Painting Guide: Bilbo Baggins

First, I have to thank TALE OF TWO PAINTERS for the inspiration for these tutorials.  Unfortunately, I do not have step by step photos like they do as I found their site after I was a quarter of the way complete.  They painted the miniatures using Citadel paints.  I felt a guide using The Army Painter brand was warranted, especially as there is no readily available conversion chart for Citadel and AP brands like the other major miniature paint brands (Vallejo, P3, Reaper, etc.).  I currently only have the 42 bottle 2015 Mega Paint Set II, so there is a lot of mixing of paints to get the right color. (I’m hoping to get the Veteran Warpainter Upgrade Set with an additional 82 paints that just came out on the first).

The first of Games Workshop's Escape From Goblin Town set miniatures is Bilbo Baggins.  Overall I like this sculpt with the exception of the face.  There are no details for his mouth (which is closed) so the thin paint line for his lips kind of disappears.  Other than that I am really happy.  He comes with two right arms, one holding his walking stick and one with him brandishing Sting, which is the one I went for.  Bilbo was done very simply with plain colors and limited washes and highlights as compared to the Dwarves.

1.   Paint the flesh using a mix of 3:2 of Skeleton Bone & Barbarian Flesh.
1a. Wash the skin with Flesh Tone.
2.   Trousers are painted in Oak Brown.
3.   The Vest is painted in Angel Green.
4.   The Scarf is painted in Desert Yellow.

5.   I painted the coat in Chaotic Red (finally found that missing bottle!)

6.   Stings blade is painted in Shining Silver.
6a. Next, wash Sting’s blade in Blue Tone to let Bilbo know goblins are about!

7.   Sting’s pommel and hilt are painted in Gunmetal.

8.   The Hair (head and feet) is painted in Desert Yellow.
8a. Highlight the hair in both spots with Demonic Yellow using thin lines vice dry brushing due to the fine detail.
9.   Last, paint the buttons in Weapons Bronze.

Some last notes:  
A. I did not wash any of the metal on Sting as it is a legendary weapon and I feel would not have the worn and dingy look once cleaned from the troll liar.
B. AP Soft Tone is a good wash for flesh and other light colored items.
C. AP Strong Tone is a good general brown wash similar to Citadel's Agrax Earth Shade. 
D. AP Dark Tone (not used this for Bilbo) is a good black wash similar to Citadel's Nuln Oil.

I based the miniature with coral beach sand for the rocky/sandy caves of Goblin Town and added some Highland Tufts from The Army Painter Battlefields range.  I then painted the edge of the base in Angel Green.  

Next week the Dwarves will begin to arrive for their meeting and recruitment of a burglar!