Okay, now that I've got the camera to work, I wanted to put up some pictures of my skeleton warriors for critique. It's not done yet, I haven't composed a base or sealed it. The bones were supposed to look fossilized, like the dinosaurs on display in museums.

Suggestions for basing is one of the things I am looking for. I know that I don't want to do the traditional sandy desert. Afterall, at the height of their power, the dominion of Nehekhara spread well beyond the desert.

Skeleton Warrior
http://www.librarium-online.com/upload/files/hfktotnmx82xgxavuzt3_thumb.jpg (http://www.librarium-online.com/upload/viewer.php?file=hfktotnmx82xgxavuzt3.jpg) http://www.librarium-online.com/upload/files/x5678nq3g2074cccabb6_thumb.jpg (http://www.librarium-online.com/upload/viewer.php?file=x5678nq3g2074cccabb6.jpg) http://www.librarium-online.com/upload/files/j8h4whbo3dl4r2rve8u7_thumb.jpg (http://www.librarium-online.com/upload/viewer.php?file=j8h4whbo3dl4r2rve8u7.jpg)

Any chance of getting some larger images of the skeleton?

As for the base, what general theme are you going for? Larger rocks are easy to do, as is tiling or street bricks. I prefer some combination of a few recognizable man-made objection, such as broken weapons or cracked bricks, along with a bunch of rubble. It gives the impression of desolation.

I believe that if you click on the images, larger versions should pop-up.

As for the bases, I was looking for something fairly simple, since it is my first attempt and 20 guys to work with, and something that would leave plausible dirt marks on the shields. The sheilds looked too pristine with just the green, so I added the dirt without really thinking about what the base would be.

They look nice and fossilized! Nice effect. As for the base, why not a bit of jungle and brick? I am thinking of an arm of Nehekara that stretched into primeval Lustria. (ok fluff wise?)
Can easily account for your dirt/mud.

I appreciate the "fossilized" effect, its just not popping out though. Consider going over it with a lighter brown to bring out the details some more?

With the cool 'fossilised' look of the skellies, my first thought was just a simple rock/mud base, but how about a tarpit? or maybe thats too dirty...
Nice skellies though, different from the usual bone. Good colour choice for the shields too, it works well.

I have to agree with theyak (shock horror!!), the bone just isn't doing anything really. An extra highlight with a lighter brown might well work. Also, with the weapon head and shield boss, they look like they're just black. I would suggest adding some more highlights to them as well.

KU

First, I would like to say thanks to everyone that has replied so far.

I appreciate the "fossilized" effect, its just not popping out though. Consider going over it with a lighter brown to bring out the details some more?
- Theyak

I have to agree with theyak (shock horror!!), the bone just isn't doing anything really. An extra highlight with a lighter brown might well work. Also, with the weapon head and shield boss, they look like they're just black. I would suggest adding some more highlights to them as well.
- King Ulrik
This is actually a problem that I have considered. Standing back from the unit tends to blend them all together. However, that being said, I have actually gone up to a fairly light brown. (Folk Art's Raw Sienna, I'm not sure what that would translate to in GW's colors.) I'm afraid that trying to highlight any further could result in blowing out what progress I have been able to make. Is there a way of sealing the lower levels of paint so that I could remove the highlights if I do screw them up?

The shields and the weapons were both done in flat black, with just a real light drybrushing of metallic silver over them to try and make them look light wrought iron. I guess the same question stands for the black as the brown. How do I go about highlighting it without ruining it? I probably won't use it for my rank and file skeletons, but I've got a Prince and some Ushabti that deserve that kind of attention.

They look nice and fossilized! Nice effect. As for the base, why not a bit of jungle and brick? I am thinking of an arm of Nehekara that stretched into primeval Lustria. (ok fluff wise?)
Can easily account for your dirt/mud.
- Palos
I actually considered making my army tied to Lustria as well, since my wife has a chosen to paint Lizardmen (we have a battalion for them, if I can distract her from the Warcraft for long enough to work on them - yes, I'm a Warcraft widower...) I couldn't figure any plausible reason why my army would be so far afield since I wasn't planning on a themed army. But I don't see any reason to say that the Nehekharans couldn't reach Lustria. Recent evidence in the real world would suggest that there was a good deal more trade in travel in the past than conventional thought supposed. (I'm sure that you've seen Petsucho's Themed TK thread.)

With the cool 'fossilised' look of the skellies, my first thought was just a simple rock/mud base, but how about a tarpit? or maybe thats too dirty...
Nice skellies though, different from the usual bone. Good colour choice for the shields too, it works well.
- Deciever
I'm kind of digging the tarpit idea, do you have any suggestions on implementing it? This would be my first basing effort, and although I've read about it quite a bit, I'm lacking in practical knowledge.

I have been using the same mentality as you do now before. The very natural looking-look. But then I realised, a bit like you do now, that it doesn't really work all that well due to the scale of those minis.
I think it's important to keep in mind how they look on the battlefield as well as how they look when painting. So by using more highlights you can make them look/feel like they do upclose now, but from a distance.
I also think you'd benefit from making their weapons contrast a bit more, that'd indicate an end of each figure. No need to go overboard on it and paint the weapons yellow or anything, but by just making them look more distinct you'd strengthen the ancient look of the skellies.

Well, you can acheive the highlights without wrecking your fossil look(I think)
Figure out where you want your light source coming from(up above, usually) and pick some key highlight points(top of skull, tops of the ribs, etc) and highlight just those to show off some of the detail, this should keep your overall look while giving it some depth.