Home   Links & Bibliography    Coloured Woodcuts  Uniforms  Masterclass   Flags

Landsknechts Step by Step

PAINTING RANK & FILE FIGURES

These unarmoured Landsknecht figures are an ideal subject to demonstrate some of the basic processes that I employ when painting Landsknechts, particularly in large numbers. I have used the same palette for both of these figures, I would then select another two with a different palette and so on until I had 8 painted (for two single based DBR elements), these would then be mixed up and based. You can alter the numbers as you see fit or as the basing requirements dictate.

When using this method try and use groups of the same or similar figures where possible, these are both from the same blister and have different heads. I find it a lot easier this way as you can get used to painting the figure a lot quicker.

Stage One. Preparation & Undercoating.

Choose the figures that you wish to paint and clean them up using a scalpel and needle files; carefully trim or file away any flash and mould lines leftover from the casting process then glue each of the figures to a cork (I use thin superglue) . The cork will give you something to grip quite easily whilst minimising any strain on your hands (which will ache quickly if you just use a piece of card). Once the glue has dried fully undercoat each figure black, paying particular attention to any nooks and crannies.

A black undercoat will do you a lot of favours, and in my opinion is the best way to paint Landsknechts; it will give you a fine line between each colour and area which will in turn enhance the difference in colours prevalent with these mercenaries. I have tried painting from white and grey undercoats and the results are nowhere near as good.

Stage Two. Painting the Flesh.

Paint any areas of flesh to full completion. Start with a base coat of Flesh 5A, being careful to leave the eyes and a thin line between the lips of the mouth black as shown in the figure on the left. For the figure on the right just paint the lower lip flesh, leaving the rest of the open mouth black.

Mix Scarlet 38A, Bay Brown 42A and water in roughly equal proportions. Apply this thin wash to the flesh painted areas and allow to dry fully. 

Paint the lower lip in 5A again (you could apply this to other areas as your taste dictates or if the wash was too thick), then apply the main colour, 5B. Apply this over the shade / wash colour being careful to leave the creases and shadow areas of the face in the darker tone. Pay particular attention to the eyebrows, eyelids, nose, nostrils, cheekbones and chin. Be careful also to delineate the fingers and knuckles.

Finally, use 5C sparingly on the bridge of the nose (not nostrils), eyebrows, chin and knuckles.

Painting the flesh fully at this stage gives the figure an early focus and gets one of the harder jobs out of the way (which if you mess up you can easily re-undercoat and start again without too much loss). Also, if you are in a hurry and choose to finish at stages three or four having the flesh done fully gives extra depth and realism. In this instance I have not painted the hair / beard but you may choose to. You will also notice that I have not painted the eyes, I generally reserve this for commanders, and even then, it can depend on their expression and what the cast is like.

Stage Three. Apply the shade colours.

Decide how you want your figures to look. Practice with the line drawn woodcuts to see what works and remember the basic rule of two to three main colours complemented with one or sometimes two further additional colours. I have found that having at least two areas (such as the chest and arm) in the same colour anchors the figure quite well. Painting each area in a different colour looks gaudy and in most instances just doesn't work. 

Apply your colours from the inside out, as though the figure is being dressed is the best way I can describe it. Start with the shirt then the tights (as per the figure on the left). Move on to the ribbons then the stockings, hosen, jerkin and arms and finally the belt, shoes, hat and plumes. The katzbalger hilt and belt buckle is left black at this stage.

Try to be as neat as you can and leave a black line between each colour and in any folds or creases.

There are a few consistencies that I generally go with which help units have a roughly coherent look;

I always paint the undershirt white at the neck and any areas it shows, in this instance where it is gathered at the waist and where it has been pulled through the jerkin. I usually paint coifs (skullcap hat underneath the cap worn by the figure on the left) light brown, off white and occasionally red. Shoes and katzbalger scabbards I usually go with black. For the cloth hat I usually go with black, red or brown with plumes being white, red, green, yellow or peacock for imperial troops.

Stage Four, Apply the Midtone colours.

Apply the midtones of each colour to the whole figure, being careful to leave creases in the shade colour. For the tights I have applied the midtone in horizontal strokes. At this stage get a sharp scalpel and carefully scratch off the belt and 'paint' the katzbalger with the tip of the blade, being careful to leave some of the black for shade - the figure is metal so why not use it!

For the beard of the figure on the right I have used Deep Brown Leather 48.

Again, you could choose to stop at this stage.

Stage Five, Apply the Highlights.

Apply the highlight colour sparingly to the raised parts of each area being careful not to overlap the previous stages' colour. For the red areas I have then applied a sparing amount of Orange Shade 3A.

Both figures are now ready to have their weapons .

Stage Six, final assembly.

For these figures I have chosen to give one a halberd and the other a pike. The latter is available from a number of manufacturers or you can make one from wire. I use 100mm wire pikes, available from Foundry and Perry miniatures. The proportion of halberd to pike armed troops that I use is 2 for every 6.

Trim off the halberd and file it if necessary. Paint the business end with black ink and allow to dry, then brush the blade using a wire brush (I use an old suede brush).

Remove the figure from the cork and carefully trim off some paint from the inside of the figure's hand, this will give a strong metal to metal bond. Apply a small blob of thick superglue to the palm of the hand and base of the halberd / pike and leave to dry.

These are then undercoated black on the shaft and painted using Spearshaft 13 A-C, leaving a small amount of black showing where the shaft meets the blade and within the hand.

Home   Links & Bibliography    Coloured Woodcuts  Uniforms  Masterclass   Flags