Weekly WIP: Full Saga Ahead
I know, it’s a terrible pun. However I am progressing rapidly on my Saga project and it looks like I’ll have it fully complete by the next Weekly Wip.
Dark Age Warriors by Gripping Beast. Painted by Tyler Provick.
Sunday night, when I was writing the last Weekly WIP, I was painting the shields of my first unit of Warriors. I picked a colour to use as the base of the shield then painted a design in a darker colour over top. While the freehand was a little rough I found that adding some painted-on battle damage really help distract the eye.
Saga Anglo-Danes by Gripping Beast. Painted by Tyler Provick.
I followed the same process to paint the shields on all 10 models then used a few rough glazes of brown to give them a dirty appearance. Like the battle damage this was very helpful in improving the appearance of the shields. I had finished this Sunday and started assembly of the next batch on Monday.
Masking the bottom of miniature bases.
When painting large batches I like to mount the miniatures to craft sticks using hot glue. I found the first batch of warriors I painted were difficult to remove from the hot glue. Taking inspiration from 3D printing I experimented with masking tape on the bottom of the base. My theory was that I could remove the tape if the glue proved stubborn. It turns out that the tape has a perfect surface for staying in place while painting but cleanly releasing when I am finished.
Dark Age Warriors by Gripping Beast. Painted by Tyler Provick.
Painting of the next batch was started earlier in the week than the first. Realizing that the first colours picked for my batch painting process will be the most common colour in the batch I chose red and green as being unrepresented in my first batch. Although I am painting in batches of 10 I have no intention of fielding models painted in the same batch together. Splitting them up will give a further feeling of individuality.
Dark Age Warriors by Gripping Beast. Painted by Tyler Provick.
By Tuesday I was almost ready to start painting the shields. Tuesday was when I started my first batch and I let the feeling of accomplishment drive me forward even as I started to feel the first signs of fatigue.
Dark Age Warriors by Gripping Beast. Painted by Tyler Provick.
By Wednesday the shields were complete. I’m not as happy with this batch compared to the first and this was a direct result of losing a little steam. Particularily the yellows and blues feel too bright and could have been desaturated for a more accurate look.
Saxon Thegns by Gripping Beast. Painted by Tyler Provick.
Thursday was spent finishing the last batch of warriors and the final 12 miniatures, 10 hearthguard, a warlord and a standard bearer were assembled Friday. I was a little intimidated to go from 10 miniatures in a batch to 12. Not only that but I was planning to paint more intricate patterns on the shields to show the hearthguard’s higher station.
This coming Friday the Dice Devils will be playing Saga. I plan to be there regardless of the state of my miniatures but I will be much happier to have fully painted miniatures to show. It’s too bad my magnets haven’t arrived, I’m not able to complete the basing until they do.
Wish me luck.
