When it comes to building Aztec scenery in a city – I have found symmetry to be a very important consideration both in regards to your design scheme and placement of terrain pieces. Over the last couple of years, I also have found it difficult to find appropriate pieces that fit what I am attempting to build and are not either ruins or priced way too high to consider buying.
In December, I was speaking with Dave Stone of Wargames Sculptors Blog on Zoom (he is in the UK). I had wanted to have a chat with him and we set up something. I knew he had a hobby business, but really I thought he was interesting and someone I’d like to chat with over Zoom. We had a nice talk.
Over the time we spoke, the subject of war canoes came up – and Dave did have an African hollowed out canoe for purchase on his website. After we spoke, he was kind enough to cast one for me to see if it would work, and sadly it was too small. But, in his terrain pieces he did have “Aztec Style Serpent Statues” that looked pretty cool – so I ordered 4 – and Dave cast them up and kindly threw in the canoe (which you can see in my last post here).
The statues went for £6 each. They are resin, and scaled for 28mm gaming. I got the four in December, just in time for (ironically) Dave Stone’s “Paint What You Got” painting challenge (which you should join if interested). Why four – well, yes, this was for that symmetry I mentioned! I also got some LITKO 60mm bases for them as well as I thought they needed them – both for aesthetics and to reduce the chances that they’d get knocked over on the tabletop as they are pretty massive for resin pieces. I washed them and scrubbed them to prepare the statues for priming. They were excellent casts, with a few areas that needed some green stuff in a few bubble holes, but certainly much less than one might expect to find. One was a little lighter color than the other three, but that didn’t matter at all.
I decided that I needed to walk a fine line with these as they are supposed to be statues, and not giant monsters. They had bands on them that could be made of gold, as well as a “skull collection nook” on top that was very Aztec. So I tried to paint them such that they would have an Aztec color flair, but look like they’d fit in Tenochtitlan. I wanted to base them such that they would be centered and strongly affixed to their 60mm bases/plinths. Thus, I decided to make a template and drill out the bottoms for 4 screws.
Then it was time to prime them. I went with an brushed application of Vallejo “German Green Brown” primer, then I followed that with an airbrushed layer of Vallejo “Dark Yellow”. After that, a good washing with Secret Weapon Washes “Sewer Water”. As usual, you can see the list of all the paints I used at the end of this post if that interests you.
Then it was time to get base colors onto the models. I went with a yellow theme and a red theme.
I proceeded to paint all the other aspects of the models – but I wanted to use inks to bring out the features on the serpents’ faces. For that, I use an off white and then add ink in layers.
I decided to do a test of possible inks for the heat sensors on the serpents’ heads.
I thought it would be useful to show the Aztec Serpent Models with some of the other tabletop figures and terrain I may use.
Lastly, I needed a way to store them for transport – and I had some extra space in my 32-liter Really Useful Box that I have my buildings in – so I modded up some poster board with hot glue and made a little cubby for them.
I’m pretty happy about these and I will be having them in my cityscape! Do you prefer the yellow or the red – let me know!
Thanks for checking these out.
Miscellaneous details and references for those interested in that sort of thing:
For all of my previous posts on games, units, and other projects for my 16th Century Spanish Conquest supplement for Feudal Patrol™ – “Civilizations Collide” – please see this page.
