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In God we trust.
Introduction
 To me Verlinden Production kits have always been of the highest quality when it comes to moulding resin figures. Unfortunately they often offer figures in a very static pose, which I’m not to keen on. This offering is really completely the opposite and the exception on the rule. It’s very dynamic, full of movement, it tells a story on it’s own. Add to this the usual detailed moulding from Verlinden Productions and you know you are in for a treat. So when the editor offered me to paint this kit for an article at last Euro Militaire, I couldn’t wait to get started (thanks again Ken). Unfortunately I had some unfinished business so it had to sit in my cupboard for a couple of months, but I finally got around to painting it.
 The kit come in the, now well-known, typical Verlinden camouflaged cardboard box. Everything is packed is sealed plastic bags and is protected with foam against the rough handling during transportation. You also get a coloured photograph of a completed kit, and that’s it as far as painting instructions go. Now, this subject leaves you quite free when it comes to colour schemes, but some instructions would be welcome, especially for the beginning modeller. All pieces were removed from their carriers by a small circular saw in my Dremel motortool, using it at low speed. When doing this a lot of dust come free, which is toxic. So always put on a facemask. The parts were the further cleaned up using a various Swann & Morton knives, files, steel wool and sanding paper. I always like to glue as much as possible, and so I did also with this model. The running monk was assembled completely, using lengths of paperclips to pin the pieces together, which add some extra strength.  The Viking was build completely minus the shield and the blade of the sword. I had glued the scabbard on, but this was knock of 5 times in the first three minutes or so, and was then painted separately also. The right arm of the wounded monk was left of till the groundwork was finished. The Celtic cross had a hole drilled in its base and gut on a pinvice. I previously had drilled the four holes and textured the inside with the Dremel tool. Both the running monks as the Viking received a piece of paperclip in the foot touching the ground. These were now glued on there temporarily bases, and were washed in warm soapy water, after which they were rinsed thoroughly.
The Viking
 I decide to start with this figure as I thought it would be the hardest one to paint. I had only once painted some heraldry, without much of a success. I therefor was a bit frightened to paint the large shield. I started by looking through some magazines for inspiration for a design to go on the shield. It was eventually found on the Andrea’s Viking longship. The shield was attached to the top of an empty bottle of Andrea paint. For this I used some bluetack. I first painted the shield Andrea Flat White (AC06). When dry I drew the design on with a soft sharp pencil. Then came the yellow, which was a mix of Flat Yellow (AC 07 ) and Ochre (AC 15). When dry this was drybrushed with pure Flat Yellow (AC07) and later with Flat Yellow with Flat White (AC06) added. Shadows were added using Ochre Yellow (W&N). Next came the red designs. I mixed some Flat Red (AC12) with some Dark Brown (AC17). The highlights were drybrushed using pure Flat Red adding more Flat Yellow (AC 07) with every pass. The basic black was a mix of Flat Black (AC27), Light Flesh (AC09) and Flat White (AC06). Shading was done with LampBlack while a bit Light Flesh and Flat White were added for the highlighting. Some dents were painted on with pure LampBlack. Next came the metallic parts. These were all basecoated in Flat Black. When dry a coat of Gunze’s Mr Metallizer Dark Iron (n°214) was painted on. This was then left to dry for about half an hour after which it was buffed with a soft cloth to obtain a natural sheen. Shading was done with diluted lamp black, highlighting with a Silver pencil. All that was left to do now was to paint the inside of the shield. This was first painted Wood (AC41), after which a layer of Brown Ochre Dark (Old Holland) was applied. All excess was taken off with a broad flat dry brush. Shadows were painted Sepia (Rembrandt) and the highlights were done in Brownish Grey n°1 (Mussini). When dry the dark shadows was repainted with a mix of Sepia and Blue Black (W&N), While the highest highlights were painted Titanium White (W&N).
