Treasure Chest: Figure 98 of 265

This week I didn't have a lot of time, as I was prepping to go to the Nashcon gaming convention in Franklin, Tennessee this past weekend, where my game club and I ran 14 games.  So, I picked a simple Bones figure to complete before I headed out last Thursday: the Treasure Chest from the Dungeon dressing set.  
    I began my preparation in the usual way; soaking it in a dish of water with a couple drops of dish soap added, then giving it a light scrub with a soft toothbrush, and then rinsing and drying. I had sprayed this figure with the Krylon Fusion Flat Black, a couple weeks ago when I was experimenting with using it, and the paint on the chest was still a little tacky.  I glued the chest to a 1" black-primed fender washer with Aleene's Tacky glue, and glued the washer to half a tongue depressor with a couple drops of Elmer's White Glue. 

To start the figure, I drybrushed all the coins and treasure laying around the base with Ceramcoat "Bronze".  I then went back over the treasure and did a lighter highlight drybrusing with Ceramcoat "14K Gold"

Next, I painted the wood on the chest with Americana "Mississippi Mud", and then did all the metal work on the chest with Ceramcoat "Metallic Pewter". I also used this color to paint the hilt of the sword, as well as a coupe of pieces of non-coin treasure in the pile.

I now painted the scabbard of the sword in the treasure pile with Apple Barrel "Burnt Sienna", and the sword's grip with Accent "Real Umber".  I let all that dry a little, and then gave the whole piece a wash with some thinned GW "Devlan Mud" wash.

After the wash had had a few hours to dry, I did highlights on the figure, starting with doing some drybrushing on the wood of the chest with Americana "Khaki Tan", being careful not to get any on the metal bits. I then added some highlights to the treasure pile with the "14K Gold".  After this, I took some Folk Art "Silver Sterling" and carefully painted some of the coins in the treasure pile as silver pieces. I also used this color to add some highlights to the metal work of the chest and hilt of the sword.  Lastly, I used a little Ceramcoat "Metallic Copper" and added a copper piece to the pile here and there.
   I let the chest dry for a several hours, and then gave it a coat of Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish".  After that dried, I flocked the base.   The next day, I sprayed the figure with Testor's Dullcote" spray paint.

I think this turned out very well.  It was a nice simple figure to do, with a lot of good details sculpted in it which made drybrushing on it it very easy.

Figure 98 of 265: Complete

Hellakin Goregutter, Halfling Rogue: Figure 97 of 265

Over the weekend I completed the Halfling Rogue figure from the 30 New Bones set. By unofficial count I am only 6 figures away from completing this large set. And three figures away from reaching the 100 figure milestone!
     I began my preparation in the usual way; soaking him in a dish of water with a couple drops of dish soap added, then giving him a light scrub with a soft toothbrush, and then rinsing and drying.  I glued the figure to a 7/8" black-primed fender washer with Aleene's Tacky glue, and glued the washer to half a tongue depressor with a couple drops of Elmer's White Glue. When the glue holding him to the tongue depressor was dry, I gave the figure a light wash with some heavily thinned black ink with a pinhead of dish soap added to help delineate the belts, straps, clothing, etc. on the figure.  As I have said before, I really have trouble seeing the details on these bright white Bones when I am holding them under my bright painting lamp.

 I began painting him with doing his face and hands with Americana "Shading Flesh". I then painted his tunic with Accent Mustard Seed, and his pants with DecoArt "Cinnamon Brown"  I completed his clothing with painting his cloak Folk Art "Poppy Seed" and his ankle and wrist braces with Folk Art "Medium Gray".

Next, I painted his belts with Accent "Real Umber", and his scabbard with Anita's "Burnt Sienna".  His hair, both on his head and on his feet, I painted Americana "Asphaltum".

  I painted in his eyes, then moved to the metal bits, painting all the buckles, buttons, studs, and his sword with Folk Art "Silver Sterling".  The grip of the sword I painted Americana "Charcoal Gray".

I let everything dry for a couple hours, and then came back and gave the figure a wash with thinned GW "Devlan Mud" wash.  After the wash dried, I went back and added highlights to his skin and clothing with the original base colors.  I then let the figure sit overnight, and then gave it a coat of Cermacoat "Matte Varnish". When this had dried, I then flocked the figure's base.  The next day I sprayed it with Testor's "Dullcote" spray paint.

   I'm satisfied with the figure, but can't say as it was particularly exciting or challenging to paint.  A nice one to add to the collection though.

