A Warhammer Bestiary: Giant

A Warhammer Bestiary is my attempt at painting a model for every race described in the Third Edition rulebook. So, with the return of natural light and some progression towards actually having a 'weekend' I have decided to carry on with my challenge. If you haven't already done so, you may well want to click the link further up this paragraph to have a look at what I have covered so far. If you cannot be bothered to do so, then let me give you the short story.

So far, I have painted a model to represent everything in the 'Intelligent Races' section of the Bestiary. The model I am sharing today, a classic 1987 Citadel giant, is the first model in the 'Giant Races' section of the rulebook.

And what a model it is. 

Firstly, I need to thank The Citadel Collector, Steve Casey, for this model, as he was kind enough to pass him over to me for this project. So thanks again, Steve - my you find your Nuln Spearman one day!

Secondly, I hated this miniature. Utterly. I can remember reviewing the range some time back for my Acceptable in the '80s series. Let's see if we can find a link to that... 

Here's what I said about this model at the time:

"I just cannot stand the model of Bottle Snottle! Its the really, really crap hand, massively out of proportion to the rest of his body, that puts me right off. He looks like he has spent a long, long time in prison with a giant stack of 'magazines of gentleman's interest' and little else to pass his time. The fact that his weapon, a rather fetching stone headed club,  seems rather incongruous to the rest of the model cements the fact that this model is always going to be passed over in my collection."

I can honestly say that my opinion has changed of the sculpt. Though only after some extensive bending and shifting on my part (the model, not me) and some careful placing of his gigantic bone (careful, Chico). The hand that troubled me so much for being a little 'hello sailor' looks much better in its new position and the tilted weapon helps create a sense that this model is self contained upon the base. The example painted up on the original ad (follow the link above if you want to have a look at it) has the weapon dangling down onto the table surface itself. It looks awful like that.

Since writing about the release of these lanky lads, I have heard a tale or two from several ex-Citadel lunatics. Apparently, and this is a BIG apparently, the head of my model was based on Bob Naismith (he of plastic Space Marine fame) and the body, beer gut and all - was inspired by the Goblinmaster, Kev Adams. Now the sculptor of this giant is Nick Bibby, an artist with a reputation of capturing the unwary (often company directors!) in miniature form. 

So who knows - it could be true! The story goes on to recount that neither of the respected sculptors previously mentioned were particularly thrilled with their immortalisation in lead. Perhaps it was 'that hand'?

But this scruffy chap just goes to show that opinions can most certainly change - even about the models you think you totally loathe. Just wait and see... You might see Nagash pop up painted on this blog one day!

Or maybe not. 

So how did I paint him? Well, with paints actually. Though I used quite a range of manufacturers, utilitising modern Citadel Colour, Old Citadel Colour, Coat d'Arms, Army Painter, Windsor and Newton Inks, Citadel Inks and Foundry paints too. The model has stood at the half way stage since last year and only really took of after I had painted up loads of little models. I wanted something different to do.

I started with the flesh like I always do and just continued with the technique I have developed to handle skin. Start with a white undercoat, base with a flesh colour/brown mix and highlight up from there. I used very dark W&S ink to create the shadows in the joins around clothes and equipment. I was particularly pleased with the ginger hair. I used brown and orange mixed together to create the base and highlighted up with orange and yellow straight out of the pot - which is something I don't usually do. But the result was suitably eyepopping and helped me move away from the rather washed out gingers I have recently painted as the highlighters were created by adding Bleached Bone to the mix each time. 

The bone club weapon thing was very straight forwards. I used Foundry's Bone Triad over a Bleached Bone/Brown ink wash base. Quick, simple and effective. Try out some Foundry paint as soon as you get the chance if you haven't yet. The underarm barrel was also fairly simple - with a brown basecoat, brown ink wash and a Bleached Bone drybrush over the top. I painted the metallic rims, washed them in black and then highlighted them back up again. 

The trousers were more adventurous as I tried to develop my tartan painting in light of my McDeath style models. I think the finished result - though difficult to see in the photographs above - is much better than the approach I took with my recent clansmen. The rest of the giant's equipment was very straight forwards, and I used the classic formula of base, wash and highlight for each. I opted to go for quite bright pouches dangling from the belt as a nod to the E Number-like colour schemes of yesteryear. 

So to conclude, I am very pleased with the result. And working on a model of this size after so long was a real challenge. Next, Treemen...