Ok, so I began w/ the quarterstaff armed figure. For the color palette, I decided to go w/ earth tones, especially warm browns. The character was of peasant stock, and these colors suggest someone of the land.
I began by painting in all the base colors. To make the figure visually interesting, I put dark colors next light ones. By alternating dark and light, I give each area a clear boundary from the next, which will help define the details.
Notice that I jumped the gun a bit, and added highlights and shadows to the leggings/sleeves...
The colors I used and the order they were applied:
Leggings / sleeves: Nutmeg Brown
Under Tunic: Carmel Candy
Over Tunic: Country Tan
Pouches / Bedroll: Brown Oxide
Backpack: Moccasin Brown
Scabbard / Staff Leather: Earth Brown
Staff: Nubian Linen
Mug: Steel
Hair: Toffee
I wasn't happy w/ the Country Tan color. In the bottle it appeared to be more like a neutral beige, but on the figure it seemed to pick up a little green. That happens sometimes, but rather than try to change it I just let it be.
Next I began painting in the shadows. I mixed in varying amounts of Burnt Umber w/ the base colors (usually around 50%) and started painting in the folds, creases and overhangs, including in the hair.
Because the over tunic had a greenish tint, I used Black to make the shadow color.
Once that was done, I painted the base Wedgewood Green.
Here's what it looked like:
For the next step, I applied spot and pin washes.
First I took the Testor's Burnt Umber enamel, and put one drop in the palette. Then I added five drops of thinner and mixed it very well. I wasn't trying to get properly thinned paint; rather I was trying to get very dirty thinner.
Once mixed thoroughly, I carefully painted this mixture into any area on the figure where two separate objects touched one another. This simulates the hard shadows that occur when one thing sits on top of another.
I use enamels and oil based thinners for this operation because the pigments in the enamels are ground extremely fine, and because thinners will flow into creases and folds much better than acrylics will. You get much richer, more consistent lines.
Like so:
This trick really causes the different areas to define themselves. Notice the effect on the wood grain in the staff, along the "collar", and around the rope belt.
For the green base, I mixed Olive Drab enamel for the wash, and applied the mix over the entirety of the base (black or burnt umber would have given too strong a contrast).
The next step is to paint the highlights. I mixed the base colors w/ varying amounts of Antique White to get a lighter shade of each color (usually around 30%). Then using a combination of drybrushing and careful painting, I applied these colors to the high parts of folds and any hard edges, especially where two colors meet.
Also at this point, I painted the rope belt and the stitching on the figure. I used a combination of Toffee and Antique White to make a sort of parchment color, but once I got it on the figure it looked almost white. Another one of those instances where something looks different once you get it on the model. In this case, I was not displeased however, I kinda like it.
I went ahead and painted the metallic parts of the sword, and the buckles on the figure's back. The sword parts are Copper w/ a Gold highlight, and the buckles are Steel.
Oh yeah, and I gave him some eyebrows. :)
Lastly, I coated the figure w/ Testor's Dullcote, straight from the rattle can. Dullcote is a clear, matte lacquer; this helps to even out and unify the colors, and protects the figure during handling.
Then I popped him off the base.
Next up, the armored cleric w/ the holy symbol.