With good information many details can be added to spice up your model.

Gandalf the Grey comes from a fictional race called the Istari. The Istari are a group of beings outwardly resembling men but possessing much greater physical and mental power. Only five members of this race are mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien’s writing. Each one of the member were assigned a specific colour. Saruman the White, Radagast the Brown and Gandalf the Grey were send to aid Middle-Earth against the evil forces. There are two more members of the Istari who were assigned the colour blue called Alatar and Pallando but they travelled to the East and very little was written about them.

The Old Norse name Gandalfr incorporates the words gandr meaning both “wand” and (especially in compounds) “magic” and alfr meaning “elf” or in a wider sense “(mythological) being”. Hence Gandalf means roughly “magic–elf/being” or wizard.

Tolkien describes Gandalf as the last of the wizards to appear in Middle-earth, one who: “seemed the least, less tall than the others, and in looks more aged, grey-haired and grey-clad, and leaning on a staff”.

Gandalf the Grey was the leader in the Fellowship of the Ring and also a member of the White Council. The White Council was formed in response to the Necromancer of Dol Guldur, an earlier version of Sauron, written in the Appendix B of Lord of the Rings.

Gandalf was often accompanied by a band of thirteen dwarves and the Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins as wrtten in the story “The Hobbit”. Gandalf the Grey would  go on a quest with the dwarves to reclaim the Dwarves lost treasure from Smaug the Dragon. Gandalf would also find his sword Glamdring in that quest.

Gandalf the Grey would later return as Gandalf the White as in the movie and the book “The Two Towers”.

Image via Wikipedia

Importance of Research on Background

Be it Warhammer Fantasy or military modelling, having a good knowledge of our subject will determine how well we can push the envelope and get great results in modelling our miniatures. With even an in-depth knowledge of the topic, it would definitely would be an added plus point. 

This not only helps in the practical aspects but also psychological aspects of it-a negative comment with no bearing from someone who have seen your work would only confuse and hinder your  progress and development (if you are a member of a modelling forum you’ll get what I mean) With your facts right, it’s easier to convince viewers and even yourself on the style and direction you are undertaking. With enough research, it makes you more confident and stay focused on the more important things.

So if we are painting a miniature like Gandalf the Grey, we would definitely  not stray too much off the original colours and design of the character. Unless you totally convert the miniature into a wholly different character, it’s best to take the original colours as a guide. With a good information, you can manipulate the details and make the subject unique and fresh even if it was done a thousand times before.

Modification through Information

In the video below, the Gandalf the Grey figure is presented in two different scenes, one while in a study somewhere and another at Bilbo Baggins home at the Shire. The colours of his outer robe is slightly different from the movie. I  use Brown hues but I still kept elements of the Grey colour for his inner robe just to keep the Gandalf image grounded. I also converted his right hand to hold a book or pipe instead of a sword so that he may fit into any scene or diorama I created for him.

The idea is to take control of the miniature and not let it control you.

For beginner painter’s please refer to the dilution ratio of highlights,shades and base coat of acrylics paint right at the bottom of this web page:
http://www.2paintminiatures.com/paintingbasics.html