INTRODUCTION

This tutorial is a step by step explaining how I painted "The Irreverent" from Davale
Miniatures. I have to say that the model is pretty impressive - in particular the
details which are amazing. I also like the resin which is neither porous, nor too rigid.

PREPARATION

First off, I used a modeling blade to prepare each piece of the model, looking for
any flaws or casting lines and carefully removing them. There were a few very
minor flaws from the casting process, but nothing unusual. After this, I gently
washed the pieces with warm (not hot!) soapy water in order to remove any
remaining release agent left over from the casting process. Once dried, I then built
the model. The pegs and slots are very well defined and fit together perfectly; it's
not necessary to use a blade of file to make them fit. However, I pinned the pieces
in addition to using superglue to reinforce the whole thing.

To finish the building process, I used small pieces of green putty to hide any gaps
or joins between the pieces. Once the model was built and the glue had dried, I
attached it to the base. Then I added small pieces of pine bark to the base to
simulate rocks and also a bit of beach sand for texture. This adds additional realism
to the base and really enhances the model when fully painted. Once the base was
finished, The Irreverent was ready to paint. (1)

- PAINTINGS AND NEEDED MATERIALS -

Vallejo
Surface First Black
Glaze Medium

Model Color
Brown Sand
Chocolate Brown
Dark Seegreen
Green Blue
Ice Yellow
Ivory
Magenta

Model Air
Light Brown

Citadel
Black Caos
Skavenblight Dinge
Administratum Grey
Wolf Grey
Russ Grey
Fenrissiam Grey
Rhinox Hide
Gorthor Brown
Ungor Flesh
Mourfang Brown
Ratskin Flesh
Mephiston Red

Scale 75
Bering Blue
Pink Flesh
Intense Black (Ink)

Golden
Titanium White

Other materials
Modeling tools
Brown Earth (Vallejo)
Sand
Grass Stufts (Green Stuff World)
Ball of sea (or similar)
Green putty
BASE COAT

I always apply the primer, highlights and base colours (if the surfaces are huge)
with an airbrush. First, I applied Black Surface Primer to the whole model (2), then I
added the highlights with Titanium White (3).
Next, I painted the model with Brown Sand, mixing it first with a bit of Magent in
order to have a warm layer (4) and then put on another layer with only Brown Sand
marking the highlights (5) and then finishing with Light Brown for the final highlights
(6).
All this will help me to paint the miniature later, except the armor and metallic
pieces (more on that later); I really wanted to desaturate the colours overall.

LEATHER
For the leather, fabrics, belts, and boots, I applied a base layer with Rhinox Hide
(7), then Chocolate Brown to start to mark the light-exposed areas (8) and continue
adding to the previous mix Gorthor Brown, reducing the highlighted area (9).
To paint these kind of materials, I usually do it by tapping and 'scratching' brush
across the surface in order to create the texture and simulate the worn leather
effect. I kept lighting using only Gorthor Brown (10). Later, I applied small washes
to the middle areas with Mourfang Brown to give a reddish tone to the leather (11).
To finish, I used Green Blue for the final highlights and to create some 'scratches'
on the leather (12).
ARMOR / METAL

To be honest, I don't like using metalic paints, especially not for miniatures as big
as this one. I prefer painting these areas using 'non metallic metal' effects (which
avoids using metalic paint altogether), to adjust the brightness and shadows. I also
use the tapping technique to paint those areas as well as it works to achieve an
unpolished metal effect and this works really well on this model.

To being with, I applied a base layer to all the model's 'metal' areas with
Skavenblight Dinge (13). Next, I added Bering Blue to the layer, marking the areas
where the light would be stronger on particular areas of the armor (14), then using
later only Bering Blue and reducing the lighted areas (15).
I added Administratum Grey to the last colour (Bering Blue) to keep lighting (16)
and then adding Titanium White for the final highlights, shaping the edges and
marking the maximum areas of light (17). This technique can have amazing results
as it has a lot of intensity and, just applying a bit, you can get the perfect light level.
To paint non-metallic metal you should make huge contrasts between light areas
and those in shadow, so, at this point, we would have to mark the shadows. For
this, I used the diluted Intense Black ink to tone down the satin finish slightly
without losing the intensity to create a good shadow. Finally, I used Black Caos to
shape into shadows each area of the armor and Titanium White to shape the light
areas (18).
FUR

