Miniature Showcase

Camping Gear

Adventurers spend a lot of time outdoors. Whether they are traveling or investigating an area, camp is always a must. I bought these wonderful sleeping rolls and mats at my local game shop. I’m pretty sure these are Wizkids minis that I got for $5. These are good for any situation were the party has to rough it while in the middle of nowhere.

I love these minis because they come pre-primed. This makes everything so much easier. I can start painting right away. Right off the bat, they look like well used camping gear that has seen some long nights in the wild. The blanket is torn and patched up in places. I began with a Rigid Leather base coat of paint. I wanted them to look like leather sleeping mats with blankets and fur for warmth. I like the Rigid Leather paint over straight brown because it gives the piece the look of leather, which is more than just brown.

My next step was to paint the next layer of base paints. For the sleeping mat, I used a super light brown for the blanket. It might have started out as fresh white linen, but years of use have given the blanket a permanent hue change. For the sleeping roll, I painted the fur base coat in black. I wanted a dark fur to match the dark leather of the roll. They still look simple but the foundation is set for the minis.

After the base coats were complete, I began the details work. I went back with a bit of the light brown of the blanket and dry brushed a bit over the leather portions to add some depth and color variation in the leather. I also used the light brown to paint the rope that holds the bed roll together. Now the leather starts to look more like the real thing. I also cleaned up the lines a bit with some more of the leather color.

For the small details, I used s tiny detail brush. I used a light grey for the stitching on the blanket. It is also the color of the patch on the bottom. I used some black for the string that is stitched to keep the patch in place. This is to make it clear that the patch was placed at a different time than the other work. I also used a brown wash to dirty the blanket a bit more and add some age to the miniature. I even used it on the leather portions to blends the color variations a bit more. I painted the black fur of the bed roll with some grey and white for depth and added some brown wash to this piece as well.

I forgot to document the third small bed roll but I have a before and after. I used the same light brown as the blanket, as this is the blanket roll to the leather sleeping roll. I used the Rigid Leather color for the straps and added some Gunmetal Silver for the buckles that hold the straps in place. At the end I added some brown wash to age the item a bit. It also helps define shadows in the blanket without having to be completely black. The are much lighter shadows.

The end result is quite realistic. I could see my character using these to sleep. They have the well worn look of adventuring gear. These bed rolls have seen some crazy things whilst being carted around by their owners. The patches and stitching are their own forms of battle scars. Attesting to the comfort these taken-for-granted commodities give their owners.

Have any questions or comments? Message below or find me on Twitter @DnDWifeStories and on Instagram @dndwife. I would love to hear from you!