writes:
First off, let me say a huge thanks to Renaissance Ink and TMP for having this contest. Secondly, let me apologize to everyone. I have been so busy with work and traveling for work and family, that I have not been able to devote the appropriate amount of time to this figure I would have liked to. I think what I have is respectable and interesting. I sincerely hope many of you will glean something useful from this. I tried to keep everything simple, using mostly triads.
This is an interesting figure, one I have never seen before, and I know nothing about the background (aside from this being some Amazon type of warrior). I elected not to look anything up, and go with something different from the artwork on the blister pack. I thought an exotic and wild look would be fun and a challenge to do, given the stereotypical tall blonde on horseback I would have assumed for an Amazon.
Ultimately, I thought a dark-skinned woman on a painted pony would be dynamic, and something away from the norm.
I primed both the horse and rider in Krylon grey. The horse was then basecoated with Privateer Press Frostbite (a very light blue color). I then shaded with a very thin mix of P3 Frostbite and GW Hawk Turquoise. This combination of color gives a cool feel to the white color I wanted, and adds a lot of depth as well. I then highlighted with GW Skull White. The "paint" on the pony was dappled/stipled onto the body in irregular patterns, using GW Scorched Brown. It was shaded with a thin mix of GW Badab Black, and then highlight by using GW Dark Flesh, and then another highlight of GW Vermin Brown. The straps were all painted with GW Chaos Black, highlighted with Privateer Press Coal Black, and then highlighted again with a mix of P3 Coal Black and Hawk Turquoise.
The rider's skin was painted with GW Scorched Brown. Privateer Press Khardic Flesh was added to this as a base color, then a little more Khardic Flesh was added to this as a highlight, and finally Khardic Flesh as a final highlight.
Her hair was painted with P3 Frostbite, washed with a mix of P3 Frostbite and GW Hawk Turquoise, and then highlighted again with GW Skull White.
The armor was painted with GW Shining Gold, washed with the old GW brown ink wash, painted again with more GW Shining Gold, then washed with GW Devlan Mud and Orgyn Flesh, and then a final thin coat of GW Shining Gold.
The leather armor, saddle and shield were painted with GW Chaos Black, highlighted with Privateer Press Coal Black, and then highlighted again with a mix of P3 Coal Black and Hawk Turquoise.
The silver trim on the helmet, shield, and studs was painted with GW Mithril Silver, then washed with Privateer Press blue ink, and then highlighted with Mithril Silver.
The tassel was painted with GW Red Gore, washed with GW Badab Black, highlighted with Red Gore again, and then finally with GW Blood Red.
A brief note on the paints I used:
I was trying to get different effects using GW paints and P3 paints, the difference being in the saturation levels of the paint, or the intensity of the color. The GW paints are very bright and vibrant; the P3s are less intense and more natural.
By using different paints, I can achieve different points of focus just with the paints. The cool white of the pony will contrast nicely with the warm, brighter browns of the patches on him. The black will look darker because the P3s will not be as intense as the shade, so it looks black and not blue-grey. Same with the skin: the GW base will help convey a darker, more exotic look to the amazon, without the highlight colors making her look more Caucasian.
Overall, I am pleased with her appearance. I was able to add a little Roman Key pattern around the base of the saddle as a point of interest, and I think she is certainly different and more challenging than any figure I could have envisioned for this contest.
I want to wish all of the other contestants the best of luck, and look forward to seeing what they have worked up.
Thanks again!
