Viking Bust Model Exchange

Yeah, another project.... but this is a bit of a longer term one that I won't start right yet.

Above you can see 2 models.. one from Figone that I am looking to paint up for fun at some point. And the other, the main topic here, from Roberto Chaudon. The piece that me and my good buddy Arne are painting both in competition against each other, and also as a Miniature Exchange!

You can see some of his work on his blog, A Painter's Thoughts, and I also took one of his latest photos to add here also :)

It is really coming along nicely... more so now that he added some age/liver spots on the face using my super secret splatter techniques ( found here for those not getting the sarcasm in that sentence ;) ).

So mine finally arrived from El Greco Miniatures this week, and thus I need to begin to do some research on how I want to paint it up. I will go a different route than Arne as I don't want to be painting the same thing as he is. So where he went quite bright with his colors, I will go more dark in mine.

And where else to find inspiration these days on vikings then the TV show Vikings!!!! And who else to look at then the lead for inspiration on how to paint up this mighty viking warrior bust!

Right away I have ideas for the skin tones, the dotting that will occur, and even ideas on the to paint up the shirt ( which I was originally going to go for in blue/green, but now might consider to do it in leather! ).

I think I can pull some great ideas from the show ( which I am watching currently and loving! ) and can see some good colors and styles happening from it.

With regards to the helmet, though I do not see them as closely in the show as I see them online, I decided to do some searches there.

Most of these are in line to what is on the model ( which is a good thing for Roberto to do for sculpting ) and now have some ideas on how to do that. This will depend on how I paint the rest of the most though, but I can see a 2 tone helmet taking shape like the first or third helms above.

Now it also comes with a massive shield. Arne is looking to do some really fantastic freehands.. to which I say good luck! I think I might go a bit more simpler with it, but again I cannot be sure on that.

Some designs I have seen so far are...

Some very elaborate ones in there, but also some just shape styled ones as well. Or I can try something that I have seen in this shield wall here..

Mostly very simple designs, and battered to all hell. This might be a chance for me to do more of a weathered and battered shield design style. But time will tell.

So expect to see more on this in time.. in the meantime I need to get back to my Salute entries, and this Sci-Fi Bust.. they won't paint themselves you know.. no matter how much you ask them to! :)