in a quandary as I wanted
all the Elf flesh to be the similar, so I repeated the
“mistake” on the Armoured Elves too.
EXPERIMENTING
The Armoured Elves were primed with Platemail
Coloured Primer Spray, just like the Armoured Dwarves,
as they have a lot of armour on them though it’s mostly
chainmail on the elves. I wanted a distinctly different look
for them so instead of painting in all the details then
reaching for the Army Painter Quickshade Strong
Tone, I followed the route I had used on the dragon but
utilising Warpaint Washes Blue Tone Ink and in the
end, not using the Quickshade at all . This did require a
bit more planning as I would have to use colours that
would be successfully shaded but the dark blue of the ink,
but I reasoned that this would give then that distinctive
appropriate to add it in. It did also involve some very
minor transgressions, painting not legal, from the
painting I had agreed to, but only very minor
transgressions… I was just testing my eyes…
BUSTED
As it happens I had, as you might suspect, already busted
the golden rules when I painted the Wood Elves. Not in a
major way but as I painted the flesh on them, using
Tanned Flesh, it only then occurred to me that on the
Dwarves it came out darker than I wanted to have on the
Armoured Elves. Having painted the Wood Elves flesh in
Tanned Flesh it seemed the best approach was to just
slap on a bit of the lighter Barbarian Flesh as a quick fix
and as a highlight in a very rough and quick way. That
however left me in somewhat in a quandary as I wanted
all the Elf flesh to be the similar, so I repeated the
“mistake” on the Armoured Elves too.
EXPERIMENTING
The Armoured Elves were primed with Platemail
Coloured Primer Spray, just like the Armoured Dwarves,
as they have a lot of armour on them though it’s mostly
chainmail on the elves. I wanted a distinctly different look
for them so instead of painting in all the details then
reaching for the Army Painter Quickshade Strong
Tone, I followed the route I had used on the dragon but
utilising Warpaint Washes Blue Tone Ink and in the
end, not using the Quickshade at all . This did require a
bit more planning as I would have to use colours that
would be successfully shaded but the dark blue of the ink,
but I reasoned that this would give then that distinctive
OATHMARK EXPRESS
Above. Armoured Elves with Spears & Swords
look I was after. Also I fancied I could do the armour as
well with the Blue Tone Ink, and that would save more
time. As it happens Army Painter make a lot of blues,
more than you would think, but I stuck to using a pallet of
Deep Blue, Crystal Blue, Electric Blue and
Ultramarine Blue, and used the odd non blue that would
shade OK with the Army Painter Blue Tone Ink like
Necrotic Flesh, Wolf Grey and Uniform Grey.
NOT QUICKSHADE
So I painted on all the colours that were destined to be
shaded by the Blue Tone Ink. Once dry then sloshed all
over with Warpaint Washes Blue Tone Ink. Making
sure it didn’t pond or form unsightly blobs. And them put
aside for a good while to dry thoroughly, it’s not like
there’s not more to do! It is worthwhile just going and
checking on them from time to time just to make show no
unsightly blobs have accrued, a quick flick of the brush
will sort them out.
In an attempt to save a bit of time I left the shield fronts in
the Platemail as I had a plan to use up some spare Little
Big Man decals and I wanted to see if they would look OK
on the Platemail, which they did.
NOT BLUE
And that left the rest, obviously some things were never
going to work with blue shading, as I have mentioned
previously the flesh, I’m not going for Dark Elves here but
Tolkien’s Elves of light. For the flesh I used the Tanned
Flesh and Barbarian Flesh combo as above, the
woodwork like bows etc was painted in Fur Brown, some
hair I did Uniform Grey but others Desert Yellow. Some
of the small metal details were painted in Greedy Gold.
well with the Blue Tone Ink, and that would save more
time. As it happens Army Painter make a lot of blues,
more than you would think, but I stuck to using a pallet of
Deep Blue, Crystal Blue, Electric Blue and
Ultramarine Blue, and used the odd non blue that would
shade OK with the Army Painter Blue Tone Ink like
Necrotic Flesh, Wolf Grey and Uniform Grey.
