goes the authentic route as he paints 
As is quite common with me, I have a number of projects requiring my attention, so what do I do instead? I scratchbuild an Earth Elemental (and a whole horde of rock warriors to keep it company)! Standing four inches tall or a little over 10cm (if you prefer), it's quite a beast. But the most surprising thing about it is, he's made out of foam.
I'll let that bit sink in.
Not the high density foam most sane people make scenery out of. But the kind of rubbery foam yoga blocks are made of...?
It's a long story, which I've thankfully written about on my website to show you how I made the elemental and painted it.