When I [introduced my participation in a new D&D campaign](https://steemit.com/games/@quantumanomaly/my-first-d-and-d-campaign-in-nearly-a-decade-comes-to-steemit), I withheld one tiny bit of information.  The game we're playing does occasionally use miniatures.  Why would I withhold this information?  Well, because I had a secret plan in the works, but wanted to make sure I could pull it off that's why!

<center>http://i.imgur.com/aVxZyQY.jpg</center>
<center><sup>And pull if off I did!</sup></center>

Ya see that?  That's a custom 35mm figure, all painted and ready to game with!  Although it's no picture-perfect warforged scout, I think it's a pretty decent stand-in, and includes my character's choice in weapons, good 'ol sword and board!  The rest of this post is dedicated to the process, where I sculpted my first cape, then painted the little bugger.  I'm no pro painter, but I think it'll do fine for something that you see from a few feet away on a tabletop.  I'll give what tips I can under each pic.

### If you have trouble with broken image links, please refresh the page.  Imgur has been fussy today.


<center>http://i.imgur.com/UukqLmD.jpg</center>
<center><sup>It all starts here.  The miniature is originally from the Warmachine line, with a shield torn from some other Cyriss guy, not sure which to be honest.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/z6dGR6T.jpg</center>
<center><sup>Next up, the green stuff.  A wonderful two-part sculpting putty.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/yAogzpZ.jpg</center>
<center><sup>I generally try not to mix up too much at once.  Here we can clearly see that I have selected an amount that might provide enough for a loincloth, but not the flowing cape I had imagined.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/C4UcqFg.jpg</center>
<center><sup>After adding to the batch and rolling it out, things are looking a lot better.  Now I have enough to work with.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/lHXdl7D.jpg</center>
<center><sup>I have no idea what I'm doing, but I've cut it to length and made some shoulder straps to wrap around.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/r4LszZw.jpg</center>
<center><sup>With the leftovers I've rolled out some extra and made a hood piece just in case I want it.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/ADlsZqs.jpg</center>
<center><sup>I let it cure for about 30 minutes before trying to put it on.  This was just a matter of mushing it into about the right shape to provide a little action to the match the pose.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/vZcOq7H.jpg</center>
<center><sup>I also smushed the two shoulder straps together to make a clasp around the neck.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/hsCI3R3.jpg</center>
<center><sup>With a needle tool, I've pressed in some fold lines.  For anyone who has never worked with green stuff, it's basically the same as sculpting day old pre-chewed gum.  A little mineral oil on your tools keeps it from sticking though.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/fxsfyar.jpg</center>
<center><sup>Creative measures were taken to help it finish curing in the right pose.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/1it7Wjv.jpg</center>
<center><sup>Another detail shot of the shoulders and back, to show the newly sculpted folds.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/DRMkWzY.jpg</center>
<center><sup>A few hours later, and it's all cured and ready to be primed.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/OgjXmik.jpg</center>
<center><sup>A nice flat grey can work wonders to bringing it all together and figuring out where and how you want to apply color.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/kahF2A6.jpg</center>
<center><sup>I like to try to "dress" my models when I paint.  Starting with the lowest surfaces means that mistakes generally tend to be on a higher level, where they can be covered later.  Some light brown to give it a wooden under skeleton kinda feel.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/e9PZL0a.jpg</center>
<center><sup>You wanted a small drop of green to see how it would look on the cape?  How about half the bottle, to show you how poorly you mixed it?</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/lvdzFW8.jpg</center>
<center><sup>Not about to waste expensive model paints more than I had to, my decision had been made for me.  I did my best to keep some of the swirls of color in to make it a bit of a camo look.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/B6bES8N.jpg</center>
<center><sup>However this meant putting the paint on THICK.  There's no going back now.  I've got to make this work.</sup></center>
<center><sup>It looks like slime, but I kinda like it.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/ZOyXKyf.jpg</center>
<center><sup>A bit has happened here.  I've started to pick out some blue highlights, and I gave the cloak a nice black wash to give it some shadow and take that eye-piercing green down a notch.  I've also glued on the shield now and added a wash to the wooden joints for shadow.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/X9a3hqg.jpg</center>
<center><sup>The back of the cloak, you're no longer in danger of losing your retinas to it!</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/30yaI9d.jpg</center>
<center><sup>As I go, I pick out fewer and fewer details.  Here I've focused on some gold highlights.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/RqU5gRb.jpg</center>
<center><sup>The back of the shield gets a splash of brown, silver, and gold.</sup></center>

<center>http://i.imgur.com/2eBxdkO.jpg</center>
<center><sup>And there we have it!  Good enough really.  Far from my best work, but I think it'll work fine for a casual group!</sup></center>


# Wish me luck joining my new campaign!

http://i.imgur.com/ff3g0bX.png