As I intended to do last week, I finally have painted up my Dwarf standard bearers' flag, complete with a step-by-step.

First, I finish putting enough paint on the make the horribly unprimed surface of the flag workable, if nothing else. It might rub later, but this is only a practice run anyway, and I have these photos if I get all nostalgic about my past failings in the far future.

Step two is to take a normal #2 pencil and sketch the shape I want to draw onto the flag. The graphite works sort of as a "wall", keeping the paint from running as badly. The shape is going to be a plump helmet, a crop from the computer simulation game "Dwarf Fortress"

♠

Above is a plump helmet from the game. I wanted the shape to be more onion than mushroom, however, hence my design.

First, a nice thin coat of dark purple.

And another, to ensure evenness of color.

Some slightly lighter purple makes lines, giving our purple cave onion some ridges.

And the lightest purple streaks make the darker ones stand out. I feel I may have overdone them, however. The plump helmet's pretty "shiny" now, looking more like a glossy seashell than a matte onion. 

The pencil was pretty rough around the edges, literally, so I trimmed the design down with white. While I was smoothing the edges I also adjusted the base to make it less of a shell, but the damage was already done. I also cleaned up the edge designs on the flag. (I'm not sure I like those designs, by the way. I think they're way too attention-getting.)

Alright, nice brown wash. These ARE miners, and they've been out campaigning. They have to be dirty, right? The wash should also bring out some detail in the flag, and do a bit to mask the flaws in the painting.

Dried and looking ratty! A success!

So yeah, not the best painting in the world, but I'm fairly pleased for a first attempt. I also set up a battle scene for your pleasure, as I have way too much time.

Hordes of Ors and Goblins close in on an abandoned wizards' tower! Who could be defending it? None other than a small force of heroic Dwarves making a final glorious stand.

Note the terrain, by the way. I should be starting Mordheim soon, and will be giving you updates on by adventures in the ruined city.

The Dwarf army has managed to hoist a cannon to the top of a burned-out building, but rabid Goblins are already swarming up the ladder in an attempt to destroy the warmachine before it can even fire!

Some smaller, even more insane Goblins ride a looted dwarf Gyrocopter through the air, while the Goblin commanders wisely cower behind a trained war troll. Goblin fanatics with huge metal flails madly swing at the base of the already half-collapsed building to try and undermine the cannons' crew.

Things aren't looking good on the other side, either. Orcs swarm past crude barricades in an attempt to get onto the towers' steps. Here, a dwarf captain with a steam drill fights alongside his stalwart companions and the rightmost chokepoint of the shanty bastion, steadfast in his resolve to fight and die with honor.

Left side boasts a mighty Dwarven paladin, who stands against the orc hordes with hammer in hand and his allies at his back.

The middle point of the structure is defended by the dwarf general Helga Hammersong and her elite guards, but they face the imminent impact of Orc heavy calvary forces, and the chariot of the Orc warlord himself, Grimaxe the brvtal!

At the top of the tower, a Dwarf trumpeter blasts military tunes as the standard bearer waves his flag to inspire the troops. Maybe a cave onion isn't the most heroic symbol these warriors can fight under. Oh well, if they don't like it they can just say its a seashell.

Take care!