Flintloque Dwarf Uhlans - part two

With the conversion work completed, it was now time to undercoat the models. I used Games Workshop Chaos Black spray paint. However due to the very cold weather, I first placed the can in to a jug of boiling water and allowed the spray can to stand for five minutes. Then I shook the can for a couple more minutes, before spraying in a dry (and very cold) shed. Once the paint has started to set I used a hairdryer to ensure that the paint set properly. This may all seem a little OTT, but spray painting in cold (or wet) weather can be problematic and I want to make sure that the basecoat went on OK, particularly as I was undercoating over existing paint, paint that I was not sure had been applied properly.

I still needed to touch up a couple of small spots where the spray paint had not covered completely. For this I used a pot of GW Chaos Black acrylic paint, watered down with clean water and a little Black Ink.

Photo One - The eight Dwarves fully undercoated and ready to be painted.

Photo Two - Not a lot to see, but this photo does show that the miniatures are fully covered!

Photo Three - Now on to the next stage. And for me this means painting the flesh, which on these particular miniatures is a very small area!

I start with slightly diluted GW Snakebite Leather and using one of the new GW Standard Brushes, I applied a first or base flesh coat. I try to leave a distinct Black outline around the face and nose - which is my particular painting style.

The second layer was Snakebite Leather with a touch of Vallejo Game Color Dead White (72001), which is painted in a more detailed and careful manner highlighting the central areas of the nose, the cheeks and the chin. As stated earlier there is very little area of exposed skin on these models - with one exception the figure holding his Tschapka in one hand and a blunderbuss in the other is not wearing gloves and this figure has his hands done in the same way as the faces are painted.

The third layer is similar to the second, more white added and the area painted, slightly smaller than the second layer. As the layers increase the amount of area painted decreases and the detail and level of skill involved goes up.

I decided on a fourth layer (not something that I always do) - more white, smaller area and much more brush control, using just the very tip of the brush.

At four layers of paint, the faces look a little stark and this is where I use my 'trusty old Flesh Wash'. I still have a (very old) bottle of the blue topped Citadel Colour Flesh Wash, which I dilute with some fresh water and just slap it on. Once fully dry, the layers that were very apparent on the highlighted areas, tend to blend-in and become less defined and much smoother.

Finally I tidied up the areas around the face (and hands) with some Chaos Black. It is at this stage that you fully realise just how little flesh is seen on these miniatures, hidden behind their 'Mutton Chop mustaches' and peeping out from under their helmets!

I have tried using ready-mixed Flesh Paint, but keep going back to Snakebite Leather as my preferred flesh base - in fact I don't know what I would do without Snakebite Leather, a paint I use quite a bit!

In part three, I should have decided on a uniform colour!

Tony