Wednesday, March 4, 2015

How to Paint 240 Roman Legionaries in 20 Minutes

The secret is not to paint their eyes. That and getting them in 2mm is very helpful.
The photo above shows the results; you will have to take me for my word that the eyes are left unpainted. Starting with a black base coat over the figures which have been glue-gunned to popsicle sticks, a semi-drybrush technique is used. The tip of the brush is basically dragged along horizontally rather quickly, picking out the details. Flesh was first used for the legs (both front and back), as well as what should be heads. Red, lightened with yellow is then used for the standards, shields and edges of the tunic (both front and back). Gold is used for the tips of the standards, and helmets - actually just the front of the helmets for the front rank, and rear of the helmets for the rear rank. Then Silver is used for the back of the helmets for the front rank, and front of the helmets for the rear rank. This seems to simulate the tips of the pila - which I assume they should be holding. Silver is also used on the rear of the figures for the armor. Finally a wash of sepia (I mix black and red brown inks) is applied to the mostly the legs and heads.
The rear of the figures
I'm still deciding on how to base them - along with the earlier painted figures. Who knows, I may one day game them.

29 comments:

  1. Positively tiny but your technique is quite effective.

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  2. Amazing amount of detail for the size, great work Dean. I'm sure one of them was looking at me!

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  3. The look great, Dean! Brilliant method. Please give it a distinctive label ('how to') or something so we can find it again when needed! :)

    Cheers,
    Aaron

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    1. Thanks for the kind words and great idea for a label. Didn't think of that before, but a how to label sounds great. Regards, Dean

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  4. You've let me down Dean........I wanna see the whites of their eyes!!!

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    1. I know, I know, Ray. I don't even want to talk about skipping the SPQR on the standards :) Regards, Dean

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  5. Haha, love it! These blind-like-a-bat legions will surely need a good commander to lead them to victory...

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    1. Thanks, Soren. If they do crazy battlefield maneuvers, we'll know why :) Best, Dean

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  6. lol don't paint there eyes and they are 2mm. Great tutorial .

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    1. Great minds think alike, :) Thanks, Simon! Regards, Dean

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  7. They might be 2mm, but not painting the eyes? Well, really? *tsk, tsk* ;)

    Nice work Dean :)

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    1. Thanks, Tamsin! Yes, I am getting really lazy - wait, I've always been lazy :) Warm Regards, Dean

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  8. Nice job and a great, efective, technique!

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    1. Thanks, Phil! I felt like I could paint up another hundred or two :) Best, Dean

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  9. No eyes...? Well, they sure have quite a look! :) Great work!

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    1. Eyes are over-rated :)! Thanks as always, my friend! Best, Dean

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  10. Hmmmm... Rather you than me sir! I find 6mm challenging at times despite my exceptionally good eyesight for my age. This would make my head spin. :-)

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    1. Michael:

      I think 6mm is probably a better scale which combines compactness with figure detail. I only went with these to go with 1/1200th ships. Although, just this morning I was looking into what these 2mm Rep. Romans could be used for. I thought possibly the Battle of Alesia. But then my head started to spin when I thought of the terrain building involved. :) Warm regards, Dean

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  11. Don't forget to paint all straps! Nice work.

    Christopher

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  12. They are good, those Irregulars. A man could do a legion at 1:1!

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    1. Thanks, Simon! I've been thinking about doing Alesia in 2mm - it would involve a lot of terrain building - which I haven't done a lot of, so may be a nice challenge. Warm regards, Dean

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  13. Very effective indeed! Though a bit of scale contrast to your samurai to say the least :-) :-)

    Best wishes,
    Jason

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    1. Thanks, Jason. It's nice to switch scales sometimes. Regards, Dean

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