Duergar Guard - October 2009 repaint

Megan Smith, a valued community artist and Chapter Master in Brisbane, Australia, brings us the eighth in her series of monthly DDM Guild Repaints. Up this month: the Duergar Guard from Monster Manual: Legendary Evils.

Explanation and General Instructions

I really liked getting monthly repainted minis from Organised Play (when we actually managed to get them in Australia) and would like to keep that going for the DDM Guild. However, as we don’t have WotC’s vast resources, or Chinese factory labour, the repaints will be done by each Chapter that wants them. I’d suggest that the Chapter Master ask for volunteers – painting skill is not a requirement, and it should only take about an hour of your time to do 6-10 minis.

It will always be a common mini; the person doing the painting is welcome to use their own spares or to collect a mini from everyone who wants a repaint. You will need to paint enough for everyone in the group to have one, and if you can do a couple of extras to hand out to other people as advertising for the guild (or to give to the shop you play at) that would be great.

Each mini will use 1 or 2 paints (only one of which will be new). I’ll be using (and testing my instructions with) Games Workshop’s Citadel paints because they are very available in most places. If you don’t want to spend the $3.50 or so a month, I would hope that the recipients of the minis would be happy to take turns supplying the paint.

If you already own suitable paints, it’s not a requirement to use exactly what I suggest, but I’d recommend it, as I will have checked that one coat gives the coverage we need and that the wash (if we are using one) goes over it smoothly.

You’ll need a brush—a size 0 round will work for all guild repaints—but if you’d like to be able to do washes faster, get something bigger, like a 2 or 3. Natural hair is generally better than synthetics, but anything that’s relatively soft will work fine.

For the painters out there (and also the non-painters, I suppose), we are aiming for WotC factory quality in the paint jobs, so they are all the same and are fast to do. So, just do the steps outlined (ie. Resist the temptation to paint the eye, or do a quick highlight on the cloak, etc).

I’ll put a thread up in Crafter’s Corner on Hordelings each month, so that if anyone has questions, or needs assistance, s/he can get it. If you don’t have a DDM Guild Chapter near you, feel free to make a repaint for yourself … and while you are at it, make a few extras to give to your FLGS (glue them to Guild flyers).

This Month’s Repaint: Legendary Evils – Duergar Guard

Paint needed: Mithral Silver paint, Baal Red wash (from Citadel/Games Workshop)

Normal Painting supplies: paintbrush, water for rinsing the brush, paper towel.
Steps

1. Clean your minis

Wash your hands first, then scrub each mini with a toothbrush, using warm water and dishwashing liquid. Then, scrub again with just the warm water to make sure there’s no oil, soap, or anything weird on the surface of the mini. Throw them onto a paper towel a couple of times to knock off most of the water, and then leave them to dry.

2. Wash the chainmail with Baal Red

• Shake the bottle of Baal Red wash, then open it carefully.
• Dip your brush in your rinsing water and brush it gently on the paper towel to remove the excess water.
• Dip your brush into the wash and apply it liberally over the chainmail. It doesn’t matter if it gets on the trim on the armor or not, but try to keep it off the skin (and make sure you don’t miss any of the mail, as it will really show up if it’s not red).
• After you’ve done each mini, it’s a good idea to rinse out your brush.
• Once they are all painted, leave them to dry (20-60 minutes, depending on the weather).

3. Paint the trim and axe with Mithral Silver

• Shake the pot of silver paint, then open it carefully.
• Dip your brush in your rinsing water and brush it gently on the paper towel to remove the excess water.
• Dip the tip of your brush into the paint. It’s often easier to work from the pool of paint in the lid. Paint it over all the bands on the armor (see picture). Also, paint the head of the hammer, and the band around the hair. Get more paint on your brush as needed, rinsing the brush between minis.
• Leave the minis for 10-15 minutes to dry (exact time will depend on the weather).

Use your Guild Logo Stamp on the bottoms of the bases, and then you are … finished! Please tell us about your Guild Repaints. Post a picture in Crafter’s Corner on Hordelings and tell us how many you’ve painted and given away. See you next month!