Yo Dawg, today, we’re going to be working our Frost Themed Tree Lord’s skin and some highlights to get him looking Icy. Check out today’s How To Tutorial.
Step 1. Scufulous Brown, you’ll want to water it down. It’s a great color but it does require more than one coat; it doesn’t have a lot of stick to it. We’re painting this over basic black and that is always a challenge. We want to blend it up slowly to maintain the smooth transitions we’ve been doing with the air brush.
You can’t skip this effect. You have to hit it all. It’s a nightmare amount of work and it’s not super difficult but it’s a lot.
Pro-Tip, don’t forget the back of his dome.
Step 2. We’re going to add some Menoth White into the brown, super thin. We’re going to start at the ridges and let it blend down slowly. We don’t want to texture, we want it thin and smooth.
Step 3. While we’re waiting we’re going to dry brush the bear with Prussian Blue and Blue Green, also Vallejo colors. The beard is very exaggerated so you need to be very subtle. There’s a bit of paint on the brush and we’re only going to have to go over it a few times.
Step 4. Vallejo Wood, nice and easy.
Step 5. Iosan and Gnarls green combo on the leaves.
Step 6. Now we’re going to seal it in with a Gloss Varnish and Air Thinner. Gloss Varnish will protect your paint better than anything.
Step 7. We’re going to wash the staff.
Step 8. Now we’re going back to the blacks and blues that we had on the bark and go over all the vines, roots, and branches; anything that comes off the armor. We’re augmenting them and going beyond what the airbrush was able to do this is a lot of subtle layers.
Step 9. Now we’re going back and hitting up the legs. There are some super TIGHT areas that you’re NOT going to be able to get into. You’re going to have to paint the dark colors in back.
Step 10. Dry brush the bark again, almost no paint on the brush, subtle dry brush.
Step 11. Pick out some clutch details and use that same bark color to highlight the bark. Since you washed it that paint should now act as a highlight.
If you’re still a little shaky on how to emulate this I encourage you to watch the video below!
Watch me Live On TWITCH
About the Author: Kenny Boucher
Kenny Boucher
Job Title: Master of Miniature Artistry & Podcast Writer
Socials: @NextLevelPainting
About Kenny Boucher: Tabletop gaming since the late 1990s; Kenny joined the Spikey Bits team in 2011, communicating his vast knowledge in articles about how to paint miniatures and more.
Kenny Boucher is not just a name but a brand synonymous with top-tier miniature painting in the world of tabletop wargaming. As the creative force behind Next Level Painting, Kenny has earned his place as a respected authority in the hobby community.
Along with Rob, he co-founded and co-hosted the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes. His unparalleled skills, innovative techniques, and engaging tutorials have made him a go-to resource for hobbyists looking to elevate their painting game.
- YouTube Channel: Next Level Painting
- Instagram: @kenny_boucher
- Facebook: Next Level Painting
- Patreon: Support Kenny on Patreon