 Now for the figure itself. Normally I like to start with the flesh tones, except when there are a lot of metallic parts. As this was the case with this figure I started by painting his helmet and scalemail. The helmet and the blade of the sword were painted in pure Flat Black, for the scalemail shirt I added some Basic Red to the black to make it look a bit warmer. The helmet was then painted as the metallic parts on the shield only this time using Model Masters Burnt Metal. For the blade of the shield I used Model Masters Stainless Steel. The chainmail was first given a drybrush with Oily Steel (VA865) and later with Citadels Boltgun Armour. Really high highlights were picked out with the Karismacolour pencil. The shadows were painted with lightly diluted Blue Black (W&N); dark shadows with LampBlack (W&N). When completely dry I added some spot washes with Indian Red (W&N, Green Umber (OH), Paynes Grey (W&N) and Burnt Umber (W&N). This was done to represent various forms of wear and tear and stains, etc... All bronze parts were first painted Bronze Green (VA897). When dry this is overpainted with Bronze (VA998). Shading is done with Green Umber, highlighting with the Karismapencil.
 Moving on to the fun part of painting figures: painting the flesh parts. This figure is a bit of a letdown when it comes to expression on the face I believe. If you look at it, it doesn’t show any emotion at all and it is almost like he’s running there but doesn’t now why exactly. I painted all flesh areas in my standard basecolour for flesh, being Humbrol Pale Stone (HU n°124). When this was dry I mixed a basic colour using the following oilpaints: Titanium White (OH) + Mars Orange Red (OH) + Alizarin Crimson (W&N) + Cadmium Yellow (W&N) = Cerulean Blue (W&N). Since I wanted the Viking to look paler than my normal skin colour; after all he comes from the cold nord, I used more Titanium White than normally in my mix. This mix was applied as even and thin as possible. After it had be on for about 5 minutes I took a broad, flat, dry brush and wiped all the excess off. I now could start to really paint the face using the well-known wet-on-wet technique. I started by placing little dots of Indian Red (W&N) on the ear lobe, the hollow of the cheeks, under the lower eyelid and on the tip of the nose. This was carefully blended in the still fresh basic oilmix using a clean dry brush. Next the shadows were painted using the same method; Mars Brown (OH) was used for the shadow while a mix of Madder Brown (W&N) + Madder Purple Alizarin (W&N)+ Cerulean Blue (W&N) was used for the deep shadows. For the highlights I took some of the basic flesh colour, added some Titanium White and Cadmium Yellow and applied it in the same manner as I did the shadows, only now on the parts that catch the most light. Some more Titanium White was added and this was then used in turn to simulate the highest highlights. The figure was now set aside to dry for at least 48 hours.  I now repainted the darkest shadows using Madder Brown + Madder Purple Alizarin + Indigo (Rembrandt) and blended these well into the already dried paint. The same was done for the highest highlights only this time I used pure Titanium White.Again it was set aside to dry. The really darkest shadow was now glazed with a mix of Madder Brown + Madder Purple Alizarin + Blue Black, while the highest highlights were glazed using Flake White (W&N).
The fun with painting Vikings is that you are free to choose the colours of the garment, as long as it stays within reason. I have seen examples where orange, purple and yellow was used and which turned out to be real masterpieces. As I’ve never painted a purple item before I decide to have a go with the shirt. Before I actually started painted I had mixed a few colours in my head. Everybody knows that purple is blue mixed with red but allot of different tint can be obtained using different values of blue and/or red. I started by painting on two or three well-diluted coats of Purple (AC14). I next mixed Alizarin Crimson (W&N) + Cadmium Red (W&N) + Cerulean Blue Hue + Kings Blue Deep (OH). It also came to my attention that how more oilcolours you mix the greater the change that they will dry flat. Pure coincidence or is there a theory behind this? I will be thankfully if anyone can help me out on this one. Back to the Viking where the shadowparts of the shirt were painted Indigo and the deep shadows Blue Black. Naples Yellow was used to highlights while a mix of Titanium White + Cadmium Yellow was used for the extreme highlights. After drying the deep shadows were repainted LampBlack, while Titanium White was used for the highest highlights. I now painted the border with design on, and this was only shadowed and highlighted wile glazing the rest of the shirt. Therefor I used LampBlack and Flake White respectively.
