This particular project came about due to a reaction between a rattle can primer and a Reaper Bones model. I’ve done this before without issues, but with this model, it caused the dreaded tackiness. Listening to other hobbyists, I was surprised to hear some people discard said model, something I did not desire to do. Therefore, I decided to try a few things to save the model.

First off, I relegated the model to a terrain piece. In case the model remained tacky after painting or becomes tacky later. The planning of the model began mentally. What would it be? Obviously a statue. Stone? No in my mind the statue was metal – specifically iron. Then I started going through my bits box to see what I could add to this project.

While searching through said bits box, I found a few items that piqued my interest. The first was a placard with a skull hanging from it. Fits the the idea I have. The next bit consisted of an Elven Shield from GW’s Dragon Princes of Caledor set (specifically the dragon rider one). After that, I found two critters to add to the scene – a miniature snail and a toad. So with an idea mostly in place, I began the second step.

The second step to saving this model consisted in the first layer of paint I applied to the miniature. I chose a craft paint. Craft paints are thicker in consistency on average than paints designed for miniatures. The idea being the craft paints can reduce the chance of the model becoming tacky again. So far that’s been the case but only time will tell.

Below is the list of paints I used:

1. Cream Coat Acrylic
   1. Brown Iron Oxide
2. Citadel paints
   1. Agrax Earthshade
   2. Fuegan Orange
   3. Nuln Oil
   4. Druchii Violet
   5. Seraphim Sepia
   6. Carroburg Crimson
   7. Ryza Rust
   8. Stirland Mud
   9. Spiritstone Red
3. Army Painter
   1. Gun Metal
   2. Lava Orange
   3. Snake Scale Green
   4. Troll Claws yellow
   5. Daemonic Yellow
   6. Deep Blue
   7. Ultramarine Blue
   8. Ashlands Grey
   9. Starship Exterior
   10. Necromancer Cloak
   11. Matte White
   12. Matte Black
   13. Banshee Brown
   14. Oak Brown
   15. Werewolf fur
   16. Kobold Skin
   17. Greedy Gold
   18. Bright Gold
   19. Skeleton Bone
4. Vallejo
   1. Squid Pink

Whew that’s a lot of paints for a simple project! However, the scene has multiple aspects to it, and complexity of some of the parts. But it will all be worth it. So moving on to the next part of the build – the painting.

To start off, I applied the Brown Iron oxide to the entire model. Not just once but twice to give excellent cover. After that dried, I dry brushed the Gun Metal to 85% of the model. However, I did this lightly to get spotty coverage. Next I applied Agrax Earthshade to the model with a liberal application on the undersides of the shield, arms, legs and deep recesses. After 45 minutes passed, I spot applied the Fuegan Orange shade.

At this point I looked at the model and decided it needed a bit more corrosion. So I thinned down the Lava Orange with a 1 to 3 ration of paint and water. I then applied this into areas not covered by the Fuegan wash. Along with that I diluted Snake Scale green in the same ratio to simulate algae/lichen on the statue. One last final touch – I added Ryza Rust to various spots for some added color/texture. I attached the model to the base with super glue, applied Stirland mud all around it and while the texture paint was still wet sprinkled on some Black Battleground from Army Painters.

Now on to the other parts of the scene. I started out by working on snail, the smallest of the items. I painted the shell with Banshee Brown, following up with Ashlands Grey for the snail itself. Next, I shaded the shell with Seraphim sepia and the snail with Nuln Oil. After that dried, I reapplied the base colors to the shell and the snail. I lightened the Banshee Brown with white and painted alternating strips. For the snail body, I used Starship exterior to highlight it. Then using Necromancer Grey, I dotted the eyes. I glued the snail to the shield and created a trail leading up to it. After that I glued some dirt flocking to various spots on the statue.

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Next was the placard. The paper on it was painted with Kolbold Skin to simulate parchment. Using Oak Brown, I started on the wooden placard and pole. Using the Snake Scale Green I hit the sculpted blades of grass and painted the branch near the pole with Ashlands Grey. The rope holding the skull got Banshee Brown, and Skeleton Bone for the skull itself. The worked wood got Nuln oil wash and I diluted the Nuln oil with a 1:1 ratio of Lahmain Medium to shade the branch. The parchment I shaded with Seraphim Sepia. The rope and skull received Agrax Earthshade.