Starting from the base colour, I applied the first layer (Brown Sand + Light Brown)
and followed this with marking the highlights, adding Administratum Grey to the mix
(19), then I add Ivory to create groups of lighter tufts. At this point, I applied a wash
with a mix of (diluted) Brown Sand + Russ Grey and Glaze Medium to increase the
intensity of the shadows (20). Once I did this, I applied a mix of Fenrisian Grey +
Ice Yellow + Bering Blue to the whole fur area to have a homogeneous base for the
hair's colour without losing the shadows achieved in the previous steps (21).
To the last mix, I added Administratium Grey and I marked planes of light (22). In
this phase, I also applied some washes to the shadows, in that way I got some
contrast in the hair and I didn't get a uniform result. On the one hand, I mixed
Fenrisian Grey + Magenta + Glaze Medium, and, on the other, Fenrisian Grey +
Dark Seagreen + Glaze Medium (both diluted). I was applying the mixes into the
shadows controlling it, alternating between different areas. In this way, I achieved a
variety of tones, subtly, but exactly the right amount of chromatic richness. Once
this is done, I applied highlights adding Ivory (23), then the final highlights with
Titanium White, using the airbrush, cleaning and unifying everything (24).
FACES AND EARS

For the faces and ears, I applied a mix of Mourfang Brown + Ratskin Flesh as a
base layer (25). To this base, I added Pink Flesh and I marked the highlights. I also
put this base to the edges of the mouth (26). I used this base to mark subtly the
wounds over the wolf's body, with thin lines and without much saturation. To finish,
I added Ice Yellow to the previous mix and I applied the final highlights. In order to
soften the transitions between those areas and the fur, I also added Titanium White
to the mix. For the teeth, after illuminating with Light Brown, I raised the highlights
with Ivory (27).
For the eyes, I applied a base of Mephiston Red, which I illuminated using Ice
Yellow and finishing with Ivory. Then I used a mix of Rhinox Hide and Black Caos
for the iris of the eye.

SKIN
Next, I moved on to The Irreverent’s skin. I used a mixture of Light Brown + Green
Blue over the most prominent areas on the initial basis by tapping, to create a
texture on the skin (28). I then used Green Blue to keep illuminating and marking
the wounds with a mixture of Mephiston Red + Pink Flesh, lightening them up them
with Ice Yellow (29). I finished illuminating the skin with Wolf Grey and some
washes with diluted Magenta over the shadows in order to gain contrast on the cold
tones of the skin. For the eyes, I only marked the upper eyelid with Rhinox Hide. I
never mark the iris on models this size as no one can appreciate it once it is done,
even less in this model because the eyes are sunken and also smaller than usual.
Instead, I decided to darken the area and thus give more intensity to the facial
expression (30).
BASE

The model was already done, but… the base still remained!
First, I applied a layer to the whole base of Rhinox Hide (31). Then I used diluted
Mourfang Brown to mark the highlights (32) and lightened it up with Gorthor Brown
(33).
I kept illuminating the ground with a mixture of Gorthor Brown + Light Brown and I
painted a base layer to the rocks with Dark Seagreen (34). For the final highlights
of the ground, I used Light Brown with small touches in the most prominent areas. I
illuminated the rocks adding Fenrisian Grey to the base layer of Dark Seagreen,
finishing it adding Administratum Grey as final lights (35).

To complete the base, I added some small clumps of Grass Tufts. In order to get a
bit more variety, I used a ball of sea to create some weeds of dry grass and I stuck
them together with the others. To darken the green colour of the grass slightly, I
mixed Fenrisian Grey + Admnistratum Grey and, once diluted, I applied the mixture
on the bushes (36).
The Irreverent is ready for battle! We are done!

CONCLUSION

The Irreverent is a very fun model to paint, with plenty of detail. With an aggressive
and dynamic pose, you can approach this model using any number of techniques
to achieve different results. I have tried to simplify the process using this step-by-
step guide which I hope that you find easy to follow and informative.

I hope you like the results! See you next time!