The trousers were decided to paint in an, for me, even more challenging design. In the past I haven’t painted many, if any, clothing that’s stripped or has a design on it. I felt though that now was the right time to start practising, and I feel that for a first time the result isn’t too bad. Then again my parents always told me that I was too easily pleased with a result... Here how I went about: I first basecoated the entire pants with a mixture of Japanese Khaki (AC04) + Light Flesh (AC09). The base colour of oilpaints was a mixture of Mars Yellow (OH) + Flesh Tint (W&N). By adding the flesh colours to the basemix one can give a really faded look to clothing. Italian Earth (OH) was used to shade, while Brown Ochre Deep (OH) was used for the dark shadows. For highlighting I used Naples Yellow, Titanium White + Flesh Tint was used for the highest highlight. This colour was now left to dry completely. Next the green stripes were painted on. I used Olive Green (AC03) + Dark Green (VA979) + again some Flesh Tint. This was painted on freehand in two thin layers. The oil paint mix was Indigo + Cadmium Yellow + Naples Yellow. Shading was done with Raw Umber (W&N), dark shading with Green Umber. Naples Yellow was used for the highlights while a mix of Titanium White + a dab of Flesh Tint served as high highlight. Once again, the figure was put aside so the trousers could dry completely. The following steps were applied to the complete pants, the yellow and the green parts. It is very important that both colours are fully dry so the colours can’t intermix with eachother. The dark shadow were repainted with Sepia and completely blended in, while the same was done for the highest highlights only this time using Brownish Grey N°1 (Mussini). Sepia was mixed with some Blue Black and applied as a glaze to the darkest shadows. The same technique was used for the extreme highlights, but Flake White was used. The bindings around the legs were painted an off white colour, using a mix of Titanium White and Raw Umber. The same Raw Umber was used to shade while Sepia was used for the dark shadows. Pure Titanium White was used to highlight. When dry I painted on a design with a mixture of Cadmium red and Alizarin Crimson. Once this was fully dry, I once again used the glazing technique to shade and highlight further. Sepia mixed with Blue Black was used for the shadows; Titanium White mixed with Flat White (HU34) for the highlights. All leather items were painted with various browns and in various combinations that it would make up an article on it own just to paint leather. Maybe, if the editor allows it, I will deal with this particular aspect of our hobby on some latter date. Just for now I would like to add that both Burnt Umber (W&N) and Mars Brown (OH) are among my favourite colours to depict leather items.
 For the fleeing priest I found it very important that one could read the emotions from his face. He should look really like he’s running for his life, but since he’s not used to such an effort one should be able to see this on his face too. The most important part to show the panic would be his eyes. I painted them in the corner of his eyes as if he was looking to something or someone who could come to the rescue at the very last moment. To show the exhaustion I painted the face to a purpler tint and painted on some sweat with gloss varnish. The flesh parts were painted just the same as for the Viking except that I substituted the Cerulean Blue with Indigo in both the basic oilpaint mix and in all the shadowmixes. I also painted some gloss varnish in the inside of the mouth to represent some spittle. The cowl was first painted with a mixture of Chocolate Brown (VA872) + Khaki (VA988) + Flat White (AC06). For a basic oilcolour I mixed some Brown Ochre Deep (OH) + Old Holland Ochre (OH) + Brownish Grey N°1 + Sepia, till I got a brown colour I was more or less happy with. Again this was applied as thinly as possible and all excess was swept of with a wide broad, dry brush. Shading was done with Brown Ochre Deep, while deep shading was done with Sepia. Brownish Grey N°1 was used to highlight while Naples Yellow was used for the highest highlights. Once dry I repainted the darkest shadows using Sepia and Brownish Grey N°1 was used for the highest highlights. Sepia mixed with Blue Black was used to glaze the shadows while Flake White was used for the highlights. The rope to hole the cowl together was painted HU 187. When dry it was given a wash with Raw Umber. Highlights were drybrush using the basecolour. Dark shadows were painted in using Sepia, while Flake White was used for the highlights. The left foot, which locates also to the base, is a separate casting. Although I had pinned the foot to the figure using a paperclip, the foot broke off three times. The paperclip had taken a good deal of the leg with him, which meant I would have to resculpt and repaint the leg still having the risk that it would break yet a fourth time. Instead I glued the foot, with the pin, in place again and roughly resculpted the part using Magic Sculpt. When dry I made a bandage using the wrapping of my Swan & Morton blades and painted this white. I really wish manufacters would give more thought of the breakdown of parts when designing a figure. This is really the most idiotic way to cast a figure and I’m truly scared to take the vignette to a clubmeeting or a show as the figure is bound to break yet several times. Wasn’t the boss of this particular brand a modeller himself?
