Hi everyone - new here but thought I would jump right in...

After much debate I decided to paint my Wood Elves for my army in a winter theme - think Alaskan Wilderness - snow, ice, icicles, rugged terrain. There will be lots of clear resin, water effects, snow, etc. Apparently this is even fine with the fluff as there is a great forest north of the Kislev that works for this.

And to hopefully make them different from other winter themed armies, I am incorporating the Northern Lights aurora into it.

I have never used greenstuff to do anything other than fill gaps so this was a real experiment for me. :)

Looking at the glade guard bodies, I wanted to add a feeling of winter - instead of just painting them in a winter scheme. I looked at Eskimo and Icelandic people's clothing and found what I feel is a good compromise. And don't worry the blue blob is simply Blu-Tac - nothing to do with the basing. :rofl

I have added a fur lined parka type hood, fur lined boots, fur lining under the arm greaves, fur collar, hid the torso connection by widening the belt, and fur lined the cloak.

The cloak is only temporarily pinned in place to check the hood placement and I will be adding arrows to all the models with arms in this position which will pull the bow string tighter.

My greenstuff work will get better as I go, but for a prototype - I am pretty pleased with the result. I will be converting 20 of these for two units of 10.

http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/%7Ebeowulf/IMG_3304.jpg http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/%7Ebeowulf/IMG_3306.jpg

I did a test scheme before starting any conversion to get a feel for the colours - using a heavy percentage of Foundation colours on this one. I kept the figures in muted tones, in comparison to the green/purple spring ones I tried before. I also used darker colours that would contrast well with the snowy bases. My goal is to attempt Best Painted Army at some of the NZ tournaments.

Don't worry - as test models - this is simply a colour test and the final result will be better blended and more defined.



http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/%7Ebeowulf/coloursample2.jpg


Any and all C&C welcomed...

Two things: i)That guy looks AWSOME!! ii) You called the book by its proper name, unlike those dastardly Americans:P

I can't wait to see you do more woodelves like this8Y I can assure you, with greenstuff the more you do the same things over and over the better you'll get at it, so keep up the good work! :happy: *reps*

I thought you meant Northern Lights as in an Aurora Borealis colour scheme...

It's not - but doesn't stop them from looking damn good :party2:

I thought you meant Northern Lights as in an Aurora Borealis colour scheme...

It will be - I am putting aurora images on the backs of all the cloaks. I tried the whole outfit in aurora colours and it came out very pastel so I have reduced it to just the cloaks which I am hopefully trialing over the weekend... ;)

Then this, I cannot possibly wait to see :-D :-D :-D

Great Scheme and Greenstuff working. and imo your colour test models are already table worthy and compared to my crap skills you paint like a... ummm... like a good painter

Very nice fur sculpting in the first and great painting in the second... ;Y

Welcome to LO!

Well I don't think I speak for only myself when I say that GG is one awesome model I like a lot. And your paintjobs looks stunning, too! I will be looking forward to seeing more of this army.

Hi guys! Thanks for making a girl feel welcome! Glad my first model is so well received. Do you think I should convert a whole unit first and then paint or do one whole model to get a feel for it first? Also I am thinking of how to bring the aurora theme into the front of the model - inside of the cloak? Uppermost tabard/loincloth area piece? Suggestions?

two words: Awesome, REP!

Hi guys! Thanks for making a girl feel welcome! Glad my first model is so well received. Do you think I should convert a whole unit first and then paint or do one whole model to get a feel for it first? Also I am thinking of how to bring the aurora theme into the front of the model - inside of the cloak? Uppermost tabard/loincloth area piece? Suggestions?


Really like the Green stuff work on the WIP shot. when will you be able to post painted pics (we are all a bit short of patience on this forum i have noticed ;)

Nice idea with the Northern Lights - but why not the Southern Lights eh!

Have you seen the Wood Elves by Rachel Borthwick (spelling)? IronHalo.net Miniature Painting - Main (http://www.ironhalo.net) has some examples of her work her elves I think have some of the qualities you are aiming for.

Gorgeous work. I love the Wood Elves models and play them myself. I'm definitely subscribing to this. Great painting and green stuff work.

Winter Elves are nothing new, but going with an Aurora Borealis theme opens up some very cool possibilities with your forest spirits. You could use polar bears for treekin. 8Y

It's a great thread. Thanks for sharing and I hope you keep posting.

As for C&C, the skin seems too tan for elves living in the far north. I'd think they'd be paler in complexion.

Spend a little more time on the loin cloths and the belts. Yours look good and it's obvious you've got an eye for detail, but they could be a little more defined.