Once the shades dried, I went through and reapplied all the base tones detailed in the first step. Allowing some of the shade to remain in the recesses. I then highlighted the worked wood by mixing Oak Brown with Werewolf Fur in a 1:1 ratio. I then highlighted it gain with a 1:2 ratio. The parchment was highlighted by adding white to the Kobold skin in a 1:4 ratio. Then again in a 1:3 ratio. Using Matte Black, I wrote “In Honor of Mog” and some wavy lines after words. I also used black for the tacks. The rope was highlighted using the same idea as the snail shell above but with thicker areas.

For the skull, I mixed the Skeleton Bone with white in a 2:1 ratio which went on 60 percent of it. Then I applied another highlight but increased the ratio to 1:1. After that, I did a few spot highlights of pure white. For the grass I did one highlight of Snake Scale Green with Matte White in a 1:1 ratio. The bush branch, I mixed one part Ashlanders Grey with one part Starship Exterior and hit the upper portions of the branches. I then glued this to the base.

I started the Elven shield by painting the dragon motifs with Greedy Gold, and the remaining front portion of the shield with Starship Exterior. The wooden back portion I once again used Oak Brown. The tooth sticking out of the top portion I hit with Skeleton Bone. After that, I mixed Necromancer Cloak with Ashlands Grey to get a medium toned grey to paint the large gemstone. Then I mixed in more Ashlands Grey to paint in the highlights. Next I shaded the Greedy Gold with Seraphim Sepia at a few chosen spots and the back with Nuln Oil.

After those dried, I applied Bright Gold to several raised regions of the dragon Motifs. For the remaining areas of the front portion of the shield I mixed white with the Starship Exterior and applied to smaller areas. I did this in a 1:2 ratio and a 1:1 ratio. For the tooth, I mixed the Skeleton Bone with white in a 1:1 ratio and applied a highlight, followed up by a pure Matte White highlight. For the gem I brushed on a layer of layer of Citadel’s Spiritstone Red. Once dried, I glued it the right side of the statue.

The final piece was the toad. Overall, the scene consisted of several dark colors, so it needed something brighter. I went with blues and yellows for this toad added with a spot of pink. I started off by painting the upper part of the body and the legs of the toad with Deep Blue. Then I painted the lower portion with Trollclaws Yellow.

After that dried, I applied a wash of Druchii Violet to the upper portion and Seraphim Sepia to the lower portion. As that dried I realized I forgot to apply paint to the toad’s tongue. So I quickly painted it with the Squid Pink and the bumps on his back as well. I used Carroburg Crimson to the tongue about ten minutes after painting the tongue. Once completely dry, I went and brought the base colors to most of the areas. For the back I highlighted it by mixing Deep Blue and Ultramarine blue in a 1:1 ratio. Then followed that with a highlight of pure Ultramarine blue.

The belly and underside of the mouth was highlighted with a 1:1 ratio of Trollclaws Yellow and Daemonic Yellow. A further highlight was done in a 1:2 ration to prominent areas. On the back pink dots I applied Daemonic Yellow to make them pop out. The tongue was left with just a touch up of the base color. The eyes I painted in with Matte Black. Once this was all dry I glued the toad in place.

Despite being done with painting, I still had things to add to the model. I attached Woodland Scenics foliage to the bush attached to the placard. I glued more of this to the base as small bushes and glued tufts of gamer grass to fill in the gaps. Finally it all came together and in my opinion looks great!

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He read the placard, “In Honor of Mog”. The adventurer smiled slightly and chuckled under his breath. Before him was a massive iron statue – weathered with life creeping in all around it. The face was Mog’s but slightly more appealing, and also wearing plate armor vs the leather he normally wore in the years they traveled together. In one hand, a sword and in the other, a massive shield made from what appeared to be a Dwarven door. Amusing, since Mog usually bashed things in with his maul gripped tightly in both hands.

Men have a funny way of changing what really happened to fit their world view, he thought. His eyes could see clearly in the forest shadow and his ears were picking up faint sounds of the village awakening. Setting to work, he placed his shield next the statue.

“My promise fulfilled even if slightly late old friend”. He began the incantation he designed after hearing of Mog’s demise. From then on, whenever someone came to the statue, a quiet voice would say “If one is worthy of Mog’s legacy, let him take my shield.”

None have succeeded. When they try, the statue disappears for an indeterminable length of time. Sometimes days, and other times years. The villagers began to notice something else – while the statue was present the animals in the region seemed healthier and more abundant. The townsfolk started a rumor, claiming it was cursed to keep people from trying to take the shield. If an adventurer does try to take it and the statue disappears, the townsfolk send adventurers to their priests to remove the curse (and relieve them of some gold), lest their misfortune grow.