Off the Workbench: Viking Shield Maidens and Medieval Artillery

Well its the first 'Off the Workbench' submission for quite some time! Currently tied up with the ongoing ECW Campaign, so it has taken quite some time getting these little guys (and girls) completed.

The first batch of figures are 11 x 28mm Shield Maidens that I acquired form eBay, I continue to experiment with Contrast / Speed Paints and feel that I'm gradually understanding how to use these to their best. As with everything they have their good and bad points...

Ultimately I'll be using a mix of traditional and Speed paints moving forwards.

The completed group

The Speed Paints are particularly good for figures with long hair - such as these women, it gives a lovely shaded feel with a single coat.

The sky blue colours on the right most figures are traditional paints with a blue ink
wash for shading. The red undershirt for the figure with an axe is speed paint

I decided to replace the metal shields and spears where possible with plastic ones, sourced from the spares box - likely mostly Gripping Beast items. I also added a helmet to the waist belt of the figure second right, see below

All of these figures completed using speed paints. The skin tones on the figure second right is not great, I used regular Army Painter flesh and then washed with Sepia ink, the results seem much better on the other figures.

Final group of three figures below, includes the unit leader in chainmail and a red (Speed Paint) cloak

All speed painted again!

And now for something slightly different! Medieval Artillery - I forget who the figure manufacturer is but the moulds are nice and crisp.

Both figures were painted using Speed paints - whilst the gun was a mixture of traditional and Speed Paints.

Business end of the gun!

Again figures undercoated white and pretty much painted straight from the Speed Paint pots. Metalics is traditional Vallejo 'Oily Sleel' and then a coat of Army Painter 'Graveyard Grey' speed paint for shading.

A side view to see the detail on the gun carriage.

Overall pleased with e results - its a learning process. Hopefully next post will be three Elizabethan Border Lancers and some Wargames Atlantic Conquistadors - converted for the Anglo-Scots Marian Wars.