Your contrasts work well together. What will you do with the bows? Are you doing snow bases?

The hoods seem a little large but I can see them looking really good when painted. I love the idea and it will let you do some cool stuff with shadows on their faces.

Do you have pics of the backs of the models?

What models do you have left to paint?

As for C&C, the skin seems too tan for elves living in the far north. I'd think they'd be paler in complexion...
Hi - I looked at your WE when i first joined LO so it's nice to see you here...the thing to know about those two models is they are just a rough colour block sketch - no where near the finished product.

Skin will be lighter with pink and blue shadowing from the cold.

Spend a little more time on the loin cloths and the belts. Yours look good and it's obvious you've got an eye for detail, but they could be a little more defined.Loincloths and belts were very rough just to get a colour sense - will be smoother and more defined in finished product.

What will you do with the bows? Are you doing snow bases?Bows will be wood and bone - perhaps with some feathers or other adornment - still thinking about that. Snow bases - yep - with icy water effects and icicles strategically placed.

The hoods seem a little large but I can see them looking really good when painted. I love the idea and it will let you do some cool stuff with shadows on their faces.Yeah I thought maybe that was the case but as a first time sculpter - I thought I was doing good to get it in the right shape. :rofl

Do you have pics of the backs of the models?Not yet - that's what i am working on tonight/tomorrow...will show and tell as soon as something is ready...

What models do you have left to paint?All of them - this is the first model, for my first army, ever...;Y I am still trying to tweak my army list - so I am starting on the figures in my core I know I want and that I already have. I have painted about 50 minis in my life - but never played any of the games - so now I am doing both with the help of some good friends...

Anyone care to help out with my first army list (2000 pt tournament list)? I have three to choose from: Highborn led, Spellweaver led and one including the Highborn on dragon because I have a cool conversion planned for him...but they all need work...

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When will you be able to post painted pics?I am a really slow painter - but I will try to update at least twice a week - even if just WIP shots....I know it's hard to wait - I'm like that too... LOL

Southern Lights - could be - I'm just a big fan of Alaska...

Rachael - yep - great work - she lives about 8 hours from me - I must look her up next time I am in Wellington!

Okay better get to it if I'm going to have anything to show you...

Best of luck! I am trying to finish my Dwarf Throng at the moment and the pile of base coated mini's is very intimidating!

Look forward to seeing some more.

For the list I personally wouldn't use the Forest Dragon at under 3000 points he is a bot of a sink and in a tournament quite hard to keep safe (especially if you play on the standard tournament terrain table - "Blasted Wasteland with a hill and two trees" : )

I think a Wood Elf army works really well with a mage focus and a battle standard bearer. It may pa to check with the tournament organisers to see of they have any restrictions worth noting. At NatCon there was a section to lose marks if you had more than 6 power dice for instance.

I will check that out as well...good point!

Now I am stuck - I want a really awesome aurora effect on the cloaks - and perhaps elsewhere on the model - but try as I might tonight I just can't pull it off. Since this is a defining point in setting this army apart - I need to nail it.

Suggestions needed please. I have lots of reference pics - but perhaps I am making this too complicated. Even a quick photoshop sqiggle may help. This pic shows the reference colours I want to use (minus the pink - just purple/blue/green - but when I put the same pattern on a cloak - it just looks wrong....help?!?

http://bored-space.com/Pics/Aurora/Aurora001.jpg

Hmm, that's a toughie... What method exactly are you using at the moment?

My suggestion would be to water the paint down quite a bit, get a brushload and wipe some off, just like you would for drybrushing. Then just drift the tip of the brush over the surface and see how that comes out. Unfortunately it's not something I have tried and if my advice renders useless, I apologise in front ;)

Perhaps a picture of your attempt is at hand?

Good luck! :happy:

P.S To build up the lighter areas, keep layering over that bit lots and lots.

file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Sian/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpgWell here is a link with some ideas that you may be able to use!

Tzarina Katarin,regina Dei Ghiacci Di Kislev - Forum Gw Tilea (http://www.forumgwtilea.it/forum/index.php?showtopic=31772&st=0&p=556194&#entry556194)

Sorry - try linking again please... :)

That Tzarina Katarin model is awesome! Excellent job... :happy:

Hmm the link seems to work fine. Just google images fort Kislev you should get a hit


@Tsele - not my work but yes it's gorgeous. I probably should have noted the artist but all the Italian was doing my head in.