The wounded priest was painted the same way, except for some detail, which I will describe now. Green Umber replaced the Indigo in the flesh mix. This was you obtain a flesh colour which is better suited for an ageing person. I decided not to go for one huge wound, instead painting some smaller ones. It is nowhere stated that this priest should be dead, he’s just fallen to the ground. I painted some blood coming from his nose and several others smaller bruises and scratches.  Wherefore I used Indian Red and Blood Red. I think it’s better to use a reddish colour then a real stark red colour as this would lent to a comic effect rather than being realistic. When all flesh colours was done I glued the right arm in place. There was quite a big gap to fill between the arm and the body and I used Magic Sculpt for this. As long as this is still fresh you can easily model the needed form with a wet brush and you will not have to sand when dry. The cowl was then painted as for the other priest, only this time I added some Red Umber (OH) to the basic mix and all shadow colours. This gives a more warm and richer tone to the colour.
The groundwork
 Although I describe the painting of the groundwork separately, in reality it was done while I had to wait for the figures to dry. I started by cleaning up the groundwork itself and the stone cross. The four holes in the cross were moulded solid, so out came the Dremel tool and I drilled the holes hollow. A pin was glued in the base to receive the cross and these were then painted separately. I started by painting the cross and its base a very dark grey colour. It then was first drybrushed with a mediumgrey. When this was dry all details were outlined using slightly diluted Bleu Black. Once dry I further drybrushed ,lightning the colour with each pass. I didn’t only used white to lighten the colour but also yellow and khaki. Final drybrush was done with pure khaki and khaki lightened with white. I also painted some streaks of green and redbrown to add some interest to an otherwise dull piece of stone.
 The tiles were painted with a mix of Khaki + Japanese Khaki + a touch of Flat Black. Then the tiles were painted with a dilution of the following colours: Green Umber, Paynes Grey, Red Umber, Burnt Umber and Raw Umber. This way all the tiles have the same colour but with a different tint to it. All shadows were then painted with diluted Sepia and after letting this dry I started the drybrushing. For this I used the Japanese Khaki, later highlighted with Khaki and White.
The pieces of perchament were first painted a dirty off-white colour, and later drybrushed with pure white. Spot washes with Raw Umber and Sepia were added to make them look old. Intently I was going to scan and print the pages included in the Name of the rose kit by Andrea. I found that the casted pages should be painted too just in case the printed ones came loose, something had to show underneath. The letters were painted using diluted Sepia and Blue Black. For the icons I used various oilcolours applied in dots which I hope form some kind of a painting. In the end I was so pleased with the result, yeah okay it’s easy to please me, that I didn’t add the copied pages. I also find that this helps to personalise the kit.
 For the sand I used a type of paint I never used before. I was while visiting a shopping centre that I saw at an art suppliesshop which was selling all its products with a big discount. They had a range of acrylic paint called Folkart. Butter Pecan (EU939) was used to paint all the sand area. After it had dried it received a coat of diluted Burnt Umber. Drybrushing was done with Clay Bisque (EU601), lightened with Flat White for later passes of drybrushing. The grass didn’t seem like grass to me at all. So, after painting it with Dark Green + Flat Black I glued on some static grass with white glue. This was once again painted Dark Green + Flat Black. When dry I started to drybrush with pure Dark Green. Olive Green (AC03) and Flat Yellow were added to lighten the grass even more. During a walk with the dog’s trough the forest I noticed a piece of rock covered with moss. The next day I returned with a plastic bag and took all the moss of the rock. I’ve read somewhere that it’s important that no sunlight can reach the moss while drying, so I stored it inside a cupboard and until now the moss stayed green; I pray every night that this may stay so. The moss, together with other small dried plants, were glued over the grass with white glue.  The sides of the vignette were now painted Flat black and everything was checked a last time to make sure I hadn’t forgot to paint anything or that no bare resin was visible anymore.
The underside of the vignette was scored, as was the base. The vignette was glued in place using 5-minute epoxyglue. Once dry I drilled holes trough the resin of the vignette and into the wood to accept the paperclips, which were already glued to the Viking and the running monk. These were glued in place using the same 5-minute epoxy glue.
Conclusion
 This is a very good kit both for the beginning as the more advanced modeller, and in fact you make the painting as complicated as you wish. If the Viking was a bit more animated and if some more thought had gone into the casting of the running monk it would have been a perfect kit. It still is one of the better products offered by Verlinden Productions and it gets full marks for originality. I hope to see more of these in the future! ! !
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