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Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: Billythefish on July 10, 2012, 11:20:25 AM

Title: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: Billythefish on July 10, 2012, 11:20:25 AM
I've started out painting some dark ages stuff - saxons, vikings etc and I really like the effect on these armours in some catalogues like wargames foundry that makes them look almost like a dark grey colour, any idea which paints they used for those little heroes?

So far i'm thinking black base - drybrush GW boltgun or vallejo gunmetal neither of which ive bought yet then maybe a very little light natural steel drybrushing for highlights. Its the drab, dark grey almost woolen looking effect im after which I fancy is the most historically accurate for this period where they were made of Iron as opposed to steel.

Is this the right way to go just this is getting expensive and I need to buy some paint stripper to as the origonal matt black base - natural steel drybrush is just waaaaay to light for my liking. It just looks so wrong!

Any help much appreciated :)
Title: Re: Chainmail - that glorious dark age look
Post by: Dewbakuk on July 10, 2012, 11:42:21 AM
Before you strip the ones you've done, try applying a black or dark brown wash to them, it might dull it down to an acceptable level.
Title: Re: Chainmail - that glorious dark age look
Post by: Billythefish on July 10, 2012, 11:55:46 AM
No didnt work :( im thinking about actually just drybrushing them with a dark grey next time as im trying to get the most realistic look I can with them.
Title: Re: Chainmail - that glorious dark age look
Post by: necrocannibal on July 10, 2012, 12:01:40 PM
What I do for chainmail is a black base coat, drybrush Boltgun Metal and black washes (I use Nuln Oil by GW) until it becomes as dark and dull as I want...looks quite realistic when compared to the real chainmails I've seen.
Title: Re: Chainmail - that glorious dark age look
Post by: LeadAsbestos on July 10, 2012, 12:17:33 PM
Vallejo Smoke over top of a metal drybrush gives the look I like.
Title: Re: Chainmail - that glorious dark age look
Post by: Major_Gilbear on July 10, 2012, 12:22:56 PM
If you want to dull the metallic quality of metal paints, why not mix them with ordinary paint?

I suggest:

Mix some silvered metal paint with a bit of grey paint, and then drybrush over a very dark grey basecoat. Then, drybrush again very lightly with more metal/grey paint (adding rather less grey this time), and finally wash with a thin grey/brown ink wash.

A great wash can be made with a chestnut ink diluted with some water, to which you add a tiny bit of blue, and a tiny bit of black. This gives you a great shade for oily metal or unburnished iron, and you can adjust the blue and black as you need.

///Edit///

For a plain new dark iron, add some black paint to a bright/steel silvered paint.
Title: Re: Chainmail - that glorious dark age look
Post by: Billythefish on July 10, 2012, 04:28:37 PM
My little heroes are on display in the lower picture..

This is the effect I'm after http://www.crusaderminiatures.com/prod.php?prod=160&cat=4&sub=13&page=1

I think by mixing a dark grey with I assume vallejo gunmental or that GW boltgun is how to achieve it? Just I dont want to spend anymore money on crap paints that dont come up as they appear on the colour charts!

I have basalt grey + natural steel but I think they will be to light, or do u think I should just go black - really dark grey - then drybrush a little with natural steel to get the rigth effect?
Title: Re: Chainmail - that glorious dark age look
Post by: Dewbakuk on July 10, 2012, 04:57:58 PM
Yeah you're right, the metal you've used is much too bright. I haven't used the new GW Boltgun colour but the old one was a great, dull metallic colour that would do the job fine. I would assume the new one is okay too.
Title: Re: Chainmail - that glorious dark age look
Post by: necrocannibal on July 10, 2012, 05:20:06 PM
I know the following picture doesn't have chainmail, but this is how metal bits look if I'm done with them:

(http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/4184/plaguemarine01.jpg)

As I've said, it's a black undercoat followed by Boltgun Metal (very very very old one to be honest) and about two/ three black washes (Nuln Oil).
Title: Re: Chainmail - that glorious dark age look
Post by: Billythefish on July 10, 2012, 06:18:44 PM
Job looks a good one there likes, hopefully we'll see some more helpful ideas come along but I reckon its going to be black base, drybrush boltgun then that nice wash thing you got on the go there :)

Fortunatley it looks like im going to get away with re-overcoating the figs in my link, paint stripper not needed (yet!)
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: Mr.J on July 10, 2012, 07:15:57 PM
Why not just wash the ones you've already painted? A few washes will certainly dull them down.
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: guitarheroandy on July 10, 2012, 07:32:47 PM
I use black basecoat, drybrushed with GW Boltgun metal, then add a very gentle drybrush of GW Chainmail to highlight key areas. Works for me...