Hmm the link seems to work fine. Just google images fort Kislev you should get a hit

Problem with the link is that it is linked you your harddrive. You need to upload the pic on the internet before linking it. ;)

I was having a blonde moment - the img file didn't work (as you say linked to harddrive) but you're right the actual link worked...sorry....

I saw her on CMON and loved the snowflake look - very nice!

Over the last few days I have been really struggling with this aurora image - to the point I have not wanted to work on the models at all and thought of dropping the idea completely. But it is a cool idea - and I will sort it out today. Dang it!

As suggested - I will show you what I have tried plus I woke up with a few more ideas this morning and hopefully I will sort it out, get over this block and have some more figs to show you soon!

What in particular is proving difficult?

Is creating an ambient glow what's proving difficult for you?

What colors are you attempting?

Okay so here is what I have tried over the last few nights -

White base - wash with various shades of purple/blue/green - not good...
Black base - horizontal bands of colour - no joy
Black base - vertical streaky bits of colour - no joy

By the time I got to the point of the models shown - I was not being too careful - just trying to block the colour in, in a way I could see if I liked it...

Aurora windswept pattern (as seen on cloak to the left) - not happy with
General banding (cloak on right) - better but still not it....
http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/%7Ebeowulf/IMG_3320.jpg

My friend Carl comes round one night - and throws together this example - which except for the colours is more like the pattern I was getting - I think?
http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/%7Ebeowulf/IMG_3322.jpg

In reference to paint colours - I am using these Reaper paints - but have tried with similar ones in the Citadel range as well...
http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/%7Ebeowulf/IMG_3323.jpg


So then I am thinking the difference is most aurora photos have silhouettes as reference guides - like trees at the bottom or a horizon - and I got to thinking maybe all I needed to do was add a silhouette and it would work...like for example - my elk riders could have this:
http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/%7Ebeowulf/Elkicon%20copy.jpg

and GG could have trees silhouetted like this:

http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/%7Ebeowulf/northern_lights.jpg

I don't know - not sure why I am stuck on this - it should be relatively simple - but it's not turning out that way...:?

Have you used Reaper propaints? They make a world of difference if you're not using them already.

Yes, the model on the right looks better, and I like Carl's cape, too.

EDIT: Not the propaints, the master series. Though the pro paints have been reforumulated. You can read about it on Reaper's homepage.

I really like your idea of just using a silhouetted outline with the aoura in the background. I think that would look rather neat IMO.

One other thing I have found that does help alot is stop working on this project and start something else. Maybe give your Tau a shot and usually while painting something else up you get inspirded and all of your problems...( well painting problems anyways, painting hasn't given me the winning lotto numbers yet ;) ) solve themselves.

Very nice work so far, I am really impressed. I guess you Kiwi grlzz know how to paint :P

Thanks guys...I have a few character projects going on and I need to assemble some Trollbloods, chose a Morheim army and get started on a colour scheme for my Kroot - it's not like I don't have anything to do - just have been focused on getting these guys off to a good start.

Reaper Paints - I want the whole set - but as the paints aren't sold in NZ - I haven't really started buying them a few at a time yet...I am familiar with the range though. :)

Side note - I'm not really a kiwi - just a transplanted American - LOL - of 10 years....

Okay better get back to it!

Finally got the aurora sorted out on the cloaks - it about drove me crazy but I am quite pleased with it now....what do you think! Some shapes lend themselves a bit better to this than others...

http://lh3.ggpht.com/wolfdreamernz/SCOb5dtqtkI/AAAAAAAABiI/k0xQR3KLOss/s800/final%20cloak%20test.jpg

I think it looks very cool, but the bottom portion, the darkest area, I think could use the same treatment. It seems like blank space. Even if it's kept very dark and muted, I think it'd give more cohesiveness to the cloak.

Still, very cool and well done. And unique.

Wow, that is absolutley stunning! Really beautiful paintwork

Wow. Just, wow. Very nice work!

I agree with David though. The lower parts does not need much, just a few spots or so and I think it would make 'em look even nicer.

Just amazing, great work. I'm glad you found a way to do this :D

*rep*

Wow, I had just been playing with the idea of something (vaguely) similar to this and it sure is good to see just how good it could look. I was thinking of attempting a fur-lined cloak too, but was a little stuck on how to make he fur. How did you get that effect? That part looks simple enough for me to manage (hunting and skinning a real greenstuffbeast is well out of my league), but creates the exact effect I was looking for. I am planning far simpler colours though: that is way out of my league!

Looks like it's come out really well! Great work!
(Hope your sanity didn't take too much of a hit...)

I've been trying to follow this, maybe if I post and say how much I like it I can actually remember to keep watching!