Painted Gloomhaven Miniatures (Starting six characters)

One of the attractions of Gloomhaven is the different characters that you can play, and the excitement that comes from retiring your character and starting a new one. Each time, you get to open a new envelope that describes that character AND a model box which has their tabletop model. 

If you are like me you enjoy all of this, but you also want to see those models painted. Last week I finished the final two of the 18 models that come in the box, so thought I would share them here, starting with the first 6 (unlocked) characters.

To paint these, I focused on:

1. Speed. I used Games Workshop Contrast Paints for all organic material - this saves time because I don't have to do a separate wash. I used regular Games Workshop paints for other materials. (I use GW simply because that is what I have. Other ranges are just as good - or better depending on who you talk to!)
2. Bases. I wanted to have each model based, as I feel this always ties a model together, even if the base is very simple. My attempts range from super simple (sand with a brown basecoat on most of the starting six) to trying to do something different (some bases painted to match the hex designs in the game, and a cobblestone effect I hadn't tried before.)

Below you will find all of the models, starting with the opening 6 characters that are available when you start the game. With some I've added a couple of comments. In the coming days I'll post the other 12 finished models too. 

A word of warning: Please note I'm not claiming to be an expert! These are "Tabletop" quality. Designed to be fine for a game when viewed from 2-3 feet away, but not for trying to win any painting prizes etc.(and I couldn't even if I tried!) 

:-)

Starting Six Characters

Gloomhaven starting 6 classes

General painting approaches used throughout:

1. Undercoat whole model (including base) in a light colour (e.g Wraithbone). Spray cans are ideal for this.
2. Do all the Contrast Paints first on organic materials. (e.g. leather, wood, fabric, skin).
3. Tidy up any mistakes with Wraithbone. Make sure all non-organic areas are carefully covered with Wraithbone, ready for next step.
4. Do "Normal" (non-contrast) paints on non-organics (e.g metals, metallic armour, glass, belt buckles, gems etc.)
5. Add "washes" onto the normal paints to add depth and shadows.(e.g. Nuln Oil on top of a metallic paint.)
6. Highlight washed areas with normal paints OR do a drybrush. (e.g. On a metallic paint that had a Nuln Oil wash, now go over with the original metallic paint again, but leaving the Nuln Oil in the dips and shadows to add depth. Then use a lighter version of the original metallic paint as a highlight (or drybrush.) 
1. For example, on a metal blade: Leadbelcher (basecoat), Nuln Oil (wash), Leadbelcher again, then Runefang Steel (highlight). OPTIONAL: Drybrush Runefang steel (to pick out raised areas/ edges.)

OK, with that out of the way let's get going!

Mindthief

Vermling Mindthief

With the Mindthief you can see immediately how useful Contrast paints can be. The blue robes just get painted once, and the paint flows and gathers into the folds of the robe naturally, meaning they are done in one pass.

After undercoating with Wraithbone, painted using:

• Robes: Contrast Talassar Blue
• Fur: Contrast Space Wolves Grey
• Skin: Contrast Guilliman Flesh
• Belt: Contrast Snakebite Leather
• Knife blade: Leadbelcher
• Knife guard: Mournfang Brown, then Agrax Earthshade wash, Dwarf Bronze (guard highlight)
• Bracelet: Mournfang Brown, then Dwarf Bronze (highlight)
• Potions: Contrast Ork Flesh, then Moot Green, then a spot of 'ardcoat varnish to make glisten.
• Eyes: Lothern Blue.
• Base: Watered down wood glue, dipped into modelling sand, then Contrast Cygor Brown (when dry!). Middenland Tuft grass. "Victory lap" of Abaddon Black around rim to finish.

Scoundrel

Scoundrel

After undercoating with Wraithbone, painted using:

• "Skirt": Contrast Ork Flesh
• Hair: Contrast Cygor Brown
• Leg/ cloth: Contrast Space Wolves Grey
• Skin: Contrast Guilliman Flesh, Tallarn Flesh (highlight)
• Leather armour/ leather thigh boots/ belt/ scabbards: Contrast Snakebite Leather 
• Chest armour, forearm armour: Leadbelcher, then Nuln Oil wash, then Leadbelcher highlights, then Runefang Steel drybrush.
• Knife: Leadbelcher (weapon blade), Nuln Oil wash, Runefang steel dry brush. Optional: Add "poison" along the blade edge: Contrast Ork Flesh
• Knife guard: Mournfang Brown, Dwarf Bronze (guard highlight)
• Knee pads: Abaddon Black, then drybrush Leadbelcher
• Backscabbard: Contrast Snakebite Leather, Leadbelcher (on fittings), then Nuln Oil wash (on fittings) then Runefang Steel highlights.
• Mask: Contrast Black Templar
• Base: Watered down wood glue, dipped into modelling sand, then Contrast Cygor Brown (when dry!).  Middenland Tuft grass. "Victory lap" of Abaddon Black around rim to finish.

Brute

Inox Brute

The Brute is another model that works really well with Contrast Paints as almost everything on his is an organic material. His cloak is huge and covers almost the whole of the rear of the model, making that side really quick to finish.

