LATHIEM, THE OAK LEAF – 35MM

Lathiem, the Oak Leaf, a 35 mm figure

A fantasy figure from the AK Interactive brand. The figure of 35 mm gives the size of the figure, not the scale of a model. It is supplied unpainted, so the color scheme and the degree of finish are entirely up to you. When painting it pays to alternate deliberately between two kinds of layer that behave in opposite ways: opaque and glaze.

Opaque or glaze layer: when to reach for which

An opaque layer is thicker paint that covers everything beneath it. Use it where a clear boundary is meant to appear: the transition between two materials, the sharp edge of armor, the separation of two colored areas. A glaze layer, by contrast, is thinned to transparency and only tints what is underneath. It belongs everywhere the transition is meant to be soft, that is in rounded shapes, in cloth and in skin. The strength of your work shows in how precisely you alternate the two. The classic procedure is to lay the area in with opaque paint, to separate the boundaries between materials with opaque paint as well, and only then to fine-tune the whole volume with glazes. The reverse order does not work: a glaze laid on an unfinished opaque area is lost under the next covering coat. Another useful rule is that an opaque layer goes on with the smallest possible amount of paint on the brush, whereas a glaze always gets a few extra passes. The last, lightest accents on the edges belong to the opaque family again, because they have to be sharp and readable.

Painting tips

• Degrease the figure before painting and prime it with a thin coat.
• Mix opaque paint on the palette to the consistency of cream, a glaze to the consistency of milk.
• Make the boundaries between materials right at the start, as correcting them later is unpleasant.
• Be sparing with the lightest accents, or their effect is lost.

Who the figure is for

• For painters learning to tell opaque and glaze brushwork apart.
• For collectors of fantasy figures for a display case.
• For modelers who want to practice painting without an airbrush.

The figure is supplied unpainted. Paints, glue and other accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.