NOT QUICKSHADE
So I painted on all the colours that were destined to be
shaded by the Blue Tone Ink. Once dry then sloshed all
over with Warpaint Washes Blue Tone Ink. Making
sure it didn’t pond or form unsightly blobs. And them put
aside for a good while to dry thoroughly, it’s not like
there’s not more to do! It is worthwhile just going and
checking on them from time to time just to make show no
unsightly blobs have accrued, a quick flick of the brush
will sort them out.
In an attempt to save a bit of time I left the shield fronts in
the Platemail as I had a plan to use up some spare Little
Big Man decals and I wanted to see if they would look OK
on the Platemail, which they did.
NOT BLUE
And that left the rest, obviously some things were never
going to work with blue shading, as I have mentioned
previously the flesh, I’m not going for Dark Elves here but
Tolkien’s Elves of light. For the flesh I used the Tanned
Flesh and Barbarian Flesh combo as above, the
woodwork like bows etc was painted in Fur Brown, some
hair I did Uniform Grey but others Desert Yellow. Some
of the small metal details were painted in Greedy Gold.
MORE WASHES
With non-blues all done I did consider hitting them with
Quickshade Strong Tone all over like the rest of the
troops, but I was worried that it would dull down the blued
areas to much, so I went for using the Warpaint Washes
Strong Tone (which is a brown wash) out of the bottle,
just like I used the Warpaint Washes Blue Tone Ink on
the blue. Carefully restricting it to the not blue areas. To
vary it up a bit, I did swords blades and some helmets
with the Strong Tone.
Quickshade Strong Tone all over like the rest of the
troops, but I was worried that it would dull down the blued
areas to much, so I went for using the Warpaint Washes
Strong Tone (which is a brown wash) out of the bottle,
just like I used the Warpaint Washes Blue Tone Ink on
the blue. Carefully restricting it to the not blue areas. To
vary it up a bit, I did swords blades and some helmets
with the Strong Tone.
Building armies under duress.
Part 3: of Elves and Spiders
Kev Dallimore and
John Treadaway
DECALS
So that’s the High Elves all but done. But I did want to
use those LBM decals. To this end and for the models
general protection I gave them a coat of gloss varnish all
over. When this was very dray and hard (like next day) I
applied the LMB shield decals in the approved way, see
my article on PAINTING ELVES. It’s not difficult to use
the LMB decals but it does require a specific procedure a
bit different from normal watersides.
VARNISH
And then two coats of Anti-Shine Matt Varnish which –
again – was brushed on the Elves and Spiders.
use those LBM decals. To this end and for the models
general protection I gave them a coat of gloss varnish all
over. When this was very dray and hard (like next day) I
applied the LMB shield decals in the approved way, see
my article on PAINTING ELVES. It’s not difficult to use
the LMB decals but it does require a specific procedure a
bit different from normal watersides.
VARNISH
And then two coats of Anti-Shine Matt Varnish which –
again – was brushed on the Elves and Spiders.
Above. Armoured Elf Guard – double Armed (Line Breaker).
Above. Armoured Elves with Bows.
QUICKSHADE CONFUSION
Note. The Army Painter Quickshade is the stuff in
the tins like a varnish (wash your brushes out in
brush-cleaner or white spirit).
The Army Painter Warpaint Washes are in the
small bottles like the paint, water-based, but with a
red cap, wash out in water.
the tins like a varnish (wash your brushes out in
brush-cleaner or white spirit).
The Army Painter Warpaint Washes are in the
small bottles like the paint, water-based, but with a
red cap, wash out in water.
Above. Armoured Elf Warriors with Swords. Showing the LBM shield decals.
FINISHING
The basing was done, like before, and to match the rest of
the good army, Dwarves, Wood Elves, bears etc. The
Spiders got similar basing treatment as the rest of the evil
side.
MORE TO COME?
