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Well who said 15mm wargaming miniatures we're dead?It seems they are making a come back.
Down at Penarth and District Wargames society we have been playing a lot of Sword and Spear as well as a little bit Mortem at Gloriam. MEG to me and you.
I am playing catch up with my 15mm Republican Romans.
Now there is a choice when basing. To base in the old DBX bases before. Or paint separately and base after.
I went for before. That way I can paint quicker. Plus, I can do all the base texture and get it undercoated as well.
Makes painting it later easier and secures it even more.I used simple filler mixed with Warpaint Figures Medium Sand. This gives a sort of stiff paste. It acts like reinforced concrete once its on. Once dry there I s an easy to paint and dry brush rough texture which looks great.
I also pushed some of the Warpaint Figures Fine Grit into it before it set. This adds some variation for later.
I went for a bit of an experimental approach here.
Previously I have used a white undercoat and ink/Army Painter washes.I wanted to try something different.
I started which a Halfords Camouflage Brown and Camouflage Khaki zenithal on one and a medium brown on the other from a range of paints I got off Amazon.
I possibly over did it on the medium brown and it is slightly glossy, but I think we can manage alright.
So, you have got to remember at this point what you are aiming for. I am aiming for a good tabletop finish.
In other words, one that looks clean and good in units and a bit above the slap it on and see.These tutorials are here to produce great looking armies you can be proud of.
Painted in good time and adding to your painting skills gradually.
This is not going to win any awards but maybe a few back slaps from fellow gamers (Come on we all like a bit of praise now and then).
So, we are looking to achieve:
1. Accuracy (As much as you can)
Some of this is perceived. Of course, you need to be as careful as possible. Nice clean painting to defined areas.
But you will see I go over too, and it is all fixable and capable of being hidden by later washes and techniques.
2. Speed
We want to get those armies on the table with minimum of effort and maximum impact.
3. SUGGESTION (Emphasis mine)
What do I mean by ‘Suggestion’?
Well you are not going to paint every minute detail in 5 layers of highlights. We are going to paint to give the suggestion of muscles, the hint of wood grain and the simplest faces that ping.
On mass at the usual wargaming distance of about 3ft (1m) they will look impressive.What you are looking for is contrast with hint of definition. Smaller you wargaming figures are the more contrast there should be.
4. Paint Inside Out
Even on these 15mm Forged In Battle Republican Romans the skin and faces are the focal points (Along with the shields).
This is why you start with those areas to get them really right. Also, it makes painting easier. You can paint over a light flesh tone on a cloak for instance. But re-doing skin if over paint it by accident is a nightmare!
You will see in the video I have 4 paints, but I only ended up using 3 for now. If you are used to the triad system, it really harks back to that
1. Vallejo Model Colour Brown Sand, Vallejo Model Colour Medium Flesh tone & Scale 75 Golden SkinVallejo
2. Model Colour Medium Flesh tone, Scale 75 Golden Skin & Scale 75 Light Skin
The (i) is the darker triad for the medium brown undercoat. Of course, I forgot to use Golden Skin, but it worked out okay. I could still add that to the first triad on the medium brown undercoat if I wanted. So, can you.
Whatever floats your boat.
Medium Brown Undercoat:
The first coat is going to be Vallejo Model Colour Brown Sand. As you might know it’s my go to colour for most Caucasian skin tones.
Khaki Undercoat:
I am going a bit lighter here and starting with VMC Medium Flesh tone.
All the paints are watered down slightly, and the excess taken off with a blue towel. Of course, you can use kitchen towel, but the blue rolls are so much more economical.
You can get them on Amazon or Ebay.
Remember leave a little of the undercoat between the muscle groups.
So, between the hands and arms at the wrists. Between the arm biceps and triceps where it is well defined and the calf muscles, knees and thighs.For the faces aim to hit the ridges again.
Noses, cheekbones, chins and lips. It helps to take quite a bit of the paint off the brush when you do this.
If you are watering your paint down, you may have to go back and touch up areas again to get the full colour tone. Don’t worry it doesn’t take long. As a watered down paint dries its opacity increases and colour comes through so just wait until the first coat dries which should be very quickly. It’s almost like having an extra layer of highlights which adds to the finish.
This is when the figures will start to pop. Look to highlight in the same way with the next colour.
Pick out those facial features and muscles.
Paint a slightly smaller area than you did with the first coat.It shouldn’t take long.Remember to water the paints down.
There you have it.
How To Paint 15mm Republican Romans (Part 1) is complete.
16 Forged In Battle miniatures with flesh all done in 20 odd minutes. Next, we will move onto the tunics.