Monday, 16 February 2026

Paint What You Got Challenge, Two Weeks to go*

Dave Stone's Paint What You Got Challenge finishes on the 26th of February, so how am I doing?

Well it could be better, a combination of other tasks and obligations (not to mention concert rehearsals) means that I've not had as much time hobbying as I'd like. 

Still, I'm well on with the gnolls for Rangers of Shadow Deep. 

Progress so far
I've finished the first batch of five gnolls, plus another five from the ones I built for Anne's Miniature Assembly Challenge.  I've also finished off the last little bits on the vulture and the campsite bits.

Ten gnolls wearing various colours of faded cloth and carrying a mix of weapons
Ten Gnolls
 
All the minis were painted with Army Painter Speedpaints.  I was looking for fairly washed out colours, old cloth that the Gnoll have stolen or scavenged. I think Speedpaints work rather well for this. 
I prepared the first five with a grey prime, black shade and white drybrush.  For the second batch I primed in light brown, washed with Army Painter Strong Tone and drybrushed with Vallejo Game colour Off White (the campsite was a test of this). I'd hoped it would give a warmer effect, but I'm not convinced there's much difference.  
I've also changed slightly the way I did the metals.  I used VGC Chainmail after the bulk of the Speedpaints were applied, then shaded it with Gravelord Grey.

I might add a few extra details, such as teeth and claws, but they'll do for now. 

Gnoll Archers 
The shooty gnolls. These are armed with bows, but I've a couple more with crossbows to paint. 
The archers showing a wide variety of coloured cloth and some pretty ragged looking equipment
Four gnoll archers
Front view of the archers.  The heads with the mane of darker hair are prominent
Twang
Gnoll Soldiers 
The fighty group.  There's a good variety of miscellaneous weaponry here. I thought about shield designs, but then I see them as crude wooden construction.  Anyway, the gnolls don't care.
As with the archers, they are dressed in various rags.  the colours come out quite bright on the picture, they are duller in real life
The warrior section

Gnoll Sergeants and Recon
Gnoll sergeants use two handed weapons, there are two options on the sprue.  I like the idea of the hood like cloth denoting rank, I just wish I'd thought of it when I built the first sergeant with the axe, but I've kept the red theme in  his eyepatch. 
They are accompanied by their vulture.

Gnoll with two handed sword and one with a great axe.  The vulture is perched on a tombstone
Sergeants and vulture
Rear view.  The red wing tips on the vulture are just visible
I'm pleased to have got these done, but they were, at times, a shore.  Part of the reason is my decision to go multi-coloured on the clothing.  I think I over did this, and I got a bit obsessive in trying to make the different models look as different colour wise as possible.  I'd have been better off choosing three distinct colours and applying them over all the minis.

What's Next?
I've the remaining five gnolls, plus their shaman already started, and three rangers to finish too, one of the Shadow Deep, and two of The North.  I'd like to get some more done, but I think time is going to run away with me.  I wonder if I can claim the Julian Defence again?


* Probably considerably less by the time this gets posted.

2 comments:

  1. The gnolls look great and really benefit from the mix of colours. When painting groups of figures I tend to work in small batches of 3 or 4 figures using similar colours on all in one batch, then a different mix of colours on the next batch. When all are finished and placed in a group they look good.

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  2. Thanks, I'm glad the effect worked. I doubt I'll go for quite as much colour again soon. United Colors of Gnolleton anyone?

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Paint What You Got Challenge, Two Weeks to go*

Dave Stone's Paint What You Got Challenge  finishes on the 26th of February, so how am I doing? Well it could be better, a combination o...