This is no mere ranger
Aragorn: Fellowship Pose
So if you're new to collecting LOTR miniatures the likely hood is that you have been buying lots of figures from EBAY and getting some good deals, but as well as good deals you also get duplicates particularly of the most popular characters.I must have the fellowship 5 times over now, so I've been putting off painting them until now. I have decided that I will paint two models of the same pose one according to the Games Workshop colours scheme and another completely random, this will allow me to test my skills in recreating what the professionals are doing, the other allows me freedom of creativity and to test colours and mixes.
The Guide.
Prime
So first of all I prime my model with a nice even coat of CERAMIC WHITE base. I paint on from a palette meaning it is applied thin and there are no runs, don't paint directly from the pot, the paint will be uneven and clog the details.
Base Coat
Once our primer has dried I always begin with the flesh. Being methodical and having a system ensures you work quicker.
I apply a base of BUGMANS GLOW TO THE FACE and hands.
I apply a base of RHINOX HIDE to the lower torso, over the belt and various pouches, and also the bow.
The Coat
Next we need to base coat his errm coat, anyway for this I decided I didn't have any colours appropriate so I mixed a touch of CALIBAN GREEN into ABADDON BLACK I would say it was 3 parts black to 1 part green. I was aiming for a very very dark green (and that's what I got. Start on the back, its always the best place to start with mixes and drybrushing.
I decided that the mix was way too dark so I highlighted the majority of the coat with WAAGH FLESH, the previous mix provides a great base and the WAAGH really stands out.
Drybrush a little LOREN FOREST over the raised details and edges.
The Leather
While the Coat is drying lets do the leathers, you can have lots of fun here, it is very easy to drybrush and highlight.
So I use MOURNFANG BROWN and drybrush it quite heavily again over the raised details and edges. This provides a perfect contrast to the previous stage and really gives a leather effect that we need.
Highlight the nose and cheekbones with CADIAN FLESHTONE. Also lightly drybrush this over the fingers.
To provide a break and a contrast between colours I decided to deviate a little from the official colour scheme and paint the trousers MECHANICUS STANDARD GREY, there is not much to this but it provides a nice break rather than having more brown.
I was going to paint the boots with a base of mournfang as I thought the colours used so far were all to similar however as I am trying to follow the offical look I decide to play it safe, so paint the boots with RHINOX.
This picture shows how the grey trousers really brak the colours up and gives a little more depth,
I finally get to apply a base of MOURNFANG on the quiver., there is also a stick thing, I have no idea what it is but it is on the lowerleg and protrudes out of the coat, I paint that RHINOX and highlight with Mournfang. ALSO remember to drybrush the bow with mournfang.
Drybrush the boots with a touch of mournfang, not as much as we used on the leathers, just a hint to provide depth.
Highlight facial details with KISLEV FLESH I tend to do a T, across the brow then down the nose, think of that episode of Friends.
.I decided at this point the jacket was still to dull and boring so I added a touch of SKULL WHITE to LOREN FOREST this produced a mint colour I then mixed a little of this into some WAAGH FLESH, this produced a very rich green. I then very lightly highlighted only the raised details on the coat.. This gives the coat both real depth but also a little character and vibrancy.
Very carefully use RHINOX HIDE to give aragorn his beard. I then highlight only the end of the chin with Mournfang.
Again I want to give the model a little more depth and colour so I very very very lightly drybrush SKRAG BROWN over the leathers and the bow. This gives the desired effect and also means the hair and beard now have much more show.
I was really worried this model was too boring so I painted the blanket with BALOR BROWN.
The Wash.
Really important this stage. I decided to wash Aragorn's coat
with the green glaze Waywatcher. This pays dividends and
really gives the aged character look I was going for.
The rest of the model gets a good bath of NUHN OIL, this includes the leathers, hair, boots , trousers and quiver. I attempted to apply eyebrows with rhinox but failed.
To represent dirt i brushed a touch of BALOR in the boots I paint the complete soul of the boots with this colour
I decided I really did not like the blanket the way it was so I lightly brushed a little mournfang over it. This actually produces a very nice colour. I then also wash with NUHN oil, this seeps into the crevices and really exposes the details.
Notice how the waywatcher really gives the coat a rich vibrant colour.
To add a little more character I drybrush a little SKRAG BROWN only onto the very lower parts of one or two raised creases on coat to represent dirt.
Unless paining an armoured model, the metallics should be the last paint you use and the sword the last part of the model painted. Why? Because you do not want metallic bits floating in your water pot. Even if you have two water pots, the metallics should still be last.
Now If you like you can paint some of the details on Aragorns belt I decide to leave them.
Paint his sword with MITHRIL SILVER.
Highlight the tip with BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD.
Finished
Overall
So overall, this is a pretty straightforward model to paint, some may say boring. Personally I think apart from the Weathertop pose, Gamesworkshop have really failed to encapsulate Aragorn in an iconic pose, unlike the excellent Boromir poses. The waywatcher green glaze provides a great look and gives real character and a nice worn in weathered look.To improve on this model in future I think it is necessary to paint in eyes and eyebrows. I am quite happy with the paint job, it is not exactly exciting or original but then that was not my goal, my goal was to attempt to paint this model according to gamesworkshop colours. In that sense this is a success, in fact I would say it is at least equal. I like the blood on the sword, this is bad-ass Aragorn.
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