Geralt, Yennefer and Dandelion: Painting the Witcher Trio

Quick answer

Paint these three in a fixed order: clean and prime all models, block in skin and fabric, layer skin tones before faces get busy, then finish with controlled basing. Work from the largest areas to the smallest details so you never repaint a finished face.

Step-by-step: painting the Witcher trio

1. Clean and assemble before priming: Remove mold lines with a hobby knife and smooth seams with fine sandpaper. Wash the parts in warm soapy water, rinse and dry fully. Mount each figure on a temporary holder and prime in thin coats. Check for fuzz or clogged detail after priming; strip and re-prime if the face looks textured.
2. Block in the largest areas: Base-coat skin, hair and main fabric areas with a mid-tone. Keep each color thin and opaque enough to cover without obscuring detail. Let each area dry before moving to an adjacent one. If a base coat looks streaky, add another thin layer rather than a thick one.
3. Layer skin tones from shadow to light: Start with a mid-tone skin base, then apply a darker shadow in recesses and a lighter highlight on raised planes. Use thin layers and a damp brush to blend edges. For Geralt, keep the face paler and cooler; for Yennefer, add a warmer mid-tone; for Dandelion, keep the skin clean and slightly brighter. Stop layering before the face looks chalky; a small amount of mid-tone left visible keeps it natural.
4. Build fabric depth with controlled washes: Apply a thin wash to cloaks, tunics and trousers, then reinforce folds with a darker glaze. Paint highlights only on the highest folds. Avoid flooding recesses next to skin. If a wash pools on a flat area, wick it away with a clean damp brush before it dries.
5. Paint hair and small details last: Use a fine brush for hair strands, eyes and metal accents. Paint eyes before the surrounding face if you struggle with a steady hand. Keep metal areas simple: a dark base, a mid-tone and a small edge highlight. Check the face under a bright light; if the eyes look crossed, repaint the pupils with a smaller dot.
6. Base with a simple, durable scheme: Glue each figure to its plastic base, then add texture paste or sand. Paint the base in muted earth tones and drybrush a lighter highlight. Seal the base edge with a dark rim. Keep basing materials off the feet and lower cloak; a clean contact point looks intentional.

The set you are painting

• The Witcher - Characters 1: Geralt, Yennefer, Dandelion: The set includes Geralt of Rivia, Yennefer of Vengerberg and Dandelion, made from durable plastic with plastic bases. The plastic takes standard acrylics and the included bases mean you can plan basing without sourcing extra parts.