Alright, buckle up folks, ’cause I’m gonna walk you through my Golden Demon 2024 experience. It was a wild ride, let me tell ya!
It all started with a mini. I picked up this cool Chaos Lord model a while back, and it just screamed ‘Golden Demon’ at me. Knew right then I had to give it a shot.
Prep work was key. I spent ages cleaning up the model, filling gaps, and generally making sure it was smooth as a baby’s butt. Used a hobby knife and some green stuff for that. Tedious, but essential.

Next up, the base. I wanted something that told a story. Decided on a ruined temple floor with some cool details. I grabbed some corkboard, broke it up, and glued it down to the base. Then, I used textured paint to give it that cracked stone look. Added some skulls and other bits and bobs for extra flair.
Painting time! This is where things got serious. I primed the model black, then started layering on the base colors. Lots of reds, golds, and bronzes for the Chaos Lord. Used an airbrush for the big areas, and a regular brush for the details.
Highlighting was a pain, but crucial. Spent hours carefully adding lighter shades to the raised areas to make them pop. Used a super fine brush for that. My eyes were definitely crossing by the end of it.
- First highlight: base color + a touch of white.
- Second highlight: even more white.
- Third highlight: almost pure white.
Shading was just as important. Used washes to darken the recesses and create depth. Agrax Earthshade is my go-to wash. Works like a charm.
Then came the details. The runes on his armor, the glow on his weapon, the glint in his eye. All those little things that really bring a model to life. Used a detail brush and a whole lotta patience.

Base painting was next. Drybrushed the stone to bring out the texture. Added some pigments to give it a dusty, weathered look. Glued on some tufts of grass for a bit of life.
Sealed the whole thing with a matte varnish to protect it. Don’t want all that hard work to go to waste!
Photographing the mini was another challenge. Tried to get the lighting just right to show off all the details. Used a lightbox and a couple of lamps. Took a bunch of photos from different angles.
Finally, submitted my entry. Fingers crossed! Didn’t win anything, but honestly, just entering was a huge accomplishment for me. Learned a ton during the process, and that’s what really matters.
Definitely gonna try again next year. Got some ideas brewing already!