PAINTS, INKS, GLAZES, SHADES, WASHES, PIGMENTS, FLOCKING, GLUES AND MORE THAT I USED ON THESE AZTEC SERPENT STATUE FIGURES:
- LITKO 60mm bases
- Vallejo Surface Primer “German Green Brown”
- #4 x 3/4″ screws
- Gorilla Glue
- Green stuff (kneadatite)
- Vallejo Surface Primer “Dark Yellow”
- Vallejo “Flow Improver”
- Vallejo “Airbrush Thinner”
- Secret Weapon Washes “Sewer Water” (wash)
- P3 “Sulfuric Yellow”
- Americana “Primary Red”
- Army Painter “Light Tone” (wash)
- Citadel “Astorath Red”
- Army Painter “Red Tone” (wash)
- Vallejo Mecha Color “Off-White”
- Citadel “Morghast Bone”
- Citadel “Waaagh! Flesh”
- P3 “Red Ink” (ink)
- Vallejo Game Ink “Yellow” (ink)
- Secret Weapon Washes “Green” (ink)
- Citadel “Contrast Paint – Ork Flesh”
- Citadel “Contrast Medium”
- Citadel “Contrast Paint – Skeleton Horde”
- Citadel “Armageddon Dust” (texture)
- Vallejo Model Air “Gold”
- Secret Weapon Washes “Golden Brown” (wash)
- Citadel “Nuln Oil GLOSS” (wash)
- Vallejo “Satin Varnish”
- Citadel “Tallarn Sand”
- Citadel “Karak Stone”
- Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Matt Varnish”
Mark A. Morin 
Those came out really good!
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Thanks Ann!
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Very nice!
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Thanks Buck!
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Those are superb Mark. Nice bright colours on them. I like the customised storage you did too.
Cheers,
Pete.
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Thanks Pete, I definitely need storage and transport options that don’t compromise my stuff – otherwise I’d be the guy with the chipped figures and terrain for sure.
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Very nice, loving the bright colours
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Cheers!
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Great result on the snakes. They really look the part. (I like the red slightly more than the yellow.)
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Wonderful work on all 4 Mark, I like both the red and the yellow, I have seen them painted in a muted turquoise with red markings that looked good as well. The storage should make transport a lot easier.
The reason one was a very different grey was I was waiting on resin delivery, and didn’t want to delay your order, so used a sample I had been sent, to fulfil your order, probably not a resin I would buy in bulk as it’s pot life was very short, but at least meant I wasn’t delayed getting your order out.
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Appreciate all of that Dave & please know that I had no issue at all with the different shades of resin. I figured that they came from different mixes and that was fine. Under primer who would know! So I apologize if my post seemed to show that I found any fault with these – I definitely did not, and I know you hurried to get these to me for which in and of itself I am greatly appreciative. Big time.
If anyone would ask would I recommend these – I would say without hesitation yes. These are EXCELLENT sculpts!
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No problem at all Mark, didn’t think you were picking fault, just I always believe in being honest with people and transparent about the reasons why there may be differences.
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I’m glad to hear that as I think you are a stand-up guy. Hope you see some orders too.
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Well done to Dave and to you for a great paint job Mark. The colours really work with the Aztec theme I’d say. 🙂
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Thanks Dave!
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These are great, Mark! 🙂 I can’t decide which colour I like best. They look really good alongside your buildings. Dave has done a nice job sculpting them.
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Indeed Dave has John, these are really fun sculpts and I know they will gather some attention at upcoming convention games.
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Well those have come out beautifully well Mark what a smashing advert for Dave, cracking scenery!
Cheers Roger.
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Thanks Roger, and I hope Dave gets some deserved orders from this post.
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Its awesome to see these collaborations within our little community. Dave did a great job sculpting those statues and to me anyway, they seem perfect for the Aztec setting. I loved the scenic pictures at the end which really highlight how nicely it all goes together. You have a very impressive collection of Aztec minis and terrain already, Mark and I have a feeling you aren’t done yet!
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Thanks Jeff, though I’d like to be done, I do have more to do to round out my scenarios. So stay tuned, more to come.
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Brilliant!
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Gracias amigo (about the extent of my Spanish)
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These look great: a very appropriate, macabre and yet slightly whimsical touch for the tabletop.
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😁
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These turned out excellent!
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Cheers!
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These are excellent sculpts and your painting’s really done them justice! The red shade looks beautiful, and the green/goldish combo is outstanding. Nicely done, and they suit your Aztec collection perfectly!
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Thanks Matt, will be out at Totalcon 36 in February!
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Phenomenal paintjob on these!
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thank you very much
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Oh!! mate these came up a real treat, brilliant work! Love the turquoise eye brows!!
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They were a nice addition from Dave in the UK. Thanks!
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