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Reading article 'Mithrandir - by Olofér'
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Olofer
Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:55 pm
Mithrandir - by Olofér
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| Mithrandir - by Olofér |
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| Introduction |
“Many are my names in different countries.”
Mithrandir, Olórin, Tharkun, Incánus, Gandalf. A maia of Manwë.
The mysterious background and appearance of Gandalf can be written in many pages. He is one of the main factors that make the story about the ring so magic, a wizard of old.
This is my favourite character from Lord of The Rings, and there is one miniature that has captured the spirit of Gandalf more than any other. It’s the one that came with the fellowship boxed set, and I have finally re-painted it and finally got pleased with one of the best miniatures ever made in the LOTR range.
Start with painting the entire model black.
| | Step 1 – The Face |
Of the little that is showing of Gandalf face, there are many lines (It’s an old wizard we are talking about here!). Start with painting the entire face brown with a mix of elf flesh and scorched brown. Then paint with elf flesh and try to shade as much as you can, the use of flesh wash can help you with this! What you have to remember is those pouches under the eyes. For you that have made the mistake to think that these were the actual eyes, they are not! If you paint these as eyes, Gandalf will look like a cartoon character.
To make Gandalf peer is an advantage here, it gives the feeling of an old man. If you look at the Gandalf in the movies, he is often actually peering a bit.
| | Step 2 – The Beard |
I have to admit it, this beard is a pain to paint good. I hate working with white.
First paint it with a mix of grown and grey. Then paint the white in different nuances. Leave some lines here and there to represent the different layers of the beard. It’s hard, but try not to make it look sloppy. You have to stay very accurate and not rush. Take your time.
| | Step 3 – The Hat |
Paint the hat with a mix of grey and blue, and you will get the right feeling. It’s important that the hat doesn’t end up having the same colour as the robes. Make it more blue than the clothing. Try to make it darker at the fold where the “screen” meets the pointing of the hat.
| | Step 4 – The Clothing |
There are many folds in Gandalf’s clothing. Try to shade and highlight as much as you can manage. It doesn’t have to be everywhere. Paint with a mix of grey and blue here to, but more grey than with the hat.
| | Step 5 – The Staff |
First paint the staff with scorched brown, but leave some black lines in the hollows. Mix scorched brown with white and highlight, or use a lighter brown. I mixed in some flesh wash to get a better brown, just white and scorched brown makes a strange colour. (I ran out of other browns!)
| | Step 6 – The Sword |
Ok, Here I used a pretty cool technique. First paint it with chainmail and mithril silver the way you want it. Then, add some lighter lines on the blade to represent shining. If you succeed it will look pretty good, it gives the sword more contrast. Not just pale metal.
| | Gandalf Unleashed |
Once you have painted a model like Gandalf more detailed, they will get funnier to play with. Suddenly you try to get something more out of it than just killing as much as possible, you want him to succeed and to live. After all, you have spent time in painting him!
It’s a really fun character to use in a game, with all the spells and special rules. Unleash the magic within Mithrandir and experience the world of Tolkien!
/Kristoffer Olofsson
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