Figure 97 of 265: Complete

Satheras, Male Warlock: Figure 96 of 265

Over the weekend I finished Satheras the Male Warlock figure from the 30 New Bones set.  I've only got a few more figures to go to complete this big initial offering set from the Kickstarter.   I tried initially to straighten his staff, but  found it hard to get his staff perfectly straight because of the two sculpted contact points.  So, I did the best I could in the limited amount of time I wanted to devote to the job, and told myself that being a grizzled old warlock, he might just have a gnarled and bent old staff.   
     I began my preparation in the usual way; soaking him in a dish of water with a couple drops of dish soap added, then giving him a light scrub with a soft toothbrush, and then rinsing and drying.  I  had actually prepped and primed this figure a while back when I still had the good Krylon Camouflage with Fusion Flat Black spray paint, so I didn't have the tackiness issues I'm getting with the regular Krylon Fusion now.  I glued the figure to a 1" black-primed fender washer with Aleene's Tacky glue, and glued the washer to half a tongue depressor with a couple drops of Elmer's White Glue.

I began painting by drybrushing the whole figure, except his extended leg, with Folk Art "Medium Gray", and then adding some lighter drybrushed highlights with GW "Fortress Grey". I then drybrushed his one boot with GW "Shadow Grey".  Next, I painted his pants leg with Americana "Asphaltum", and then carefully added some  highlights to the pants with Americana "Mississippi Mud".  After this I painted his staff Americana "Charcoal Grey"

   I now painted his hands and face with Folk Art "Milkshake", and followed this with painting the parchment in his hand with Americana "Buttermilk".  Next, I painted the lining of his hood and shoulder garment with Apple Barrel "Apple Maroon". I also used this color to paint the small bag hanging from his belt, and the strip at the top of his boot. At this stage I painted the small cords holding the bag, and the cords on the amulet on the staff with Accent "Real Umber". The small patch on his knee I painted with GW "Snakebite Leather", and the two threads on the patch I painted with  Americana "Khaki Tan".

I now moved to the large stone in his staff.  First I painted the whole stone GW "Blood Red", and then I painted the top facets with the "Apple Maroon", and the bottom facets with Apple Barrel "Apple Lt. Pink".  I then added highlights with a bit of white paint, and then added a bit of the "Apple Lt. Pink" to the white to do highlights along some of the facet edges.  Next, I worked on the metallics, painting the gem fittings, the amulets, his buttons, and his belt buckle with Ceramcoat "Metallic Pewter".  I then went back and added highlights to these with Folk Art "Silver Sterling", and then went around his shoulder garment and painted the runes on it with the "Silver Sterling" as well.

   Lastly, I gave his pants, face, hands, and staff a wash with GW "Devlan Mud" wash with a little water added to dilute it.  When this had dried, I went back and added some highlights to his face and hands with the original "Milkshake" color.  I also touched up where some of the wash had gotten on the parchment with the original "Buttermilk"; and finally with black paint and a thin brush I added some squiggly lettering to the parchment.
   I let the figure sit for a few hours and then I painted the whole figure with Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish".   The next morning I flocked the base, and let it dry all day, then late in the afternoon I sprayed it with Testor's "Dullcote".

I'm pleased with how the he turned out, and figures dressed in all black are always a nice easy paint, as so much of it involved simply drybrushing.

Figure 96 of 265: Complete

Rat Swarms: Figures 94 & 95 of 265

    I finished the two Rat Swarms from the Vermin set this week.  Since I was already well supplied with 28mm big rats from the dozen single giant rats that came with the Kickstarter, I decided to re-purpose these for use with my 10mm "Bear Yourselves Valiantly" armies, just like I had done with the Giant Scorpions. And, like the Giant Scorpions, I had to order an additional pair from Reaper to help fill out a unit base.
     I began in the usual way; soaking them in a dish of water with a couple drops of dish soap added, then giving them a light scrub with a soft toothbrush, and then rinsing and drying.  I then glued them to a 3" x 1.5" black-primed steel base with Aleene's Tacky glue.

To start, I painted them all black with regular craft paint.  I then gave them all a drybrushing with Folk Art "Medium Gray", and then followed this with a light drybrush with GW "Fortress Grey"

Next, I picked out two or three on each base and painted them Americana "Asphaltum".  I then carefully gave these brown ones a drybrushing as best I could with Americana "Mississippi Mud"

Lastly, I went back and painted all the little tails, feet, and noses I could discern with Folk Art "Milkshake".  After the rats dried overnight, I painted them with Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish".  When this was dry, I flocked them (very difficult with all those little tails sticking out everywhere!), and the next day I sprayed the whole stand with Testor's "Dullcote".

I like how these turned out.  I think they make great 10mm Giant Rats.  And, best of all,  they mark the completion of the Vermin Set for me.

