The wolves all painted up very fast. Just layers of dry brushing successively darker colours from stomach to back. I did one pack with grey fur and the other with brown, just mix it up.
I broke my usual routine and painted the riders before gluing them to the wolves because I remember from the first squadron that the riders got in the way of the dry brushing of wolf fur. I also painted the shields separately because I anticipated them being very close to the wolves and being in the way when trying to mount the riders. So they got attached to the riders after mounting.
For bases I used some round steel off cuts from work. I like the round blobs, it makes the wolves more irregular and wolfy than the neatly ranked up 25x50mm rectangles my first squadron is based on. I hope they aren't too thin to be easy to pick up.
Here is a comparison shot with the big, lean, red-eyed and slavering dire wolves:
Of course, now I need to make the wolves and dire wolves different somehow.
But now the Dark Tower has a pretty nice mounted division. I could make an entire 24 point mounted warband for Dragon Rampant! I'm feeling a sudden need to crack on with that 2nd box of Gripping Beast plastic Gothic cavalry I bought and do a little wolf on Rider action!
Nicely done. I think the round shields were the right choice and the bases look great; it does make them look more like hit-and-run light cavalry as opposed to neatly ranked heavy hitters.
ReplyDeleteHow about putting a bigger rock or two and then add some flowers to the dire wolf bases so that they pop a bit more compared to the regular wolf bases?
ReplyDeleteSorry.
DeleteI meant make them different in GAME stats.
Them being bigger black red eyes and only 2 to a base help them stand out.
Lovely work James. Really like the round bases
ReplyDeleteHi James. I know I'm commenting on a very old post, but I knew I'd seen some really nice wolves on your blog and wanted to get some painting inspiration, as I've just acquired a nice big handful of these old Vendel figures via Ebay. I can't quite understand what you mean about drybrushing successively darker colours - are you able to clarify please? Perhaps the question I need to ask is what colour you started with or undercoated with. I habitually undercoat in white, but perhaps something else would be better here. Oh, and I'd already decided, as you did, to paint wolves and riders separately, even though this isn't my usual practice.
ReplyDeleteI prime white.
DeleteRunny burnt umber brown basecoat over everything
Then dry dry brush lightest grey on legs stomach and face
Then mid tone on head shoulders hips back tail
Then darkest tone down middle of head back tail
Some extra attention around face ,might want a dark stripe along top of snout or around eyes etc
Congratulations on the purchase. Best wolf riders around IMO
Really helpful! Thanks very much. And I agree that the figures are great. A shame that (if I'm correct) mounted archers aren't available.
DeleteCorrect, sadly. Mounted archers were never part of the line.
DeleteI've planted the idea with William Hupp though. And he is adding to the line (hobbits, Numenoreans)