Stern with the giant two handed sword is very cool. Complete in March 2002. This miniature was painted using the layered approach - starting with the darkest colors and layering the lighter colors until the final highlight. I also went to a lighter highlight in the hair than I normally do - I'm quite pleased with the result. Another first was the application of the silver on the armor was many trials of a dark metalic, wash, a bit lighter metalic, wash, and treating the metalics like any other part - shading and highlighting. There are several non-painting things about this mini - first, the base is one of Reaper's optional hexagonal bases - very cool. Second, use of static grass. Third - sculpting of the rocks - it's so basic, but my sculpting abilities suck - so this is a big deal.
Recently we've had some discussion regarding backgrounds for our scans in a local painting group - the theory was black is best. I have always used white in the past - so I did some experimenting with different backgrounds made from construction paper. Using a regular 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. I made a 45 degree cut in each corner so that the sides are 1.25" (that cut was 1.75"). I folded each side to make a box top and then placed over the mini. Scanned it on an HP 5P scanner - used the HP Deskcan II software to automatically calibrate and here are the results.
The end results are a test with black (as above), light blue/grey, green, white. Since the paper sits 1.25" off the scanner - it tends to darken a bit more than what the paper really is. Select each one and take a good look at big picture. Let me know which background you like best by posting your comments.
Painting Instructions for Stern Kestrelman
Step 1: Undercoat model with White Primer
Step 2: Use Dwarf flesh on face
Step 3: Use Bronzed Flesh on face
Step 4: Use Elf Flesh on face
Step 5: Use Dark Flesh on hair
Step 6: Use Chaos Black on all armor and steel
Step 7: Mix Chaos Black and Red Gore for cloak
Step 8: Use Scorched Brown on Leather
Step 9: Use Boltgun Metal on all metal armor
Step 10: Use watered down Flesh Wash and Regal Blue mix on armor
Step 11: Use watered down Chainmail on armor
Step 12: Highlight with watered down Mithril Silver
Step 13: Use Red Gore on cloak
Step 14: Use Red Gore and Blood Red mix for cloak highlights
Step 15: Use Red Gore and Blood Red mix for basecoat on sword
Step 16: Continue adding Blood Red to mix, then Blazing Orange, then Golden Yellow to cloak and sword
Step 17: Water down Golden Yellow and wash over sword
Step 18: Use Vermin Brown as first layer of highlight on hair
Step 19: Drybrush Leprous Brown on hair
Step 20: Drybrush mix of Leprous Brown and Bleached Bone on hair
Step 21: Use Bestial Brown on all leather
Step 22: Highlight leather with Snakebite Leather
Step 23: Final highlight leather with Bubonic Brown
Step 24: Wash final highlights with Snakebite Leather
Step 25: Use Chaos Black on sides of base
Step 26: Drybrush Camo Green on base
Step 27: Use Chaos Black on rocks
Step 28: Drybrush rocks with Shadow Grey
Step 29: Drybrush rocks with Space Wolves Grey