Yes inevitably; with the Oathmark human cavalry arriving,
some Riders of Rohan might just hove into view, and
more Wargs and Riders to match them!
the good army, Dwarves, Wood Elves, bears etc. The
Spiders got similar basing treatment as the rest of the evil
side.
MORE TO COME?
Yes inevitably; with the Oathmark human cavalry arriving,
some Riders of Rohan might just hove into view, and
more Wargs and Riders to match them!
Above. Armoured Elf Warriors with Spears.Showing the LBM shield decals.
Above. Elf Commander (General) with his bodyguard.
EXTRAS
Above. Armoured Elf Warriors with Spears. Showing, primed and washed with blue ink.
DRAGON ATTACK
I went on to then paint a Dragon using the same fast painting method. The Oathmark model was primed green with
Army Painter Spray, and then – after painting in detail like eyes, horns teeth and a tongue – I did the same Army
Painter dip painted over routine and then based it in much the same way as the rest (and on as small as base as
possible!). Again this took me less than half an hour.
Army Painter Spray, and then – after painting in detail like eyes, horns teeth and a tongue – I did the same Army
Painter dip painted over routine and then based it in much the same way as the rest (and on as small as base as
possible!). Again this took me less than half an hour.
A TROLL
As this developed, we decided the evil needed some
punch so Kev painted a troll for them using the brilliant
two-headed Frostgrave Troll sculpted by Mark
Copplestone. Obviously it was a metal model which
broke the “let’s do it all fast from plastics” rule we’d set
ourselves but – on the phone – Mr Dallimore promised
he’s make up for that by painting it blisteringly fast. So
that’d be all right then! As good as his word, he painted it
in 20 minutes... The model was primed with Army Painter
Army Green Primer when Kev was doing some of the
good forces priming. Then the hair was painted black,
thinned a bit so the green grinned through then sloshed all
over with Warpaint Quickshade Green Tone Ink. Then
the eyes picked out in Pure Red and the teeth and claws
in Warpaint Skeleton Bone (again no shading) and the
tree he was holding was painted in Oak Brown. He was
then sloshed all over with the Quickshade, but we are
getting ahead of ourselves. But it’s a testament to the idea
that two heads are better than one... JT.
punch so Kev painted a troll for them using the brilliant
two-headed Frostgrave Troll sculpted by Mark
Copplestone. Obviously it was a metal model which
broke the “let’s do it all fast from plastics” rule we’d set
ourselves but – on the phone – Mr Dallimore promised
he’s make up for that by painting it blisteringly fast. So
that’d be all right then! As good as his word, he painted it
in 20 minutes... The model was primed with Army Painter
Army Green Primer when Kev was doing some of the
good forces priming. Then the hair was painted black,
thinned a bit so the green grinned through then sloshed all
over with Warpaint Quickshade Green Tone Ink. Then
the eyes picked out in Pure Red and the teeth and claws
in Warpaint Skeleton Bone (again no shading) and the
tree he was holding was painted in Oak Brown. He was
then sloshed all over with the Quickshade, but we are
getting ahead of ourselves. But it’s a testament to the idea
that two heads are better than one... JT.
Above. Dwarf Commander (General) and bodyguards.
Above. Orc Commander (General) and bodyguards, we added bodyguards to the Generals after realising the
vulnerabilities of a lone Commander.
SPIDERS
Before I finish, I just couldn’t resist some of the Wargames Atlantic spiders, especially as we set these armies within a
stones throw of Mirkwood. So I put together a frame of one big and two smaller arachnids to add some more punch to
the evil side. The painting of them followed along the evil lines as in part two, they got primed grey, but I had no white
primer on hand so they got brush painted white with black spidery markings and claws and Pure Red eyes. Then
Quickshade Strong Tone all over them in the accepted fashion and put aside to dry.
stones throw of Mirkwood. So I put together a frame of one big and two smaller arachnids to add some more punch to
the evil side. The painting of them followed along the evil lines as in part two, they got primed grey, but I had no white
primer on hand so they got brush painted white with black spidery markings and claws and Pure Red eyes. Then
Quickshade Strong Tone all over them in the accepted fashion and put aside to dry.
