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Experimentation is important in painting miniatures, where so many figures can look alike and there are "standard" color schemes used in armies. One of the great things about painting miniatures, however, is that they don't take a long time to finish compared to paintings on canvas. Therefore you can try new techniques and see the results quickly. A technique that I have been working with for a little while is taken from classical oil painting, and involves creating an underpainting of light paint over dark paint, then tinting with thin colors. The method works with acrylic colors also, even thought the pigments are not as bright as oil paints. This method shown here is also complementary to the excellent lighting article by Victoria Lamb that discusses directional lighting done in classical paintings. An example of the underpainting method is shown in the sketch painting of a lion that I did on canvas with acrylics (Fig.1). This used an underpainting of white over burnt sienna and washes of different shades of brown, yellow and white. The white paint was brushed in different thicknesses to get shadows and highlights, with the burnt sienna showing through. As the washes were drying, additional highlights and details were added with thicker paints and blended in with the washes. Final highlights were added with thick paint.
Figure 1. "Lion" acrylic on canvas. 12"x18" The same steps were used to do a Kelt minotaur from Rackham's Confrontation line of miniatures. Step1. Underpainting The figure is first assembled and primed in GW black. Underpainting followed using white paint, thinned slightly so that it did not clump or get grainy. This is critical as the texture of the underpaint will show through the washes. Multiple thin layers were used to get shades of gray in different regions (Fig.2). The horns, shoulder, chest and stomach were given striations of gray and white and heavily shadowed. Deep recesses were left black.
Figure 2. Minotaur primed and underpainted Step 2. Tinting with color Paints used for tinting should be very thin and watery and are applied as washes, but painted on, and not allowed to run all over the figure. Inks were mixed in also to give additional color density. The major color mixture for the skin was burnt sienna (or GW scorched brown), brown ink, chestnut ink. The mixture was painted in higher density in the shadows to give a rich dark color (Fig.3). Inks do not need to be used for this part as long as the paint you use has high pigment content when thinned. A second touch of olive green ink was applied in the shadows after the first had dried. The green gives a touch of color contrast to the skin tones. The horns and bones were washed with raw sienna (or GW snakebite leather) mixed with brown ink to get a slightly golden brown color. Everything is pretty sloppy right now but there is some more work to be done.
Figure 3. Minotaur tinted with colors Step 3. Highlighting The skin is highlighted with white and GW bleached bone, mixed with a touch of flesh (Fig.4). The whole mixture is thinned to the consistency of milk and painted in thin layers around the muscle striations. Final highlights are done with thin white paint. Blending of the shadows into the highlights was done with thin ink mixtures. The horns were highlighted similarly with a mixture of burnt sienna and white extending away from the base of the horns. The bones were highlighted with GW bleached bone white, up to pure white. The hair was given a wash of brown and chestnut ink. Armor was painted normally (without underpainting) with burnt sienna and highlighted with raw sienna and white. Straps were painted with vallejo flat brown (a chocolate brown) and highlighted with white. Other bits were painted similarly with natural tones.
Figure 4. Skin highlighted further
Step 4. Finishing All of the skin was given touch ups in where the shadows touch light areas. The hair was highlighted with a mixture of white paint and brown ink. Metallic bits were painted in non-metallic paints and assumed a top light source, at a slight angle to the side. Steel was painted with black, white and vallejo azure. Brass was painted in multiple steps that really should have their own tutorial. Simply put: GW snakebite leather over black undercoat; wash of brown ink; blend with GW snakebite leather + raw sienna out to highlight point using thin layers, highlight with yellow + raw sienna + white.
Figure 5. The finished figure
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