Step by Step - Dungeoneer

Below I'll outline the steps I took to create the newest member of my Dungeons and Dragons character family. This is actually a model of a Cygnar Trencher Master Gunner from Privateer Press' War Machine series, with some slight modifications - goes to show even sci-fi models work in fantasy.

Preperation

Here he is, right out of the package. The first thing we need to do is a little modification.

• It's difficult to take a picture of this, so I didn't, but you must inspect the model for mold lines. Usually they'll be up his sides. Don't forget between his legs too. Scrape all these lines off with a knife. Some people suggest a file, but I find that leaves things rougher.
• The character is intended for a fantasy setting, so the gun has to go. In this case, the gun was barely touching his thigh, so a removal is possible. Using fine wire cutters, remove the gun from his hand and thigh.
• The arm attaches with a keyhole shape. Cut the square part off, leaving a circle, which allows you to attach the arm in any direction.
• Using an old Skaven shield I had in my bitz box, I make the planks more defined by cutting away from the circle it used to be in. I actually use a dentist pick to easily scrape these sections away.

• Swords always seem to come with blunt blades. First, I scrape both sides of the business end to sharpen it, then cut scratches in it to add some wear..
• His right shoulder pad had a crest on it, which I didn't want, so I cut, then scraped it off. (Careful of fingers here)
• As a final touch, I cut scrapes and scratches into his armour and coat in various places to add wear and weathering.

• Glue the model to the base.
• Use some white stick-tack to position the parts how you want them to see if you have any other modding to do. (Blue tack is oily and leaves residue on your model, creating a poor painting base)

• Fill his base with a self-cracking putty from a hobby store. (Michaels)
• Wait for it to dry, notice how it crackles.
• The putty didn't stick to the base, so I placed some drops of super glue around the base, then added a few drops of water. You can't mix them manually too much, so try to spread the super glue quickly with a toothpick. (Water and super glue mixes funny... almost like cotton candy)

• Prime the model. In this case, I chose black.

Leather and Cloth

• Coat
• Two layers of Calthan Brown thinned almost to a wash
• Cloth
• Dheneb Stone
• Pouches
• Tallarn Flesh thinned slightly with water
• Straps
• Dark Flesh
• Bedroll
• Two layers of Catachan Green thinned almost to a wash
• Drape
•  Fenris Grey

•  Coat
• Snakebite Leather thinned slightly with water, streaked on.
• Cloth
• Badab Black wash
• Pouches
• Gryphonne Sepia wash
• Straps
• Tanned Flesh painted on raised areas and edges to highlight.
• Bedroll
• Thraka Green wash
• Drape
• Asurmen Blue wash

•  Coat
• Vomit Brown thinned with water some to highlight the raised areas.
• Iyanden Darksun to highlight the very tops and some edges.
• Notice that I don't highlight much of the coat between his legs as it's in shadow.
• Cloth
• Fortress Grey to highlight the raised areas.
• Pouches
• Elf Flesh painted on edges to highlight. (you could dry-brush this)
• Straps
• Devlan Mud wash
• Bedroll
• Knarloc Green thinned slightly and painted on to highlight edging.
• Drape
• Shadow Grey to highlight edging and raised areas.

• Coat
•  Ogryn Flesh wash
• Cloth
• White to highlight the very tops and edges
• Straps
• Elf Flesh to highlight ridges.
• Bedroll
• Rotting Flesh to highlight edges and raised areas.
• Drape
• Space Wolves Grey as a final highlight.

• Coat
• Golden Yellow to bring back some of the strongest highlights after the wash.

Skin and Face

First I start with a Tanned Flesh highlight of the black basecoat, leaving the darkest recesses black. The paint is thinned some.

 Next I use 1 part Tanned Flesh mixed with 1 part Elf Flesh to highlight most of the raised areas.

 I throw on a layer of Ogryn Flesh wash to blend the first two layers.

 Then give a final highlight of bleached bone.

To finish his face, I paint the raised areas for his eyes white, and dab on some black pupils. I also wash a Red Gore into the scar on the left side of his face.

Armour

First, repaint any areas you have to Black if your previous steps got any colour on the armour, then continue.

• Armour
• Boltgun Metal to highlight most of the areas, excluding the recesses.
• Decoration
• Tin Bitz, still avoiding the recesses.
• Clasps
• Shining Gold to highlight the black.

• Armour
• Chainmail highlights or dry brushes in some areas.
• Decoration
• Dwarf Bronze highlights / dry brushing
• Clasps
• Burnished Gold highlights

• Armour
• Badab Black 2 : Asurmen Blue 1 wash
• Decoration
• Badab Black 2 : Baal Red 1 wash

• Armour
• Final highlight of Mithril
• Decoration
• Final highlight of Beaten Copper

(These could be done as dry brushes)

Goggles

• Paint them black again if need be.
• Step 2
• Frame
• Red Gore base
• Glass
• Use Regal Blue, but first dip your brush in water, then place a drop of the heavily coloured water into each lens.
• Step 3
• Frame
• P3 Khador Red - I use this because it covers dark colours better than Citadel paint.
• Glass
• Same technique as above, using Ice Blue.
• Step 4
• Frame
• Highlight with Blood Red since P3's colours aren't as intense as Citadel paint.
• Glass
• Same technique as above, using White, though use a little more water.

Blade Edge

• Edge and Back
• Hormagaunt Purple highlight to cover all but the small holes
• Step 2
• Edge
• Hormagaunt Purple 1 : Liche Purple 1
• Back
• Hormagaunt Purple 1 : White 1
• Step 3
• Edge
• Liche Purple washed slightly in streaks
• Back
• White washed slightly in streaks, following contours of the blade.

Shield

• Starting with a black base
• Wood
• A thick wash with Scorched Brown
• Dry brush Dark Flesh on
• Dry brush Desert Yellow on, heavier at the top and bottom.
• Devlan Mud wash
• Kommando Khaki as a final light highlight.
• Metal
• Same steps as Armour above. (Boltgun, Black + Blue wash, Mithril highlight)
• Strap
• Same steps as Pouches above. (Tallarn Flesh, Gryphonne Sepia wash, Elf Flesh highlight)
• Pendant
• Same steps as Armour Decoration above. (Tin Bitz, Dwarf Bronze, Black + Red wash, Beaten Copper highlight)
• Tooth
• Slapped on a little thinned down Dheneb Stone.

Base

Prod at the base some with a toothpick to see if any of the pieces detach.

• Stone
• Use a thick wash of Chaos Black to fill in cracks and deepen things.
• Give a highlight of Shadow Grey
• Then a highlight of Space Wolf Grey with a dry brush.
• A Badab Black wash will blend the dry brush in.
• Finally highlight the tips and edges that aren't beneath him with a Fortress Grey dry brush.
• Water
• Take some Testors Plastic Glue and use a toothpick to mix in some Asurmen Blue
• Use an old brush to spread it where you want the water.
• Repeat this using Thraka Green while the Blue layer is still wet.

Glue (other than white or carpenters glue) and water don't get along. Notice the oily look you get when mixing the two:

Glue on the Shield and Arm

Once all the painting is done, you can glue on the parts that need to be attached.
Scrape the paint off of the parts that will be glued. On the arm, this also means inside the hole. For the shield, scrape the knuckles as well as the shield.