Chicago Terrain Factory

A walkthrough on how I paint my Vikings.  I think of myself as a unit painter and always keep the three foot rule in mind.  If your not familiar – the 3 foot rule states that figures will be viewed from a table distance of 3 feet which hides a variety of painting sins.  Figures are by Footsore – 4 berserkers, 2 command from Thor’s Hammer, 1 Halls of Valhalla, and 1 Viking Shaman.  Steps are listed in order of operation.  If you see paint + paint, it indicates a mix of the two.  Most paints are Reaper brand, with exceptions listed with the color.

Spray paint with Warm Carmel, touch up any bare spots with Stynylrez Red Brown brush on primer.

Color block the major spaces on the figure.  Metals undercoated with Reaper Walnut Brown (any black/brown will do).  Skin coated with Scale Color Basic Flesh – those figures with bare chests have small amounts of the brown undercoat left as a shade.  Axe Handles painted with Secret Weapon Dark Wood (a dark grey).  Pelts painted in either Nut Brown (a medium dark brown with poor coverage – acts more like a wash than a paint) with Saddle Brown dry brush, or Reaper Stone Grey (medium dark grey) with Wolf Grey dry brush.

Some times the colors just come together based on what’s on my pallet.  I put down Ancient Bark (light grey) and used it for some of the pelts.  This is a bright, near white grey – really too much.  I had more Dark Wood ready for a missed axe handle.  Add some water, and Dark Wood becomes a wash to go over the Ancient Bark pelts.

Pants and cloaks.  This list seems like something long and complicated.  Trust me, the process is anything but thought out.  Each of the models has 2 or 3 major cloth areas.  I want to rotate colors through those pieces.  A few red, a few blue, a few green.  Boundary colors are usually a neutral grey, buff, or brown.  I want the major colors to pop, but not clash with the resto of the figure.  Everything either gets a highlight or a wash.

Bear Berserker: pants –  Foundry Terracotta Shade, Terracotta, Terracotta Light

Two Axe Berserker: pants –  Gem Purple + Ebony Flesh, Gem Purple, Gem Purple + Yellowed Bone

Long Axe Berserker: pants –  Khaki Shadow, Stained Olive

Shaman:  Tunic – P3 Battle Dress Green, Foundry Raw Linen, Raw Linen Light. Head piece:  Garnet Red, Garnet Red + Khaki Highlight.

Shield Berserker: pants –  Winter Blue, Glacial Mist

Command w/ Horn: pants –  Winter Blue, Glacial Mist.  pants:  Ebony Flesh, Ebony Flesh + Ghoul Skin

Command w/ Axe:  cloak – Foundry Chestnut Shade, Chestnut, Chestnut Light.  Tunic – Turf Green, MiddleStone

Valhalla:  cloak –  Vallejo Ger. Red Brown, Garnet Red, Garnet Red + Khaki Highlight

Metals – Mithril Silver??  Name has worn off of the bottle.

Hair:  Redstone Highlight & Ruddy Brown for the red heads.  Heartwood Brown for blond.  Saddle Brown for brunette.

Skin:  Army Painter Soft Tone, Beige Red highlights

Belts, Pouches, Scabbards:  any one of the three – Ruddy Brown, Vallejo Leather Brown, Pro Acryl Advanced Flesh Tone. With Pro Acryl Brown Wash

Shields:  The key with shields is to have a dark boundary between the colors.  If the base (shade) color will not do it, then a line is painted in with dark brownish/black.

• Prussian Blue, Templar Blue  Walnut Brown, Wolf Grey
• Prussian Blue, Winter Blue    Khaki Shadow, Khaki Shadow + Khaki Highlight
• Stained Olive, Vallejo Brown Violet    Heartwood Brown, NMM Gold Base
• Garnet Red, Rach Red   Walnut Brown, Walnut Brown + Wolf Grey

Shield Rim – Secret Weapon Handle Wood

All metal – Secret Weapon Armor Wash

Bases:  Liquitex craft art paint is used for the bases.

• Rim – Raw Umber
• Use Raw Umber as the glue to fix rough sand mix.
• Wash sand with Raw Umber + floor wax.
• Dry Brush Raw Sienna.
• Pick out stones with Secret Weapon Handle Wood.
• Apply static grass (Farm Pasture Blend) with white glue.
• Possibly add grass or flower tufts.