Stonehaven Dwarven Brewmaster: Have A Drink on Me...

So after all this talk about cask ale vs keg beer, it was time to paint a character who was clearly a brewer.

The very awesome Stonehaven Minis had a figure so well-suited, he became the character basis for the next Pathfinder game I played. Meet the Dwaren Brewmaster.  Have cask will travel...

So I'm still curious what the tool on his back not sure what it is but I think this is it. I'm going to call it a "brewing ladle" for now.

Brewmaster Color Scheme

• Kegs - as per other post 
• Skin - Reaper Tanned Skin palette for skin, with a little Reaper HD Sunburt Skin wash.
• Apron - Base: FolkArt Butter Pecan, Shadow (Wash): FolkArt Walnut Brown, Highlights: FolkArt Linen 
• Cuffs - Base: Vallejo Heavy Goldenbrown, Highlight: FolkArt Ochre Yellow
• Shirt - Reaper Military Grey and Reaper Misty Grey for raised cuff
• String Belt and Bands - Antique White
• Pants - FolkArt Cafe Latte, dark brown wash (FolkArt Walnut Grey)
• Shoes - Reaper Dusky Skin Highlight on tips and ankle, Reaper Dark Skin for mid foot, dark brown wash (FolkArt Walnut Grey)
• Hair - originally going to do dark tones - but decided on Reaper Ash Grey, Cloudy Grey, and Misty Grey
• Brewing Ladle - FolkArt Butter Pecan with dark brown wash

Beer Mug Color Scheme - all Heavy Glazes

• Handle - Reaper Ghoul Skin and FolkArt Butter Pecan
• Mug Edges - Reaper HD Tusk Ivory and Folk Art Sunflower
• Mug Face, Bottom - Folk Art Ochre Yellow, washed over with Reaper Golden Brown
• Mug Face, Middle - Reaper Golden Brown
• Mug Face, Top - Reaper Dark Skin
• Bubbles in Glass - Reaper Maiden Flesh
• Foam - Reaper Maiden Flesh and Reaper Stark Naked, wash of Folk Art Sunflower, then Reaper Golden Brown / Dark Skin

Nice thing about the mini is he has a raised surface for the pupil of the left eye. Under my jeweler's glasses that I notice the same was not the case for the right eye.  Given the pose, I figured the figure was making a bit of a squint - which was a nice character touch.

As mentioned above, as I started painting on the tanned skin tones, I realized he just pops more with the white hair as a contrast.

First and second coats down, it was time to start the mug.

Darker yellow to show the transition (pardon the blurry photo)

Darker toward the top.

Too dark for a lager.  But why would a dwarf be drinking a lager anyway.  He should be drinking a stout.

Some final touches to make the foam look more like what a stout would be.

Here he is mounted on a base in the terraclips style wood floor. 

And - of course - I hid magnets on the base so I could drop things like a mini keg on his base - and take it off when needed. 

Gnome Tinker: "I got just the thing..."

As a kid coming home from the movies, I would fantasize about my friends and I being in the starring roles.  But I puzzled over what role I had.  I was fast but there were better runners than me.  Not the strongest.  Not the smartest nor the most clever. 

But I was a big collector. When someone needed something, I always had a solution in my pockets.  That's probably what lead to my appreciation of engineering characters who can MacGyver a way out of the problem.  (Granted, I'm no engineer - but I still respect them like mad.)

My miniature hunting discovered a fantastic culprit from the very great Stonehaven Miniatures line: the Gnome Tinker. He looks perfect for that "I have one of those" abilities to pull something out on the fly.

One really important technical discovery on painting figures this small: washes don't work well on faces and small objects.  Wet blobs dominate the tiny crevices and everything just dries the color of the wash.

So I went with the grey primer / some very CAREFUL black liner / retouching grey areas / then white dry brush.

Most my color schemes don't have washes listed.  It's just way easier to paint up from darker colors - OR - just paint the shadow area directly and wet blend in.

Gnome Tinker Color Scheme

• Face and Hands - Base: Reaper Tanned Highlight, Highlight: Lips color (below) thinned out
• Lips - Base: Reaper Tanned Highlight and Reaper Rusty Red HD
• Beard and Hair - Base: Reaper Woodland Brown HD, Highlight: Reaper Woodland Brown HD and Antique White
• Teeth - Base: Reaper Moldy Skin and/or Antique White, Highlight: Reaper HD Concrete Grey and Reaper Dusky Skin Highlight
• Pants - Base: FolkArt Teddy Bear Brown, Wash: FolkArt Walnut Brown 
• Coat - Base: Reaper  Ashen Brown,  Highlight: Reaper Dusky Skin Highlight
• Floppy Hat - Base: Reaper  Dusky Skin Highlight,  Highlight: Reaper HD Concrete Grey,  Hat Band: Reaper HD Ashen Brown
• Leather Straps - Base: FolkArt English Mustard, Shadow (Wash): black/cinnamon
• Twine - Reaper Moldy Skin & Bloodless Skin
• Bags - FolkArt Butter Pecan
• Drawers and Chests (red chest reference) - Cinnamon
• Tentacles - Reaper Dusky Skin
• Potion Bottle - Base: Reaper Ice Blue 
• Plant Vase: FolkArt Aqua
• Plant Stamen: Reaper HD Mossy Green and Field Green
• Petals - Base: FolkArt Ochre Yellow, Highlights: Buttercup and Sunflower

Sometimes I forget to snap a pic of the primed figure.  This time I remembered after I finished the first coat of flesh on his face, hands, and ears.

It's not easy to tell from this rather blurry photo, but I actually got the eye under his hat painted.  Yes, that took the jewler's glasses and a some clean up.  But it's a fun accomplishment.

Almost done here.  After mounting the figure on a base, I realize the plant sitting atop the furniture was a bit of a blobby mess, lacking definition.  Challenge Accepted.

Just to show how small this guy is.... A double AA battery for size.

Some final pics... and thank God for my jewlers glasses to get those details right!