Monday, August 17, 2015

Elquin, High Elf Adventurer, Figure 166 of 265

  So this week we start the countdown of the remaining 99 figures with Elquin, High Elf Adventurer, from the Heroes Set.  Just one figure left from the Heroes set now.
    As I looked at this figure and considered how to paint him, there was something about his outfit that struck me as very Napoleonic in appearance.  So, I got the idea to paint him in the style of a French soldier from that era.
        I prepped the figure 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 then glued the figure to a 1" black-primed fender washer with Aleene's Tacky glue, and glued the washer to a tongue depressor with a couple drops of Elmer's White Glue.
      I began painting by giving the figure a wash with thinned black ink with a tiny pin-point drop of dishsoap added to help it flow into the crevices and help show the sculpting details.
 When the ink wash was dry, I painted his pants White, and his jacket with DecoArt "Navy Blue". Next, I painted his cloak and the hanging at his front with DecoArt "Storm Cloud grey".
     After these colors had had time to dry, I gave them a wash with GW "Badab Black" wash using a wet brush.  When this wash was dry, I then painted his face with DecoArt "Flesh", and his hair with Folk Art "Dark Brown". His staff I painted with DecoArt "Cinnamon Brown", and his gloves with Americana "Buttermilk".  The front of his shirt I painted with GW "Blood Red", and his cross belt I painted White.  The pack on his back I painted with Accent "Real Umber", and the 3 (what I assumed were) scrolls carried in it I painted with the "Buttermilk", DecoArt  "Light Antique White" and Americana "Khaki".
     Then, when these colors had had time to dry, I gave them all a wash with GW "Agrax Earthshade" using a wet brush, avoiding those areas I had already given a wash with the "Badab Black".
     When the "Agrax Earthshade" wash had dried, I painted his boots, and the assorted pouches and scroll cases he carried with "Black".  The two bottles carried in his cross belt I painted Americana "Forest Green", and DecoArt "Dark Turquoise". I then painted corks in the bottles with the "Khaki".  The (what I assumed were) scrolls in the front cases I painted with the "Buttermilk" and the "Light Antique White".  The handle (sword grip?) carried at his waist I painted with the "Real Umber".  I let the scrolls and handle dry, and I then gave them a quick wash with some of the "Agrax Earthshade" using a wet brush.
     I then began on the highlights, starting first with his hair and drybrushing it with Americana "Sable Brown".  I then did his eyes; Black sockets,White whites, and Black pupils. Next, I highlighted his face with the base "Flesh", and added eyebrows with some of the "Dark Brown".  I then highlighted all the black items with Folk Art "Settlers Blue"; then mixed some of the "Settlers Blue" with the "Navy Blue" and highlighted his jacket. After that, I highlighted his pants with White, and while I had the White out I added a small highlight dot to each of the bottles in his crossbelt.  The front of his jacket I highlighted with the base "Blood Red".  I highlighted his cloak first with the base "Storm Cloud Grey", and then with the lighter Folk Art "Platinum Grey". His staff, and the pack on his back,  I highlighted with the Cinnamon Brown", and his gloves with the base "Buttermilk.  All the scrolls I highlighted with their original base colors.
     I then painted the top of his staff (which I think looks slightly reminiscent of a stylized French Imperial Eagle standard), the end of the handle at his waist, and all his buttons with Ceramcoat "Bronze".  I let this dry, and I then gave the top of his staff and the handle end a quick wash with some of the "Agrax Earthshade" using a wet brush.  When dry, I highlighted the staff top, handle end and buttons all with Ceramcoat "14K Gold".   Lastly I painted the figure's white base with Ceramcoat "Walnut".
      After the figure had the overnight to dry, I gave it a coat of Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish" the next morning.  That afternoon I flocked the base, and the next morning I sprayed the figure with Testor's Dullcote.    That afternoon I gave the bottles in his crossbelt a coat of Americana "DuraClear Gloss" Varnish to help with the glass look.
     I'm really pleased how this figure turned out.  I think the Napoleonic French infantry color scheme looks very good on him.  He would make a good steampunk wizard in the right setting.

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