As always, I prime with grey spray-primer (because that's what's easily available in a local DIY chain)...
...and then wash with black (to provide 'automatic shading').
Visible in the pictures is the cork which I superglued the figure onto, to act as a holder while painting (the cork's from a very nice bottle of Cava, thank you 
). The figure is superglued to the cork, as I said, while the shield is blue-tacked to a smaller cork.
For this figure, I also decided to use one of the shield transfers that were provided in the accessory pack. To use the shield transfer, I cut out the center hole for the shield boss, soaked the thing in water, and then simply slid it over the shield (which I had already painted with Vallejo 982 Cavalry Brown - which, despite the name, is a very good shade colour for reds).
That done, it was on to painting the figure itself...