Would you like a mini with that base?

As promised, here are some step by step shots of Elinda Hammerforge from Stonehaven miniatures.  This was one of numerous dwarf role playing style figures they created for their recent kickstarter!

You have already seen the base, so now it is time to check out the miniature.

Using the normal shaded basecoat technique, I went to my lightest shades as quickly as possible.

In this image, you see all the lightest shades set up , waiting for those glazes!!

Some quick glazes in place.  As I shade areas darker, I try to tint them various colors. For instance, I use a blue/black on the metal surfaces, a yellow brown on the clothes. and then some reddish washes and glazes elsewhere.

Those glazes were enhanced by mixing in brown liner and other regular paints with those later glazes

After working back into my middle tones, I did some reflected lights from the forge onto the metal surfaces.  It will all make sense when you see her on the finished base!  Stay tuned :-)

Hammering out the rest of the Blacksmith forge base

Back to the base!  After establishing all the lighter colors, I had one last thing to do before the darks were added.  That is, a bit of yellow white mixed with the fluorescent yellow for the base of the hot coals.

I used the fluorescent orange as a transparent glaze over that light color.

I mixed in a bit of red with that orange, and did more glazes.  Then I used a reddish brown to re-work the coals, and tighten up the reflected light on the anvil.

Now some black is mixed in with the red/brown, and the coals are darkened further.

Time to start glazing the whole thing!  Darks are spread around everywhere, but the forge is the most important, in order to set up the big time contrast...

This shows some of the washes and glazes on the rest of the base.

To me, the best way to show soot and ash was to break out the weathering powders!  I did a light grey ash color on the base and on the anvil, but a tan mix on the light part of the bricks.

I saved the black soot for last, and tried to be smart with it.  Too much would ruin everything I had tried to set up until that point.

I tried to make a bit of a 'path' from the forge to the anvil with the black soot.

Then it was time to finish off the miniature!  Stay tuned for a step by step on that!

Hammer and Anvil: Creating a Blacksmith's forge

This is the first of the Stonehaven kickstarter miniatures that I will be working on.  She is Elinda Hammerforge.  

Since these dwarf figures are supposed to be more character than random miniatures, I want to make bases that really fit the theme or story behind them.

So, it was off to the internet to see some images of blacksmith's forges.  The challenge would be to find something that would not only fit on the base, but not overwhelm the figure!

I decided on a simple brick forge... one that might also let me get some glowing light on the miniature.

I started by cutting a scrap of baked sculpey into rectangles...

The rectangles were weathered, and then put in place.

I glued in some rocks and gravel to create the coals...

Time to start painting!!

My first layers were designed to establish those warm and cool areas that you hear me mention so often!

As I work lighter, I introduce some new colors.  For instance, some tan was placed onto the bricks.  I did this in order to set up the very dark soot that would be added much later.

Cooler greys are used to lighten a majority of the surfaces.

I continue to lighten all areas, knowing that later I will be adding lots of soot and ash.

The conclusion of the Forge base will be posted tomorrow!  Stay tuned!