Gulper (Giant Catfish): Bones 4 Dreadmere Figure

      This past week I painted the "Gulper" giant catfish figure from the Bones 4 Dreadmere Expansion set.  The figure is designed with a flat spot on its underside so you can glue it directly on a base if you want, but I decided I wanted mine to be swimming, so I grabbed a reaper flight stand I had and drilled a matching hole into the Gulper's belly. 

      I then prepped the figure in the usual way, soaking it in a dish of water with a couple drops of dish-soap added, and then gave it a light scrub with a soft toothbrush, and then rinsed and dried it.   Next, I stuck it onto the flight stand's peg, and put the peg in a pair of alligator clips for ease of holding.

When painting animals, I always like to look for real world inspiration, so I Googled images of "colorful catfish", and came upon the Redtail Catfish.  I thought it would be a fun pattern to paint, so I looked through a bunch of photos to get a sense for the coloration on this type of catfish.

     Because the figure has a bit of weight to it, I glued the base of the flight stand to a 2" fender washer with some Aleene's Tacky glue.  When the glue was dry, I sprayed it brown.   

     To begin with, I painted the figure with Americana "Dove Grey".  I then painted on the darker pattern with a mix of Americana "Charcoal" and Aleene's "Deep Khaki".

     Next, I drybrushed the light areas with some Americana "Snow White", and then highlighted the darker parts with a mix of the "Charcoal Grey" with the lighter Aleene's "Dusty Khaki"  After that, I painted the dot pattern on his head with Ceramcoat "Black", mixed with a little of the "Charcoal Grey", and then painted the tail with Reaper MSP "Holly Berry".   After that, I painted the inside of the mouth with Folk Art "Milkshake", and then painted the eyes with the "Snow White" and added inner circles with the "Black"

     When the mouth was dry, I gave it a coat of Citadel "Nuln Oil" wash.  I then drybrushed the tail with some Crafter's Acrylic "Pure Pumpkin", and then used the "Pure Pumpkin" to paint the edges of the top and underside fins.   Next, I highlighted the fin edges, and parts of the tail with some Americana "Tangerine", followed by some spot highlights with Crafter's Acrylic "Bright Yellow". 

      I then painted the eels affixed to the Gulper's sides with Apple Barrel "Apple Black Green".  By this time the "Nuln Oil" wash was dry, so I highlighted the mouth with the base "Milkshake", and then a little of the "Milkshake with some Ceramcoat "White" added.   I then painted the teeth with Crafter's Acrylic "Light Antique White", and highlighted them with the "Snow White".    At this point I went back and painted the eels with the "Deep Khaki", leaving a thin edge of the "Apple Black Green" to serve as a shadow, and then highlighted with the "Dusty Khaki".  Lastly, I aded some tiny "Black" dot eyes. 

      I let the figure dry overnight and the next day I gave it a coat of Americana "DuraClear Matte" varnish.  I didn't shake the varnish a lot in hopes of getting more of a semi-gloss shine than a matte finish. I wasn't going to use my regular Dull Cote final spray on this, as I thought a slightly shiny fish would be better than a matte one.   I then used some white glue to glue some course sand all over the base.  When the sand was dry,  I made a water and white glue mix and painted that over the sand to help it stay in place; since I wasn't going to paint it or spray it.  Lastly, I added some tiny shells and plants.  

     I'm happy with how this turned out.   Doing creatures with irregular color patterns like this never look just right while I'm doing them, especially if in nature the dividing line is not sharp but made up of individual hairs or fur; but I think this doesn't look too bad when viewed at table distance or in photos.

Willow Greenivy, Witch: Bones 4 Figure

      This past week I painted "Willow Greenivy, Witch" from the Bones 4 Core Set.    My temptation with witches is to usually go for a traditional palette of  black, purple, maybe green, perhaps red; so I wanted to  go a little different with this figure and try something lighter in the "good witch" vein.

       I prepped the figure in the usual way, soaking its pieces 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 them.  I then glued the hat and hand in the left sleeve, and the staff/wand and hand in the right; both with Gorilla Gel Super Glue.  Next I glued the figure to a  1" plastic base with the same glue, and then placed the figure in my painting grip.

