A have had a couple of request to address how I paint figures. I think the question is "how do you paint so quickly?", rather than "how do you paint so well?" :)! For the last batch of medievals I did I kept a quasi photo-journal of the steps. For this purpose, I chose to use a bunch of old GW Bretonnian archers I was doing to make an 8Bw unit.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY9PP65BIGvl4Tp1icMoo-5taajlfLOXji_bDRPpnvJUiVmO9OwWH0HQOFOtPS0DITEK3DPSD3CtVVAcDuHwCjQCLQXtyattBqSerPsaP2-zOlJHHG2j3B-ETyUA7hN2suvmsFMFlsc7Ma/s400/IMG_8096.jpg)
After building and priming, I usually drybrush the metal first (especially on figures in mail) and then carefully fill in the flesh. The idea is to put a few strokes down that catch the major planes of the face and hands but that leave a black area of shadow between them. This looks cartoonish up close up but great at a distance. Mistakes get fixed up during the wash stage below.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxY5sbOf_UUKBbWlr8IzVIn7bfPmu3pNiZhQRcNj-ENxNMAEwO5NIIG0Y1v1TWcw_P7MnqIFlgwBGThRt0PbzSWzmI6BYH-wbIuLMvOsnrdLHar6DbamSGnSlAm1eYZhBJWtfCX13LxAEx/s400/IMG_8125.jpg)
I then block in the main colours. I don't bother with highlighting and just choose a mid- to light shade. I generally paint in the direction that the folds of the clothing run so as to again create shadows. I use a fairly large brush for this and tend to go quickly so as not to over think it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy3om6pIXV3wTcCU4y8i9JMRlKQesmX5k80FLhQ7KLoapPZDaZxgYWw445iYHG-LE-Ixm4cr89l1mkTmpC7_vs6ZA0g3i2TgRV6YiQdn_jdLK1G3mtZ-UutnZfESP8QrbmCjCr1oJ2V7ku/s400/IMG_8126.jpg)
Same figure from the back. at this point, there are eight colours on the figure.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxaaQAA1tETo_21PItEQYSSslPFACbpdKQk1hcoj84O8_TFVhUnuBeXRkc8Fi8cp672CmCRVAcOuchG8_qIE-LW0b1SDCjnNYlF5Mm21AZAmeQvICBiFLcVxa2GHpRqnRQhjstMJ3DNW3c/s400/IMG_8130.jpg)
I then use the "dip", which is a mix of future floor wax, black and brown paint. This wash seals and shades all at once. I have heard good things about the army painter product but am not shelling out $30 a can! The dip darkens and adds a bit of shadow.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NY4frZYmeyuikcHFlVahELQoeWgQA89DjaLlebybQAZ7STYPK2RGmi2ZRAqs7YqOGiclbW_RhWLY-IvfK-3Fm8y09SxF7RS4ZSb0fqfWMXECq9dJuzGDgKD1E9T6kQ3dscP2zy54-g6G/s400/IMG_8128.jpg)
Compare the pictures above and below to see the degree of shading. The dip tends to run a bit so you have to wick it off at with a drybrush where it collects (hems of the clock, bottom of a shield). A bit of white glue mixed in will reduce how much it runs if the figure doe snot have a lot of etched detail.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQJlODUdE5IiEQcV8GExKLmDaatR518MeXwfuxlMI29z1R0lMYPYjyMFBIr5XSvevYxgEjXaILP6khpWZEOd4r2LGaLb-ieGtSguy7vIQZLG82AdsORy8GUYogNAOwKrzwRVgAl-uOHs0b/s400/IMG_8132.jpg)
I've dealt with
how I base in an earlier post.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3akQT1NMQoZ4fIbMx1oZGs9wFZWUZTG0FJJjKnIOX7fsOrkCW_gTku4erisqmr_InRwmaXeC2ngO68fA_2cJjnqpUO2NXuu9O3ZRiVsi8vhTmA8lkya2NXmy7BjmMwYpIT4UlV9NAbC_/s400/IMG_8169.jpg)
This is the result. I won't win a painting competition and my armies look a bit dirty (which is how I prefer them) but boy it goes faster. I think I did 19 figures in about 3 hours (not including drying or basing).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjZ74i_zJT2ofk8SIU0PfrfJeOhQu7hv7b2sAaN9ZN9S6WUEB1j2GLc0SdjWVHzM8HNRmmB783aBG_NoVAr5_eesTkA2AvUPrJUZTUvvN50BoxYuO4im0Vws8q3YyBAkXFncYxnmAQBOR/s400/IMG_8170.jpg)
And from the back. Looking forward to giving this army a whirl once I finish a few more elements.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbx5wNnAIQaxQ3zXWJ37S9qv4ilVdFXawkaOjDmAWi9K3WV3PkdXtvSlIjO6Iufrrju-ZV2K0dFuLg8mdaLBnAce6_BMHHnJX5BRy94_lGkdJbBo8J9k-knxfZjeThb_EN2qt6zT6AFyFh/s400/IMG_8171.jpg)
I also knocked off a base of spear from the Zvezda fantasy plastics range.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIO2VPsqdT613lSrD5elKY1Zl0fQJYISmvw7LDJR1wSIrN-fjjlY3UUgiIrgP3mxwQNBQ1jvU8aW_hwJILXooHc05EyTM_yPxixcvNGwrTfZ_SPMwi-BUfkQmRhpAHssle9nikChrOWChs/s400/IMG_8172.jpg)
I like the figures but the building is a bit fiddly. I also did a base of crossbow.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs34Li746dNtt0mGHlQe9LZiFi19IwMZZnQmZBkknkpa6Vvd4rTOrqpxytvS0Fa2CrFX2-1XwyaNjr3bpFq6g8ffLOKBo226UcqFqHQq10YhmEKyylboV8ij3kxGr5jMLC4E4PfSJyYgjf/s400/IMG_8173.jpg)
Up next: Some 15mm AWI should be rolling off the assembly line tomorrow evening and I will prime some 15m dwarves tonight if the weather cooperates. I will also be basing some vikings up for an upcoming campaign. Then likely a few more 28mm medievals to complete this army plus some HoTT elements.