114 Painting By Numbers Parts I & II

Hullo!

This is the second part of my guide to basic painting of a basic guardsman - Drax-style.

Immediately beneath it, you'll find a facsimile copy of Part I, but I'm sure you can work all that out.

I left off having done all the basic painting of my infantryman using only six paints and no subtle painting techniques: this is for block colours only! Here he is:
So! The next stage is to put on his insignia. Using the Cadian transfers, he gets an aquila on his right shoulder pad, and the number '24' on his left: all of them have this - they have their regimental number rather than their squad. This is awkward, as I have to cut out the '2' and the '4' separately.

I apply them together (in reverse, of course) then align them:

Here he is looking all smart with his new markings:

Next is the varnish. I use GW's 'Purity Seal' and although I've had comical issues with frosting before (in the Winter) I had no problems with matey-boy here. Note the slight shine. Yeah I know gloss varnish will do that, but I like to keep my minis protected:

Glue is next. I use straight PVA ('white') glue: I tried watering it down once but it just doesn't hold well enough for me. I've also tried dying it with Indian ink...with mixed results. Infantryman is glued (I don't usually apply quite this much, but it's the last of my glue and it was getting a bit ropey):

Then placed into my tub of gravel (pre-dyed with Indian ink: now that really works...as long as you dry it thoroughly before replacing the lid):

And the gravel is pushed down firmly into place before I neaten the edges a little:

Painting the rubble. First, it's painted Chaos Black, just to ensure it's all black and to take the shine of the glue off it; then I drybrush Codex Grey onto it:

Finally, I neaten off the edge of the base with Chaos Black - I can also touch-up his boots if needs be.

Et voila - a finished Guardsman a la Drax:

Thanks for reading: what now follows is Part I.

- Drax.

COPY OF '103 Painting By Numbers Part I':

This is a post about really basic painting.

I noted before that I take very a basic approach to painting the massed ranks of the (soon to be reorganised) 2/24th Cadian. This post constitutes the first part of a step-by-step to explain how I do this. This (below) is the first stage of two - painting the model:
Over the last year, some folks have been kind enough to note that my army looks okay. I reckon it does too, with 'okay' being the operative word. Someone pointed out that two feet away was the optimum distance for viewing, and my boys look fine from there: all based and uniform. If you're a new convert to Guard and a faster painter than me, this is a stonkingly simple paint scheme. Please excuse the photos: some were taken at night with a flash.

I use the following colours for the painting stage; more-or-less in this order:

Chaos Black spray primer
Catachan Green
Dark Angels Green
Bolt Gun Metal
Tallarn Flesh (foundation)
Skull White
Shining Gold.

First, the models are assembled and undercoated, using Chaos Black spray. I don't currently base them first although I know I should. That's in future plans.

Next, all cloth, webbing pouches and rifle furniture get painted Catachan Green. I'm not too particular:

Then all the armour, helmet, shoulder pads and greaves are painted Dark Angels Green - a little more neatly:

Bolt Gun Metal is next. I use it for rifle details, chest/helmet aquila, belt buckle and the buttons (etc.) on webbing pouches:

Then it's the marvellous Tallarn Flesh foundation paint: hands and face:

Now we go back to black and tidy up boots, webbing straps/belt/buckle, rifle stock, muzzle; sometimes an opened mouth:

Details now: Skull White for eyes and teeth:

And the final stage: small dots (blue/brown) for pupils; maybe a slightly darker flesh tone for the bottom lip (if I can be bothered); Shining Gold for the rifle aquila, and - importantly - I go back and tidy the Catachan and DA Green bits:

And there you have a basically painted Draxian infantryman. I know there are better/faster ways and means, but I've done half the army like this now, and I'm loathe to change (except maybe for earlier basing).

By the way - since taking the final photos of this process (eg: the first one in this post) I've noticed that the helmet aquila and the muzzle (not shown) needed tidying. They've been done now.

Thanks, all,

- Drax.