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padrissimus

Wight King
Nov 10, 2007
449
I have finally got around to a 'paint test run' for my new swamp zombies regiment. Having ditched enamels after 35 years, I am going with acrylics and army painter dip (wash), then anti-shine. I have been experimenting for a year and I think I'm getting the technique about right now.

u8aehg9.jpg

The first model is a Black Tree Designs metal figure, which I am glad to see fits in with the plastics well as I bought all of their swamp zombies. I replaced his thin, bendy, lead spear shaft with a brass rod.

The middle one is one of the very new GW plastic zombies, but with all the roots/branches weirdness chopped off.

The third has a new GW top half, and a Mantic skeleton's legs! This sort of kit-bash mish-mash is how I made 23 zombies from the sprues instead of the official 20!

I think I am convinced by this very simple technique. So ... 3 done, now for the other 33!
 

Raven Torrid

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 3, 2011
567
Croatia
Looking good, the Army Painter technique turned out well. I like how they fit together although being from different sources. The skellie+zombie idea is a really nice touch. Keep it up, eager to see the whole bunch. 😉
 
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padrissimus

Wight King
Nov 10, 2007
449
I am currently working on a bunch of figures needed for my next campaign report (a 'present day' one rather than a video report of a story done years ago). It occurred to me that I could try some different techniques as part of my ongoing experiments moving to acrylics from enamels.

I used three methods, as described on this picture ...

Ao4kGn4.jpg

I think I like them all. But the first is an attempt to continue my traditional cartoon style, but with washed faces and not the clumsy ones I used to do. The second is washed flesh but no 'cartoon' blacklining on the rest of the figure. The last, which I showed above, is full ondip/wash.

The last looks dirty, as it was supposed to. Dirty seems to work well on Zombies and Skaven. But of the other two styles, not meant to be filthy, I still think I prefer my old cartoon method, even if I never attempt it on faces again! At least any new figures would fit in better with my existing collection.

What d'ya reckon?
 

Raven Torrid

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 3, 2011
567
Croatia
Oops! Should that last post have been in the other sub-forum?

It's ok to have those here. 🙂 You could rename the topic to something more general so it can serve as your own painting log...with bunch of stuff and not just swamp zombies. 😁

Onto the miniatures. Like you said, the dipping works nice for zombies etc, and while the people in the middle also look really decent, I'd stick to your "cartoon" method for those. I think it's rather distinctive and recognizable, and interesting after all. I even like the cartoony faces, but if you go with washed faces, that works well too. 🙂
 
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padrissimus

Wight King
Nov 10, 2007
449
Swamp zombies done! (Bar bases.) Spray primer/base coat, block painting with acrylic base paints, washed with an Army Builder dip. I love them – so different to my old style, and a lovely (!) change.



The command, all Black Tree Designs swamp zombies. The standard came out much darker than I wanted but I will know next time …

yc0ZLSV.jpg



Part of the front two ranks, Black Tree Design …

5SSFFS0.jpg



Other part of the front two ranks, Black Tree Design with lovely long spears (I replaced the bendy originals with brass rods) …

haCW2pP.jpg



Rear of one of the guys. Those skulls, that chain – they are far more realistic than I ever achieved in 35 years of enamel ‘cartoon’ style. And I bloomin’ love it …

rTRVPat.jpg

3rd rank, GW, de-rooted ...
2mLoe5Z.jpg

4th rank, GW, de-rooted …

S8fe466.jpg



4th rank - the one ‘space filler’ I needed to make 35 into a 6x6 footprint! Stake still needs more work, obviously …

CnvQMGQ.jpg



5th and 6th ranks, all GW, de-rooted!

88Ge88a.jpg
 
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