I finished painting a group of Knights of Minas Tirith. The original purpose was to paint them as Faramir's knights when they ride to re-claim Osgiliath, but I couldn't finish Faramir in time. Here the knights are led by an old converted captain, which is the one on the black horse.


My painting method for them was different from what I have done previously, as described in a couple of earlier posts. Here is the complete method I used. I painted the horses, riders and shields separately and glued them together when they were almost finished.

Riders

  1. Sprayed them first with primer, and on top of that with a silver spray.
  2. Gave them a generous Nuln Oil wash using the Citadel Spray Gun.
  3. Drybrushed the metal parts with Necron Compound.
  4. Painted the other areas:
    • all black parts, including clothes, banner, dark hair. gloves, boots and saddle: basecoat with Vallejo Heavy Charcoal, highlight Eshin Grey and finally Vallejo Cold Grey, wash Nuln Oil
    • lance shaft: basecoat Dheneb Stone, re-basecoat Vallejo Model Color Beige, shadows near hands Gryphonne Sepia
    • face: Bugman's Glow, highlight Tallarn Flesh, then Dwarf Flesh, then Vallejo Basic Fleshtone, wash with Ogryn Flesh
    • grey hair: like lances, but highlighted with white before wash
  5. Painted banner decorations Boltgun Metal, washed with Nuln Oil, highlighted with HobbyLine Glanz Lack Silver
  6. Basecoated sword decorations Boltgun Metal, re-basecoated Dwarf Bronze, highlighted with Shining Gold, washed with Gryphonne Sepia and edge highlighted with Burnished Gold.

    Shields

    I painted the black part with Heavy Charcoal and silver decorations with Boltgun Metal. Then I gave them a Nuln Oil wash and highlighted the silver parts with HobbyLine silver.

    Horses


    1. Primed with a spray primer.
    2. Basecoated Calthan Brown with the Spray Gun.
    3. Highlighted the horses with Vermin Brown.
    4. Further highlighted half of the horses with Vomit Brown.
    5. Gave the horses an Agrax Earthshade wash with the spray gun.
    6. Drybrushed the tails and manes with some light brown, which might have been Vallejo's Beige.
    7. Painted the details:
      • Black saddles and reins like the black areas of the knights: basecoat with Vallejo Heavy Charcoal, highlight Eshin Grey and finally Vallejo Cold Grey, wash Nuln Oil
      • Chamfrons: basecoat Boltgun metal, wash Nuln Oil, edge highlight HobbyLine Glanz Lack Silver
      • White saddlecloth and cloth decorations on one horse's reins: basecoat Astronomican Grey, highlight Ghostly Grey, second highlight white
      • Red tongue: basecoat Mechrite Red, highlight Blood Red, wash Baal Red
      • White socks: basecoat Vallejo Cold Grey, highlight white
      • Black hooves on legs without socks: like other black areas
      • Beige hooves on legs with socks: basecoat Dheneb Stone, highlight Vallejo Model Color Beige, wash Gryphonne Sepia
    This was a pretty fast way of painting six horses. I admit that there is not much variety among them other than different socks, but it's part of my plan. The next set of riders will all have grey horses and white and black I will reserve to the captains and named heroes to better recognise them on the battlefield.