Barrow Wardens: Bones II Figures

   This week I also completed the three Barrow Warden figures from the Bones II, Expansion I set.  In looking at the figures, and thinking about how I wanted to paint them, I got the idea of them being from the barrow they guarded, and the image of them being buried in their armor... I had the thought of how old rusted iron looks after it's laid around in the dirt for a while.  So the idea hit me to paint them entirely in a decayed rusted scheme. Then I thought I wanted to do more than just give them plain skeletal heads, so I got the idea to give them some sort of magical looking green glow-y heads.  I thought the brown rust, and the green heads would look good together.
       So, with a plan in mind, I began.  I prepped the figures 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 the figures to 1" black-primed fender washers with Aleene's Tacky glue, and glued the washers to a tongue depressor with a couple drops of Elmer's White Glue.

     I began by painting the entire figure with Ceramcoat "Walmut"  I then took some Crafers Eidtion "Spice Brown", and with an old brush applied it lightly, with a stippling action, to the edges, and creases in the armor.  Anywhere that moisture might sit and gather.

     Next, I did the same with Accent "Golden Oxide", using an old brush, and a stippling motion,  to the areas where the rust might be heaviest.

     At this point, I used some Ceramcoat "Metallic Pewter", and ever-so-lightly drybrushed over the armor to give a hint of metallic sheen on the raised edges where the rust might have worn off a little.  Next, I painted the ax handle, the backs of the two shields, and the "eye" of each shield where the wood showed through on the front, with Americana "Mississippi Mud".  I painted the boots they all wear with Accent "Real Umber", and the drape the middle one is wearing I painted Black.  I then went back to the shields and painted the raised portion of the skull on each one with Cermacoat "Bronze".

     Next, I drybrushed the Black drape with some Folk Art "Settlers Blue" to add higlights.  Then, I used the "Real Umber" again to paint the belt the center one is wearing as well as the straps on the backs of the shields.  I painted the skulls, and their leg bones which show behind the armor next.  First I painted the eye sockets Black, then I painted the skulls and leg bones with DecoArt "Citrus Green".  I then took some Reaper "Surf Aqua" and dabbed some areas of corrosion on to the area of the shields that I had painted "Bronze".   I decided the blade of sword with the runes on it was magical, and immune to decay, so I painted it with Folk Art "Metallic Emerald Green".  Next, I went back and gave the skulls and leg bones a wash with Iron Wind Metals "Mid Green" ink using a wet brush, and being careful not to let any run onto the armor.

     After everything had a while to dry, I gave the boots, ax handle, and the shields, a wash with GW "Badab Black" wash using a wet brush.  I gave the runes sword a wash with Iron Wind Metals "Dark Green" ink using a wet brush.  I then went back to the skulls and leg bones, where the ink was dry, and added highlights with the base "Citrus Green", I then added a little White to the "Citrus Green" and did some finer highlights.  When the ink on the runes sword was dry I drybrushed the sword blade with some Folk Art "Silver Sterling" to bring out the runes and highlight the edges of the sword.
      I let the figures sit all day, and that evening I gave them a coat of Ceramcoat "Matte Varnish".  The next morning I flocked their bases, and late that afternoon I sprayed them with Testor's "Dullcote" spray varnish.

      I'm really pleased with the results I got on these guys.  It's the first time I painted an entire figure in rust, and I think on these Barrow Wardens the result is quite dramatic.