     I began by painting her face and hands with Reaper MSP "Tanned Skin".  I then painted her dress and hat with Americana "Fawn", and her tabard and hat band with Americana "Asphaltum".

      Next, I painted her hair with Americana "Forest Green", and then did her belt and scabbard with Crafter's Acrylic "Forest Green". After that, I painted her wand/staff with Folk Art "Barn Wood", and the pouch hanging at her side with Ceramcoat "Territorial Beige".

     I let everything dry for a while, and then gave her face and hands a coat of Citadel "Reikland Fleshshade" wash.   I let that dry, and then gave all her clothing, hair, and accessories a coat of  Citadel "Agrax Earthshade" wash.   When that was dry, I painted her eyes, using a little of the Americana "Forest Green" as an eyeshadow, and then highlighted her face and hands using the base "Tanned Skin" as well as Reaper MSP "Tanned Highlight".  After that, I highlighted her hair with Americana "Festive Green", and then give it a light highlighting with some Folk Art Color Shift "Green Flash". 

     I then highlighted her dress with the base "Fawn" mixed with increasing amounts of Crafter's Acrylic "Light Antique White".  And after that I highlighted her tabard with the base "Asphaltum" mixed with increasing amounts of Folk Art "Teddy Bear Brown". I also highlighted her wand/staff with "Reaper MSP "Graveyard Bone".   

      Next, I highlighted her scabbard and belt with he base Crafter's Acrylic "Forest Green", and then painted the sword's grip with Folk Art "Hunters Green".  I went back and gave the grip a quick highlight with some Apple Barrel "Apple Christmas Green".  I then highlighted the pouch with a little Reaper MSP "Olive Skin Highlight", and then some Americana "Antique White".   

     I then tried the same Citadel Contrast Paint technique on the gemstone in her wand that I had used three weeks ago with great success on the Wizard Arakus Landarzad .  I painted the gem with Ceramcoat "White", and then let it dry.  When dry, I gave it a coat of Citadel Contrast "Creed Camo".  Unfortunately, on such a small and faceted stone, with the interspersed twigs holding it in place, it didn't quite work as well.  So, I went back and use a little of the "Festive Green" mixed with some Americana "Snow White" to add some highlighting.    

     After that I painted the sword hilt, buckle, and coin/tokens hanging from the belt, with Folk Art Brushed Metal "Brushed Bronze".  I then went back and highlighted them with Folk Art Metallic "Pure Gold".  Lastly, I painted the figure's base with the "Mississippi Mud".

     I let the figure dry overnight and the next day I gave it a coat of Americana "DuraClear Matte" varnish. I then used some white glue to glue some fine sand to the base.  When the sand was dry, I painted it with a coat of Americana "Charcoal Grey". When this was dry, I drybrushed the sand with the "Mississippi Mud", and then with some Apple Barrel "Rock Grey"; lastly I drybrushed it with a little Americana "Dove Grey".  Another overnight dry, and I sprayed the figure with Testor's Dullcote".  When the "Dullcote" was dry, I went back and repainted the gem with a little Americana "DuraClear Gloss" varnish.

     I'm really pleased with how she turned out.  I wish I had had time to do a little trim on her dress, and perhaps a design on her tabard,  but in the end I think the plain look doesn't look bad on the figure; perhaps the green hair has enough of a visual impact on its own that she doesn't need fancy clothes.  And yes, I did use some green, despite my mental attempt to steer away for colors you usually see on witches. But I kept being drawn to the color...maybe it's because it's in her name!

Painting Mudcroak Squog Mounted on Giant Rhinocerous Beetle Conversion Bones Figure

      Last week I posted about the conversion figure I made using the "Giant Rhinoceros Beetle" from Bones 4 Fan Favorites Expansion, and a "Mudcroak, Squog" figure.  This past week, I set about painting the figure.   As I mentioned in that article, I planned to use this figure as a Hero or Leader with my existing Frog Army, made up mostly of Eureka Miniatures' range of Frog Warriors.  Most of the units in this army are painted like Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs, and I want to paint this figure that way too.

