Kit-bashing the Rohirrim part 3 Faithful Servant

 

“Faithful servant yet master's bane,
Lightfoot's foal, swift Snowmane"-Carved upon Snowmane’s howe

 

For the Kings mount I picked out one of the Victrix horses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used some greenstuff to extend the saddle cloth

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Victrix Gauls have a rather nice standard

I cut the horns off and cut just below the nostrils to separate the animal head from the lower bit

I shaved the back to make the whole thing thinner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I glued it to the horse’s head with a small plumed feather which I found in my spares box.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I painted him. I started with a pale grey, GW AdmInistratum, washed with a thinned down Nuln Oil, mixed in some Army Painter Stone Golem, then I used just pure Stone Golem, then I mixed white into that and in few, a very few spots, I used pure white. I glazed with a very thin black glaze before the final touch with white.

For the tail, mane and leg feathers I used a similar approach painting up from GW screaming skull adding Valejo Ivory and then increasing amounts of white

 

 

 

 

I wanted this King to stand out on the battle field, none of your subtle mid browns and mild greens for this guy, he was going to be proper medieval.

So for the saddle cloth I mixed the GW Mephiston Red with Jokaero Orange and then blended up through the range creating a bright scarlet

This I glazed with a mix of orange and red inks

 

 

Then I used a cream concoction to paint the edging, washed with sepia ink and highlighted in ivory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I used Rhinox Hide to edge the border and create a pattern of simple curls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the technique I use for creating chain mail. I have to admit I bodged this a bit on the Riders and I had difficulty taking pics with one hand and using the tool with the other one

I rolled a bit of green stuff onto some MDF but of course, you would  mould the green stuff onto the figure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I use a ball headed sculpting tool from Green Stuff World they come in about twenty sizes, the smallest one is best for chain at 28mm

Dip the tool in some cooking oil to stop it sticking

Press in at an angle as shown

 

 

 

 

 

Lift up and move to the right and press in again pushing slightly into the previous dent to create a crescent shape- repeat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you get to the end of the row, turn the piece upside down and working from the left, do the same thing again.

When you get to the end of that row repeat the process -ad infinitum

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The link pattern can be seen forming.

 

It's obviously a lot easier to do this on a flat surface than on a figure

Green Stuff stays workable for about 40-50 minutes so there is plenty of time to push it about and have a fiddle 

 

 I have used different sizes here. 

Takes a bit of practice to get right but probably worth the effort.

Top tips with Green Stuff

Patience really is a virtue. Leave it for at least 20 and preferably 30 minutes before you attempt to sculpt it 

Use a drop of vegetable oil on a paint lid or similar and dip your tool evry now and then

 

 

 

 

 

 A Kings Rider, the Royal guard. As the only standing unit in the army, I thought they deserved a uniform. The leathers under the mail are dark red brown.

They have pale, sage green tunics and bright apple green cloaks

They all have dark green lace trim at the cuffs inlaid with pale grey, each has a different pattern

They all have white horse-hair crests. This magnificent braided beard is partly his own but does have extensions.

I use superglue to stick my figures to a piece of sprue for painting it allows access all areas

 

 

 I am going to use different coloured crests for different units, they will all be of undyed horse hair so I can only differentiate so many units

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have used grey for the Outriders; White for the Guard I will use black for these Riders.

They will be Eomer’s Eored 

 I can’t find anywhere in any of the novels where it says the Rohirrim all wore green so my guys have various colours as befits an Army of irregulars, only mustered at times of war.

The ordinary riders have clothing died with many different colours. I am going with an Anglo-Saxon type culture here, using plant-based dyes, so natural, earthy colours and following the Professor’s advice I am using images from the Bayeux Tapestry to inform my palette

Again, they have decorative lace trim at the cuffs

 

 

 "Fey he seemed, or the battle-fury of his fathers ran like new fire in his veins, and he was borne up on Snowmane like a god of old, even as Oromë the Great in the battle of the Valar when the world was young. His golden shield was uncovered, and lo! it shone like an image of the sun..."   Book 5, Ch 5, The Ride of the Rohirrim, RoTK, LOTR

 

Although it shone like an image of the sun, I don’t think we are being told it WAS an image of the sun so I did a horse.

I don’t think a Golden shield would have been very practical or useful, so again I think we are not being told that it was made of gold but appeared golden

 

So I made it appear golden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like to freehand my shields, that way they can always be original. This was an intricate design taken from an on-line image of a tattoo

When I see it in this close up image, I can see many faults, but it looks ok to the naked eye, especially when on the table

Next blog the Rohirrim Ride Out!