Silver Hells

Another check on the Nice List. Santa loves me!

It's the Gaunt Summoner! The toughest model in the set. Santa hates me!

This is almost the last of the Silver Tower set I've painted, not because I don't like the model, but quite the opposite. Painting a Gaunt Summoner is not to be to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly (that bit's important), and in the fear of yet ANOTHER attempt at super-pale skin!

I gathered unto me all the wet-blending, layering and shading skills I have acquired this year, and set to work. Luckily, I'd been tinkering with this model for months, so this Advent challenge was more about booting me in the arse to get on and finish him.

The paint recipe is easy to remember: all of them.

Literally every paint in my collection appears to have found a home in this technicolor monstrosity.

At least the armour was easy: my now-standard gold 'n' turquoise Tzeentch plate. The robes were a mix of wet blending from maroon to purple to blue. The skin was a wash of Drakenhof Nightshade over grey primer, with highlights added by Ulthuan Grey highlights. The loincloth feathers were a mix of washes and wet blending every damn colour of the rainbow

The burning book was quite a nifty effect of Chaos Black stippling around some Averland Sunset, dabbed with Fuegan Orange, then the usual Nihilakh Oxide, White Scar drybrush and Biel Tan Green for the flames.

But to empty my head of this recipe:

• Flesh: Grey primer base, Drakenhof Nightshade wash, Ulthuan Grey layers
• Crown: Retributor Armour base, Reikland Flesh wash, Golden Griffin drybrush, Waystone Green stain
• Armour: Ahriman Blue base, Nuln Oil wash
• Robes: Screamer Pink+Naggaorth Night+Caledor Blue wet blends. Pink Horror+Lothern Blue layer highlights
• Feathers: Averland Sunset base, Biel-Tan Green and Fuegan Oranage stain, Ahriman Blue tips
• Book cover: Stormhost Silver base, Drakenhof Nightshade wash, Khorne Red layer; 
• Book pages: Flayed One Flesh base, Seraphim Sepia wash, Flayed One Flesh drybrush, Warpstone Glow ink 
• Flames: White Scar base, Nihilakh Oxide wash, White Scar drybrush, Biel Tan Green tips
• Staff: Skavenblight Dinge base, Nuln Oil wash
• Staff head: Screamer Pink+Caledor Sky base, Carroburg Crimson+Drakenhof Nightshade wash, Pink Horror+Lothern Blue layer highlights. Ulthuan Grey eyeball, Warpstone Glow pupil.

I think that covers everything. Once I'd conquered my fear, he was quite a fun model to paint. In fact I'd say that about anything from the Silver Tower. Game notwithstanding, it's quite a bargain for getting a whole box of cool stuff to paint.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting him on the tabletop, now that he is building quite the cabal of Tzeentch followers.

But for now ... another roll on the table. It's the Naughty List - but at least there's no pale skin this time!