An actual Dyeing Poison Dart Frog

A couple examples of my original warrior frog figures, and the paint job I would be attempting to replicate.

    I had glued the figure to a 2" fender washer when I was making it; and now I glued that washer, using a couple drops of Elmer's glue, to the top of a large pill bottle. 

         Given the way the beetle sat so close to the sculpted terrain of the base, I thought it might be best to paint the base first.  So, I gave it a base coat of Americana "Charcoal Grey"; and when that was dry, I gave it a cot of Citadel "Agrax Earthshade" wash.  When the wash was dry, I drybrushed the base with, first, Ceramcoat "Territorial Beige", and then with  Americana "Fawn".

     Next, I worked on the beetle.  I gave it a base coat of Accent "Real Umber", and when dry, I gave it a coat of Citadel "Nuln Oil" wash.  When the wash was dry, I drybrushed the top of the body and legs with some Folk Art "Tomato Red".  After that, I drybrushed the underside with Americana "Neutral Grey".  I finished the beetle by painting its eyes with a little Reaper MSP "Holly Berry". 

     I then began work on the frog.  I first painted frog's underside, arms, and legs with Americana "True Blue".  When dry, I gave it a coat of slightly thinned Iron Wind Metals "Dark Blue" Ink.   When the ink wash was dry, I painted the back of the frog with Ceramcoat "Black.

     Next, I highlighted the blue of the frog with a mix of the base "True Blue", and some Crafter's Acrylic "Tropical Blue".  Then I highlighted the black back with some Ceramcoat "Charcoal". The next step was to paint on the banding pattern using Crafter's Acrylic "Daffodil Yellow".    I realized at that point my job would be a lot easier without the skull helmet in place; and though I had tried to do things the lazy way, I decided the hemet needed to come off.  So with a careful pull and twist I was able to separate it from the head.   I fixed the blue and black arts of the head, and the yellow banding that goes up on to the head.  I then highlighted all the banding with Apple Barrel "Lemon Chiffon".  My next step was to do the teeth. I painted them with Ceramcoat "White", and when dry, I gave them a coat of the "Nuln Oil".  When the "Nuln Oil" was dry, I highlighted the teeth with Americana "Snow White:  After that, I painted the eyes using reaper MSP "Bronzed Skin", gave them pupils with the "Black", and then highlight dots with some  "Snow White".  

     Meanwhile, I also  painted the helmet completely with the "White", and when it was dry, I gave it a coat of Citadel Contrast "Skeleton Horde".  When that was dry, I drybrushed it with Americana "Bleached Sand", and then a little of the "White"

          Satisfied with the head, I scraped a little of the paint off the head as well as the underside of the helmet, and use the Gorilla Super Glue Gel to Glue the finished helmet in place.  I then painted his kilt-like garment with Pathfinder MSP "Urgathoa Red", and his spear shaft with Reaper MSP "Shield Brown".  Next, I painted the pouch hanging on the back of his kilt with Reaper MSP "Ginger Cookie", the one hanging at his side with Reaper MSP "Bronzed Skin", and the bit of plant hanging from his belt with Reaper MSP Bones "Dungeon Slime".   After that, I painted the long tassel hanging from the spear shaft with Reaper MSP HD "Rusty Red": and the wrist wrap on his left forearm, as well as the bracelets on his right arm, the metal fitting on his helmet, and the badges on his spear shaft, with Reaper MSP HD "Golden Brown". 

     I then painted the base of the spear shaft as well as the spear point with Americana "Zinc", and the frog's rope belt with Americana "Antique White".  I also decided that the base coat on the plant hanging from his belt was too light, soI repainted it with Americana  "Festive Green".  I let everything dry for a while, and then I gave the spear, everything hanging from his belt (belt included), and his wraps and bracelets, a coat of the "Agrax Earthshade" wash. 