(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/Arthurians/Romano-BritishMilitesThrowingSpear.jpg)

(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/Arthurians/Romano-BritishMilitesThrustingSpear.jpg)

(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/Saga%20Welsh%20warband/045.jpg)
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: Billythefish on July 10, 2012, 08:57:05 PM
Looking rather bonny your lads above there Guitar nice job and thanks alot for sharing them. I think i'll go down this route now i've seen yours, plus maybe bung in Nuln Oil as Necro suggested, that dull though looks to my liking.

To get the ultimate chainmail I think ill have to go for the earlier advice and mix a dark grey with one of these gunmetals, but I just want to get some 40-60 figures/a warband around my belt to get my collection going before such tinkering :)
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: guitarheroandy on July 10, 2012, 09:06:07 PM
Glad to be of some help.  :)


I forgot to mention that I matt down the models with Testor's Dullcote - including all armour and weapons. That contributes to the overall effect.

Best of luck with your models.
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: necrocannibal on July 11, 2012, 09:43:17 AM
I forgot to mention that I matt down the models with Testor's Dullcote - including all armour and weapons. That contributes to the overall effect.

Same here by the way, but even before I use Dullcote the effect will be matt/ dull.
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: Major_Gilbear on July 11, 2012, 11:42:17 PM
@ Billythefish:

Mixing regular paints and metallics is easy and does work well. However, I suspect that you are really after a very simple out-of-the-pot method? You may have to experiment a bit first, and when you get it right, mix up some custom paints yourself (and number the bottles sequentially by stage of application) so that all your future chain mail painting efforts will match.

Or, if you are after that very specific effect, you could always email Tom Weiss (http://www.twfigurines.de/) (the painter) and ask him how he did it? ;)
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: deathjester25 on July 16, 2012, 03:47:49 PM
I use black basecoat, drybrushed with GW Boltgun metal, then add a very gentle drybrush of GW Chainmail to highlight key areas. Works for me...

(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/Arthurians/Romano-BritishMilitesThrowingSpear.jpg)

(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/Arthurians/Romano-BritishMilitesThrustingSpear.jpg)

(http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad276/guitarheroandy/Saga%20Welsh%20warband/045.jpg)



Are these Westwind minis? They look really nice
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: Rutiguer2701 on August 01, 2012, 07:54:57 PM
I'm totally agree with necrocannibal, and the outcome is similar as seen on guitarheroandy's pictures:

1. Black base coat;
2. heavy drybrushing with GW Boltgun;
3. Badab black wash.

The wash is tricky, because I water down first Badab Black, so I can control the shading effect.

Do you feel that is too "chainmail"? Ok, no problem, just apply another diluted wash.

Do you feel is too dark? No problem again: apply a gently drybrushing with GW Boltgun.

Anyway, there's no magic recipe. I'm convinced that one must find their own way.

Good luck and tell us about the minis!
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: Billythefish on August 01, 2012, 09:06:20 PM
Finished my Huscarls and after 20 years out of the sport I'm very happy with them, though I did bang out some two dozen HYW stuff first.

Chainmail - Matt black then drybrush GW Leadbelcher (replacement for GW Boltgun I was told), then washed with GW Nuln Oil.

When they'd dried I re-drybrushed in places that were a bit to black with Leadbelcher and i'm very happy so far :)

They haven't been varnished however as I dont seem to be able to find that Testors Dullcoat stuff in the UK, any alternatives you guys like using this side of the pond much appreciated. Think ill tidy up around their feet a bit and maybe drybrush some white or very light sand type colour around the edge of the bases before I do :)
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: CyberAlien312 on August 02, 2012, 10:22:29 AM
They look really good. Great work!
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: guitarheroandy on August 02, 2012, 11:01:40 AM
They look really good! Well done!

Ref Testor's Dullcote, have you tried Antenocitis Workshop? They sell both spray and brush-on. http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=varnish+spray

Also, Deathjester25 asked about who manufactures the models in my photos. They are mainly Gripping Beast, with some West Wind. The last pic is a GB Welsh Teulu warrior with a West Wind head...several of my Welsh Teulu have that combination, as the GB Teulu heads aren't up to much, although the bodies are good (in my opinion, of course).
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: Rutiguer2701 on August 02, 2012, 06:18:47 PM
I'm sure the minis are better "in real life" than in a picture, because photos gives a "yellowish" tone. Anyway, I'm agree with you, the chainmail is now almost perfect. Great look, indeed.
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: Billythefish on August 02, 2012, 07:34:16 PM
Cheers you three :)

Btw Guitar did you hand paint the gold trim on that guys chain or is it a transfer? If handpainted good games mate thats awesome with the shading and all  :)
Title: Re: Chainmail - viking saxon norman Dark Ages
Post by: guitarheroandy on August 02, 2012, 09:50:07 PM
All my Dark Ages stuff is handpainted - all banners, shields, clothing trim, everything...