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We’re back with the second every Zatu Painted Miniatures of the Month Showcase! This is where we show you what kind of miniatures our bloggers have been working on recently and they explain a little about why they love the miniature and what their process is. As we saw last month, our community is filled with very talented painters who love to craft these pieces and share what they have created, perhaps inspiring others in the process. So let’s see what we have this month!
25 Pounder Gun Team (Flames of War) by Pete Bartlam
The 25 pounder is not the equivalent of 100 Burger King Whoppers but was the leading Field howitzer of World War II. It could fire Direct Fire particularly when being used in an anti-tank capacity and it could also fire as a high-arc howitzer for Indirect Fire. It was widely regarded as the most outstanding field artillery piece used by British and Commonwealth forces, and served with them in every theatre of the war. By the end of the war over 12,000 had been produced. The models shown are part of a 4-gun set by Battlefront Miniatures in their 15mm scale Flames of War series. Given the tiny size of the figures (my fingertips are 22mm!) and the fact that they are for wargaming en masse I have put most effort in getting the scenery of the bases looking realistic. The figures were given a base coat of Humbrol Acrylic spray Desert Tan and then finished with a variety of Army Painter paints mixed and melded on a wet Palette. They were all, and the equipment in particular, given a wash with Army Painter Medium Wash to bring out the high level of detail that Battlefront manage to get into such small models. The terrain for the bases used a variety of items from the scenic work of my model railway days: grass tufts, odd scale bricks and stones plus a variety of natural materials. There is a helping of good old Bognor seafront sand (not too much or that would be illegal!) and my piece de resistance is some old Bran Flakes broken and painted to represent larger lumps of flat sedimentary rock.
Hierotek Circle (Kill Team) by Ross Coulbeck
Many moons ago I picked up one of Games Workshop's miniatures of the month, a Necron Royal Warden. Experimenting, I decided it would be fun if these metal monsters looked like they were made of bone. A few evenings later I had myself a test model and I just knew I had to do something more, which is why the release of the Hierotek Circle Kill Team was so exciting.
So what changed between the test and the final product? Not much really. I start with a White Scar undercoat (not Corax White, it’s not white enough), then I apply a layer of Reikland Fleshshade over the entire modal (apart from rocks etc). An even spread of this, maybe with an additional layer in some places, is what gives the model its boney look. Honestly at that point you’re already 70% done. Next just apply some highlights, I chose Teclis Blue for anything ‘power’ related and Balthasar Gold on the eyes and crests etc. Go over those bits with a basic Agrax Earthshade and all you have left is the base.
I’ve been experimenting with this base combo for a while and I think I’m finally happy with it. You start off making sure it’s all black, then paint Astrogranite Debris as thick as you like to give it the texture. Once that’s dry add a layer of Drakenhof Nightshade to darken it, and finish things off with a dry brush of Grey Seer. This gives you a sort of dark moon surface effect which I love.
I’m really happy with how these came out and I think I’ve proven that a colour scheme doesn’t have to be complicated to give great results.
Shambling Mound (DnD) by Neil Parker
The Shambling Mound mini looks quite a challenge. I took this on after painting a few rank-and-file minis as a break and found it quite enjoyable. Nolzur’s offers a Shambling Mound mini, and although the model I painted is a different one, the principles will be the same. The paints used were mostly Citadel.
I started with a white primer to help capture some highlights, although the minis from Nolzur’s are already primed. I deliberately avoided trying to create an even coat as I wanted some areas to remain a little darker than others. I added a generic dark green to cover the majority of the leaves and vines, being careful not to paint over the edges too much to help with the layering effect I was trying to create. I then added Agrax Earthshade to add that earthy foundation beneath the vines and add a brown tinge to them. Then I added some dry brush touches using Straken Green to go over most of the leaves and vines. This helped add the detail and depth I wanted.
After using Agrellan Earth for some twiggy bits and painting the toadstool, I used Ushabti Bone for the claws. I wanted to get an organic effect that the creature has bone or similar growths so I was careful not to be too precise in defining the claws.
Then I added Athonian Camoshade to add another ink wash to the mini to give contrast and a moss feel to the claws. Then I added a very light touch to dry brush with a pale yellow to add some highlights and then finally I added some model flock for the base with a little flock stuck to the creature to help bring it to life as an organically grown monster.
Knight Desecrator (Chaos Knights) by Matthew Morgan
For my model spotlight this month, I just couldn’t resist showing off my recently painted Death Guard Knight Desecrator. A beast of a model, both in size and on the battlefield in action.
My favourite thing about this model is its daunting size and stature on the battlefield. It stands out for miles and dwarfs any small units that stand beside it. To complement this, it also has a really unique sculpt that sets it aside from other
knights in the range. In game, this knight has a very aggressive playstyle once in battle and the aesthetics of the model really reflect that.
A feature of this model that really stood out to me was that the frame of the Knight is built first and then the armour panels are constructed and added at a later point. It almost seemed like this model was designed to be built and painted in subsections to enable painters to pack as much detail into the model as possible.
On the other hand, it’s quite a spiky model which means some parts are quite fragile and prone to breaking if they’re caught on clothing or even skin. The spikes on the armour are so pointy in fact, that they actually drew blood whilst I was building. At least the Chaos Gods were appeased.
When it came to deciding a paint scheme, I wanted to add my own touch to the painting style whilst allowing it to blend in with the rest of my Death Guard army. To do this, I avoided traditional Knight Household colours and instead used shades that were associated with the Death Guard, such as green and white. This resulted in a striking model that’s instantly recognisable as a Death Guard unit whilst also being unique and one of a kind.
Veteran Guardsmen (Kill Team) by Ross Coulbeck
The British are coming! Yes that’s right, it’s the year 40,000 and still those stubborn British Redcoats are coming. We know them better as the Death Korps of Krieg now, but they are still as stubborn and just as deadly.
I think I had recently tried out my Krieg for the first time in battle just after they were released and was watching an event on tv at Buckingham Palace. I remember looking at the Coldstream Guards, then thinking about the American Civil War and how we love the red coats theme and thought...that would make an awesome looking Kill Team. And I wasn’t wrong!
It also gave me a chance to use what has to be my favourite contrast paint, Blood Angels Red. It’s so vibrant and highlights every little detail of the model. Combine that with Basilicanum Grey for the under clothes, shoulder pads, backpack etc, and it makes for a fantastic model. From there I added some highlights, a bright gold for the buttons (which took a very steady hand I’ll tell you) and a crisp white for the straps. Finishing things off with a dark gravelly base really leans into the Death Korps theme, while the bright red offsets it. I really love how they turned out and couldn’t be happier with them. Now to hunt down some Greenskins!