     When the wash was dry,  I first highlighted his kilt-like garment with, first, Reaper MSP "Fresh Blood", and then a little Reaper MSP "Holly Berry". I then highlighted the plant sprig with the Dungeon Slime",  the pouch on the back with Americana "Khaki Tan", and the pouch on the side with Folk Art "Butter Pecan".   I then highlighted the rope belt with Reaper MSP "Graveyard Bone".  After that, I highlighted the wrist wrap on his left forearm with a little Reaper MSP "Hallowed Orange"

          Next, I highlighted the spear shaft with the "Territorial Beige", and then I turned to the tassel on the spear shaft, which I highlighted with a drybrush of Crafter's Acrylic "Orange Spice", and then a little Americana "Tangerine".  After that, I worked on the metallics, painting the star on the helmet, the bracelets, and the badges on the spear shaft with Folk Art Brushed Metal "Brushed Bronze"; and the spearpoint, as well as the end of the spear, with Folk Art Metallic "Gunmetal Gray".  When these were dry, I went back and highlighted the "Brushed Bronze" with Folk Art Metallic "Pure Gold", and highlighted the "Gunmetal Gray" with Ceramcoat "Metallic Silver".  

     I let the figure dry overnight and the next day I gave it a coat of Americana "DuraClear Matte" varnish.    Then, when  the varnish was dry, I used some white glue to flock the base.  Another overnight dry, and I sprayed it with Testor's "Dullcote". When the "Dullcote" was dry, I went back and repainted the eyes and and teeth with a little Americana "DuraClear Gloss" varnish.

Shown with one of the original Eureka Frogs I painted 15 or so years ago.

          I'm really happy with how this converted figure turned out!   In retrospect I wish a little that I had done a bit more with the beetle; but since the frog is so busy, maybe making the beetle plainer was a good choice.

Mudcroak Squog Mounted on Giant Rhinocerous Beetle Conversion Bones Figure

     Back when the Bones 4 Kickstarter was running, when the Giant Rhinoceros Beetle was revealed in the Fan Favorites set, someone posted this photo of a Frog riding a Beetle to the Reaper Forum's "Bones 4 Kickstarter" Thread.   I knew immediately then it was a conversion I would eventually want to try.   I have an extensive Frog Army, and I wanted such a figure to be a Leader or Hero for my forces.  Well, I finally decided last December was the time, as I decided I wanted to make a pair of these; one to give a friend who also has a Frog Army, and one for myself.   I completed the gift one last year, and sent that off for Christmas, and the recipient was very pleased with it.  It was now time to work on mine.

   I had the pieces I needed at hand; the Bones Black "Giant Rhinoceros Beetle" from the Kickstarter, and my rider - for which I  had decided to use the Bones "Mudcroak" Squog figure.

    As I looked at Mudcroak, I knew I would have to separate him from his base, but I also knew there was no way I could remove all his thin feet and little toes from the base without damaging them.  I also knew it would be very hard to conform  a figure that was sculpted to sit flat, to mount correctly onto the curved back of the beetle. So, right off the bat I made the decision to just remove his feet along with the base, with the plan that I would then resculpt them with greenstuff directly onto the beetle's back once I had the frog glued in place.

     Here's a test fit I did, with the frog held in place with blue-tac.

     After I removed the base from the frog figure, the next step was to  attach him to the back of the beetle. I first drilled small holes into the frog and beetle and inserted a small section of paperclip to act as pin to help hold the two together.    You can see in the photo below where I tried to carve the underside of the frog a little to help it conform more to the beetle's curved back.  I had to be careful, as I did't want to carve away too much of the frog's body.

     Next, I trimmed down the integral base of the beetle, as I felt it stood too high.  I mount my figures on fender washers and use magnetic storage, so really didn't need the extra height that this base had.  

I then glued the frog to the beetle's back, and the base to a black-primed 2" washer, using Gorilla Superglue gel for both; and clamped the base while the glue set.

     Next, I began the initial greenstuff work on the figure, and added on the base pads of the feet, the left hand which I had had to remove, and I extended the loin cloth in the back.  I'm not a sculptor by any means, but felt frog feet were in my ability level.

      I then added the toe ridges to the back feet, and did the final connections to connect the feet and hand to their respective limbs.   I also gave the spear a bigger point, as the existing one was too small.

  At this point,  I think it's ready to paint.   So tune in next week to see the finished product!