After undercoating with Wraithbone, painted using:

• Horns: Contrast Snakebite Leather
• Skin: Contrast Space Wolves Grey
• Teeth/ Mouth: Wraithbone highlights after doing skin (above)
• Eyes: Abaddon Black, then Wild Rider Red (Highlight)
• Furs: Contrast Gore Grunta Fur
• Leather forearm armour: Contrast Snakebite Leather 
• Shoulder pads: Mournfang Brown, then Dwarf Bronze, then Nuln Oil (wash), then Dwarf Bronze (highlights or drybrush). Optional bling: Drybrush Auric Armour Gold.
• Belt: Dwarf Bronze, then Nuln Oil (wash), then Dwarf Bronze or Auric Armour Gold (drybrush.)
• Chest "armour"/ ribs:Mournfang Brown, Dwarf Bronze (highlight)
• Gems: Moot Green, then Moot Green/ White 50/50 mix (highlight), 'Ardcoat varnish.
• Sword: Leadbelcher (weapon blade), Nuln Oil wash, Runefang steel dry brush.
• Knee pad skulls: Contrast Skeleton Horde, then Ushabti Bone (highlights)
• Shield: 
• Inside: Contrast Cygor Brown.
• Rim/ Boss: Dwarf Bronze, then Runefang Steel (edge highlights)
• Hide covering: Mournfang Brown, then Vermin Brown.
• Brute symbol:Agrax Earthshade.
• Base: Watered down wood glue, dipped into modelling sand, then Contrast Cygor Brown (when dry!). Middenland Tuft grass. "Victory lap" of Abaddon Black around rim to finish.

Spellweaver

Spellweaver

After undercoating with Wraithbone, painted using:

• Hair/ chest: Contrast Aethermatic Blue
• Skin: Contrast Magos Purple
• Eyes: Abaddon Black, then Wild Rider Red (Highlight)
• Robes: Contrast Blood Angels Red
• Shoulder pads, forearm armour, leg armour, wrist cuffs shorts: Contrast Snakebite Leather 
• Stud (on front of belt): Leadbelcher, then Runefang Steel (highlight)
• Coins (on back of belt): Mournfang Brown, then Dwarf Bronze, then Nuln Oil (wash), then Dwarf Bronze (highlights or drybrush). Optional bling: Drybrush Auric Armour Gold
• Magic "flames"
• from hands: Contrast Aethermatic Blue
• on base: Contrast Talassar Blue, leading up to Contrast Aethermatic Blue
• Base: Watered down wood glue, dipped into modelling sand, then Contrast Cygor Brown (when dry!). Middenland Tuft grass. "Victory lap" of Abaddon Black around rim to finish. "Victory lap" of Abaddon Black around rim to finish.

Tinkerer

Quatryl Tinkerer

After undercoating with Wraithbone, painted using:

• Skin/ scalp: Contrast Iyanden Yellow
• Eyes: Abaddon Black, then Lothern Blue
• Goggles: Abaddon Black, then Mordian Blue, Lothern Blue highlight, 'Ardcoat.
• Rucksack, chest, coat, legs: Contrast Snakebite Leather. 
• Buckles: Leadbelcher, then Runefang Steel highlight.
• Tinkerer symbol (on chest): Contrast Aethermatic Blue.
• Pteruges (tassel-like armour protecting waist and groin): Snakebite Leather, then Lothern Blue detail.
• Metal utility belt: Leadbelcher, then Nuln Oil wash, then Runefang Steel highlight.
• Potion: Contrast Ork Flesh, then Moot Green highlight.
• Arms/ crossbow/ shoulder quiver/ thigh knife: Leadbelcher, then Nuln Oil wash, then Runefang Steel drybrush.
• Armour (Shoulder, knees, vambraces, greaves): Dwarf Bronze, then Nuln Oil (wash), then Dwarf Bronze (highlights or drybrush). Optional bling: Drybrush Auric Armour Gold
• Cobbled base*: For cobbles: Mechanicus Standard Grey, leaving black lines (or add black lines later). Then add some lighter layers of grey: 50/50 mix Mechanicus Grey/ Russ Grey. Finally lighter edge lines of light grey. After all painting, paint on some very thin lines of watered down wood glue and dip in flock. Finally, add Middenland Tuft grass to taste. "Victory lap" of Abaddon Black around rim to finish.

* I'm not very happy with the way the cobbles turned out, but this was my first try. they look very "flat" and waaaaaay too big. For an awesome video on how to paint cobblestones but that may add a lot of time to each miniature, visit Terrainosaur's YouTube video here.

Cragheart

Savvas Cragheart

The Cragheart is probably the easiest (and fastest) model to paint. He (it!) is also the second character I played after my Mindthief retired. Although I wanted to make "Ricky Balboa" a bit of a bruiser his loincloth turned out pinker than I'd hoped...

...still, if anyone can wear pink with confidence it is an element-wielding, earth-slinging, rock creature adventurer!

After undercoating with Wraithbone, painted using:

• Skin/ scalp: Contrast Space Wolf Grey
• Eyes: Abaddon black, then a layer of Corax White (leaving a black outline)
• Belt, shoulder armour, wrist cuffs: 
• Belt - Leather sides: Contrast Snakebite Leather.
• Belt - Metal front/ back: Dwarf Bronze, Agrax Earthshade wash, Dwarf Bronze highlight, finally a Auric Armour Gold drybrush or edge highlight. 
• Shoulder armour (spaulders): As above, but do a final edge highlight of Runefang Steel on the upper edges where light would fall, or to show where the brighter metal has worn away.
• "Heart": Contrast Black Templar.
• Loincloth: Contrast Magos Purple
• Base: Abaddon Black, then watered down wood glue, dipped into modelling sand, then Contrast Cygor Brown (when dry!). Middenland Tuft grass. "Victory lap" of Abaddon Black around rim to finish.

There you have the "Starting 6". In my next post I'll cover 6 more models, so watch this space.

Thanks for stopping by and reading.

:-)