Mansions of Madness (2nd Edition) - Investigators (Part 2)
With the first batch of the Mansions of Madness investigators done I could crack on with the second. As with the first, I primed all the models with grey primer.
Rita Young the Athlete
I started with Rita as, like Father Mateo, she had the simplest outfit. I painted her athletics uniform and socks with several thin coats of Ulthuan Grey. I then quickly finished off the clothing by painting her sash and the band on her socks with Macragge Blue. For her skin I painted that was some Vallejo Dark Fleshtone and her hair with some Rhinox Hide. The last thing I needed to do was her shoes, I was tempted to paint them with Ultuan Grey to match the rest of her outfit but in the end I went with Vallejo Pale Sand, which is an off-white or cream colour.
To help bring out the folds in her uniform I gave it a coat of Apothecary White contrast paint. I can’t remember where I read or saw it, but for dark skin like Rita’s a purple wash yields better results than a flesh shade or even a dark wash like Strong Tone. Her sash got a wash of Nuln Oil and her shoes a wash of Strong Tone. For the layering, I gave her clothes and skin layers of Ulthuan Grey and Dark Fleshtone respectively. To help with the details on the face stand out more, I mixed Dark Fleshtone with some Kislev Flesh which I then used as a highlight colour.
Preston Fairmont the Millionaire
For Mr. Millionaire himself I decided to give him a navy blue suit, so with that in mind I base coated his jacket, waistcoat and trousers with a few thin layers of Vallejo Night Blue. His shirt I painted with Ulthuan Grey, his tie with a bold Mephiston Red and his shoes with Vallejo Glossy Black. As he is the money man I painted his cane with Scale75 Dwarven Gold. To complete the base colours I painted his skin with Cadian Fleshtone and his hair with Mournfang Brown.
You can’t see much of it, but I gave his white shirt a careful layer of Apothecary White contrast paint. His suit I then washed with Drakenhof Nightshade and his skin with Reikland Fleshshade. With that done I layered his suit back up with Night Blue before giving it an edge highlight with Macragge Blue. For his skin I first layered with Cadian Fleshtone and highlighted with Kislev Flesh.
Carson Sinclair the Butler
A few of the investigators already have dark suits so I decided on a different look entirely for the butler, who I suspect may be a reference to Charles Carson from Downton Abbey. First things first, as with the other characters wearing a shirt I painted it with Ulthuan Grey. I then picked out his waistcoat with Vallejo Pale Sand and painted his jacket with Mephiston Red. His trousers I painted with Corvus Black. Carson’s shoes and tie I then painted with Vallejo Glossy Black. I then painted his skin with Cadian Fleshtone and what hair he has remaining with Dawnstone. Then as a final detail I picked out the buttons on his jacket with Scale75 Dwarven Gold.
Moving onto the washes, I gave his gloves and shirt a coat of Apothecary White contrast paint. His skin got the usual wash with Reikland Fleshshade and everything else got a wash of Nuln Oil. Like I did with Father Mateo I highlighted his trousers with Mechanicus Standard Grey. I layered his jacket first with Mephiston Red then highlighted it with Evil Sunz Scarlet. Like with Preston Fairmont, I layered his skin with Cadian Fleshtone then highlighted it with Kislev Flesh.
Wendy Adams the Urchin
Probably should have painted her eyes to be fair…
Last but not least we come to Wendy Adams, who I suspect is a not so subtle reference to Wednesday Addams. Shame I didn’t pick up on that until I was writing this article, otherwise I might not have painted her dress in a very bold Xereus Purple. The shoulders, apron and trim of the dress I then painted with a few thin coats of Ulthuan Grey. The candle stick holder I painted with Scale75 Dwarven Gold, her shoes with Corvus Black, her hair with Dryad Bark and finally her skin with Cadian Fleshtone.
It should come as no surprise by now that I started by giving the white areas on her dress a coat of Apothecary White contrast paint. The purple on her dress I washed with Nuln OIl. Wendy’s hair and the candlestick I washed with Army Painter Strong Tone. Finally her skin I then washed with Reikland Fleshshade. For the layers and highlights, I used some Ulthuan Grey on the white areas. And on her dress, I first layered it with Xereus Purple and then highlighted it with Two Thins Coats Runic Purple.
Bases
The bases I did in the same way that I had the first batch: Stirland Mud washed with Army Painter Strong Tone and drybrushed with Tyrant Skull. I then tidied up the rims with some Matt Black and stuck down some static grass and tufts.
Final Thoughts
With the second batch of investigators done means another four miniatures on the scoreboard. Practising layering and highlighting already seems to be paying off, I got these guys and gals done in no time at all. The tufts are a bit big for the bases, I should have cut them smaller in hindsight.
Just two left to do for Mansions of Madness and it’s the big bads themselves: the Star Spawn. No idea how I’m going to paint them just yet. But that’s a decision for another week.
Boardgame miniatures left to paint: 572
Boardgame miniatures painted this year: 194