Figures 94 & 95: Complete

Altar of Evil: Figure 93 of 265

    As I mentioned in my previous post, it's been a busy few weeks for me, but I was able to knock out the Altar of Evil from the Dungeon Dressing set; creeping ever so slowly to my 100-figures-completed mark.
     I prepped it in the usual way; soaking overnight in some water with a couple drops of dish soap added, and then giving a light scrub with a soft toothbrush and rinsing, then drying.  As you may remember from previous posts, I ran out of my usual Krylon Flat Black Camouflage with Fusion spray paint a couple weeks ago, and I was unable to find a replacement can of it. (I hope Krylon hasn't stopped making it!) So, I got a can of Krylon regular Flat Black Fusion, which I hoped would be the same as the Camouflage variety, but it turned out it wasn't.  I sprayed this peice with it, and as expected, it left it tacky, even after a few days of drying.      
    I glued the alter to a 1.5 inch by 3/4 inch black-primed metal base, and glued this to a tongue depressor for ease of handling during painting.
    In looking at the alter, I decided I didn't want to make it the usual dull grey carved stone.   So, I got in my head to do it as black marble, since I felt I had had success painting my Stone Golem as marble.  
    I began by painting the whole piece with black craft paint to hide the tackiness of the primer.

    Next, I drybrushed the whole altar with GW "Shadow Grey" to bring out the highlights

      I added white striations and some speckling next, trying to give it that "marble" look.

     I painted the the skulls on top with Ceramcoat "Bronze".

     Next, I drybrushed the skulls with Ceramcoat "14K Gold".   I then got out my bottle of Apple Barrel "Apple Maroon", and with my small drybrush I dabbed in a stippling way on top of the altar to add a blood stain.  Lastly, I painted the metal base around the alter with Folk Art "Medium "Gray".

     When the piece had a few hours to dry, I painted the whole thing with Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish", and when this had dried overnight I sprayed the altar with Testor's "Dullcote"

     I'm pleased with how this came out, as I think it has a good "evil" look to it.   And best of all it was a nice easy piece to paint that I could complete in a day.

Figure 93 of 265: Complete

Giant Spiders: Figures 91 & 92 of 265

First let me apologize for no Monday post, but it has been really busy around here, as my wife and I are in the process of buying a new house.   I was, however, able to squeeze in the two Giant Spiders from the Vermin set this past week to have something to post today.
      I prepped them in the usual way; soaking overnight in some water with a couple drops of dish soap added, and then giving a light scrub with a soft toothbrush and rinsing, then drying.  As you may remember from previous posts, I ran out of my usual Krylon Flat Black Camouflage with Fusion spray paint a couple weeks ago, and I was unable to find a replacement can of it. (I hope Krylon hasn't stopped making it!) So, I got a can of Krylon regular Flat Black Fusion, which I hoped would be the same as the Camouflage variety, but it turned out it wasn't.  I sprayed these guys with it, and as expected, it left them tacky, even after a few days of drying.        I glued the figures to 1 inch black-primed fender washers, and glued these to a tongue depressor for ease of handling during painting.
        I decided, like the Giant Beetles, I finished a little while ago, that I didn't want to do theses just plain old black, brown or gray.  So, since I had just done the Giant Beetles in a green scheme, I tried to think of another icky bug color to paint these, and came up with red as a good possibility.  So, like with the Beetles, I went to Google and did an image search for "Red Spiders".  Eeeeks, there's a page I didn't want to study too long, as a page full of pictures of red spiders is a really creepy thing! Anyway, I got a general idea of how a red spider looks with a quick perusal, and set about to paint these Bones.  To start, I painted them with black craft paint to remove the shiny tackiness.  (I may just end up using regular black craft paint to do all my priming from now on, as I really don't like the tackiness.)

  Next, I painted them with Apple Barrel "Apple Maroon", gently feathering the paint up onto the rear segment of the body, generally trying to leave this rear segment the original black.

I then dry brushed the areas I has just painted with Ceramcoat "Bright Red".

I followed this with adding some highlights to the raised areas with Americana "Cadmium Red".  Next, I cleaned up the black on the rear segments, carefully feathering the black back over any red that had covered too much of the segment. I also added some drybrushed black sections to the tip of each leg. And, at this time I added two black dots for eyes.  Lastly, I painted the fangs with Americana "Buttermilk, and then gave them white highlights; I also added tiny white highlight dots to each eye.
   After the Spiders had a couple hours to dry, I gave them each a coat of Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish, and when this was dry, I flocked their bases. I let this dry overnight, and then sprayed them with Testor's "Dullcote" the next day.

Like the Giant Beetles, I'm pleased with how these turned out.  I really think using a non-standard color for these worked really well, making them look particularly terrifying.

Figures 91 & 92: Complete