Nutsplanet Viking Shieldmaiden

[Bigmick]

Yup, Anne Bonny ordered as well, plus The Aquila, not really into Roman stuff but the figure itself looks amazing, there's nothing out there really that lights my fuse, ice got a couple of Kirin and Verlinden kits in the stash to build and practice painting as well

[fmargem]

Hi Mick,
I'd really like to congratulate you on what you've achieved so far on this model. The shield is a work of art and her eyes are spot on!
Thank you for taking your time to shoot and post all this pictures.

Cheers,
Felipe - HQ Model Kits.

[Bigmick]

Base colours airbrushed on.
Vallejo flat flesh and burnt red in a variety of thinned shades, then white added for highlights, I'll go over everything with a thinned mix of dark flesh tone, it's got more brown in it and should unify the colours a little more and make it look a lot less pink, I was going to do the effect where you flick the tip of a cut down brush to add small dots of colour, blues, reds, browns and whites, even purples, then airbrush over the top so they barely show and add a realistic mottle to simulate freckles, capillaries, spots etc, it works on bigger figures but not sure about this small.
I may try on the Berserk.
Sorry for the pictures, first is through the magnifyer so auto setting had a hissy fit between sunlight and fluorescant, then the second was with a flash, I think I need to work on my photo taking if I'm going to do more of these but they're only to show the first steps of doing the flesh tones.



Regards.

Mick.

[Bigmick]

In natural light, don't know if this is any better.

[Mark M]

Looks good to me at this point Mick... The orange glow was throwing me a bit in the earlier photos, but this looks right.

[Bigmick]

So, flesh tones, flesh tones, flesh tones, god I hate flesh tones lol.
I used the Vallejo flesh colours solely, medium flesh for the shadows, light skin tone for first highlight then natural skin for second highlight.


That was pretty much it for the airbrushing, which was a complete pain as I couldn't find my medium needle and had to use the extra fine that was already in the airbrush, next came dry brushing with highly thinned mixed of natural flesh which is quite light but added white and kept working on the natural highlight areas, brows, bridge of the nose, tops of the cheeks etc. Also added shading under the eyes, eye shadow and some colour to the lips.


I kept adding layers of colour basically dry brusing water tinted with paint, there's still a way to go as she looks like some sun blushed beach babe and not a northern hemisphere Nordic warrior woman.




I worked in the hairline as well, that was thinned paint built up in layers with alternate flesh tone to add some form of transparency instead of a hard hairline that looks painted.
Even painting the hair made a difference to the tone of the skin, maybe the clothing will change it as well, that's for this week though.
Hope you like the progress so far.

Regards.

Mick.

Oh and the X22 Tamiya clear dissolved the paint, AGAIN, so had to redo the eyes, AGAIN.

[Bigmick]

Many thinned layers of light flesh and ultra thinned burnt red along the hair line, I'm sure it will all come together once everythings painted.



Hopefully the clothing will go without a hitch, it's mostly light, dark and red leather, the paints for which are all included in the wood and leather set.

Regards.

Mick

[Bigmick]

Ok, here we goes, and please let me know when you get fed up with the pictures.
I lightened around the eyes so she's not so starey in a Goth kind of way, also lightened around the mouth then re did the highlights, toned them down with thinned matt flesh over the top, looking at many many MANY pictures of Katheryn Winnick she has got a tanned flesh tone with more of a pink/red tint but to be honest I'm pretty much happy with what I've got.



Today we also start on the clothing.

Regards.

Mick.

[tay666]

Ok, here we goes, and please let me know when you get fed up with the pictures.

With stuff this good, that isn't going to happen.

Love all that I have just seen in here.

Gonna be a real beauty when it's done.

[Mark M]

Oh and the X22 Tamiya clear dissolved the paint, AGAIN, so had to redo the eyes, AGAIN.

I've had that happen a couple of times as well... So now I use a plain old craft store acrylic gloss clear and just brush on a couple of coats.
Looks just as good and Ive not had a problem since.

Man, she is really looking good... very nicely done so far!
And please keep the pictures coming Mick, this is very helpful and great to see things unfold as you progress thru it all...Thanks for posting them!

[Bigmick]

Thank you guys, your comments are much appreciated, again.
I did find thinning the X22 with just a drop of water then carefully adding drops instead of trying to paint across the surface worked a lot better.
Base colours for the leather done, a bit more detailing on the shoulders then it's sleeves tomorrow, then it's just a matter of adding highlights then wash after wash. I bought some of the Humbrol detail brushes, the orange ones with the triangular section handles, don't bother, they're awful, so using the good old Humbrol round brushes with green handles as they're cheap from Hobbycraft, less than £4 for 4, might even swop the ferrules from the round brushes to the orange handles, to go with my half length brushes, I use the magnifying lamp and a full length brush won't fit under there, solution, cut the end off and round it off, simples.


Regards.

Mick.

[ellenbethsdad]

Loving this build......keep the pics coming!

Pete

[Nalissa2]

Just found this post. Excellent WIP so far. I'll be following it keenly.

[Bigmick]

Well, apologies time.
I had intended to add a few more WIP pictures, but everything went apace, I managed a couple of hours yesterday and another couple today with the aid of serious medication, so knuckled down and here are the results.
She is finished.




I forgot to add a wash to the front of the shield, I'll correct that tomorrow.
If anyone wishes I'll also add the processes involved in simulating the leather for those of you that use Vallejo, it'll work with any paints as long as you match the colours, I adhered to the included instructions and was very happy with the results, the wood and leather set lets you recreate light, dark and red leather effects using base colours, two highlight colours and washes.

A few detail shots.






I hope you have all enjoyed this WIP and some of what I've done has been of use to others.

Many many many thanks for all you kind words and comments, believe me that are very much appreciated.

Kind Regards.

Mick.

Well now she's done I wonder what I can do next.
Oh yeah.


WIP starts tomorrow.

[kevtk135]

Whoa, for someone that hates flesh tones you're certain a pro at it. Excellent job on the eyes too. I usually do my eyes last since I'm a coward and always save them at the last moment. :LOL
You certainly have done the kit justice. Top notch!

[tay666]

Great pics.
Turned out wonderfully.

And I understand how the WIP pics suffer when you get on a roll towards the end of a project.
Been there and done that a few times myself.

[ellenbethsdad]

Put a pic up of her next to something for a size comparison please......
Great paintwork, congratulations.

Pete

[Bigmick]

There you go Pete.

[ellenbethsdad]

Ta...tempted to get one for my missus, she's into all the fantasy stuff.

[Redwing]

Very nice job on the Shieldmaiden, the skin tones, the wood and leather effects and the pattern work on the shield, all came out just excellent!