Grog Ard'Nogg Ogre Veteran: Painting and Basing a Big Model

Quick answer

Paint the Grog Ard'Nogg Ogre Veteran in sub-assemblies before you glue it to its 40mm base, because reaching the chest, inner arms, and face after full assembly is the single biggest cause of patchy skin. Prime in thin coats, build skin from a mid-tone up rather than down, and pin the feet into a weighted base. If the model is already fully assembled and painted, stop at touch-ups and a protective varnish instead of stripping it.

Why big resin ogres go wrong before the first brushstroke

The Grog Ard'Nogg Ogre Veteran is a multi-part resin miniature with a 40mm round plastic slotta base, sculpted by Bobby Jackson. Resin rewards a slow start: wash the parts in lukewarm water with a drop of dish soap to remove mould release, then dry them fully. Any release agent left on the surface will make primer bead and pull away from the deepest details, which is exactly where an ogre's face and musculature live.

Test-fit every joint before glue. Resin parts can need a light scrape at the contact points, and you want to know where the gaps are while the pieces are still loose. Keep a damp cloth nearby for dust; resin dust is fine and you do not want it settling into wet paint.

Sub-assembly order that keeps the face and chest reachable

Build in three blocks: legs and torso, arms, and head. Prime and base-coat each block separately, then assemble. This is the difference between clean skin transitions and a muddy armpit you can never fix. Keep the arms off until the torso is fully shaded and highlighted, and keep the head separate until you have finished the neck and collar area.

Use superglue for resin joints rather than plastic cement, and support the model on a temporary handle while you work. A cork or a spare paint pot with putty works fine. Do not glue the model to its final base until the body is painted, or you will fight the base every time you turn the figure.

Skin tones that read at arm's length

Large areas of skin punish flat colour. Start from a mid-tone, not a dark base, then shade into the recesses and layer up on the raised planes. On a model this size you can afford two or three highlight stages because the surface area is generous. Keep your layers thin and let each dry; thick paint on a broad chest will show brush marks from across the table.

Warm the shadows rather than adding black. A red-brown or purple-brown shade keeps ogre skin looking alive, while straight black turns it grey and dead. If you want a colder, veteran look, shift the mid-tone slightly toward olive and keep the highlights cooler. Pick one direction and stay with it across the arms, face, and hands so the figure reads as one creature.

Basing a top-heavy model so it stays upright

The kit includes one 40mm round plastic slotta base, and that is a small footprint for a bulky resin ogre. Build the base up with a textured surface, then add weight underneath. A coin or a stack of washers glued under the base lowers the centre of gravity and stops the model tipping when someone nudges the table.

Pin the feet. Drill through each foot into the base and glue a short piece of paperclip or brass rod in place. This is the single most effective fix for a model that leans, and it matters more on resin than on lighter plastic because the mass sits high. Add your basing material after pinning so the pins stay hidden.

Care and storage for a painted ogre

Finish with a matte varnish, then a targeted gloss on the eyes and any wet-looking areas. Varnish is what lets you handle the model without rubbing paint off the highest points, which on an ogre are the shoulders, knuckles, and brow.

Store the model upright in a foam tray with a cut-out wide enough that the foam touches the base and the outer arms rather than the face. If you transport it loose in a case, wrap it in soft cloth and keep it away from harder metal figures. Resin is lighter than metal but it is not indestructible, and a snapped ankle is a far more common repair than a chipped nose.

Diagnosis: match the symptom to the fix

• Primer beads or pulls away from the surface: Mould release is still on the resin. Wash the parts again in lukewarm soapy water, rinse, dry completely, and re-prime in thin coats. If it still beads after a second wash, stop priming and check your primer; a humid or cold room can cause the same look.
• Skin looks flat or chalky once dry: You are painting large areas with a single opaque layer. Switch to a mid-tone base, thin your layers, and build highlights in two or three passes instead of one. If the chalkiness is in the primer coat, strip and restart; layering over a bad prime only hides it for a while.
• Model leans or tips on the table: The 40mm base is too light for the mass above it. Add weight under the base and pin both feet through into the base with paperclip or brass rod. If the lean comes from a bent resin leg rather than the base, warm the part gently and straighten it before pinning.
• Paint rubs off the shoulders and knuckles: High-contact points need a varnish layer. Apply matte varnish overall and reserve gloss for eyes and wet areas only. If paint is already worn through, touch up the colour and varnish that spot rather than stripping the whole model.
• An ankle or arm has snapped: Clean the break, drill both sides, and pin with brass rod and superglue. Reinforce with a small amount of putty if the joint is under load. If the break is inside a painted area you cannot match, consider a small base detail or banner to cover the repair instead of repainting the limb.

Kit facts worth knowing before you start

• Grog Ard'Nogg Ogre Veteran: The kit includes a multi-part resin Grog Ard'Nogg miniature, one 40mm round plastic slotta base, and was sculpted by Bobby Jackson (SKU 71355). Multi-part resin means dry-fitting and sub-assembly are part of the job, and the 40mm base is the footprint you must weight and pin.
• Arcadian Guard 10 Man Squad: The Arcadian Guard 10 Man Squad is a resin kit with 10 male Arcadian heads, 10 standing male legs, 10 flak armour torsos, 10 auto rifles, a sergeant sprue, a Kill Team special weapons sprue, and 25mm round plastic bases. If you want spare heads, pouches, or rifles to convert your ogre or its base, this squad box is a practical bits source rather than buying a second ogre kit.