How to Paint Everything: Professor X & Shadow King

In our How to Paint Everything series, we take a look at how to paint well, everything, with a look at different methods from different artists. In this article we’re looking at Professor X and Shadow King from Marvel: Crisis Protocol.

One of the problems with trying to keep up with Marvel, whether historically in comic books, or currently the MCU is just how much is out there. Did you know there was a Marvel FX show where Aubrey Plaza played The Shadow King?! I didn't.

I also didn't remember the Shadow King from the 90's animated show so this box announcement took me by surprise. However, the King's model is one of the coolest in the MCP range and was a joy to paint.

Shadow King

Credit: Raf Cordero

Shadow King is painted almost exclusively with Army Painter Speed Paints, following the same basic steps I outlined in How to Paint Everything: Marvel Crisis Protocol in 60 Minutes. The only difference between those instructions and this model is that I applied the zenithal with an airbrush instead of drybrushing.

1. Skin: Peachy Flesh
2. Suit: Citadel Soulblight Grey Shade
3. Hat/Shirt: Slaughter Red
4. Cane: Satchel Brown, Broadsword Silver
5. Armbands: Broadsword Silver

For the smoke and evil entity, I grabbed Beowulf Blue, Purple Swarm, and Familiar Pink. In order to blend them together you have to move quickly. First lay down the Familiar Pink from the base up as far as you'd like the pink to go and quickly lay down pure water from a little further up the model back to the pink. This will wet the miniature and make the pink run a little. Then lay down Purple Swarm even farther up the model and work down into the area of the smoke you just wet, all the way to where it meets the pink. This will blend the colors and you can move you brush back up and down the model as long as the paint is still wet to achieve the blend you want. Follow the same technique with the blue. You are essentially painting 3 zones of the model with the straight Speed Paint colors and blending the areas between the zones with water to get them to mix.

For a bit of contrast I mixed Beowulf Blue with a random light blue paint from the shelf and drew some muscle lines on the entity's chest, and painted its eyes red and teeth white.

Professor X

Credit: Raf Cordero

Like I did with Storm, I wanted to paint Professor X with his 90's animated series color scheme even though the model isn't strictly modeled off the show. Once again I started with an airbrushed zenithal and used quick paints, mostly Citadel this time.

1. Hoverchair: Ironjawz Yellow (Vertical and Angled surfaces), Bad Moons Yellow (Horizontal Surfaces), Army Painter Speed Paint Broadsword Silver (metal details)
2. Skin: Warrior Skin
3. Chair Back: Celestium Blue
4. Suit: Ork Flesh
5. Blanket: Skeleton Horde
6. Hover Energy: Stormfiend

Thank you to Atomic Mass Games for providing these models.

Have any questions or feedback? Drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com. Want articles like this linked in your inbox every Monday morning? Sign up for our newsletter. And don’t forget that you can support us on Patreon for backer rewards like early video content, Administratum access, an ad-free experience on our website and more.